Transcript Highlights:

• Because now you're doing audits, you know, as they come about.
• But when you're starting to collect sales tax on... ...audits, you know, as they come about.
• The only way to verify that would be an actual audit of the dealer.

Summary: The committee met to approve special expenses and then considered two interim study proposals. ISP 2025-069, by Representative Perry and presented by Representative Eaton, would move vehicle sales tax collection from the current registration-based process to the point of sale. Members asked about the current 60-day registration period, the fiscal and administrative impact on DFA, the burden on dealerships, verification and audit issues, and whether the change could affect tax collection or vehicle pricing. DFA said it was neutral on the proposal, noted programming and process changes would be needed, and said the total tax collected would not change, though timing would. The committee approved the ISP and sent it on for research. The committee then took up ISP 2025-071, based on House Bill 1636 from the 2025 session, which would phase out the state soda excise tax over five years if Medicaid trust fund revenue triggers are met. Representative Ray said the bill was intended to continue discussion after the underlying bill failed on the House floor. Members asked about the tax’s annual revenue, its dedication to the Medicaid Trust Fund, and whether the revenue would be replaced. Ray estimated the tax brings in roughly $40 million to $50 million annually and said the proposal did not replace that revenue. DFA was asked to explain how withdrawals from the trust fund are authorized and whether the legislature has oversight, and said it would provide that information later. The committee then adopted the interim study proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because now you're doing audits, you know, as they come about.
• The only way to verify that would be an actual audit of the dealer.
• The only way to verify that would be an actual audit of the dealer.

Summary: The committee first approved special expenses incurred by the committee, then took up interim study proposals. ISP 2025-069, sponsored by Representative Perry and presented by Representative Eaton, would move collection of sales tax on motor vehicles from the current post-purchase registration process to the point of sale at dealerships. Committee members and DFA discussed the current 60-day registration/tax payment window, possible fiscal and programming impacts on DFA, the added administrative burden on dealers, verification and audit issues, and concerns about whether the change would improve or complicate tax collection. After questions, the committee voted to send the proposal to research/interim study. The committee then considered ISP 2025-071, from Representative Ray, based on House Bill 1636, which would phase out the state excise tax on soda over five years if revenue triggers were met. Representative Ray explained the tax revenue supports the Medicaid trust fund and said the proposal was intended to continue discussion after the bill failed on the House floor in the regular session. Members asked about the annual revenue generated, the trust fund’s other revenue sources, and whether the revenue would be replaced. DFA was asked to provide additional information on how withdrawals from the Medicaid trust fund are authorized and whether the legislature has oversight. The committee then approved the proposal for interim study and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because now you're doing audits, you know, as they come about.
• But when you're starting to collect sales tax on... ...audits, you know, as they come about.
• The only way to verify that would be an actual audit of the dealer.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, along the lines of the prior representative talking about the audit and about us being behind, I
• think the 2024 audit did understand has been prepared and submitted to the auditor but has not been released
• Falla, yes, of 2025, so that is, and so the 2025 audit, do you all have a Timeline on that.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , but arguably it's... you know, it... ...but arguably it's, you know, it might be considered an auditing
• plenty of information that they can go back and read your reports and, and if, you know, from an auditing
• ... ...that they can go back and read your reports, and if, you know, from an auditing perspective, if

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee resumed discussion of a campaign finance reporting bill and related amendments, focusing on whether the new reporting system should require beginning and ending fund balances for candidate committees and other entities. Representative Koppelman said he supported the modernization and software improvements, such as auto-populating donor information and aggregating contributions, but opposed making running balances mandatory because he viewed them as unnecessary for reporting and potentially burdensome. He also raised questions about language on contributions and expenditures, including whether certain uses of property or deposits were being classified correctly. Secretary of State Mike Lau responded that the questioned language on pages 5 and 6 was existing law, but said the beginning and ending fund balance on page 13 was important to the new system because it would allow amended reports to populate correctly across years. He said removing that requirement would effectively create two separate systems, and that the vendor could implement changes only if required by law. Members discussed whether the balance information could be hidden from the public, whether a zero-start approach would work, and whether an opt-in checkbox could avoid requiring all filers to use the same format. The committee did not take a final vote. Instead, the chair said the bill would go back to the subcommittee, with Representative Steiner and the Secretary of State’s office to continue working on the issue, and Representative Koppelman included in further discussions. The chair indicated the group would meet again later in the week to try to move the bill forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• My opposition to this bill is simply that there is a current audit underway by the LBA.
• It is my understanding that this is a thorough and robust, so it is a large audit.
• It is my understanding that this is a thorough and robust, so it is a large audit.
• So it is a large audit and and robust.
• audit. Thank you. Thank you. audit. Thank you. Thank you.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I work with school finance, agency finance, human resources, agency services, internal audit advisory
• Our internal audit and advisory services division.
• and audit and advisory services<00:44:44.400> division.
• ,<00:45:11.680> continuous support, internal audits, continuous support, internal audits,
• Audit is listed nine times. OIG in some capacity or some form of an employee is listed twice.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Education Finance Committee met on March 3, 2026, approved the minutes from February 26, and then held a lengthy informational hearing on the Minnesota Department of Education’s funding and internal allocation of resources. House fiscal staff walked members through several spreadsheets showing federal, non-general fund, and general fund administrative spending, noting the data was filtered from SWIFT and was not exact. The chair said the discussion was intended to help members understand how MDE is funded and how those funds are used internally, in advance of later budget decisions and a separate upcoming hearing on the Perpich Center. Commissioner Willie Jett opened by describing MDE’s mission, statewide reach, and FY 2026 budget of about $14.1 billion, most of which flows directly to districts and charter schools for instruction, special education, transportation, nutrition, and operations. He emphasized transparency, accountability, and the department’s role in implementing laws, distributing aid, and supporting schools and students across urban, suburban, and rural communities. He also noted the department serves more than 873,000 pre-K through 12 students in 2,264 schools. Deputy Commissioner Maren Holden outlined the Office of American Indian Education, the Office of General Counsel, and the Office of Inspector General, highlighting support for American Indian students, legal and rulemaking work, special education dispute resolution, fraud prevention, and student maltreatment investigations. Assistant Commissioner Dr. McCari Traum described the Office of Equity and Engagement, including equity and inclusion training, safe and supportive schools work, public engagement, family outreach, and fraud-prevention coordination. Assistant Commissioner Darren Cordy reviewed nutrition programs, special education services, and the charter center, including free school meals, commodity food distribution, IDEA compliance, and charter school support. Assistant Commissioner Bobby Bernham then described the Office of Teaching and Learning, including early education, academic standards, instruction and assessment, state library services, expanded learning, and literacy work. He highlighted early childhood alignment efforts, standards development across core subjects, professional learning, and library grants. No votes were taken beyond approval of the prior minutes, and the meeting remained informational, with members expected to ask questions after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, it's not exactly a performance audit.
• It's certainly not a financial audit, but it's a how are you doing this and is it working?
• Obviously, it's not exactly a her audit.
• Obviously, it's not exactly a performance<01:06:37.039> audit.
• It's certainly not a performance audit.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 13 January, 2026; 1:45 PM, 925, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard first from the Office of State Public Defender, which said its core budget request was essentially level funding, with attorney and investigator pay raises already included because of the DA pay raise linkage. The main discussion focused on two initiatives: a rural public defense pilot in four counties and a Hinds County/Jackson public defense expansion. The pilot, funded last year with capital expense money, has formed a nonprofit, hired a director and staff, opened an office in Kosciusko, and began taking cases on October 1; most of its 44 cases involved day-one jail visits. The office said the project is intended to improve early representation, reduce jail time, and generate data, while not displacing local public defenders. For Hinds County, the office said new data show about 31% of cases originate from state-agency arrests, and it is seeking roughly $525,000 more to fully fund positions, bringing the total request to about $952,972 for five lawyers, an investigator, a legal secretary, and office expenses. Senators asked about funding sources and workload standards; the office said the pilot request had been submitted as general funds rather than capital expense, and that it is using weighted workload measures rather than strict national caseload standards. The committee then heard from the Attorney General’s office, represented by Deputy Attorney General Doug Miracle, who presented the FY 2027 budget request. The office requested $45.48 million total, including $35.31 million in general funds, which is a reduction from the prior year’s appropriation, but also requested a $1.58 million increase in salary funding. Miracle said the office is losing attorneys to other state agencies and district attorney offices because of salary caps and pay disparities, noting the Attorney General’s statutory salary cap of $150,000 and that more than 18 attorneys left last year. He said HB 1509 created higher pay levels for district attorneys and assistant district attorneys, making retention harder for the Attorney General’s office, and asked for either the salary increase or authority to move funds between budget lines. Miracle also highlighted the office’s work on child welfare and human trafficking, noting that federal HHS officials were visiting Jackson to discuss foster children and that the office administers the state’s human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation fund. He said the office is working to reduce time children spend in state custody and support services for trafficking victims and foster youth. The committee discussed statewide youth court reform as well, with Miracle explaining that the office supports expert recommendations and a plan that could create 25 youth court positions in 20 chancery districts at an estimated $10 million, based on DHS and AOC data and a model using state-employed and contract lawyers. No votes were taken during the excerpted meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• My understanding is if I were to be audited, the expectation is that I do...
• My understanding is if I were to be audited, the expectation is that I do... your employees or somehow
• the expectation is that I to be audited the expectation is that I do<00:26:08.520> H okay<00:
• the books of where you essentially audit the books of employers<00:40:10.839> to<00:40:11.000
• The Department of Labor auditing your files also can't do that.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Despite that, we're extremely optimistic because we need to create both the federal audit processes,
• More specifically, the proposal overall aims to create parity in auditing processes and requirements
• Amendments from the proposal at the Governor's budget, which includes: one, amendments to auditing and
• , there was no audit penalty associated with that.
• We're also believing that the proposal to audit funding determination calculations should be reinstated

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and when it should be submitted and when it should be submitted clarifying<00:13:58.560> auditing
• c><00:13:59.199> processes<00:13:59.760> for<00:14:00.079> parks clarifying auditing
• processes for parks clarifying auditing processes for parks operations<00:14:00.959> and<00:14
• and clarify that reimbursements for operations and maintenance would be based on the most recent audited
• and clarify that reimbursements for operations and maintenance would be based on the most recent audited

Bills: HF3884, HF3881, HF3882, HF3883, HF3363, HF3362

Keywords: tribal governments, Metropolitan Council, grant programs, funding, local government, small business, contracting, veteran-owned businesses, compliance, government contracts, housing finance, reporting requirements, regional development, city programs, elected officials, campaign access, multiple unit dwellings, residential access, voter registration, 1183

Summary: The committee met on March 4, 2026, and first approved the minutes from March 2 by voice vote. It then took up several Metropolitan Council agency bills, with members repeatedly moving to lay them over for possible inclusion or, in one case, to re-refer a bill to another committee. The first three bills discussed were House File 3884, House File 3881, and House File 3882, all presented as administrative or programmatic changes intended to streamline Met Council processes. House File 3884 would allow tribal governments and tribal development entities to apply directly for Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Act grants and community tree planting grants, rather than applying through a city or other local government. Testimony from Met Council staff said the bill would simplify access and align the Met Council’s tree-planting program with existing DNR authority. House File 3881 would expand the Met Council’s contracting authority to include small businesses more broadly, require an annual report to the legislature on small-business contracting, and repeal a duplicative statute on certificates of compliance. House File 3882 would make a range of administrative cleanups, including removing an obsolete housing-bond review role, clarifying outdated statutory language, extending the review cycle for metropolitan significance rules from every two years to every 10 years, clarifying reporting and Livable Communities Act provisions, changing regional parks operations-and-maintenance reimbursements to rely on audited financial statements, and clarifying agricultural preserves procedures. The committee also considered House File 3883, which was amended with an A1 amendment before adoption. That bill updates appointments to the Metropolitan Area Water Supply Advisory Committee, known as MOSAC, including direct appointments for certain county representatives and adding a tribal representative appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, while also cleaning up outdated language and eligibility provisions. A former MOSAC member spoke in support of the committee’s work, and the chair said the bill was common-sense and renewed the motion to lay it over as amended. Finally, the committee began House File 3363, a bill described by the author as a response to safety concerns after the June events, aimed at removing public access to legislators’ home addresses from Campaign Finance Board materials; discussion had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• During the 16-month audit, the OLA was able to identify only 140 applications with fraud indicators.
• Since the time that the audit was released, we have looked more in depth into those 140 applications
• ><01:13:18.800> the<01:13:18.960> OA<01:13:19.760> was um during the 16-month audit
• <01:13:31.560> was<01:13:31.920> released time that the uh the audit was released time
• :47.040> that of people that were identified in that of people that were identified in that audit

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met under a new Senate power-sharing arrangement with co-chairs, began with member and staff introductions, and then received a jurisdiction overview from Senate counsel. The overview explained that the Labor Committee’s jurisdiction has not changed from the previous biennium and covers fair labor standards, minimum wage, workers’ compensation, occupational safety and health, and related agencies and boards such as the Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Mediation Services, PERB, and the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals. It also noted that some topics, including paid leave, fall under other committees, while earned sick and safe time remains within Labor and Industry jurisdiction. Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach and Josiah Moore then gave a detailed Department of Labor and Industry presentation. They reviewed the department’s funding sources, emphasizing that workers’ compensation funds and construction codes/licensing revenues make up most of the budget, while the general fund is a small share. They described the department’s major divisions, including workers’ compensation, construction codes and licensing, labor standards, nursing home workforce standards, and OSHA consultation and compliance, and highlighted practical examples of their work. Examples included return-to-work assistance for an injured worker, compliance training that reduced penalties for self-insurers and claim administrators, and use of the Special Compensation Fund when an employer lacked workers’ compensation insurance. The labor standards section highlighted enforcement actions involving unpaid overtime, pregnancy and parental leave retaliation, wage deductions, and child labor violations, along with totals for 2024 collections and inquiries. The presentation also noted the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board’s adopted rules, the expansion of construction licensing exams statewide, and OSHA consultation programs such as Min-SHARP and MINSTAR, including a Minnesota employer that recently achieved MINSTAR status. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 85, engrossed postelection audit procedures, sponsored by Management Audit.
• House Bill 85, engrossed postelection audit procedures, sponsored by Management Audit.
• <00:16:44.320> procedures<00:16:45.040> sponsored postelection audit procedures sponsored
• postelection audit procedures sponsored by<00:16:45.920> management<00:16:46.399> audit.
• by management audit. by management audit.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• from your point of view, how do you implement and how do you keep yourself safe because there are audit
• Witness: Yeah, but there's liability for you on this when an audit is performed, it sounds like.
• So I actually, that's a good point to see if we can get an audit on that, on how many children we see
• I would just say that, you know, this bill, we have auditing parameters in this bill.
• We have auditing parameters in this bill to audit the use of our taxpayer dollars in the state of Louisiana

Bills: HCR41, HB11, HB227, HB243, HB278, HB335, HB424, HB454, HB455, HB492, HB623, HB641, HB660, HB708, HB719, HB940, HB1029, HB1053, HB1069, HB1077

Keywords: coupons, rebates, alcohol regulation, malt beverages, Louisiana Department of Revenue, remembrance, Charlie Kirk, state recognition, October 14, memorial day, court filings, electronic filing, letter size paper, privacy, legal procedure, recusal, district attorney, substitute attorney, appointment process, legal proceedings

Summary: The committee first took up H.C.R. 41, which would direct the ATC to allow electronic rebates for beer purchases and clarify that rebates are the manufacturer’s responsibility. The author and supporters said it would align beer with wine and other liquor rules. With no opposition, the resolution was moved forward. The committee then advanced H.B. 1029, which extends a moratorium on certain alcoholic beverage permits in House District 3 to give Shreveport and the MPC more time to revise local ordinances; it also moved forward without objection. The committee next considered two related bills by Rep. Egan on district attorney funding. H.B. 660, as amended, raises the state warrant amount used to support assistant district attorneys from $50,000 to $60,000 and sets district attorney salaries at $65,000 effective July 1, 2026. The Louisiana District Attorneys Association and several DAs supported the bill, saying it would help recruit and retain prosecutors. H.B. 719, also amended, increases the number of assistant district attorney warrants in many judicial districts statewide, with supporters describing it as a response to crime, population changes, and local workload needs. Both bills were reported favorably as amended. Rep. Ventrella’s H.B. 227, allowing court filings on letter-sized paper instead of only legal-sized paper, was also moved favorably. The committee then heard extensive testimony on H.B. 335 by Rep. Henry, which would expand citizenship verification requirements for entities administering public benefits. Supporters said it was meant to ensure state dollars go to U.S. and Louisiana citizens and to add accountability for NGOs; opponents, including farmers, food-access nonprofits, and health providers, argued it would create administrative burdens, chill participation in SNAP-related programs, and discourage vulnerable people from seeking food or medical help. After an amendment exempting nonprofit food distribution was adopted, the bill was reported favorably by a 12-5 vote. Finally, the committee took up H.B. 623, a tobacco and vapor products permitting bill. After adopting a three-minute rule, the committee accepted an amendment removing tobacco products from the proposed three-tier permitting system and excluding lawful marijuana products authorized by LDH. The amended bill was then reported favorably. The transcript ends as the committee was beginning H.B. 708.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> If there's a money transfer store and they're going to be audited for this, are they going to be
• Well, I just know that audits are very intensive and a lot of times you want to have your paper to show
• would be the regulatory over making sure that they could require certain documentation or potentially audit
• Ensures they are properly bonded and have a data security control policy and audit.
• An audit that we ordered to be done came back that our My Kids system was antiquated, to say the least

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 1 April, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyway, um, it looks like this takes out the random audit.
• Was that intentional to get rid of the random audits?
• And, you know, that we're using Census data, so I want to audit the Census Bureau.
• And, you know, we're using Census data, so I want to audit the Census Bureau.
• I guess I was thinking that the audit was more that they were verifying that this was actually on the

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, for instance, we have 9 FTEs to, um, audit over 83,000 active licenses.
• Uh, that was a product, we got dinged by the SAO in an audit that we were not doing that.
• The agency recently went through a statutorily required state auditor's office audit, and that audit
• Of 9 outstanding sunset recommendations, the audit found that 4 were fully implemented, 1 was substantially
• implemented, and the remaining 4 recommendations were ongoing at the time of that audit.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did 34 audits, published 34 audit reports, and screened over 76,000 providers.
• that passed last session that you may be familiar with, Senate Bill 26, requires our... to conduct audits
• these cases, we audit the program 100% every month.
• Last year we went through a forensic audit that was ordered by the legislature and those auditors came
• . back and said that all our costs were accurate and allowable and it was extremely . . . detailed audit

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is what we are audited on on a regular basis.
• We've been audited. We always receive clean audits every year.
• We have an audit, and Madam Chair talked about it, but we have an unqualified clean audit every year.
• time, State Auditor Tim Keller and Deputy Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nyyear had conducted a statewide audit
• time, state auditor Tim Keller and Deputy Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nyyear had conducted a statewide audit

Bills: SB246, SB146, SB300, SB301, SB309, SM17

Keywords: massage therapy, licensure, health and safety standards, continuing education, establishment licensing, civil rights, sovereign immunity, damages, public body, lawsuit limitations, legal notice, child welfare, computing infrastructure, data management, Department of Health, appropriation, foster care, Indian children, cultural competency, training services

Transcript Highlights:

• These agreements force local governments to waive their audit access to property addresses.
• 346, which will create transparency and provide cities and counties, regardless of size, with TOT audit
• They do not solve our problem for audit purposes.
• We've never said no to an audit by a city or a county.
• If you look back to the statute and the guidance that the controller's office gives on TOT auditing,

Summary: The committee heard multiple bills, with extensive discussion focused on short-term rental regulation, street vending, park/public safety financing, transit-oriented housing fees, and demographic data collection. SB 346 would require short-term rental platforms to provide local governments with listing addresses and related information to help collect transient occupancy taxes and enforce local ordinances; supporters argued cities and counties need the data to identify unlicensed operators and recover taxes, while opposition from platforms raised privacy and due process concerns and said administrative subpoenas already exist. The bill was amended and passed 7-0 to the Judiciary Committee. SB 635, the Street Vendor Business Protection Act, sought to protect street vendors’ personal information from being shared in ways that could expose them to federal immigration enforcement; supporters described raids and fear in vendor communities, and the bill passed 6-1 to Public Safety. SB 499 would clarify that certain park and recreation facilities designated in local safety or hazard mitigation plans can qualify for fee deferral exemptions when they serve emergency or public safety functions; supporters said parks can serve as fire buffers, evacuation sites, and recovery hubs, while some housing advocates sought a clearer nexus to development impacts. The bill passed as amended 6-0 to Appropriations. SB 358, which would modernize traffic impact fee rules to better reflect lower automobile trip generation for walkable, transit-oriented housing, drew support from housing and transportation advocates and passed 8-0 to Appropriations. SB 515, aimed at improving demographic data collection and reporting by local governments and state entities, passed to Appropriations on a 4-0 vote. The committee also took up SB 276, presented by Assembly Member Stefani on behalf of Senator Wiener, which would allow San Francisco to create a permit-and-enforcement system for the sale of commonly stolen goods on sidewalks. Supporters said the measure is needed to address fencing operations and protect legitimate vendors, while emphasizing it is narrowly targeted and not aimed at food vendors or permitted sellers. The transcript ends during testimony on SB 276, with supporters from the Mission street vendor community and San Francisco Public Works describing enforcement problems and the need for clearer rules and city resources.