Transcript Highlights:

• The deletion will allow the DNR to adjust its fee schedules to take into account inflation.
• the foot in the comment section of the abstract: plumbers, electricians, polygraph examiners, HVAC techs
• the foot in the comment section of the abstract: plumbers, electricians, polygraph examiners, HVAC techs
• because that license disqualified someone if they have a felony conviction, so it just takes that into account

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Government Organization met with a quorum present, approved the minutes, and then considered a series of House bills, most of them related to licensing, local government administration, and agency operations. House Bill 5063 would let county commissions appoint a county commissioner as a voting member of a convention and visitors bureau board, including for multi-county CVBs; it was reported to the full Senate. House Bill 5087 would join the interstate cosmetology licensure compact, allowing licensed cosmetologists to obtain multi-state practice privileges in compact states, and it was also reported. The committee then took up a strike-and-insert amendment for House Bill 4793, which combined provisions affecting barbering/cosmetology apprenticeships and lowered certain age and education requirements; after adopting a Jefferson amendment clarifying the salon training language, the bill was reported as amended. Members next approved a strike-and-insert for House Bill 5638, which clarifies the State Chief Information Security Officer’s duties, changes cyber risk review procedures, and updates references to the Office of Technology head as the chief information officer; it was reported as amended. House Bill 4483, dealing with the Board of Funeral Examiners, was amended to change the effective date for licensee-in-charge requirements and make technical corrections, then reported as amended. House Bill 5653, requested by the Department of Revenue, would expand confidentiality protections to cover audit manuals, guidelines, procedures, algorithms, and related materials to prevent taxpayers from gaming audit selection, and it was reported. House Bill 4452 repeals acreage limits on church property ownership, and House Bill 4801 expands permissible uses of hotel occupancy tax funds to include demolition of unsafe structures and planning or improvement of public property; both were reported. The committee also advanced House Bill 5622, which creates an expedited process for municipalities to conform local election terms and procedures to the state requirement that municipal elections be held with statewide primaries or general elections, and recognizes the Secretary of State as keeper of municipal charter rolls. House Bill 4546 would allow business entities to file reports biennially instead of annually, with higher biennial fees and updated enforcement provisions; its strike-and-insert amendment was adopted and the bill was reported as amended. House Bill 5613 would define and regulate telematics for state fleet vehicles, require reporting on unsafe driving and corrective actions, and include cost-benefit information in annual reports; it was reported. House Bill 5323 would let the Division of Natural Resources adjust license and stamp fees for inflation by removing a prior CPI-based restriction, and House Bill 4819 would revise criminal-record standards for certain non-Chapter 30 occupational licenses, shifting to a direct-relationship standard while preserving existing exclusions for violent sexual offenses; both were reported. The committee then adjourned after closing remarks from the chair and vice chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hospitals are one of the few services that provide both high-tech and high-touch, leading us to spend
• a lot of money on both labor, supplies, tech equipment, and technology.
• The Tech Guy. Oh, okay, you’re The Tech Guy.
• <01:26:47.239> Guy The Tech Guy oh okay you're The Tech Guy The Tech Guy oh okay you're The
• Inflation, as has been mentioned, with pharmaceuticals, high-tech, and equipment.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Health Finance and Policy Committee heard testimony from the Minnesota Hospital Association and several hospital leaders about the financial strain facing hospitals across Minnesota. The association’s CEO said hospitals are essential 24/7 safety-net providers, but rising labor, supply, technology, and drug costs are outpacing reimbursement from Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers. He warned that many not-for-profit hospitals are struggling, that workforce shortages remain significant, and that the committee should consider help on Medicaid rates, discharge/boarding problems, mental health services, workforce development, protecting the 340B drug discount program, and avoiding new mandates that add costs. Relle Schultz of Winona Health described a community hospital with a 49-bed facility and long-term care services that has faced years of losses, including a $17 million loss in 2023 and $12 million in losses the following year. She said government payers now make up about 65% of the hospital’s mix, and each 1% increase in that mix costs about $1 million. She highlighted the difficulty of sustaining services such as dialysis, which was nearly closed until a local donor provided $3 million to keep it open for three years, and she emphasized the importance of 340B savings and the need for higher Medicaid payments. Carrie Mulski of Riverview Health in Crookston said critical access hospitals are also under pressure despite their federal designation. She explained that federal support has eroded, that Medicaid and other public programs do not cover full costs, and that her hospital’s 340B savings help keep the doors open. She said Riverview opened a new hospital in 2020 but was hit by the pandemic and inflation, leading to annual losses of $5 million to $6 million and a negative operating margin of 9% to 10%. She also described bond covenant problems, low cash on hand, the prior closure of the nursing home, and the need for rapid state action to stabilize rural hospitals and preserve access to care.

Transcript Highlights:

• Often, when victims come forward later as an adult, those who failed them cannot be held accountable
• Accountable due to the statute of limitations.
• SB 1010 closes the gap of accountability, clarity, and real consequences.
• And why accountability matters. Thank you. Melissa Franklin. And on deck is Catherine Bellina.
• Nurses, therapists, school counselors, and even lab techs could face liability for providing routine

Bills: S0560, S0590, S0778, S1010

Keywords: child welfare, psychotropic medication, Department of Children and Families, community-based care, liability insurance, forensic services, defendants, mental health, judicial system, defense, legal definitions, minors, healthcare, parental rights, criminal penalties, civil action, sex-reassignment, investigations, economic damages

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs considered four bills. SB 590, by Sen. Bradley, would toll the statute of limitations for failure to report suspected child abuse by mandatory reporters until the offense is known to law enforcement; an amendment clarified retroactive application for offenses not already time-barred by the bill’s effective date. Sen. Bradley said the bill is intended to ensure accountability in institutional abuse cases and not to change the reasonable-suspicion reporting standard. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard SB 778, by Sen. Simon, which would update the definition of forensic client so certain individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism whose charges were dismissed for incompetency can be housed with other Chapter 916 residents, reducing duplicative staffing and space needs at the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Barney Bishop appeared in support, and the bill was reported favorably without amendment. SB 560, by Sen. Garcia, would streamline procedures for psychotropic medication prescriptions for children in DCF custody, reduce duplicative background checks and reporting, and simplify consent documentation. Amendments removed language allowing licensed clinical social workers and marriage and family therapists to serve as evaluators and narrowed changes to the Road to Independence Program’s postsecondary education services and supports, extending eligibility ages from 18 to 26 while keeping the five-year cap. Senators discussed the fiscal impact and funding blend for the education stipend. The committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. The committee then took up SB 1010, by Sen. Yarbrough, which adds criminal and civil enforcement for violations involving sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures for minors and related parental-rights provisions. An amendment clarified that the civil action authority applies to minors and that damages benefit the affected minor. Public testimony was heavily divided, with supporters saying the bill enforces existing protections and opponents warning it would chill care, counseling, and school-based support for transgender youth. Senators Harrell, Sharief, and Rouson raised concerns about vagueness, standing, and impacts on teachers and health professionals; Sharief voted no, while the bill was still reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Grow Tech...
• We have a program that we created through Texas Tech that we fund locally.
• So that's a very good question because we want to make sure that we're accounting for this.
• So that's how any excess would be accounted for.
• It's already paid for by industry and put it into that account to further clean up our air.

Bills: HB188, HB265, HJR35, HJR47, SB1901, HB188, HB265, HJR35

Keywords: Texas STRONG defense fund, severance tax revenue, oil and gas revenue, constitutional transfers, rainy day fund, economic stabilization fund, state highway fund, oil and gas production, qualifying county, county grants, water infrastructure, first responders, public safety, DPS staffing, commercial motor vehicle safety, gang violence prevention, human trafficking prevention, economic development, TxDOT grants, school districts

Transcript Highlights:

• The entire goal is to ensure that students across Oklahoma in both career tech and higher ed are getting
• The bill places career tech in charge of the implementation and ROI reporting.
• why: We want to ensure the school administrators do the right thing, and you have to hold them accountable

Bills: HB1937, HB2210, HB2398, HB3021, HB3129, HB3312, HB3557, HB4358

Keywords: HB1937, Oklahoma schools, student communications, electronic communication, digital communication, parent notification, legal guardian, school personnel, teachers, coaches, administrators, charter schools, public schools, administrative leave, corroborated report, investigation, employee file, discipline, termination, school board

Transcript Highlights:

• From a tech school in Denver, Colorado, I earned an MBA from the University of New Mexico while working
• I have New Mexico Tech, and I go down to my Dona Ana area, which includes New Mexico State University
• Accountability and inclusion of having students participate, and Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• from Minnesota State University Moorhead, and John Hoffman from Bujiji State University and Northwest Tech
• from Minnesota State University Moorhead, and John Hoffman from Bujiji State University and Northwest Tech
• 09.560> University<00:08:10.199> and<00:08:10.360> Northwest<00:08:11.120> Tech
• <00:08:12.120> we State University and Northwest Tech we State University and Northwest Tech
• equipments working in the labs high-tech equipments working in the labs on<01:42:16.000> projects

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This basically extends the sunset on the ABLE accounts.
• accounts.
• The purple represents sales taxes, which accounts for 24% of our budget.
• You'll probably see a drawdown of some of the savings accounts we talked about, the reserve fund.
• We set up an account that, once it gets to $100 million, retirees can use that money for a COLA.

Bills: HB188, HB52

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical treatment, access, affordability, income tax, CHOOSE Act, education funding, ABLE account, tax credits, poverty threshold, legislative funding, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And for now I'm just going to walk through the accounts that are under the jurisdiction of this committee
• We have 12 different accounts on this spreadsheet.
• And for now I'm just going to walk through the accounts that are under the jurisdiction of this committee
• We have 12 different accounts on this spreadsheet.
• just going to walk through the accounts just going to walk through the accounts that<00:02:47.159

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee met for an introductory session focused on committee organization, staff roles, and an overview of the committee’s jurisdiction. Members and staff introduced themselves, and the chair explained that one member was absent due to a meeting with the governor. House fiscal staff member John Walls reviewed the committee’s budget spreadsheet and explained the agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction, including the Supreme Court, Board of Civil Legal Aid, Court of Appeals, district courts, Guardian ad Litem Board, Tax Court, Uniform Laws Commission, Board of Judicial Standards, Board of Public Defense, Human Rights Commission, Office of Appellate Counsel and Training, and the Competency Restoration Board. He also explained how fiscal notes work and how costs or revenue impacts are tracked for bills. Nathan Hopkins then described the committee’s broad civil law jurisdiction, covering areas such as property, torts, contracts, civil rights, consumer protection, employment, family law, remedies, statutes of limitations, damages, burdens of proof, due process, and attorney general enforcement. He also outlined the committee’s role in government data practices under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, emphasizing the distinction between transparency and privacy and noting that bills affecting Chapter 13 are often re-referred to this committee. Ben Johnson added that he handles appropriations and court-related policy provisions, with most budget drafting expected later in the session. A member asked about the Competency Restoration Board, and Johnson explained that it was created to address cases involving criminal defendants found incompetent to proceed, with the goal of coordinating placements and services to restore competency rather than serving as long-term civil commitment. The chair also noted the importance of privacy and technology issues, mentioning past bipartisan work on body cameras, license plate readers, and drones. The meeting ended with a brief announcement about a law school for legislators program and an invitation to attend upcoming Zoom sessions, after which the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the thing that we need to consider is when we are wanting to have opportunities for accountability
• these programs also uh provide tech these programs also uh provide tech support<00:25:41.200>
• So um what we feel uh what accountable.
• But who's holding everyone accountable for the choices that will affect foster youth?
• will accountable for the choices that will affect<01:47:52.360> fosters?

Bills: HF2362, HF2136, HF1316, HF2009, HF1918, HF1614

Keywords: youth intervention, funding, mental health, education, community programs, HF1316, child support, new hire reporting, centralized work reporting system, independent contractors, payors, employers, payor of funds, withholding orders, income withholding, child support enforcement, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, gig economy, rideshare drivers, delivery drivers

Transcript Highlights:

• More inclusive elections lead to more accountable and representative leadership.
• I am here to present SB 414, the Charter School Accountability Act.
• SB 414, the Charter School Accountability Act.
• Passing incomplete measures that don't take into account...
• You have a reserve account, and what do you do?

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee met without a quorum for much of the hearing and heard several bills out of order. SB 249 by Senator Umberg would move county board of education elections from the primary to the statewide general election. Supporters, including the League of Women Voters and many educators, argued the change would increase turnout and make the electorate more representative. The Orange County Board of Education opposed the bill, saying it would increase costs, reduce local control, and bury education races on crowded general-election ballots. The chair and members discussed turnout, cost, and representation, but the bill was held pending a quorum. Senator Grove presented SB 373, which adds safeguards for California students placed in out-of-state non-public schools through IEPs. The bill would require more robust LEA and CDE oversight, including annual site visits, student interviews, quarterly contact, stronger certification standards, and restrictions on prone, supine, and mechanical restraints. Testimony from a survivor of an out-of-state placement and from advocates emphasized abuse, neglect, and the need for stronger monitoring. There was broad support and no opposition testimony, but the measure was also held pending a quorum. Senator Ashby presented SB 568, the epinephrine in schools modernization act, to clarify and expand requirements for stocked epinephrine so they clearly apply to all public schools, including preschool programs. School nurses and medical experts said the bill would close gaps created by universal preschool and ensure life-saving treatment is available for anaphylaxis. The committee discussed dosing and implementation, and the bill was supported without opposition testimony. The committee also heard SB 414, the Charter School Accountability Act, which would strengthen fiscal oversight, audit standards, and transparency for charter schools and authorizers. Supporters said it responds to fraud and audit findings while preserving charter flexibility; opponents, including school employees and teachers, said it did not go far enough on authorizer accountability and small-district oversight. After discussion, the committee voted 7-0 to pass SB 414 as amended to Appropriations. The committee also briefly heard SB 743 by Senator Cortese, which would create an equalization reserve account to provide additional funding to underfunded school districts and reduce funding inequities tied to ZIP code. The author said the bill would support student achievement and teacher retention over time. The transcript cuts off before testimony or action on SB 743 was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates another opportunity, I think, for transparency and for accountability.
• It creates another opportunity, I think, for transparency and for accountability.
• It creates another opportunity, I think, for transparency and for accountability.
• It creates another opportunity, I think, for transparency and for accountability.
• It creates another opportunity, I think, for transparency and for accountability.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the January 21, 2025 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Minnesota Chamber Foundation on its report about Minnesota’s environmental permitting system. The presenters said the report was based on research by Barr Engineering and the Policy Navigation Group and argued that permitting delays can discourage investment and make Minnesota less competitive for manufacturing, mining, energy, clean tech, and other industrial projects. They highlighted that Tier 1 permits are generally issued quickly, but Tier 2 air and water permits often take much longer than the state’s 150-day goal, with some median timelines ranging from 419 to 771 days for Tier 2 air permits and similar delays for industrial water permits. The report also said Minnesota’s permit timelines were longer than peer states and estimated that reducing delays could increase annual output by $260 million to $910 million and support 960 to 3,400 additional full-time-equivalent jobs per year. Committee members asked about which businesses fall under Tier 2 permits, the economic impact of permitting delays, and whether the Chamber had discussed the report with the governor or MPCA. The presenters said Tier 2 permits typically involve higher-emitting facilities such as manufacturing, utilities, mining, and other industrial operations, and that the economic estimates were based on modeling rather than exact lost-job counts. They also noted that the governor had been briefed and that MPCA had been invited to the hearing but did not attend. The committee then took up House File 8, which Chair Heintzeman said is intended to improve permitting efficiency while maintaining environmental standards. He described provisions that would reduce the number of 60-day wetland application extensions, require MPCA to issue permitting efficiency reports twice a year, break out data on missed timelines by municipal versus industrial applicants, treat failure to meet the 150-day Tier 2 deadline as a final action subject to judicial review, and require quicker notice when applications are incomplete. He also outlined sections that would allow separate construction and operating permits, expand expedited permitting, and change environmental assessment worksheet petition rules. The bill was moved to be re-referred to the Labor and Workforce Development Committee, and the discussion began, but the transcript ends before any final vote on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• House 2103 and Senate 1307 addresses the immediate need to hold large warehouse employers accountable
• Create an enforceable framework that allows accountability when employers fail to do so.
• No one single person was ever held accountable.
• I'm a tech worker here to talk about curbs on NDAs that are proposed in S. 1237 and S. 1272.
• I want to see employers held accountable for workplace abuse.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a lengthy hearing on June 18 focused on workers’ compensation, independent contractor and classification issues, workplace safety, warehouse worker protections, extreme temperature protections, retaliation against injured workers, and workplace bullying. Committee chairs outlined procedures for the hybrid hearing and noted that members would be leaving intermittently for floor votes. Testimony also touched on a bill to expand workers’ compensation disfigurement benefits by removing the current $15,000 cap and extending coverage beyond scars on the hands, neck, and face. A major theme was workplace safety in warehouses and in extreme heat or cold. Teamsters, warehouse workers, and labor advocates described high injury rates, strict quotas, lack of water, inadequate ventilation, frozen or missing safety equipment, and pressure to work through heat waves and snowstorms. Supporters urged favorable reports on bills protecting warehouse workers and requiring employers to adopt heat- and cold-safety plans, while the NFIB opposed the temperature bill as overly prescriptive and burdensome for small businesses. Sen. Edwards, Sen. Roche, Rep. O’Day, and others argued that the measures are needed to prevent heat illness, provide shade, water, rest breaks, training, and emergency plans, and to cover all workers regardless of immigration status. Another major subject was the “Act to Protect Injured Workers,” backed by labor groups, immigrant worker centers, legal services organizations, and individual workers. Witnesses said employers often retaliate after injuries by threatening deportation, lying about how injuries occurred, delaying care, or firing workers, and they supported stronger anti-retaliation enforcement, multilingual notices, and a rebuttable presumption of retaliation within 90 days of protected activity. The Mass AFL-CIO and immigrant advocacy groups supported the bill and opposed measures they said would weaken employee classification standards. Testimony also supported a funeral-benefits bill to raise workers’ compensation death-benefit reimbursement for burial and funeral costs, based on a family’s experience after a workplace fatality. The committee heard additional testimony on workplace bullying bills, with some witnesses urging a new legal duty for employers to prevent and respond to bullying, while others described the harms of toxic workplaces and the lack of effective remedies.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know the Chair of Science and Tech who's listening.
• This data that we have to share with you all today, LFC staff pulled this from our state's accounting
• We can work on getting you an accounting of that fund balance. Thank you, Mr.
• Chair and Representative, this particular item would be for the Bureau of Geology at New Mexico Tech.
• This particular item would be for the Bureau of Geology at New Mexico Tech.

Summary: The Department of Public Safety presented its FY27 budget request, emphasizing three priorities: improving community engagement through a redesigned website and outreach, expanding statewide data and intelligence integration through intelligence-led policing, and improving emergency response and officer safety through fleet replacement, a driving track, and a requested helicopter. DPS said much of its increase is driven by rising health care premiums, and it is also seeking special appropriations for fleet replacement, the website rebuild, and an Honor Guard program created after the 2022 helicopter crash that killed four public servants. Members asked about vacancies, fleet costs, cybersecurity compliance, the real-time crime center, EV fleet participation, and the Metro DPS facility. DPS said its vacancy rate is about 9%, its fleet replacement needs are driven by mileage and condition, it is compliant with federal CJIS standards even though DoIT has raised concerns, the real-time crime center would be built as a regional model to complement Albuquerque’s center, and the Metro facility is moving toward a January groundbreaking. Committee members also discussed several DPS-related capital and IT requests, including the intelligence-led policing data lake, recurring maintenance for critical systems, and a $5.6 million reauthorization for state crime lab DNA backlog work and a $900,000 reauthorization for fingerprinting equipment. DPS explained that the website request is high because the current site must be rebuilt from scratch to support missing-person alerts, memorial updates, ADA compliance, and better communication with law enforcement and the public. Members also raised concerns about speed enforcement, construction-zone cameras, and whether EVs are practical for patrol use; DPS said it is not pursuing speed cameras and is only partially participating in the state EV initiative because patrol needs make full electrification difficult. The committee then received an LFC quarterly update on non-recurring appropriations from the 2025 General Appropriation Act. LFC reported that of the $1.4 billion appropriated in Section 5, $164 million had been expended and $333 million encumbered, leaving $897.4 million unspent, which is a slower pace than the prior year. Staff highlighted a number of reauthorization requests and slow-moving projects across agencies, including AOC cybersecurity funding, DFA housing and public safety grants, DoIT cybersecurity and higher education funds, EDD economic development and energy programs, OSI mitigation and malpractice funds, EMNRD energy and geothermal grants, Health Care Authority behavioral health-related appropriations, DPS crime lab and fingerprinting funds, PED career technical education and special education initiatives, and higher education loan repayment and technology funds. Members questioned why some large appropriations had little or no spending, discussed the need to monitor reauthorizations more closely, and asked for follow-up on several specific line items and project balances.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maria La Rocha, Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability, in support.
• SB 1284 responds with a simple solution: transparency and accountability.
• This is about giving Californians clear information and delivering long overdue accountability.
• What this bill helps create is accountability.
• Even being modest, working for a tech company, Cooper Tino. I wonder what that one could be.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Stokeman: we're going to have tech try to reach out to you. We'll come back to you.
• not trying to make a causal claim—we don't have a design that allows us to do that—we're trying to account
• And I know that this ties very well into work that OSPI is doing around the career tech, sorry, the career
• We accounted for the different ways in which students could have earned credits at a skill center, if
• have a lot of access to a lot of opportunity to earn college credit through CTE dual credit, formerly tech

Summary: The House Education Committee received status updates on career and technical education (CTE), including OSPI’s work under 2024 legislation on allied health pathways and a statewide CTE task force, an update from Core Plus Maritime, and findings from an Education Northwest longitudinal study of Washington CTE access and outcomes. OSPI described development of allied health guidance such as a home care aide to nursing assistant bridge, model curricula, updated course equivalency frameworks, and coordination with health agencies and employers. It also reviewed Core Plus framework work, task force expansion under later legislation, and the timeline for recommendations due in November 2026. Committee members asked about health profession outreach, equitable access for rural districts, data updates, and employer support for local programs; OSPI said it continues to work with agency and industry partners and that local labor-market alignment varies by region. Core Plus Maritime presenters described expanding maritime career exploration into middle school through low-cost ROV curriculum, student visits to ferries and vessels, Sea Scouts partnerships, and ship-based safety and welding experiences. Industry representatives from the Northwest Marine Trade Association, American Seafoods, and Vigor Marine Group emphasized the maritime sector’s economic importance, aging workforce, and need for hands-on training to build the pipeline for family-wage jobs. A teacher from South Kitsap High School said the program gives students a clear pathway and has helped connect them to careers in shipyards, fishing, and related trades. Vigor also noted support for a student welding competition and equipment donations for a Rainier Beach shop. Dr. Sam Riggs of Education Northwest presented a longitudinal study using state data from 2013-14 through 2023-24. The study found CTE access has been relatively steady statewide, but offerings vary by school size, locale, and income, with rural and lower-income schools generally offering fewer pathways. Participation is high: nearly all students earn at least some CTE credit, and more students are accumulating multiple credits over time, though fewer go deep within a single pathway. Students who earned more CTE credits, especially within pathways such as agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and construction, were more likely to graduate on time and later had stronger postsecondary certificate attainment and earnings. Riggs recommended addressing local barriers to participation, considering whether the CTE graduation requirement should better encourage depth while preserving flexibility, and aligning offerings more closely with labor-market needs. Committee members asked about COVID-era trends, student motivation, early workforce entry, delivery settings such as skill centers, and how to interpret the comparison groups used in the analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• It demands transparency and accountability.
• Well, as I said, I've been to the cadaver lab at Texas Tech. I viewed it from afar.
• So I'm in support of this as a deterrent and hopefully some accountability that has some teeth.
• Our anatomical facility was built with one single purpose: to train doctors, nurses, surgical techs,
• Single-purpose bioskills labs are there for the doctors, nurses, and techs.

Bills: SB1406, SB1681, SB2480, SB2721

Keywords: body donation, medical science, forensic science, willed body program, informed consent, boarding home, boarding home facility, adult care home, group home, assisted living, county reporting, municipal reporting, annual report, reasonable accommodation, fair housing, disability accommodation, local ordinance, permit requirement, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, HHSC

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2480, which would clarify that the Texas Medical Board may collect license renewal surcharge fees from all licensees to fund the Texas Physician Health Program and related administrative costs. The bill author explained the funding fix was needed after prior language was found to allow surcharges only for physicians and physician assistants. Witnesses from the Texas Physician Health Program supported the measure and described the program’s confidential monitoring and treatment services; members asked about the fee amount, which was described as capped at $15 per two-year registration cycle. The bill was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bills 1406 and 2721, both authored by Senator Parker, addressing the handling of human remains by non-transplant anatomical donation organizations, willed body programs, and related facilities. Senator Parker and several witnesses described alleged abuses involving unclaimed bodies, consent problems, body leasing, hotel-based dissections, and mishandling of cremains, and argued for strict licensing, inspections, transparency, and criminal penalties. Supporters included families of deceased veterans and other relatives, a biomedical ethicist, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, and some public safety and hotel industry representatives who said legitimate training should continue but bad actors should be shut down. Opponents or cautious witnesses from accredited donation organizations and bioskills labs said they support stronger oversight but warned the bills could unintentionally disrupt legitimate medical education and urged clearer language and implementation of existing law. Both bills were left pending. Senate Bill 1681, by Senator Menendez, would require counties and municipalities that regulate boarding homes to report facility standards and related information to the Health and Human Services Commission. The author said the bill is intended to improve state oversight of boarding homes that serve elderly and disabled residents and to address abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The bill was left pending after brief discussion. After the testimony portion, the committee returned to voting on pending business and unanimously reported Senate Bills 527, 912, 1580, 1952, and 2032 to the Senate with recommendations that they do pass and be printed, and each was also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 407 and reported the substitute favorably, with six ayes and three nays. The committee then moved on to Senate Bill 500 as pending business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Number two, connecting top engineers and research in six specific tech areas to meet the needs of ag
• The research in Tech Park is not part of NDSU, but it can bridge the gap between university discovery
• Can you help me understand the tech park ownership and what’s the current business model for the tech
• got an exciting announcement to make here, and for all of you in the audience as well: our beloved tech
• The four FTEs are already accounted for in the judicial branch budget, so those would be able to come

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2265, which would provide the Fargo National Cemetery with up to a $3 million line of credit to help fund improvements such as indoor bathrooms, parking, a family gathering area, an office, a hearse garage, and a veterans gallery. Supporters said the cemetery has expanded rapidly since 2019, has already conducted about 1,000 burials, and needs better facilities for families and the Honor Guard; they also said the project would be subject to federal VA approval and, once completed, would be taken over by the VA. Members raised questions about the project’s cost, timing, funding sources, whether the bill should be a grant instead of a line of credit, and whether a chapel should be specifically included. No vote was taken on SB 2265 during the excerpt. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2230, which would have the Secretary of State mail active voters a guide on ballot measures at least 45 days before an election, with objective summaries, fiscal impacts, and arguments for and against each measure. Secretary of State Michael Howe said the office already receives many questions about ballot measures and would post the same information online and at polling places, while emphasizing the need to keep the material objective and consistent with election-law restrictions. Members generally supported the idea as a voter-education tool, and the committee adopted a due pass motion on SB 2230 by a 19-0 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2256, which would provide one-time state support for the NDSU Research and Technology Park in Fargo to expand its role in commercialization, robotics, precision agriculture, and defense-related technology. Park CEO Brenda Weiland explained that the park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit spun out of NDSU, governed by a board with both university and industry representation, and that the new model is intended to bridge the gap between research and market-ready products without competing directly with private industry. Members asked about ownership, intellectual property, the planned partnership with Carnegie Mellon’s robotics center, and how the park would use the funding; the discussion focused on contracts, licensing, and the park’s intent to build technical capacity and attract companies. The excerpt ends before any vote on SB 2256.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Governmental Accounting Standards Board prescribes the accounting and financial reporting for the
• The Governmental Accounting Standards Board prescribes the accounting and financial reporting for the
• accounting, and those rules apply to statewide accounting and financial statements that OFM manages
• trust account, and then the Washington Opportunity Pathways account, as well as other accounts paying
• trust account, and then the Washington Opportunity Pathways account, as well as other accounts paying

Summary: The Joint Higher Education Committee met for a work session on higher education accounting practices and financial transparency. OFM Deputy Director Sarah Rupp explained how state accounting rules and higher education reporting differ, including what data is captured in AFRS today and what will move into Workday, with universities generally reporting summary-level fund data, mandatory codes, and most balance sheet and income statement activity, but not transaction-level detail or vendor payment information. Representatives from the University of Washington and Washington State University described the complexity of their own accounting systems, the many entities and business lines they must track for audits and compliance, and the need to reconcile university-level accrual accounting with state reporting requirements. The committee also heard from the Education Research and Data Center on the public four-year finance dashboard created under Senate Bill 5512; ERDC said the dashboard is based on publicly available data, is best used to examine institutions individually rather than compare them directly, and will be updated with additional metrics in 2025 and 2026. The committee then received a presentation from the Washington Student Achievement Council on the Workforce Education Investment Account (WIA). Joel Anderson reviewed WIA’s creation under House Bill 2158, its revenue sources, and its intended uses for higher education, financial aid, and workforce development. He said recent legislation significantly increased WIA revenues and that, in the 2025–27 budget, the account is being used in new ways, including to replace general fund support for University of Washington operations and to fund a larger share of the Washington College Grant and some faculty compensation costs. Anderson said roughly 98% of current WIA appropriations go to higher education, but the share used to supplant other higher education funding has grown, and he estimated about 60% to 70% of current spending still aligns with the account’s original intent. He also described a new effort to track WIA appropriations across biennia in more detail and noted the WIA Oversight Board’s role in recommending uses of the account and monitoring outcomes. No votes were taken; the committee ended by moving into executive session for staffing issues and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, even for FQHCs has problematic oversight and accountability.
• This this amendment also provides oversight and accountability.
• We need the transparency and the accountability in this.
• We didn't have the funds available to send to in Mexico Tech to do that, but we could take that.
• So when mapping is done through New Mexico Tech and hand in hand with the state engineer.