Transcript Highlights:

• We'll go into public hearing on Senate Bill 6111.
• We'd like to close our public hearing for right now.
• I'm going to pause our public hearing for right now.
• My time serving on the Gambling Commission has really allowed me to apply that experience in a public
• Now we’ll go back into public testimony. All right.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several bills. SB 5976 would revise the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act by narrowing liability for misleading email subject lines and changing damages and Consumer Protection Act claims. Business, retail, hospitality, and e-commerce witnesses supported the bill, saying recent litigation has created uncertainty and exposed routine marketing emails to excessive penalties. Consumer advocates and the Washington State Association for Justice opposed it, arguing the current law protects consumers from deceptive marketing and that the bill would weaken enforcement and class actions. SB 6111 would require age verification and parental consent for minors creating social media accounts, restrict providers’ use of minors’ data, and authorize enforcement by the Attorney General and a limited private right of action. The sponsor and several parents, medical professionals, and advocacy groups supported the bill as a response to social media harms, including addiction, depression, cyberbullying, eating disorders, and exposure to harmful content. Technology and civil liberties witnesses opposed it, warning about privacy, data security, constitutional concerns, and the difficulty of implementing reliable parental consent and age verification. The committee also heard SB 6250, which would raise the maximum small loan amount from $700 to $1,200 and index it to inflation. The sponsor and a lender representative said the change would update an outdated limit and preserve existing consumer protections. Opponents, including legal aid, poverty, housing, labor, AARP, and community advocates, argued the higher cap would increase debt burdens and fees for low-income borrowers and older adults. Staff also briefed SB 6257, which would allow illness-related tolling for trainee real estate appraiser licensing timelines, and SB 6289, which would direct Commerce to create a statewide economic development and competitiveness strategic plan; SB 6289 drew supportive testimony from Commerce, ports, economic development groups, and business interests. The committee also held confirmation hearings for several Gambling Commission and Lottery appointees, who described their backgrounds and service, but no votes or final actions were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to thank the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Minnesota Credit Union Network, the Minnesota
• I also want to thank the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Minnesota Credit Union Network, the Minnesota
• This is a joint effort between the Uniform Law Commission and the Minnesota State Bar Association, and
• So, it is required of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, sorry, in the Minnesota Human Rights Act, the public
• /c> Minnesota Human Rights Act, the public Minnesota Human Rights Act, the public policy<01:41:01.679

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• labor relations act in 19 71 Minnesota labor relations act in 19 71 the<00:31:58.679><c> public</c><
• nursing</c> commissions joint Powers public nursing commissions joint Powers public nursing homes<00:
• 32:48.320><c> public</c><00:32:48.639><c> utilities</c><00:32:49.639><c> and</c><00:32:49.840><c> charitable
• </c> homes public utilities and charitable homes public utilities and charitable hospitals<00:32:52.320
• They're defined in Minnesota Statute 179A.13 for public employers.

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• But we typically do that on a non-regular commission day.
• And then we hold our public budget hearing. There's always an opportunity for the public.
• I, Glenn, showed you what Minnesota looks like.
• Anyone from the public? Anybody have anything to comment on?
• all public information.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bill HF 1277 in order to make Minnesota bill HF 1277 in order to make Minnesota more<00:04:43.639
• big, as is their public price.
• Minnesota has a choice.
• I'm here on behalf of Minnesota Power, an investor-owned utility with more than 150,000 customers in
• Duluth and Northeast Minnesota.

Bills: HF1277 , HF1006

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• He is a lifelong public servant, well actually it says long-time public servant.
• But I also know he's a lifelong public servant, first serving on the City Planning and Zoning Commission
• Public lands belong to all Americans and should be managed under federal protection.
• Public lands held in public trust is a uniquely American ideal, and they are the envy of the world.
• In Gunnison County, our public lands are everything to us.

Bills: HB471

Committee: Senate Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources Subcommittee

Keywords: forest management, wildfire prevention, public lands, Tribal jurisdiction, Fix Our Forests Act, wildfire, forest health, hazardous fuels reduction, fuels treatment, prescribed burning, mechanical thinning, mastication, fuel breaks, fire breaks, wildland-urban interface, WUI, fireshed, fireshed management area, fireshed registry, Fireshed Center

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on H.R. 471, the Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to address the ongoing crisis of wildfires exacerbated by climate change and the need for updated forest management practices. Various committee members voiced concerns about past federal management failures and emphasized the necessity for collaborative approaches involving local communities and stakeholders in forest management. As discussions unfolded, there were varying perspectives on the implications of certain provisions in the bill, particularly around regulatory changes and their likely impacts on public participation and environmental reviews.

Transcript Highlights:

• between Greater Minnesota and the metro.
• The Minnesota Homeless Study has always been funded as a public-private partnership with significant
• We know that informed public policy is better public policy.
• of Minnesota North Dakota chapter.
• The 2020 Minnesota Student Survey found that approximately 5,000 Minnesota 9th and 11th graders have

Bills: HF2115 , HF2276 , HF1644 , HF99 , HF2068 , HF2707 , HF2704 , HF2406 , HF1674 , HF1579

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Retailers receive a 5% commission... Lottery retailers receive a 5% commission on each ticket sold.
• No, and I'm appointed by the racing commission, by the commission itself. I'm sorry, committee.
• No, and I'm appointed by the racing commission, by the commission itself. I'm sorry. Committee.
• So, and the public.
• Should we just have a mountain of public or transition centers with no security for the public?

Committee: Joint Judiciary Committee

Summary: The committee opened with a moment of silence honoring a deceased member, then approved the April minutes. The first major presentation was from Chelsea Florey of Child and Family Services on the Diversion Task Force and related grant programs created with one-time funding from HB 1012. She reported that five of six proposals were funded, with youth diversion services operating in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, and a Red River Children’s Advocacy Center program focused on problematic sexualized behavior. Members discussed barriers such as staffing shortages, voluntary family engagement, service fatigue, and the need for better coordination, broader outreach, and possible changes to diversion eligibility rules so low-level cases can remain in diversion longer. Several legislators pressed for more practical system changes and clearer service navigation, while Florey said the task force is trying to build a service array or hub and is leaning on the Children’s Cabinet for broader recommendations. The committee then heard from North Dakota Lottery Director Thomas Lawler, who gave an operational overview and biennium report. He described the lottery’s history, games, retailer commissions, Pick and Click subscriptions, Players Club membership, and revenue distribution. For the 2023-25 biennium, about $67 million in tickets were purchased, with roughly $16.2 million transferred overall, including money for the general fund, drug task force grants, and compulsive gambling prevention and treatment. Members asked about the compulsive gambling allocation and whether the amount is set by statute. A lengthy presentation followed from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on criminal justice data connectivity and reentry. Adam Anderson explained that North Dakota’s jail, court, HHS, and correctional systems use multiple separate databases that do not communicate in real time, requiring manual cross-checks and staff communication. He said the department is exploring a centralized hub or other integration approach, but noted challenges with identifiers, vendor contracts, confidentiality, and cost. Robin Schmolenberger then updated the committee on a Medicaid data-sharing project with HHS, saying monthly application assistance is now occurring in correctional facilities and that automated bi-directional data exchange is expected in late 2026 to help suspend and reactivate Medicaid coverage and identify former foster care youth. Members also discussed parole, probation, transitional housing, and the need for better real-time notifications and clearer data definitions. The committee also received an update from county representatives on the 24/7 sobriety program, including a recent attorney general opinion that if a court waives 24/7 fees, sheriffs may use the cheaper twice-daily breath test or urine testing instead of SCRAM bracelets or drug patches. Finally, Bruce Johnson of the Racing Commission presented on an audit report, acknowledging serious findings involving overspending from the promotion fund, grant documentation failures, a breeders fund eligibility reversal, and repeated procurement violations. He said the commission has already changed its procedures by tracking fund limits monthly, requiring grant applications and itemized reports, enforcing breeders fund rules as written, and routing purchases through procurement with written contracts. The committee asked follow-up questions throughout but took no formal votes on these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's just that we have some Minnesota.
• </c> inspector general advisory commission. inspector general advisory commission.
• </c> allowed in the state of Minnesota allowed in the state of Minnesota to<00:24:28.960><c> change</
• of the Minnesota We have the MMB. of the Minnesota management<01:13:39.520><c> um</c><01:13:39.840><
• You're a member of the public.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> residents of southern Minnesota. residents of southern Minnesota.
• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• </c> public safety solution. public safety solution.
• </c> public safety resources. public safety resources.
• </c> Central Minnesota. Central Minnesota.

Bills: HF4156 , HF3835 , HF3995 , HF4383 , HF4091 , HF4084 , HF4311 , HF198 , HF4486 , HF4302 , HF4309 , HF4032 , HF3855 , HF3673 , HF4265 , HF4012 , HF4339 , HF4298 , HF3852

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• How is it going to affect my community back in northern Minnesota, southern Minnesota, wherever they
• I realize I did not take public testimony.
• Seeing none, I will close public testimony.
• Seeing none, I will close public testimony.
• What we had was a family where the child lived in Minnesota, the offender lived in Minnesota, and when

Bills: HF2436 , HF470 , HF2643 , HF2456 , HF102 , HF1367

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• our evenly divided Minnesota House.
• A bill that puts Minnesota taxpayers first.
• They belong to the people of Minnesota.
• That's why we have our Minnesota...
• This annual event is hosted by the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs and the Minnesota Institute

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:33.400><c> will</c> 100% clean energy bill, utilities will 100% clean energy bill, utilities
• There are two utilities without it.
• </c> before the people of Minnesota. before the people of Minnesota.
• Xcel has to file with the Public Utilities Commission their plans for this Pine Island data center.
• Minnesota faces a severe deficit of Minnesota faces a severe deficit of homes<00:14:54.280><c> for</c

Summary: The program focused first on Minnesota’s energy and affordability agenda, with Senator Nick Frentz discussing the state’s clean-energy leadership, rising electricity demand, and the Senate’s 100% clean energy framework. He said Minnesota’s clean energy growth supports jobs, lowers costs for ratepayers, and includes recent wins such as sustainable aviation fuel tax treatment in the supplemental budget. Frentz also said the Senate passed an energy omnibus bill that continues clean-energy permitting reforms, promotes conservation and demand response, and includes a nuclear study rather than lifting the nuclear moratorium. Frentz spent much of the interview defending data centers as both a challenge and an opportunity. He said large hyperscale projects can create major construction jobs and substantial local property-tax revenue, while a 2025 law requires data-center companies to contribute to low-income energy assistance and report water use. He pointed to the Google data center planned for Pine Island as an example, saying it is air-cooled, will pay $5 million a year, and will fund 1,600 MW of clean energy at its own expense, which he argued could save Xcel ratepayers money over time. He also said climate change is already driving higher costs through homeowners insurance and storm damage. The second segment highlighted Senator Zach Duckworth’s housing and banking bills. Duckworth said Senate File 4168 would make it easier to finance investment properties by giving buyers more flexibility to roll closing costs and lender fees into payments, while keeping strong protections in place for primary residences. He emphasized that the bill is not about predatory lending and is intended to expand options for informed investors. He also described Senate File 4652 as an anti-fraud, no-cost measure that lets bank customers name a trusted contact so banks can alert someone if suspicious activity is detected. Duckworth said both bills passed unanimously in both chambers, and he credited quick action and good working relationships across the aisle for their success. The program closed with a broader reflection on the end of session and the Senate’s political climate. It noted that 15 senators are retiring and two are leaving for higher office, and that final floor votes often split along party lines, including one bill passing 34-33. Several retiring senators used farewell speeches to urge civility, compromise, and putting people first, while the segment emphasized that despite partisan conflict, quiet bipartisan cooperation still produced much of the session’s enacted legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sentencing Guidelines Commission, state public defender, statewide coordinator of the violent crime
• the Minnesota sentencing guidelines commission,<01:39:04.639><c> state</c><01:39:04.960><c> public</
• c><01:39:05.280><c> defender,</c> commission, state public defender, commission, state public defender
• </c> Minnesota support your amendment? Minnesota support your amendment?
• </c> The public has the right to know. The public has the right to know.

Transcript Highlights:

• Disclosure Commission.
• These are all public records.
• It isn't just public records.
• It isn't just public records.
• I'm General Counsel at the Public Disclosure Commission.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, beginning with House Bill 2333, which would expand protections for elected officials, candidates, executive state officers, election officials, and criminal justice participants by allowing address confidentiality, redacting campaign and property records, increasing some penalties for threats, and authorizing security assessments and reimbursement for personal security measures. The prime sponsor and supporters described rising political violence and personal threats, while opponents and agency staff raised concerns about implementation, constitutional issues, public-records transparency, costs, and whether the bill would actually prevent determined actors from finding addresses through other sources. The Secretary of State’s office, county officials, and the Public Disclosure Commission said the bill would create major logistical and fiscal challenges, while prosecutors, judges, and advocacy groups testified that the protections were needed for safety and retention in public service. House Bill 2176 would make collaborative drug therapy agreements confidential under the Public Records Act except when the agreement is the basis for a disciplinary action, in which case only relevant information would be disclosed with personal information redacted. The sponsor and supporters, including pharmacists, physicians, and reproductive-health advocates, said the bill would protect clinicians from harassment and out-of-state targeting while preserving accountability for misconduct. News media representatives and open-government advocates said the underlying agreements should remain accessible only in limited circumstances and emphasized the balance between privacy and transparency. Committee members also discussed how the bill would affect access to the agreements and the scope of disclosure. House Bill 2120 would eliminate two JLARC reporting requirements: the biennial report on municipal lodging-tax revenues and the periodic evaluation of the training benefits program. The bill’s sponsor and JLARC leadership described it as a cost-saving measure that would free staff for other audits, while the hospitality industry supported tourism funding but warned that the lodging-tax report provides useful oversight and accountability. The committee also received staff briefings on House Bill 2244, which would implement multiple Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee recommendations by changing confidentiality rules in 13 areas, including grand jury reports, accident reports, driver case records, certain health and social-service records, corporate interrogatories, family court files, and other records.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also engaged the Department of Public Transformation, which is based out of Minnesota and specializes
• We also engage the Department of Public Transformation that is based out of Minnesota and they specialize
• Commission votes, the FY27 advisory panels.
• Next is the commission vote on policy.
• The only statutory obligation on the commission is in the enabling statutes, which require the commission

Transcript Highlights:

• It becomes a public safety crisis.
• But Minnesota is not alone.
• Public testimony is closed.
• My son couldn't even go to public school.
• If not, that concludes public testimony, and public testimony is concluded and is closed.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Anecdotally, my daughter at one time worked for public health in Minnesota, and she was cautioned where
• Energy, water, and other public utilities, Energy, water, and other public utility information is critical
• for state regulators, local siting authorities, utilities, and the public, as they also use these utilities
• Parole Commission? Mr.
• to be worked out because public safety and public security and making things known to the public are

Summary: The committee first approved minutes from prior meetings and then filled a vacancy on Legislative Management by appointing Senator Braunberger after a caucus recommendation. Members then took up an unusual appeal from the North Dakota Gaming Commission after the Administrative Rules Committee voided a rule that would have raised the poker tournament entry fee from $300 to $1,500. Legislative Council explained the administrative rules process and the grounds for voiding a rule, while Gaming Commission representatives argued the commission had statutory authority and that the issue should be left to the full Legislature. Several members raised concerns about legislative intent, precedent, and whether the matter should wait for the regular session. On a motion to disapprove the Administrative Rules Committee’s finding and restore the rule, the committee voted no, so the voiding of the rule remained in place. The committee then reviewed the fiscal impact statement for Constitutional Measure No. 1 on congressional age limits. Staff reported no current fiscal impact because no litigation had been filed, though members noted the possibility of future legal challenges if the measure were enforced. After that, the committee began hearing proposed bills for the upcoming special session, starting with several kratom-related measures. Representative Wolff withdrew her bill, saying it was redundant, while Representative Heinert presented a bill to legalize and regulate natural kratom for adults 21 and over under the Attorney General, with licensing, labeling, penalties, and a public health campaign. Senator Axtman presented a companion bill targeting synthetic kratom derivatives, placing them on the controlled substances list with penalties similar to marijuana. Legislative Council later outlined Representative Johnston’s separate kratom bill, which would regulate kratom under the Department of Agriculture with product registration, licensing, and enforcement provisions. The committee also heard Senator Hogue’s bill to address funding for the State Historical Society’s military museum project. He argued the state was in breach of contract and that delaying action would increase costs, so his bill would authorize a $35 million line of credit to keep construction moving while fundraising continued. Members questioned the relationship between the proposed line of credit, existing SIF funding, and the private fundraising requirement, but no vote was taken before the meeting moved on. Finally, Representative Sue Ann Olson began presenting a bill requiring the Class D driver’s license test to be administered in English, arguing it was a safety measure because road signs are in English and law enforcement encounters can be complicated by language barriers. The transcript cuts off before her testimony concluded or any action was taken on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• cities or the association Minnesota cities or the association Minnesota<00:16:12.880><c> counties</c
• </c> civil rights incidents across Minnesota civil rights incidents across Minnesota I'm<00:28:49.600
• </c> um actions regarding protest in public um actions regarding protest in public and<00:31:15.919><
• </c> not that the jurisdiction of Public not that the jurisdiction of Public Safety<00:42:06.640><c>
• </c><00:42:07.800><c> safety</c> Safety or the concept of public safety Safety or the concept of public

Bills: HF414 , HF768 , HF359

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• A wide variety of public bodies in the state of Oregon utilize automatic license plate readers.
• As it can from a public entity? That's a great question.
• The small boards and commissions don't, as was stated earlier.
• So there's a void for the small boards and commissions.
• These include Maryland, Oregon, Minnesota, Utah, and Idaho.

Summary: The committee held a series of informational briefings on information management and technology issues. It first heard from ACLU representatives on data privacy, who argued that Oregon should strengthen protections against private data brokers, government purchases of personal data, reverse warrants, automatic license plate readers, and local police surveillance. They urged data minimization, limits on data sales and retention, and broader transparency and accountability measures. Members asked about practical uses of license plate readers, state sales of data, and how Oregon’s approach compares with other states; the presenters said similar proposals have been adopted elsewhere, including data minimization in Maryland and a state version of the Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act in Montana. The committee then received a detailed update from the Department of Administrative Services and Enterprise Information Services on licensing system modernization for 14 boards and commissions with the most immediate need. DAS said it is seeking a shared procurement approach through an RFP that would create either one scalable system or two tiers of systems, depending on agency needs and security requirements, with contracts expected by September. Committee members emphasized the need for a more unified, user-friendly statewide login and service experience for businesses and residents, and raised concerns about small agencies “figuring it out on their own” without sufficient cybersecurity or technical expertise. EIS said it is overseeing the investment review, security and architecture review, and future implementation planning, and noted that multiple agency requests may still come back to the legislature in the next session. The committee also discussed a revised cybersecurity incident notification concept. Staff explained that the earlier bill had raised stakeholder concerns, so the co-chairs directed further interim work with the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council and other local government and K-12 stakeholders. The goal is a narrower, voluntary “911-style” notification process that would let public bodies alert peers and potentially receive assistance after cyber incidents; a temporary voluntary process is being tested now, with a work group developing language for possible 2027 consideration. Finally, the committee heard updates from the new state chief data officer on data governance, data sharing, geospatial work, and the state transparency website, followed by a briefing on data centers from NCSL and the Technology Association of Oregon. The data officer described efforts to expand data inventories, data governance plans, data literacy, and interagency sharing, along with statewide aerial imagery, geospatial standards, and the open data portal. The data center discussion focused on national and state trends, including rapid growth in data centers, rising electricity and water demand, and legislative responses such as new rate classes, reporting requirements, and cost-allocation rules to protect ratepayers. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only.