Transcript Highlights:

• This is language from the Department of Ag.
• Is it possible to recognize the Department of Ag?
• Again, this was a recommendation from the Department of Ag.
• Yeah, and I would think that would be up to the Department of Ag.
• Has the Department of Ag told you what that number would be?

Bills: HB3056 , HB3391 , HB3657 , HB3617 , HB4055 , HB3720 , HB3902

Committee: House Agriculture

Summary: The committee took up several agriculture-related bills, many with committee substitutes and amendments. HB 356, dealing with raw, unpasteurized milk, was amended to limit sales for off-premise consumption and to provide liability protection for producers; members discussed whether restaurants should also receive protection and whether consumers should be notified, and the bill passed 4-2. HB 3391, requiring commercial pet breeders to include their state license number in advertisements and authorizing Agriculture Department rules and fines, passed 6-0. HB 3657, an Oklahoma Employment Security Commission request bill updating agricultural labor reporting language and allowing workforce data sharing with the Workforce Commission, passed 4-3 after questions about the type of data shared and a tie vote was broken by a member voting in the affirmative. HB 3617, a right-to-repair bill for agricultural equipment, was amended to correct wording and to protect intellectual property, trade secrets, and warranties, but members questioned its scope and application date; it passed 5-1. HB 4055, the Breeding Animals Responsibly and with Care Act, was heavily amended to remove a section changing licensing thresholds and to set minimum fines, but it drew extensive questions about the new fund, inspection hours, fiscal impact, and whether it would burden the Department of Agriculture or consumers; it failed 3-4. HB 3902, a bill aimed at addressing pet overpopulation and allowing counties to act, prompted concerns about county zoning, sheriff workload, and unfunded mandates; the authors said they would continue working on the issue and strike the title later, and the bill passed 4-3 despite requests to lay it over.

Transcript Highlights:

• organizations; House Bill 3925, directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age
• An act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for Pierre
• An act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for Pierre
• An act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police
• An act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police

Transcript Highlights:

• We rely on the ag centers to keep us informed.
• We have ag economists doing market research.
• It's at LSU Ag where that happens.
• You own some help develop some property for ag... Some property for ag shows.
• The LSU Ag Center is, as I would say, kind of a dual status.

Committee: House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and welcomed a new member, then took up a series of agriculture-related bills, many focused on Louisiana seafood and producer protections. HB 121 by Rep. Domain would let the Department of Agriculture and Forestry seize and destroy adulterated imported seafood after a stop order, rather than relying on another agency to do it; the commissioner said the bill would improve enforcement without adding major cost, and it was reported favorably. HB 725, also by Rep. Domain, was amended to require retailers to keep invoices for imported seafood for six months so inspectors can verify country of origin and labeling; the committee adopted the technical amendment and reported the bill favorably. HB 367, dealing with Structural Pest Control Commission hearing notices, was described as a technical change to align notice procedures with the Administrative Procedure Act and was also reported favorably. HB 505, on certification cards for commercial applicators, pesticide salespersons, and agricultural consultants, was amended to keep unexpended pesticide fund money in the fund and streamline renewal timing; it too passed favorably. The committee then considered several measures aimed at protecting farmers from market losses. HB 344 by Rep. Coates raised the Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund thresholds for suspending and restarting assessments, with the commissioner explaining that recent bankruptcies and broker failures had shown the need for a larger reserve; the bill was reported favorably. HB 370, a follow-up measure on the same fund, increased the assessment rate on agricultural commodities so the fund could grow faster, and it also passed without objection. HB 847, on Soil and Water Conservation Commission district supervisor elections, was amended to require certified nominating petitions, shift election administration to the Secretary of State, and remove outdated statewide election language; supporters said the change would modernize a system that had become costly and unwieldy, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 370 and HB 847 drew discussion about ballot access, election administration, and the nonpartisan nature of soil and water districts. The meeting also included a lengthy agriculture update from Commissioner Strain and a presentation from LSU Ag Center Dean Matt Lee. Strain discussed seafood imports, labeling enforcement, shrimp industry promotion, feral swine damage, fertilizer and diesel cost pressures, pesticide disposal, and export markets for rice and timber, emphasizing that Louisiana agriculture depends on testing, marketing, and international trade. Lee reported that LSU Ag Center research is ranked among the nation’s top agricultural programs, with major work in sugarcane variety development, and said the center’s research generates substantial economic returns for Louisiana producers. Several industry representatives, including Louisiana Farm Bureau and LSU Ag Center staff, spoke in support of the bills and the state’s agricultural programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for healthy aging. for healthy aging.
• It hits all ages.
• It hits all ages. This aneurysm, etc. It hits all ages.
• </c><00:23:55.440><c> an</c><00:23:55.679><c> age</c> multis- sector plan for aging an age multis- sector
• plan for aging an age well<00:23:56.159><c> and</c><00:23:56.320><c> age</c><00:23:56.559><c> plan</

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment under the age of 21.
• </c><00:16:04.880><c> 21,</c> possession from a person under age 21, possession from a person under age
• This mirrors individual under age 21.
• I don't have time to be out on the road. age. They can work whenever they want or age.
• I mean, 75 seems to be a good age, but we shouldn't be penalized with an age restriction.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• to what is strictly necessary for age verification.
• Edwards, age signal. Senator Creem.
• This bill allows the Attorney General to consider an age signal as an age verification method when promulgating
• age-determination regulations for platforms.
• An age signal is a device-level transmission to a covered operator of the age range of the user of the

Transcript Highlights:

• PERS 2, your retirement age is 65 and 5.
• For PERS, it's age 53 with 20 years of service.
• There is an age when the physical risk is There is an age when the physical risk is impossible for a
• The normal retirement age of 65 and early retirement age of 55 is the same for both plans.
• of service credit after age 44.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I also came of age and came out on social media and in the age of social media.
• eligibility, an age ban, an age block.
• An age ban, an age block. That is very much a place we are concerned about.
• That is something that can happen once you have age signaling.
• And I'll say that Roblox, which now does age verification differently than we...

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational hearing on the impact of social media on LGBTQ+ youth, focusing on benefits, risks, and possible safeguards. Chair members framed the discussion around the tension between protecting young people from addictive design, harassment, hate speech, exploitation, and mental health harms while preserving access to affirming resources, community, and crisis support that many LGBTQ+ youth rely on online. Members emphasized that the hearing was meant to inform future policy rather than relitigate prior bills, and several members of the LGBTQ+ Caucus attended or participated. The first panel featured lived experience and advocacy testimony from Madi Roby of Alliance for Trans Youth Rights, Shea Gardner of LGBT Tech, and Casey Pick of the Trevor Project. Roby described social media as essential to exploring identity, finding trans language and safety information, and connecting to Trevor Project resources during a family crisis, while also acknowledging online hate and bullying. Gardner argued that lawmakers should regulate harms more precisely rather than impose broad age-based exclusions, warning that account bans and age-gating could cut off access to community, privacy-protective pseudonymity, and crisis resources. Pick testified that LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than peers to attempt suicide, that social media can be both a lifeline and a risk, and that Trevor Space and other moderated online spaces can improve mental health and reduce isolation; she also cautioned against policies that would push youth into less visible, less moderated spaces. Committee members questioned the witnesses about algorithmic feeds, addictive design, age verification, and whether platforms should be required to do more to protect youth. Several lawmakers distinguished between personalized feeds and addictive features such as infinite scroll and autoplay, and asked for more targeted prescriptions. Witnesses generally supported stronger privacy protections, limits on data collection and use, better reporting and moderation tools, digital literacy, and design changes that reduce harmful engagement patterns without eliminating access to community. The discussion also touched on the loss of LGBTQ-specific 988 services at the national level and the importance of maintaining alternative support pathways. The second panel presented research from Common Sense Media, UC Irvine, Hope Lab, and LGBTQ+ Health Australia. Researchers reported that LGBTQ+ youth often arrive online with higher depressive symptoms and limited in-person support, encounter homophobic and transphobic content at high rates, and may self-censor because of fear of harassment. At the same time, many said social media helps them feel less alone and find affirmation. Dr. Sean Young emphasized a harm-reduction approach, noting that online environments can be designed to support health and that policymakers should measure whether restrictions actually reduce harm or simply displace it. Dr. Amy Green echoed that social media is both harmful and supportive for LGBTQ+ youth, underscoring that the policy goal should be to make youth safer rather than less visible online.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we want to allow ag tourism.
• So do the counties already have the authority to regulate ag tourism and to inspect abuses on ag lands
• So do the counties already have the authority to regulate ag tourism and to inspect abuses on ag lands
• So do the counties already have the authority to regulate ag tourism and to inspect abuses on ag lands
• So do the counties already have the authority to regulate ag tourism and to inspect abuses on ag lands

Summary: The joint House Agriculture and Food Systems and Tourism hearing focused on HB 189 and HB 966, both dealing with agricultural tourism. HB 189 would require counties to adopt ordinances governing review and permitting of agricultural tourism as secondary uses on working farms, require the principal agricultural use to pre-exist any tourism-related permit, and limit ag tourism to land where productive agriculture is occurring. HB 966 would create statewide uniform standards for agricultural tourism, require county registration of activities, require ag tourism to coexist with agricultural activity on a farming operation, and end the tourism use when agricultural activity ceases. Testimony on HB 189 was mixed. The Department of Agriculture and Kualoa Ranch opposed the bill, arguing that the proposed restrictions and income-based limits could burden bona fide farms and ranches, reduce flexibility for counties, and harm food production, jobs, and diversification efforts. Kualoa Ranch said ag tourism supports its food sales and community market and warned the bill could cost more than 350 jobs. The Hawaiʻi Cattlemen’s Council also opposed the measure for similar reasons. The Hawaiʻi Farmers Union supported the bill with suggested amendments, including clearer language around agricultural dedication. The Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau supported the intent of the bill but urged caution, saying ag tourism should remain tied to actual agricultural production and that counties need flexibility to address abuses without imposing overly rigid standards. Members discussed how to define a bona fide agricultural operation and whether property tax agricultural dedication could serve as a clearer qualifier. They also raised concerns about how counties would enforce revenue thresholds or separate accounting for tourism and farm income, and whether state law should better target clearly non-agricultural uses such as gondolas or other abusive developments. The Department of Agriculture and Farm Bureau said counties already have authority to regulate ag tourism through ordinances, but that any new standards should avoid unintended burdens on true farmers and ranchers. HB 966 was then introduced, and initial testimony again reflected support for the bill’s intent from some agricultural groups and opposition or caution from others. Kualoa Ranch said ag tourism can help educate visitors and support agriculture, the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union supported county flexibility, and the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau reiterated concerns about the bill’s income comparison provisions and the need to distinguish legitimate agricultural tourism from misuse. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• She's been in the ag industry. Her father was also a farmer prior to her.
• We're asking for all of the ag park leases. There are about 31 of them.
• Next up is Shannon Olivato from Waimānalo Ag Association. and feeding our community.
• On Oahu, we have three ag parks, and I would need to go back and do a count.
• On HB 1707, relating to AG and the Local Ag Transportation Cost Reimbursement Program, the Chair's recommendation

Summary: The committee first considered three gubernatorial nominations. GM510, Faith Tui Pulotu to the Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board, received strong support from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, though the nominee was not present online. GM614, Mark Gordon to the Environmental Advisory Council, also drew unanimous support from state and private testifiers; Gordon described his environmental health and safety background and said he could commit the time needed. GM696, James Falconer to the Advisory Board on Pesticides, was supported by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Hawaii Farm Bureau; Falconer discussed his long experience in coffee and sugar, including work responding to coffee leaf rust and the need for timely pesticide tools. All three nominations were recommended for advise and consent and were adopted by four-member votes. The committee then heard several agriculture bills. HB 1603 HD1 would allow the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to extend agricultural park leases without the current county-population restriction; supporters called it an equity measure and asked that it apply to all ag park leases, while the department gave standard testimony. HB 1707 HD1 would create a local agricultural transportation cost reimbursement program; supporters said transportation is a major production cost and suggested amendments to define “necessary supplies” and explicitly include honey. HB 2155 HD1 would establish an agricultural statistics program, with supporters emphasizing the need for better data to guide planning. HB 2594 HD1 would direct a study on insurance coverage for small producers, which supporters linked to recent storm damage and the lack of tailored insurance products. HB 2595 HD1 would create a regional agricultural feasibility and food systems production working group; supporters said it should consider markets as well as crop suitability and regional conditions. Members asked questions about lease competition, transportation reimbursement amounts and anti-double-dipping safeguards, the usefulness of agricultural data, and whether state or federal insurance models could be used as templates. Testifiers generally said the bills would help reduce costs, improve planning, and support small and neighbor-island producers, while noting that implementation details and funding levels would need further work. The committee then voted to pass all five bills with amendments, generally including a deferred effective date of July 1, 2050, and in the case of HB 1707, the committee adopted the suggested amendments to define necessary supplies and add honey to the covered commodities.

Transcript Highlights:

• agencies on aging, and the Minnesota Board on Aging is the primary organization for aging in the state
• agencies on aging, and the Minnesota Board on Aging is the primary organization for aging in the state
• agencies on aging, and the Minnesota Board on Aging is the primary organization for aging in the state
• The Minnesota Board on Aging is the primary organization for aging in the state of Minnesota.
• </c><01:47:35.480><c> uh</c> Aging as the state unit on Aging uh Aging as the state unit on Aging uh

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there an age limit for... that age. But that age. But followup<00:05:52.000><c> followup.
• Age allows for seasoned replicated.
• , increasing the age of the increasing<00:11:22.399><c> the</c><00:11:22.560><c> age</c><00:11:22.880
• </c> gets he gets appointed, there's no age gets he gets appointed, there's no age limit<00:11:34.160
• ,</c> want to elect someone of a certain age, want to elect someone of a certain age, we<01:41:37.360

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> annual gains uh in the school age annual gains uh in the school age population<00:17:25.240><c>
• This is showing you the number of people of school-age children ages 5 to 17 living in the district,
• under the age of 18.
• </c> looking just at the school age looking just at the school age population<00:24:10.960><c> but</c
• </c><00:29:57.600><c> children</c> School AG children School AG children uh<00:29:59.919><c> in</c><00

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• , that's 45 to 75 years of eligible age, that's 45 to 75 years of age,<00:12:54.320><c> have</c><00:12
• </c> age, have not been screened for color. age, have not been screened for color.
• 45 to 54 concerned that um those aged 45 to 54 years<00:13:02.160><c> of</c><00:13:02.320><c> age</c
• Investing in screening aged adults.
• </c> deputy AG Chelsea Okam? Thank you. deputy AG Chelsea Okam? Thank you.

Summary: The joint hearing opened with House Bill 1969, which would provide state funding for colorectal cancer screenings for uninsured and underinsured residents. The Department of Human Services said it supports the goal of early screening but would need new administrative capacity, including a program manager and claim pre-screening, to run the program. The Department of Health supported the measure and cited low screening rates in Hawaii, noting an educational campaign to encourage screening. The Insurance Division raised concerns about reliance on federal FAQs, warning that guidance can change and may create state cost exposure. Supporters including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the Hawaii Medical Association argued the bill would close a preventive-care gap, reduce late-stage diagnoses, and save long-term costs; the committee also discussed implementation costs, estimated by DHS at roughly $1.4 million to $2 million annually plus administrative expenses, and a 6-month to 1-year timeline to establish the program. The committee then took up House Bill 1965, which would require health carriers to spend at least 6% of total medical expenditures on primary care providers. The Insurance Division said several provisions raise technical and legal concerns, including the premium freeze, the medical loss ratio language, the lack of an existing external review process for downcoding claims, and a new mandate for medically necessary inter-island transportation that could trigger an ACA defrayal. The Department of Human Services supported the intent but suggested broader language to include primary care supports and services, and noted that QUEST integration plans already invested at least 9% of total medical expenditures in primary care in 2024, with additional spending on supports and low-value care reductions. State health planning officials strongly supported the bill as an investment in primary care, saying it could improve outcomes and lower long-term costs, though they acknowledged a possible temporary premium increase during the transition. Testimony in support emphasized Hawaii’s physician shortage, especially on Maui, the Big Island, and other neighbor islands, and warned that clinics are under financial strain and may close without higher primary care reimbursement. The Hawaii Healthcare Task Force, AARP Hawaii, and other supporters said the bill would help retain providers, improve access for Medicare and Medicaid patients, and prevent downstream costs from emergency room use and avoidable hospitalizations. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• For AGR program ID AGR122, for sequence no. page 3, sequence 2100-001 Senate, okay, for AGS 111 on page
• 28, sequence 21102-001 Senate, AGS 131 on page 29, 30-001 House, same program ID on page 29, 31-001
• I'm sorry, 109, 10900-001 House AGS 901 on page 42, 10, sequence 101-00001 House for BED, program ID
• 00:20:39.799><c> 28</c><00:20:40.799><c> sequence</c> AGS AGS 111 on page 28 sequence AGS AGS 111 on
• /c> uh AG AGS 131 on page uh AG AGS 131 on page 2930-001<00:20:50.520><c> house</c><00:20:51.520><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have the Southern Ag Center here today, and we have a presentation.
• And now we have Southern University Ag Center.
• , animal science, pre-veterinary medicine, ag business, and things of that nature.
• You see what areas—ag science and human sciences—are doing well.
• LSU has had an interest in using it for some of their ag activities. Okay, okay.

Committee: House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from its October 3, 2024 meeting, and Chairwoman Butler noted that HCR 82 would be voluntarily deferred in favor of continuing work on HCR 77 related to a pilot program for landscaping and crawfishing. The committee then considered HCR 205, which urges the USDA to use its Commodity Procurement Program to purchase domestic Louisiana shrimp. Representative Kerner and Commissioner Mike Strain described the shrimp industry’s low prices, full cold storage, and the need for urgent federal action to support shrimpers and move product into schools, nursing homes, and food banks. Members discussed domestic sourcing rules, enforcement against imported seafood, and marketing challenges; HCR 205 was reported favorably without objection. The committee also took up HCR 188, which memorializes Congress to oppose any federal farm bill provision that could negatively affect the use of hunting dogs. Chairwoman Butler and Commissioner Strain explained that the concern centered on vague language in a farm bill section that could be interpreted to restrict hunting dogs used for tracking or field trials. Members agreed the language should be removed if it remained in the bill, and HCR 188 was reported favorably without objection. The committee then heard a presentation from Orlando McMeans of the Southern University Ag Center and College of Agriculture, along with Dr. Calvin Walker. They outlined the center’s research, extension, and academic programs, including enrollment growth, dual-enrollment efforts, 1890 scholars, JAG Stars scholarships, beef cattle and aquaculture research, viticulture, precision nutrition, and food access initiatives. They also described major facility projects, including a high-tech meat processing facility, research labs, a vineyard, and a proposed disaster-safe shelter. Members asked about butcher training, cattle genetics, and the shelter’s potential uses, and the committee adjourned after the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Item 5, AB 1506, also an Ag Committee bill.
• in making sure that ag land is put to productive use.
• So we're certainly interested in funds that go to preserve ag land and mitigate the loss of ag land,
• solar on ag land, but were also at livestock.
• So on the issue of prime ag land, though, how is that addressed?

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Agriculture met as a subcommittee and heard several bills, with extensive discussion focused on balancing agricultural land preservation, water scarcity, renewable energy, and farm equity. AB 1156 by Assembly Member Wicks would update the solar use easement program to allow certain Williamson Act lands facing water constraints to be used for solar projects through a suspension rather than cancellation of contracts. Supporters said the bill could help landowners and local governments adapt to falling water supplies and meet clean energy goals, while opponents, including the Farm Bureau, warned it could weaken Williamson Act protections, expand solar development onto prime farmland, and eliminate cancellation fees that help preserve agricultural land. RCRC said its concerns had largely been addressed through amendments and moved from opposition to support once changes are in print, though committee members continued to raise concerns about prime farmland, community benefits, and definitions of commercial viability and water constraints. The bill passed the committee on a due-pass-as-amended motion, with a later roll call recording six votes in favor and one absent member voting aye. AB 524 by Assembly Member Wilson would create a new state land access program for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, using Proposition 4 funding to provide financial and technical assistance for land acquisition, protection, and long-term leases. Testimony emphasized the lack of secure land tenure for small and underserved farmers, the loss of farmland statewide, and the difficulty of investing in sustainable practices without stable access to land. Committee members strongly supported the measure, with several noting the importance of land access for family farms and equity in agriculture. The bill passed unanimously on an 8-0 vote. The committee also approved AB 675 by Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry, which would codify California’s Farm to School program in statute. Supporters said the program connects students to healthy local food, creates stable markets for farmers, and supports agricultural and nutrition education, while helping direct school meal dollars to California producers. Witnesses from the Center for Ecoliteracy and CAFF described the program’s statewide reach and benefits for small farms and high-need schools. The bill passed on an 8-0 vote. The committee also adopted the consent calendar, approving AB 1322 and AB 1505 on an 8-0 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House bill directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for
• To waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Jean E.
• An act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for Pierre
• An act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for Pierre
• An act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several committee reports and routine procedural matters. It adopted a resolution congratulating the Warren Public Library on its 150th anniversary and approved an order extending the reporting deadline for the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development to March 18, 2026. The House also suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow a petition on access to applied behavior analysis services in schools to go to the Committee on Education. The chamber then acted on a number of bills and local matters. It passed to enact Senate 2799, establishing a sick leave bank for Jeffrey Yacanthi of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and House 4233, amending the charter of the city of Malden. The House also concurred in Senate amendments to House 4031, increasing the age limit for retired police officers serving as special police officers in Weston, and House 4401, dissolving a special fund in Athol. In addition, it ordered several bills to a third reading, including measures on professional employer organizations, Boston Police Department age waivers for several named applicants, and continued employment of Rochester Fire Chief Scott Weigel. The House briefly observed a silent tribute requested by Representative Beal for retired Associate Justice and former State Representative Michael F. Flaherty Sr., who had recently died. The session ended after the House agreed to adjourn until the following Monday at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Deputy AG Keller.
• Uh Chief Deputy AG like to respond.
• /c><00:48:38.000><c> in</c> take a liberty, um AG or Deputy AG, I in take a liberty, um AG or Deputy
• </c><00:49:39.560><c> of</c> uh a high highly sophisticated age of uh a high highly sophisticated age
• Deputy AG Keller. Thank you. Deputy AG Keller.

Bills: HF2783 , HF2603 , HF2846 , HF2354 , HF1836 , HF2713 , HF1198 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: state government finance, biennial budget, appropriations, Minnesota Management and Budget, Healthy Aging Subcabinet, Office of Healthy Aging, older adults, aging policy, long-term care, caregivers, public health, Medicaid fraud, medical assistance fraud, attorney general subpoena power, fraud enforcement, business filing fraud, Secretary of State, deceptive mailings, consumer protection, certified public accountant

Transcript Highlights:

• But obviously we use the AG in all sorts of roles.
• So I don't know if I answered your question specifically, but yes, the AG... ...the AG is the top law
• in the AG taking care of this.
• And what's happened, though, is the... ...the AG.
• The AG is law enforcement, and yes, they give advice.

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills. Senate Bill 419, as amended to update the effective date to 2026, would allow the state treasurer and the Department of Wildlife Conservation/Wildlife Conservation Commission to employ or appoint attorneys. Supporters said the treasurer’s office handles highly specialized financial matters and needs in-house expertise and faster legal advice; questions focused on possible conflicts with the Attorney General, fiscal impact, and why Wildlife was included. After discussion, the bill was reported due pass by a 7-2 vote. Senate Bill 835, also amended to a 2026 effective date, would require qualifying licensing boards and commissions to submit proposed non-rulemaking actions with anti-competitive implications for review by the Secretary of State. The author said the bill responds to antitrust concerns raised by the North Carolina dental board case and is intended to provide state supervision before boards take potentially anti-competitive action. Members questioned whether existing court remedies and Attorney General oversight were sufficient, and whether a single official should have that authority. The bill passed due pass 8-2. Senate Bill 1618 would require courts to conduct pretrial risk assessments early in criminal cases, with the assessments used as one factor in bail decisions but not as the sole basis for granting or denying bail. The author said the bill is modeled on federal practice and is meant to help judges make fact-based decisions and reduce jail overcrowding, especially in Oklahoma County. Members asked about who validates the assessments, county implementation, and costs; the author said counties could choose their own approach and that the fiscal impact would not be significant. The bill was reported due pass 6-4. The committee also considered Senate Bill 262, which was heavily amended and had both the title and enacting clause struck while members continued working on it. The bill concerns moving certain inmates convicted of nonviolent financial crimes out of county jails and into appropriate intake/transport processes, with the author emphasizing the goal of reducing jail overcrowding and inviting further collaboration on the language. Members raised concerns about fairness and possible unequal application based on community ties, and the bill was reported due pass 8-1 despite being acknowledged as a work in progress.