Transcript Highlights:

• and about 4 million in savings in<00:46:22.200><c> the</c><00:46:22.320><c> tails.
• </c> Okay, the next section of proposals is our savings proposals.
• That does not save the state any dollars.
• That does not save the state any dollars.
• That does not save the state any dollars.

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:18:21.840><c> um</c> create efficiencies and cost savings um create efficiencies and cost savings
• The next three requests are actually reductions that create savings in the general fund.
• 1.92</c> draw down Federal match totaling 1.92 draw down Federal match totaling 1.92 million<00:29:59.000
• Paul's saved his life.
• This young man represents countless others who would also lose access to life-saving treatments.

Bills: HF10

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance

Transcript Highlights:

• They will lose food, not because they refuse to work, but because the rules do not match the reality
• Save us $2 billion. I'll defer to my social services counterparts for that. Thank you.
• Save us $2 billion. I'll defer to my social services counterparts for that. Thank you.
• They're also saved around $2,000 to $3,000 in health care costs in terms of prescriptions.
• We have $275 million in this budget that we were counting on that savings for.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Transcript Highlights:

• > the</c><00:13:38.720><c> aggregate</c> they've saved us in the aggregate they've saved us in the aggregate
• </c><00:36:14.720><c> Um</c> it saved their health insurance. Um it saved their health insurance.
• Um, plan with a health savings account?
• did see nice cost savings on that.
• <00:46:33.280><c> uh</c><00:46:33.440><c> as</c> savings uh as savings uh as our<00:46:35.200><c> members

Summary: The Public Pension Oversight Board met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and heard updates from the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority and the Teachers Retirement System. The deferred compensation update highlighted continued growth in assets to about $4.787 billion and roughly 88,000 participants, strong retention from auto-enrollment, a marketing campaign tied to pay raises that generated additional participation, and a new self-directed brokerage account expected to launch July 1 of the coming year for participants with at least a $40,000 balance, allowing up to 25% of their account to be moved into the brokerage window. The director also described the free financial planning service, which has been used by about 3,500 participants with a high return rate, and said the plan is currently in a fee holiday; if fees are charged, they are capped at $237 per year for most participants. Members asked questions about who provides the CFP service, the fee structure, and the brokerage eligibility threshold. The director said the CFP service is provided through the authority’s service bundle with Nationwide, not as a separate paid service, and explained that the fee cap and current fee holiday are intended to keep the program low-cost. Board members praised the deferred compensation program’s performance and asked for a copy of the legislation referenced in the presentation. TRS then presented on retired teachers’ health insurance. Barnes first clarified how declining federal contributions for federally funded school positions affect the retirement annuity trust, explaining that if those federal dollars fall, the amounts would need to be covered through the SEEK formula and that the projection for those contributions is about $80 million over the next three years. He then reviewed TRS retiree health coverage, distinguishing between KEHP for retirees under 65 or not Medicare-eligible and MEHP for Medicare-eligible retirees, and explained that TRS recently completed RFPs for both prescription drug and medical coverage. TRS will keep Express Scripts for prescription drugs, but will move the Medicare Advantage medical plan from UnitedHealthcare to Humana on January 1, 2026, while keeping the plan design, provider access, and out-of-pocket structure largely unchanged, with a new hearing-aid benefit of $500 per ear. Barnes also reported the 2026 premium and contribution changes: the maximum TRS contribution toward KEHP will rise to $1,144.96 from $930.76, an 18% increase that he said will require roughly $15 million to $16 million more in the state budget, while the MEHP premium will drop to $200 per month from $210. He said the TRS board has statutory authority to set these amounts and that the changes will have mixed actuarial effects, with the KEHP increase being negative overall and the MEHP decrease positive.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm focusing here on the $100 million, which is a pot of money for grants to match federal grants to
• I'm focusing here on the $100 million, which is a pot of money for grants to match federal grants to
• I'm focusing here on the $100 million, which is a pot of money for grants to match federal grants to
• </c> core to make sure that we have matching core to make sure that we have matching dollars<00:43:43.319
• </c> save money from the from the the savings save money from the from the the savings and<01:04:39.279

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving
• Oh Lord, save us; may He answer us when we call.
• No, I can't match you, you know, not at... Uh-huh, I can't match you, you know, not at all.
• So, this bill is named in honor of those two gentlemen, and I appreciate that it's going to save many
• more lives, not just those... ...to save many more lives, not just those.

Bills: SJR 5 , SJR 36 , SJR 5 , SJR 5 , SR 105 , SR 121 , SB 17 , SB 19 , SB 25 , SB 28 , SB 17 , SB 19 , SB 25 , SB 28

Transcript Highlights:

• When God created Walter Fisher, he perfectly matched Walter's skill set to his vocation.
• He would often reply, 'Saving your ass.'
• I met my match. And through long discussions on the way to hunting trips and things like that...
• Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I was lost; I was lost, Lord.
• Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once...

Transcript Highlights:

• To match where the students are, or how does that work? Every school gets an allocation from us.
• How much money is that projected to save, and then also, where is that money that will be saved being
• So, I I don't have the number for you on how much money will be saved per school or per program.
• bullet point was labeled performance-based allocations, but then the description I was having trouble Matching

Committee: House Appropriations and Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Finding number three: potential time savings for issuing pocket cards.
• That's a $114 per hour difference, and that could have been a significant savings.
• That $13 million is being deployed through the Angel Match program.
• An investment from the Wonder Fund as well as another match from the...
• The Wonder Fund as well as another match from the Angel Fund?

Summary: The committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with the statewide Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and OMB reported a clean, unmodified opinion for the state, with strong financial results including a $40.6 billion net position, $30.99 billion in assets, $1.81 billion in liabilities, and continued Legacy Fund growth. OMB also explained the new GASB 101 compensated-absences reporting change and discussed pension-liability fluctuations tied to discount-rate assumptions and investment performance. Members asked about how the state compares to others and about the effect of short-term commodity price swings, and OMB said the report reflects actual fiscal-year results rather than forecasts. The committee then heard the University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund revenue, insufficient monitoring of service organizations at CTS, NDSU, and UND, improper bank reconciliations at Dakota College of Bottineau, Dickinson State, and Williston State, and investment/cash reconciliation problems at Bismarck State College related to bond proceeds. University officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations. Members raised questions about NDSU’s use of certificates of deposit, and university staff explained that CDs are used to earn interest on funds being accumulated for future projects. Several other audits were presented, most with clean opinions and no findings, including the State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Notable exceptions included a State Fair Association audit with an adverse opinion on the foundation component unit because its financial statements were not available for audit, and a Securities Department performance audit finding that performance-based pay increases and bonuses were issued without required evaluations. The committee also discussed the State Auditor’s future needs, including more staff capacity, data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, possible subpoena authority, independent legal counsel, and whether some audits—such as the Ethics Commission and State Fair—should be handled by independent third parties or under different statutory arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment matches the House bill and lowers the age for kindergarten students.
• This bill aims to save lives by detecting these conditions early.
• How about beyond the achieved savings rebate?
• We save time, with no remake costs and no frustrated patients.
• This is not just about cost savings; it's about ensuring the quality of care.

Transcript Highlights:

• This academic year, our library has helped students save more than $160,000 in course material costs.
• And those savings matter not only for our budget, but for our students.
• Anoka County Library estimated e-resource savings are just over $973,000. That's a big number.
• Have any estimation of what the savings would be systemwide?
• I mean, what we're saving in other places? Anoka County Library, $973,000.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• General revenue, there's no match on federal funds, nothing.
• Show me how much money is saved."
• How many lives do you want to save?
• So with the ag match, we have increased ag agents, extension agents.
• We started out at 50 counties before we got the Ag Match.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we have a great product with the Save Our Homes exemption.
• And so there may not be that direct savings to the taxpayer.
• And so the two are not matching enough. And so the two are not matching up.
• He said, we're going to save 25% of our total budget in reserves.
• We've worked with the legislature on the issue of Medicaid matches, right?

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes heard first from city representatives through the Florida League of Cities, who argued that property taxes are a stable local revenue source that funds core services such as police, fire, parks, public works, and stormwater work. Casey Cook emphasized that cities are optional governments with widely different tax bases and service levels, that exemptions shift the burden to fewer taxpayers, and that transparency already exists through TRIM notices, public budgets, and local hearings. Sarah Campbell of Fernandina Beach, T. Michael Stavris of Winter Haven, and Stephen O’Kee of Port St. Lucie described their budget processes, the share of general-fund revenue coming from property taxes, reserve policies, debt and capital planning, and the impact of inflation, minimum wage increases, and personnel costs. They all said local governments need predictable revenue and that any property tax changes would require careful consideration of replacement funding or service reductions. Members questioned the city panel about whether homebuyers are clearly informed about city versus county taxes and services, the role of HOAs, how many lobbyists cities employ, reserve levels, average salaries, and whether utility revenues are used only for utility purposes. The panel said TRIM notices, realtor listings, and city websites provide tax information; HOAs generally do not provide emergency services; lobbyists help local governments track Tallahassee legislation; reserves vary by city and fund; and utility revenues are generally restricted, though some cities use limited transfers. Members also asked about revenue replacement if ad valorem taxes were reduced or eliminated, and the panel said options would likely include user fees, service cuts, or other local revenue shifts. The chair also asked about public safety consolidation, and the response was that such decisions are local and may shift costs rather than create true savings. The committee then heard from county representatives after an overview by the Florida Association of Counties’ Davin Suggs, who framed counties as shared partners with the state and emphasized the gap between rising market values and the shrinking share of taxable value after exemptions and assessment limits. He said counties face a mismatch between revenue based on taxable value and expenses driven by real-world costs, and noted that most counties either held millage steady or lowered it without reaching rollback rates. He also highlighted that property taxes are only one part of county revenue, with charges for services and intergovernmental revenue often larger in some counties, and that public safety at the county level includes more than law enforcement, such as EMS, emergency management, inspections, and corrections. Deborah Manzo of Okeechobee County described a fiscally constrained rural county with limited staff, a county-supported airport, heavy reliance on property taxes for the general fund, and major cost pressures from inflation, insurance, retirement, and state and federal mandates. She said the county lowered millage slightly over recent years but still depends on multiple revenue sources and special assessments, and she flagged Medicaid, medical examiner costs, and possible firefighter workweek changes as significant concerns. Bay County Administrator Mark McQueen said his county’s budget is shaped by Hurricane Michael recovery, non-discretionary obligations, and rapid growth; he described ongoing FEMA reimbursement delays, substantial borrowing to cover disaster costs, and continuing interest expenses while the county waits for reimbursement. The county panel was still in progress when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Finding number three: potential time savings for issuing pocket cards.
• Save the money for the institutions.
• Save the money for the institutions.
• And that $13 million is being deployed through the Angel Match program.
• match from the Angel Fund?

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Summary: The Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with approval of the prior meeting minutes and a review of the state’s annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and the Office of Management and Budget reported a clean opinion on the state’s financial statements and described continued growth in net position, strong general fund balance, and significant Legacy Fund investment income. Committee members asked about how the report reflects long-term finances and how North Dakota compares with other states, and OMB noted that the ACFR is based on audited actual results rather than budget forecasts. The committee then heard the North Dakota University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund construction money, insufficient monitoring of service organizations, improper bank reconciliations at several campuses, and investment/cash recording issues at Bismarck State College. University System officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations and greater use of shared services. Members also questioned practices such as campus use of certificates of deposit and whether repeated findings were being adequately addressed. Additional audits were presented for the State Fair Association, State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Securities Department, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Most received clean opinions with no findings; exceptions included a repeat component-unit issue at the State Fair Foundation, a securities personnel-evaluation finding, and a Housing Finance Agency finding involving a late return of escrow surplus. The committee also discussed broader oversight issues, including the need for independent auditing of the Ethics Commission, possible legislative changes to give the State Auditor more subpoena power and independent legal counsel, and future work on data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, and audit capacity. The meeting recessed for lunch after these discussions.

Transcript Highlights:

• that the primary care committee offered a number of recommendations that frankly are not going to match
• Yeah, you could probably save a lot of money.
• So that's just a hundred thousand folks would save $67 million.
• Vaccines have saved an incredible number of lives over the last 50 years, especially children's lives
• They saved lives and prevent family tragedies.

Bills: SB5877 , SB5967

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: anesthesiology, medical personnel, surcharges, licensing, healthcare regulations, preventive services, state authority, healthcare access, insurance coverage, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• To date, over the last decade, we have saved $1.5 billion.
• And is it going to save me time?
• How much time, if any, is it going to save me?
• I could have saved that money by staying in the main lanes.
• State funding matched with local...

Bills: HJR58 , HJR63 , HB263 , HB542 , HB905 , HB 1288 , HB1402 , HB2003 , HB2262 , HB2323 , HB2429 , HB2876 , HB3019 , HB263

Committee: House S/C on Transportation Funding

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, elderly, retirement, benefits, transit-oriented projects, constitutional amendment, state highway fund, funding allocation, voter approval, highway fund, funding, public transportation, transit projects, transportation, local transit, fund allocation, voting rights, election integrity, ballot access

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's not matching up.
• And that's not matching up.
• However, there's a reason why there's a 25% match.
• But there's simple math: if there's a 25% match that's removed, who makes up the difference?
• The match is a barrier to students seeking off-campus work opportunities.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee met for a policy hearing on several higher education bills. AB 1534 (Irwin) would create a California approval process for short-term workforce Pell Grant programs; supporters said it would expand access to job training with consumer protections, while a neutral witness urged more work on implementation. Members raised concerns about the bill’s $4,000 tuition cap, but the measure passed 5-1 with an urgency clause and was sent to Labor and Employment. AB 1831 (Irwin) would cap compensation for certain CSU administrators, bar raises in years when tuition rises, and repeal a 2025 executive pay resolution; the author said she would amend the bill to remove retroactive repeal, narrow the scope, and clarify that it applies to base salary and non-represented managers. CFA, students, and labor groups supported the bill as an accountability measure, while CSU opposed it, arguing the cap would hurt recruitment and retention. The committee approved the bill 4-1-3 and sent it to Appropriations. The committee also advanced AB 1555 (Hadwick), which would allow up to 200 students to qualify for in-state tuition at College of the Siskiyous under a cross-border regional arrangement; it passed unanimously to Appropriations. AB 1552 (Jackson), requiring the community colleges and CSU and requesting UC to report recommendations on civic engagement and democracy education, also passed to Appropriations after some members objected that such programs could be used for partisan activity. AB 1829, which expands CalWORKs student-parent support by allowing more direct aid and waiving a 25% work-study employer match at the colleges’ discretion, passed 8-1 and was re-referred to Human Services. The committee later added on consent items and adjourned after announcing its next hearing date.

Transcript Highlights:

• appreciate you giving grace and recognition of Assembly Member Berman for letting us be in here and saving
• California has proven that these tools can save lives.
• And then it also brings And ensure that there is human review when there is no hash match.
• And then if the repair happens, save the builders the costly litigation.
• A missed opportunity to save a life. That is what I carry with me every day.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most of the discussion focused on public safety, consumer protection, and youth harms. AB 1557 by Assemblymember Papin would clarify e-bike motor power limits and set lower speed-related standards for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. Supporters, including the California Police Chiefs Association, cities, the California Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, argued the bill would reduce severe injuries and deaths among young riders. Opponents from People for Bikes warned it could conflict with federal law, create legal uncertainty, and disrupt the bicycle market. The author and committee members acknowledged industry concerns and urged continued work on the bill. AB 1770 by Assemblymember Garcia would place large health care service plan arbitration under California Department of Justice oversight and require compliance with the California Arbitration Act. Supporters described cases where patients were forced into private arbitration with little transparency or accountability, arguing the bill would make the process fairer and more neutral. Kaiser Permanente and the Civil Justice Association of California said they were still reviewing amendments and had not settled on a final position. Committee members expressed sympathy for the personal stories shared and encouraged continued negotiations. The committee also heard AB 2075, which would require fire suppression equipment to be kept closer at hand during brush work, and AB 1864, which would require screening of gene synthesis orders to prevent misuse for bioterrorism. AB 2075 was presented as a response to a Ventura County wildfire, with support from the Ventura County District Attorney’s office and no opposition heard. AB 1864 was backed by the author, Stanford biosecurity expert Dr. Milana Trout, and Encode AI, while Biocom opposed unless amended and California Life Sciences remained neutral. Members discussed implementation details and the role of the Department of Public Health. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for social media accounts on platforms with harmful features and create an e-safety advisory commission. Supporters, including youth advocates, parents, medical groups, and Common Sense Media, said addictive design features are harming children’s mental health and safety. Opponents, including EFF, the ACLU, TechNet, and other civil liberties and industry groups, argued the bill is overbroad, raises First Amendment and privacy concerns, and could limit access to important online communities. Despite those objections, the bill was moved forward after committee discussion, with members emphasizing the need to protect children while continuing to work on carveouts and implementation details.

Transcript Highlights:

• They need that to be able to match federal funds in the transit program.
• Could we merge that to save some money there?
• Could we save money by privatizing that?
• I mean You may have some county election boards save on some postage.
• You know, it may save on some printing costs for absentee materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can save the party in celebration and congratulations and thanks for later.
• Applicants would need to demonstrate how their project would reduce development costs and how those savings
• The question is not whether or not the resident groups would have to match the offer on the table.
• The question is not whether or not the resident groups would have to match the offer on the table.
• It is not a matter of matching it.

Committee: Senate Housing