Transcript Highlights:

• . know too much utilization of electric know too much utilization of electric power<00:27:06.559><c>
• large amounts of electricity, but also, like the rates themselves, right?
• electricity.
• electricity.
• This is not giving them an opportunity to pay their electric bill in Bitcoin, okay.

Summary: The subcommittee first took up an amendment to a bill dealing with digital assets, zoning, utilities, and noise. Members discussed removing the “private key” language, clarifying that the bill would prohibit state or local governments from treating digital asset mining differently from other industrial uses, and narrowing several provisions based on feedback from the Municipal Association. There was also discussion about electricity use, rate schedules, and whether the bill would allow payment of electric bills in Bitcoin; members clarified that bills would still be paid in dollars and that discriminatory rates were not allowed. The amendment was approved on a straw vote, and the committee then voted 7-1 to adopt the amended bill. The committee then considered a separate bill related to a paint stewardship program. The sponsor explained that the amendment would remove references to a fee structure that had troubled him in public hearing, while still preserving the plan and oversight by the Department of Environmental Services. Members discussed whether the bill’s liability and disclosure language affected antitrust concerns, and a representative from the American Coatings Association testified that the program’s environmental management practices and liability provisions were intended to ensure responsible handling and cleanup. The committee ultimately voted 7-1 to adopt the amended bill. Later, the subcommittee moved to liquor-related business. It first voted unanimously, 7-0, to retain a cannabis-related item. It then discussed a tavern license bill that would create a 21-plus tavern category, with the Liquor Enforcement Division explaining that the restriction was tied to alcohol-only venues and the potential for late-night entertainment and nightclub-style operations. Members raised concerns about local control and public safety, and the discussion referenced existing cocktail lounge rules and the possibility of towns opting into such a license. The transcript cuts off before a final vote on that item is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• your average rate payer who maybe doesn't know the name of their state senator, but knows their electric
• Around the state, we have more people using more electric devices, and electricity demand is up.
• </c><00:02:20.920><c> bill,</c> senator, but knows their electric bill, senator, but knows their electric
• electric devices, and electricity<00:03:23.560><c> demand</c><00:03:23.959><c> is</c><00:03:24.120><
• We have not electricity demand is up.

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:

• Senator Hensgens, an act to amend Title 45 relative to private-use electrical networks to provide for
• It is a private electricity grid.
• The second amendment limits private-use electricity networks to primarily serve new electric load requirements
• Utah last week announced a data center that, when incomplete, we'll use more electricity than Utah's
• And if you lived in the Slimco area late in January, your electricity actually came from Dow Chemical

Bills: SR125 , SCR70 , SCR12 , HB4 , HB251 , HB623 , HB819 , HB944 , HB986 , HB1098 , HB1222 , HB1257 , HB221 , HCR58 , SCR22 , SCR24 , SB29 , SB30 , SB32 , SB41 , SB42 , SB43 , SB47 , SB84 , SB93 , SB113 , SB192 , SB199 , SB219 , SB220 , SB221 , SB222 , SB241 , SB253 , SB255 , SB289 , SB292 , SB306 , SB314 , SB351 , SB399 , SB404 , SB14 , SB102 , SB133 , SB151 , SB165 , SB169 , SB170 , SB200 , SB217 , SB280 , SB291 , SB300 , SB303 , SB330 , SB449 , SB489 , SB521 , SB45 , SB156 , SB181 , SB203 , SB274 , SB304 , SB379 , SB396 , SB410 , SB425 , SB427 , SB436 , SB424 , SCR61 , SCR9 , SB35 , SB65 , SB215 , SB246 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , HCR31 , HB296 , HB299 , HB322 , HB364 , HB519 , HB535 , HB538 , HB568 , HB571 , HB622 , HB635 , HB676 , HB772 , HB784 , HB1006 , HB1018 , HB1043 , HB1070 , HB1134 , HB1239 , HB62 , HB193 , HB203 , HB210 , HB220 , HB228 , HB246 , HB420 , HB475 , HB486 , HB574 , HB584 , HB750 , HB813 , HB815 , HB826 , HB870 , HB949 , HB953 , HB1045 , HB1092 , HB1151 , HB1162 , HB1176 , HB1177 , HB1196 , HB1214 , HB1241 , HB22 , HB28 , HB33 , HB41 , HB47 , HB87 , HB115 , HB162 , HB195 , HB214 , HB217 , HB233 , HB283 , HB290 , HB319 , HB324 , HB345 , HB362 , HB363 , HB368 , HB377 , HB380 , HB382 , HB386 , HB392 , HB406 , HB431 , HB441 , HB466 , HB503 , HB533 , HB559 , HB575 , HB590 , HB593 , HB618 , HB636 , HB655 , HB664 , HB685 , HB692 , HB707 , HB715 , HB732 , HB738 , HB741 , HB748 , HB776 , HB807 , HB822 , HB856 , HB860 , HB868 , HB887 , HB888 , HB905 , HB908 , HB961 , HB980 , HB990 , HB992 , HB999 , HB1000 , HB1010 , HB1146 , HB1157 , HB1233 , HB1236 , HB1243 , HB54 , HB137 , HB180 , HB192 , HB310 , HB321 , HB396 , HB512 , HB552 , HB578 , HB638 , HB663 , HB708 , HB717 , HB718 , HB1009 , HB1082 , HB1104 , HB1107 , HB1198 , HB1246 , HB1250 , HB17 , HB36 , HB73 , HB119 , HB126 , HB129 , HB133 , HB140 , HB159 , HB166 , HB211 , HB226 , HB245 , HB271 , HB280 , HB337 , HB351 , HB354 , HB399 , HB677 , HB712 , HB723 , HB726 , HB728 , HB759 , HB789 , HB844 , HB850 , HB966 , HB1036 , SB149 , SB382 , SB441 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , HB782

Keywords: SR125, Senate Resolution 125, MUSV, Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel, MASC, Modular Attack Surface Craft, Conrad Shipyard, Morgan City, Louisiana shipbuilding, U.S. Navy, Department of the Navy, unmanned naval vessels, autonomous ships, defense procurement, military contracting, shipyard jobs, maritime workforce, advanced manufacturing, robotics, software engineering

Transcript Highlights:

• We're short of a electric utility. We are short of road and transportation infrastructure.
• We've been working with El Paso Electric, and they've been fantastic in all this.
• Of electricity running to these sites.
• We are going to see two to three times growth in our electricity system nationally.
• It would be north of a gigawatt of electricity consumption. ...to 1200 acres.

Transcript Highlights:

• The language added in this bill talks about not just bicycles, but human-powered vehicles and electric
• There's a whole section of the RSA about electric bikes and notes that they are basically bikes.
• The language added in this bill talks about not just bicycles, but human-powered vehicles and electric
• There's a whole section of the RSA about electric bikes and notes that they are basically bikes.
• There's a whole section of the RSA about electric bikes and notes that they are basically bikes.

Summary: The Transportation Committee opened its public hearing with HB 249, sponsored by Representative Seth Miller, which would allow bicycles, human-powered vehicles, and electric bicycles to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs in certain situations. Miller argued the bill would improve cyclist safety and traffic flow at no cost to the state, citing Idaho and Delaware as examples where similar laws were associated with fewer injuries and crashes. He emphasized that the proposal would remain optional for cyclists, who would still be required to yield to cross traffic and obey right-of-way rules, and said the bill is intended to help riders maintain momentum and avoid the instability that comes from repeatedly starting from a full stop. Committee members raised concerns about uncertainty for drivers and pedestrians, liability, and whether the bill would create a special class of road users with different rules. Representative Crawford asked about the red-light left turn language, and Miller explained it was included because bicycles may not trigger some traffic signals. Representative Hill questioned how other road users would know what a cyclist intended to do at an intersection, and Representative Gon noted the bill did not appear to address liability the way some motorcycle-related laws do. Miller responded that cyclists would still be expected to yield appropriately and said he would be open to an amendment if liability language was needed. Representative Emble also questioned whether the bill would create a special vehicle class, and Miller replied that bicycles already have different roadway rules and that the bill was meant to improve safety and flow. Several supporters testified in favor of the bill. Michael Frank, a cyclist and League cycling instructor from Spofford, said he regularly rides a cargo bike for errands and that stopping fully at intersections leaves him exposed longer and makes it harder to restart on hills. He said the bill would let cyclists slow, assess traffic, and proceed safely while maintaining momentum, and noted that he had not personally received a ticket for rolling through a stop sign, though he had been warned by police. Tim Blagden, former head of the Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, said the bill reflects how many people already ride, saves energy, and helps bicycles move through intersections faster and more safely. No vote or committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the CEO of Kickarsen Electric Cooperative, located here in Taos.
• Most, if not all, of those devices require electricity.
• Their electric service may not be up to code or They need some work on that.
• What is the fair value for that electricity? If it's going Over to Mrs.
• Be related to the best practices of clean electric cars and buses.

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So you're a self-described cyber security expert and electrical engineer yourself.
• So you're a self-described cyber security expert and electrical engineer yourself.
• So you're a self-described cyber security expert and electrical engineer yourself.
• So you're a self-described cyber security expert and electrical engineer yourself.
• </c><01:20:32.400><c> engineer</c> uh electrical engineer uh electrical engineer yourself<01:20:35.239

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• I've done over 200 hours working with electrical engineers, electrical measurements, advanced spectrum
• I've done over 200 hours working with electrical engineer, electrical measurements, advanced spectrum
• In other words, I can see the electrical pollution that's caused by nonlinear lows, also calls about
• based on the levelized cost of electricity, the LCOE.
• They understand that even when you turn the electricity off in a solar farm, the electricity does not

Committee: House Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The committee first took up several executive-session items and voted H.J.R. 189 do pass by a roll call of 11 ayes, 1 no, and 1 present. It then adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 2139, with the substitute removing specific references to Sharia law and broadening the language to apply to foreign law generally; the committee then voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2139 and HB 2175 do pass by 10 ayes and 2 noes. The committee also adopted a substitute for House Bill 3051 that removed manufacturer language and focused the bill on car dealers and the Department of Revenue, then voted that House Committee Substitute do pass by 7 ayes, 5 noes, and 1 present. Later, the committee adopted an amendment and substitute for House Bill 2908 and HB 2990 and voted that combined committee substitute do pass by 13 ayes and 1 no. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to House Bills 2388 and 2656, which would ban geoengineering, weather modification, and cloud seeding in Missouri. Sponsors and supporters argued the bills were needed to stop pollution, protect air, water, soil, agriculture, and public health, and to mirror laws or proposals in other states such as Tennessee, Florida, and Louisiana. Testimony from supporters included claims that these practices are already occurring, that federal and private actors are involved, and that the bills would provide a needed state-level prohibition and deterrent. Several witnesses also argued that weather modification and geoengineering raise consent, environmental, and health concerns, while a Missouri Farm Bureau representative said the organization opposes unregulated commercial weather modification as a proactive measure. The committee also heard extensive testimony on a solar-energy bill, House Bill 2478, presented as a vehicle for a committee substitute focused on safety issues around solar farms. The sponsor said the substitute would likely address setbacks, fire safety, alarms or notification systems, soil testing, and liability/decommissioning concerns, while trying to balance landowner rights with neighboring property owners’ safety. Witnesses in support raised concerns about fire risk, toxic materials, runoff, and the loss of agricultural land, and some urged stronger civil liability provisions. Committee members questioned whether the bill should be handled at the county level, whether existing legal recourse already exists for damaged neighbors, and which provisions would remain in the substitute. No final vote on HB 2478 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've done over 200 hours working with electrical engineers, electrical measurements, advanced spectrum
• I've done over 200 hours working with electrical engineer, electrical measurements, advanced spectrum
• based on the levelized cost of electricity, the LCOE.
• They understand that even when you turn the electricity off in a solar farm, the electricity does not
• The electricity does not stop generating from the solar panels.

Committee: House Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, because it's a very, very inefficient way to make electricity.
• Anyway, the solar farm that occupies the 2,200 acres generates less than 10% of the electricity that
• And the solar farm, when the sun's shining, it generates less than 10% of the electricity of the gas
• TVA uh has a way to make electricity.
• <00:13:54.639><c> production</c> electricity production electricity production and<00:13:56.800><c> uh

Bills: SB176 , HB155 , HB247 , HB311 , HB312 , HB317 , HB466 , SB176 , HB155 , HB247 , HB311 , HB312 , HB317 , HB466

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> House Bill 1, Investor-owned electric gas and electric companies cost recovery limitations.
• The amendment is described as creating an off-ramp to pay people who are vital to keeping electricity
• The speaker argues that the amendment would help pay people who are vital to making sure electricity
• and what not to run run electrically and what not to run electrically,<00:08:32.000><c> whether</c><
• , whether that's heat or in electrically, whether that's heat or in the<00:08:34.320><c> summer</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, it requires qualifying electric utilities to meet targets for energy conservation
• Finally, it eliminates the requirement that electric and water utilities report annually on the total
• Finally, it eliminates the requirement that electric and water utilities report annually on the total
• Electric utilities...
• I'm the Executive Director for the Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Summary: The committee first waived the five-day notice rule for several House bills, then took up public hearings on HB 2426, HB 1742, HB 2215, HB 2575, HB 1903, and HB 2606. HB 2426 would allow the Pollution Control Hearings Board, with party consent and board approval, to hear permit appeals in alternative smaller compositions to improve efficiency; the sponsor and supporters from Greater Grays Harbor and FutureWise said it would speed up reviews without harming environmental protections, while the bill was described as cost-neutral. HB 1742 would create a Center for Environmentally Sustainable Urban Design at Ecology to promote sustainable building and design competitions; the sponsor emphasized regenerative, biophilic design and a proposed showcase project, and the bill was presented as budget-neutral through outside funding, though the fiscal note was still pending. HB 2215 would tighten Climate Commitment Act compliance for certain newer fuel suppliers by lowering the emissions threshold for post-2023 suppliers, exempt lubricants, and add procurement and transparency requirements. The sponsor said the bill targets “paper distributors” and loopholes used to avoid coverage; Ecology supported closing the loophole but raised concerns about reporting thresholds, implementation, staffing, and rulemaking. Testimony was mixed: the propane association and Washington Oil Marketers Association were concerned about the two-tier threshold and urged stronger upstream enforcement instead, while Climate Solutions and Washington Conservation Action supported the bill as a way to prevent gaming and strengthen climate policy. HB 2575 would reduce several environmental and energy reporting obligations, including less frequent utility reporting under the Energy Independence Act and state energy strategy updates; Commerce and the sponsor said the changes would reduce duplicative reporting and save money, while preserving core protections and oversight. HB 1903 would establish a statewide low-income energy assistance program in the Department of Commerce, phased in by 2027, to supplement existing utility programs and target households with the greatest energy burden. The sponsor and many advocates described the bill as an affordability measure to address a large unmet need, while community action agencies, utilities, and rural representatives supported the goal but asked for clearer language on voluntary utility participation, funding sources, allocation formulas, and how the program would interact with existing utility and weatherization efforts. Several speakers stressed that the program should not replace local assistance and should be designed to avoid shifting costs onto ratepayers. HB 2606 would update the Office of Privacy and Data Protection’s duties and reporting requirements, including adding review of agency AI projects and aligning the office’s work with JLARC recommendations; the chief privacy officer testified in support, explaining that the bill would formalize AI risk review, human oversight, and existing privacy/security review processes, with no fiscal impact. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Energy alternatives, maybe electric, maybe hybrid, buses that don't burn so much carbon and fossil fuels
• They purchased a fleet that cost them $126 million, and that was for 117 electric buses, right?
• That goes along with generating that electricity.
• vehicle... ...where, say, the total cost of ownership of an electric vehicle might actually be less
• Your city, as was mentioned earlier, couldn't even prioritize buying an electric bus, the quieter, less

Bills: S0558 , S1294 , S1468 , S1474 , S1682 , S1628

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Keywords: stormwater systems, environmental standards, municipal infrastructure, engineering certifications, local compliance, Florida Department of Transportation, biosolids, agronomic rate, land application, environmental protection, Florida statutes, nutrient management, recordkeeping, farming, compost products, wastewater treatment, environment, sewage disposal, pollution control, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, we replace and upgrade our equipment—electric equipment, poles, wires.
• Our life support program is for customers who rely on medical equipment that use electricity.
• But really, this need to build out cooperatives in this work for an electric utility.
• Both of those were Pacific Gas and Electric-ignited fires.
• Both of those were Pacific gas and electric, ignited fires.

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Model Toxics Control Act (MOTCA) and related cleanup programs. Department of Ecology staff described how MOTCA and the hazardous substance tax fund cleanup, prevention, stormwater, and other environmental work across state agencies, but warned that forecasted revenues have fallen while appropriations and transfers have outpaced incoming funds. Ecology said the operating account will require spending reductions to stay solvent this biennium, and that further cuts may be needed if forecasts worsen. Ecology also reviewed the state cleanup process and the scale of the problem, noting more sites are being discovered each year than are being cleaned up. The Pollution Liability Insurance Agency said its dedicated petroleum-tax-funded accounts remain stable, and highlighted its newer financial assurance and heating oil loan/grant programs, while noting concerns about equity for small property owners facing large cleanup liens. Practitioners and stakeholders then offered differing views on how MOTCA should work. One cleanup attorney argued the program has become too slow, expensive, and process-heavy, and urged a more risk-based, collaborative approach with less reliance on conservative assumptions. Environmental and community advocates countered that MOTCA is essential for cleanup, pollution prevention, stormwater control, and public participation, especially in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods that bear disproportionate toxic burdens; they urged stronger funding, tighter scrutiny of tax exemptions and budget diversions, and more accountability for stormwater spending. Port and city representatives emphasized that MOTCA grants are critical for large brownfield and waterfront cleanup projects that support redevelopment, but said long timelines, permitting delays, and funding uncertainty can stall projects and jeopardize existing commitments. The committee then shifted to utility wildfire risk. Staff summarized recent legislation on wildfire mitigation plans, captive insurance, securitization, and the wildfire response and resilience account. Chelan PUD described extensive mitigation work including vegetation management, grid hardening, undergrounding, AI cameras, weather stations, and partnerships on forest-health projects, and asked the Legislature to restore funding to the wildfire response and resilience account. Puget Sound Energy described similar investments across its service territory, including undergrounding, tree wire, sensors, cameras, weather stations, drones, and public safety power shutoffs, and said wildfire is its top risk. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner summarized a 2022 utility liability market study and a 2025 wildfire mitigation work group, recommending restored community resilience funding, clearer wildfire risk information for property owners, and a grant program based on recognized home-hardening standards. Committee members asked about insurance cancellations, neighborhood-level risk, and whether utilities’ or insurers’ maps are used; the commissioner’s office said insurers generally use their own data and that Washington’s FAIR Plan remains small compared with other states.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do not get any of the electricity. We do not get any of the money.
• We don't get any of the electricity. We don't get any of the money. So it's of no advantage to us.
• But solar is the cheapest way to produce electricity right now.
• Electrical fire is a lot harder to put out than a regular fire.
• Electrical fire is a lot harder to put out than a regular fire.

Summary: The House Utilities Committee resumed hearing on House Bills 2402 and 2816, which address utility-scale solar development. The chair asked witnesses to keep comments to informational purposes, and testimony focused on setbacks, taxation, land conversion caps, county authority, decommissioning, and impacts on neighboring landowners and rural communities. Several witnesses said they supported solar in limited settings such as rooftops or industrial sites, but opposed or wanted changes to the bills’ treatment of agricultural land, especially the proposed 4% cap on cropland conversion and the 500-foot setback from homes. Testimony from landowners and farm groups emphasized concerns about property rights, viewshed impacts, fire risk, drainage and floodplain issues, and the loss of agricultural tax base and local economic activity. They argued the proposed $2,500 per megawatt tax was too low and suggested higher rates, with some recommending $6,000 per megawatt or more, along with decommissioning requirements and stronger county-level protections. A Renew Missouri representative supported much of the bill but preferred a smaller setback and raised constitutional concerns about changing solar land from agricultural to commercial assessment. Other witnesses, including a county commissioner, described local regulations already in place in some counties and asked for clearer statewide standards. Industry and utility representatives said the legislation was generally workable but needed further discussion on setbacks and property tax treatment. Clean Grid Alliance and related witnesses argued that tax comparisons with other states should account for total tax burden, not just nameplate taxes, and said higher taxes would raise electricity costs for consumers. Ameren Missouri said it was acceptable with most provisions, but cautioned against overly aggressive real-property assessments and noted its current and planned solar buildout. The hearing ended without a vote; the committee adjourned after taking testimony on both bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we've replaced our transmitters, we're actually going to be able to save some. electricity funding
• Once we got the new transmitter in there, we didn't have to spend as much money on electricity cooling
• Of course, the issue is, and it's in. the news everywhere that the electricity costs are going up.
• If you look at how much our electricity costs went up from '24 to '25, it was like 18%, and so there's
• We're going to save money, but we actually have to pay more money for the electricity increase. electricity

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• in value, PUDs would not be required to contract for work on projects that relate to non-emitting electric
• generation, electric generation from a renewable resource, energy storage, or electric transmission
• may solicit and award contracts for the purchase of materials and supplies related to non-emitting electric
• generation from a renewable resource, energy storage, and the transmission and distribution of electricity
• is that it primarily is supposed to apply to a set of projects, and those are in these sort of electrical

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 6313, which would create a Capital Centennial Stewardship Account for remodeling, repairs, interpretive and educational facilities, and other improvements to the state Capitol campus ahead of the building’s 100th anniversary in 2028. Staff explained that statewide elected officials and legislators could solicit gifts, grants, and donations for the account, with spending subject to appropriation. Prime sponsor Senator Marco Elias described the bill as a way to enhance the Capitol experience, potentially restore access to the top of the building, and raise private support for upgrades without relying solely on public funds. Members asked questions about the Capitol’s history, tourism potential, and the fundraising authority, and no public testimony was offered. The committee then heard Substitute Senate Bill 6076, which would expand procurement and self-performance authority for public utility districts and other consumer-owned utilities for certain electric generation, storage, transmission, and distribution projects, largely through 2045. Staff said the bill would raise thresholds for self-performed work and allow more flexibility in bidding and contracting, with no fiscal impact to state agencies but an indeterminate local government impact from training and procedure updates. Testifiers from IBEW Local 77 and Grant PUD supported the bill, saying utilities face a backlog of infrastructure work, higher material costs, and long procurement timelines, and that the bill would speed maintenance and construction. Committee members asked about renewable energy uses, examples of qualifying projects, and whether land acquisition was included; testimony clarified that the bill focuses on equipment and project components, not land. In executive session, the committee took up Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5901, relating to school construction assistance program facilities reports for on-base schools. Members said the bill would help military-connected school districts address gaps between state and federal funding and support quality facilities for military children. The committee approved the bill on a 16-0 vote, with three excused, and reported it out of committee with a do pass recommendation. The chair also noted that additional bills, including the Capital Centennial Account bill and the utility procurement bill heard that day, could be considered in a later executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• bills because electricity prices are set on the regional electric market, dependent on the supply of
• bills because electricity prices are set on the regional electric market, dependent on the supply of
• bills because electricity prices are set on the regional electric market, dependent on the supply of
• bills because electricity prices are set on the regional electric market, dependent on the supply of
• bills because electricity prices are set on the regional electric market, dependent on the supply of

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an executive director for the State Electrical Board.
• National Electrical Code from 2023 to 2006, and also the NFPA 101 from 2021 to the to the 2004.
• That was in definitions to just define electrical to separate it from conveyance.
• Define electrical to separate it from conveyance.
• I mean, it was all based on electrical.

Committee: Joint Administrative Rules Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Presentation by the State Electrical Board, found in your packet pages 47 through 121.
• I'm an executive director for the State Electrical Board.
• National Electrical Code from 2023 to 2006 and also the NFPA 101 from 2021 to the 2004.
• That was in definitions to just define electrical to separate it from conveyance.
• I mean, it was all based on electrical.

Summary: The Administrative Rules Committee met on June 11 and first approved the March 12, 2026 minutes by voice vote. It then granted the Board of Medicine an extension of time to implement rules tied to recent legislation, including North Dakota’s participation in the physician assistant licensure compact and a new physician nutrition continuing education requirement. The Board said it was waiting on compact rules and fee information before finalizing its own changes. The committee heard a lengthy presentation from the Office of Management and Budget on broad personnel rule revisions, including salary administration, recruitment, leave, sick leave, funeral leave, service awards, appeals, and shared leave. OMB said the changes modernize HR language and implement recent legislation such as enhanced annual leave for hard-to-fill positions and new hire leave. Members questioned the hard-to-fill leave provisions, but OMB and counsel said those standards come from statute, not the rules. The committee also heard and accepted rule packages from the Lottery, the Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, the State Electrical Board, the Industrial Commission, PERS, and Health and Human Services, with each agency describing mostly technical, clarifying, or statutory-conforming changes and noting the public notice and comment process. The most significant action came during the Gaming Commission rules presentation. After questioning whether the commission had authority to raise the poker tournament buy-in limit from $300 to $1,500, members moved to void Section 99-01.3-09-01 on the ground that the agency lacked statutory authority for that change. The motion passed on a roll call vote. The committee also discussed several gaming-related issues, including online raffles, kiosk use, advertising restrictions, and the broader policy question of whether charities should be allowed to own bars, but took no further formal action on those topics.