Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, but, uh, welcome to all of you.
• Military city, uh, USA, as you can well imagine, uh, employers such as, uh, uh, USAA HEB, I mean, you
• awards, uh, have, uh, go above and beyond.
• Uh, I've been a member of the Legion since, uh, forever and ever, and, uh.
• And it's not, uh, uh, uh, it's not hyperbole.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh going to page 10 at the top, uh<00:15:18.760> line uh line uh line 486<00:15:21.680> is<
• <00:28:48.880> uh expenditures for a variety of uh uh expenditures for a variety of uh uh
• c> which uh has a uh cost of uh 2.8 million which uh has a uh cost of uh 2.8 million in<00:35:27.520>
• Uh this would uh is a Senate 838.
• <00:47:27.680> uh the Senate uh position at uh 900,000 uh the Senate uh position at uh 900,000

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, uh, on my Nelly's side, my uh paternal grandfather, uh, I am Mexican and uh I'm an enrolled tribal
• our, uh, police officers, uh.
• It's just an, an, an, an ongoing issue, uh, with, uh, Navajo, uh, PD and, uh, just, uh, trying to see
• Uh, thank you, uh, chair. Uh, I have, uh, a couple of them.
• , the, the other, uh, economic Development, um, uh, Madam Chair, I, uh, Want to um Uh, is, is, uh, uh

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:03:22.720> uh items uh first uh and I appreciate uh items uh first uh and I appreciate
• uh<00:04:19.880> met longterm uh Reserve uh that uh met longterm uh Reserve uh that uh met
• uh a uh uh a not one that has any uh uh a uh uh a not one that has any uh budgetary<00:14:24.880
• Uh, it's not just, uh, uh, some of the other, uh, fare funds, uh, but motor vehicle, uh, sales taxes,
• uh Senator uh I them well uh uh Mr chair uh Senator uh I remember<00:58:59.480> uh<00:59:00.440

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met on January 29, 2025, to hear the Metropolitan Council’s presentation on the Governor’s proposed agency budget requests. The Council outlined three main budget items: authorization to advance funds to MnDOT to help coordinate a highway project with arterial bus rapid transit construction; a proposal to make free regular-route transit rides permanent for eligible Metro Mobility riders, after a successful pilot that produced nearly 75,000 rides; and a reduction in general fund support for rail operations, which the Council said it could absorb in the near term. The Council also noted it was seeking $15 million in the bonding bill for bus rapid transit, including support for the H Line, and described other capital requests for an infill/infiltration program and regional parks. Council leadership said the advance-funds proposal would let two projects move together more efficiently, reduce disruption, and potentially lower costs by avoiding repeated reconstruction and maintenance. On the Metro Mobility fare pilot, they said the lower fare increased rider freedom and spontaneity while saving state money because fixed-route service is cheaper than individual Metro Mobility trips. On the general fund reduction, they said the agency is expanding service, opening the Gold Line, B Line, and E Line, and can manage the cut because of its diversified revenue sources, though it could affect future expansion. Senator Nelson raised concerns about the proposal to expand the Right-of-Way Acquisition Loan Fund to include regional parks and trails, warning that the legislation should clearly avoid creating condemnation authority for park or trail projects, especially where they are adjacent to MnDOT projects. Council staff responded that the program would finance local acquisitions rather than give the Met Council condemnation power, and said they would take the concern under advisement and ensure the legislation is carefully drafted. Members also discussed federal funding uncertainty; Council officials said federal transit operating support is about $30 million and that a pause or cut could affect future capital projects and some existing awards, while the region’s diversified funding base would help cushion operations. No votes or formal actions were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• were uh were uh were uh uh uh uh<00:21:45.120> more<00:21:45.440> harmful<00:21
• :15.200> uh uh because uh uh because uh uh<00:22:16.680> it<00:22:16.920> was<00
• :22:17.720> uh uh it was uh uh it was uh um um um uh<00:22:20.600> harmful<00:22:21.240
• /c><00:22:30.760> uh<00:22:30.800> and<00:22:31.840> uh uh bleeding uh and uh uh
• Uh<00:37:09.120> so Uh so Uh so uh<00:37:10.400> like uh like uh like uh<00:37:12.000><

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy for New Hampshire held its first organizational meeting. The chair read the committee’s updated mission statement, which says the bipartisan committee will fact-find on the state’s COVID-19 response and its impact on the healthcare system, with focus areas including federal guidance, federal funds, emergency use authorization vaccination efforts, long COVID, the Patient Bill of Rights, and vaccination policies. The chair also announced committee staffing changes: Linda McGrath stepped down as vice chair and Representative Gerard was named vice chair; Representative DeRoy was named clerk. The chair emphasized the committee’s work is intended to be science-based and fact-finding, not anti-vaccine, and noted that the committee may issue follow-up reports and recommendations. Members discussed a broad list of topics for future hearings, including long COVID treatment, ongoing vaccination policies, reporting of COVID deaths, standards of care and provider discretion, COVID-related funding such as ESSER/CARES Act money, and communication of treatment developments during the pandemic. Representative Pollina argued the committee should examine specific treatments and outcomes, including remdesivir, oxygen/intubation practices, and ivermectin, and raised concerns about whether some treatments were harmful or suppressed. He also focused on pediatric vaccination policy, saying the committee should review New Hampshire’s recommendations for children and medical students, and questioned the state’s reliance on federal guidance versus independent review. The chair responded that shifting federal positions may justify an independent New Hampshire evaluation and asked him to gather more information and potential witnesses. In open discussion, members suggested additional witnesses and topics, including local funeral directors, nursing homes, and emergency medical services, as well as how nursing homes were affected by positive tests and admission restrictions. Another member suggested the committee consider what products it should produce, such as a final report, possible bill recommendations, and better documentation or footnotes tying findings to testimony and scientific sources. The chair said the committee’s deliverables could include reports, letters to department heads or legislative leaders, and other actions, and noted that the committee’s 2024 report and supporting documents are available on the House committee page. No votes or formal actions beyond the organizational appointments were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh exemptions uh requests uh from uh exemptions uh requests uh from uh Senator<00:22:41.559>
• and uh it uh the as you look changed uh and uh it uh the as you look at<00:26:53.440> the<00:
• and uh and uh uh destroyed the the field and uh and uh uh and<00:41:20.800> that<00:41:21.000
• uh as a result uh Madam chair uh the uh as a result uh Madam chair uh the uh<00:42:13.280> Revenue
• with<00:52:01.559> uh particular uh project uh deals with uh particular uh project uh deals

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, I hope, and, uh, before we do that, uh, the director reminds me, can we, uh, recognize, uh, Ms.
• Uh, we wanna, uh, we're so proud, and the director, uh, made sure that we would recognize, uh, Renee
• , clean energy, uh, water management, uh, uh, advanced computing with AI, uh, and, uh, also clearly bioscience
• Uh, uh, Mr. Chair and, uh, uh, Representative, thank you for the question.
• So, uh, uh, thanks for, uh, thinking ahead. Uh.

Transcript Highlights:

• the economic uh uh outlook. the economic uh uh outlook.
• :03:23.040> uh broadly based across uh many uh all uh broadly based across uh many uh all uh essentially
• Um the uh uh uh uh uh uh I<00:57:12.480> don't<00:57:12.640> have<00:57:12.799> much
• uh due to uh some timing issues were uh uh due to uh some timing issues were uh were<01:11:14.080>
• uh I I I did that. um uh uh the uh I I I did that. um uh uh the the<01:44:39.360> uh<01:44:40.639

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on preliminary fiscal 2026 revenue estimates and the governor’s office request for an official revision to fiscal 2026, with members reminded that any estimate adopted now would not bind the December official estimates. Staff from S&P Global walked through three forecast scenarios—control, optimistic, and pessimistic—based on recent federal tax changes, tariffs, and other policy developments, emphasizing that the outlook remains highly uncertain. Under the control scenario, the presentation projected below-trend real GDP growth of 1.8% in fiscal 2026, slowing to 1.5% by fiscal 2028, with unemployment peaking around 4.5% and the Federal Reserve cutting rates three times to a long-run range of about 2.75% to 3%. The optimistic scenario assumed lower effective tariffs, stronger growth, and better labor and housing outcomes, while the pessimistic scenario assumed a broader trade war, higher effective tariffs, faster deportations, weaker employment and consumer spending, and unemployment rising to about 6.3%. Speakers also noted that the forecast was prepared before later BLS revisions and that recent data on inventories and AI-related investment made the recent quarters look unusually volatile. Members discussed how the current fiscal 2026 outlook compared with earlier assumptions and noted that the eventual revenue revision may be smaller than the spread between the optimistic and pessimistic economic scenarios. The governor’s office and committee members also reviewed sector-specific impacts, including manufacturing, housing, light vehicle production, exports, and consumer sentiment, with particular concern about Kentucky’s auto and housing-related industries. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, so uh we will start with the uh spreadsheet. Um, Mr.
• Uh, so uh we will start with the uh spreadsheet. Um, Mr.
• Uh, so uh we will start with the uh spreadsheet. Um, Mr.
• Uh, so uh we will start with the uh spreadsheet. Um, Mr.
• Uh the Senate uh article one.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , uh, uh.
• Chair, and uh thank you team. Uh, great job for everybody. Uh.
• Uh, I want to, uh, really note that on the House side we sent these out, uh, sort of, uh, questions about
• Uh, to come up with, uh, a continued. Uh, cost savings or cost estimates.
• Uh, we, uh, in the house, we, uh, do public comment for up to 2 minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> the uh uh but we can adopt things um uh the uh uh but we can adopt things um uh in<00:10:36.000><
• <00:26:06.159> Um uh uh $80 million. Um uh uh $80 million.
• places where uh tax increases were uh uh places where uh tax increases were uh uh given<00:27:46.559
• 00:36:58.320> uh<00:36:59.040> to uh uh to uh uh to uh<00:37:01.599> and<00:37:01.839
• <01:18:05.840> I dispute of uh or not to us but Uh uh I dispute of uh or not to us but Uh uh I

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Anthony Thornton, uh, Senate for, uh, District 19, which is these mountains of Albuquerque and, uh
• Uh, uh, Mr.
• Uh, Mr. Bauer, Mr. Macias. Let me, uh, give, uh, everybody, uh, come on up, Ben.
• It's, it's a good message to me and, uh, Chair, uh, uh, Representative.
• Uh, anyway, thank you. Uh senator. Thank you Mr. Chair. Uh, I'll be brief.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, yeah, and back in, uh, 2012, the state, um, uh, allowed, uh, bees for a special 1D1 special evaluation
• Uh, and then last but not least, uh, we would just like to figure out, uh, potentially who benefits from
• Uh, uh, uh, I'd like to tap on the, you know, uh, uh, Chairman Caprillon's questions.
• So if, uh, if we this, uh, modification.
• And, uh, we think that, you know, providing, uh, some.

Bills: HB148, HB203, HJR30

Keywords: HB 148, Texas Education Code, Texas Education Agency, TEA, artificial intelligence, AI, machine learning, automated scoring, constructed response, open-ended answers, student assessments, state testing, standardized tests, public schools, education policy, assessment instruments, school accountability, test scoring, 2026-2027 school year, ad valorem tax

Transcript Highlights:

• we uh uh spend our expenditures of where we uh uh spend our money.<00:02:58.080> You<00:02:58.160
• /c> actually more on the uh uh funding side actually more on the uh uh funding side and<00:03:19.920>
• :54.319> uh governor received a letter uh from uh governor received a letter uh from uh the<00
• > uh<00:31:27.120> food weeks of sales uh you know uh food weeks of sales uh you know uh
• c> uh you know, uh those folks uh many of uh you know, uh those folks uh many of them<00:37:09.200>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture presented an overview of its budget, staffing, and major program areas, including protection services, marketing, and administration. Commissioners also highlighted concerns about federal funding uncertainty after a January letter suspending active and future USDA awards to the department. They said the issue affected about 13% of the agency’s budget, created confusion for farmers, and briefly disrupted poultry lab testing and HPAI-related work, though they later received assurances from USDA leadership that existing programs would continue processing. The department also described its anti-fraud efforts, including internal controls, a compliance coordinator, a grants administrator, review committees, site visits, and participation in the state’s Inspector General Coordinating Council. The committee then discussed several agriculture support programs. For dairy margin coverage, the department said Minnesota’s sign-up is open and supported a bill to extend assistance to farmers who began operations in 2023-2025 and were not covered under the earlier production-based formula. The renamed Farm to Food Security program, formerly LFPA, was described as a state-created local food purchasing effort funded at $700,000 per year. The down payment assistance grant for first-time farm buyers was also reviewed; the department said it has supported 112 farmers so far, with additional awards pending, but noted timing problems when purchase agreements fall through. Members asked whether priority should be given to applicants with signed purchase agreements, and the department said that was under consideration. The grain indemnity account update focused on the Hansen-Mueller facility failure and related claims. The department said the account holds about $10.7 million, has received 19 claims totaling $1.1 million, and that $842,000 of those claims were tied specifically to Minnesota transactions. It explained the difference by noting that some claims involved Minnesota farmers selling in North Dakota and Wisconsin, and that the indemnity account covers grains sold in Minnesota. The committee also heard updates on elk and wolf depredation payments, with the department projecting shortfalls in both funds and noting that payments are being delayed into later months. The agriculture response fund balance was said to be about $2.5 million. Finally, the Rural Finance Authority and the East Grand Forks potato facility were discussed. The RFA reported strong demand for low-interest loans, about $26 million remaining from the prior $50 million authorization, and a new $50 million bonding request in the governor’s proposal to avoid a funding gap. The department said the program has issued 3,951 loans totaling about $390.3 million with very low defaults. It also requested $1.38 million in bonding for building improvements at the East Grand Forks potato facility, which it said is the department’s only owned building and supports a significant potato industry. In response to a question from Rep. Bang, the commissioner said recent ICE activity had affected farms, processing plants, immigrant workers, and some rural food businesses, and that the department had relayed those concerns to the governor’s office and congressional delegation.

Transcript Highlights:

• 09:38.480> our know, uh, uh, we get, uh, 13% of our know, uh, uh, we get, uh, 13% of our budget
• uh<00:10:27.600> uh<00:10:27.760> money influenza and some of the uh uh uh money influenza
• <00:37:31.119> uh immigrant labor, many of these uh uh immigrant labor, many of these uh uh
• :48:10.239> uh<01:48:10.719> immediate to uh uh deal with the uh immediate to uh uh deal
• Uh Uh, dairy day. uh Wednesday the 25th.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I, I also, uh, need to tell anyone here who, uh, wishes to testify on a bill, uh, that, um, Uh, you
• And a return of a seized weapon in a criminal case, uh, from, from custody. Uh, so, uh, Mr. uh, Mr.
• Uh, Mr. uh, uh, Mr. Cook moves that, uh, Uh, well, 1st, 1st of all, Mr.
• If not, uh, Miss, uh, Ms.
• So the, uh, uh, Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh if uh there room uh what do you need?
• uh that is heard and uh folks with uh election certificates um you know can certainly uh do uh what
• > about<00:37:26.160> uh about uh who we are uh talking about uh about uh who we are uh talking
• ><00:52:37.280> to we'll bring those uh back uh to uh to we'll bring those uh back uh to uh to
• <00:53:45.119> in<00:53:45.599> uh disagree uh but uh not result in uh disagree uh

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, in going through that, we actually, uh.
• Lastly, uh, one other, uh, item we have.
• Darby, uh.
• So I guess uh what's this uh.
• , uh, Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh in 2023. uh in 2023.
• , uh we respectively uh distribution pool, uh we respectively uh uh<00:18:23.760> respectfully
• <00:19:26.799> uh you know given the the budget uh uh you know given the the budget uh uh
• > would<00:23:07.200> uh that column, uh it would uh that column, uh it would uh hypothetically
• Uh and the uh for uh UVL and and UK.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its fifth and final Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education meeting, but did not initially have a quorum and approved the minutes later when enough members were present. The Council on Postsecondary Education, represented by President Aaron Thompson and Vice President Bill Payne, opened with condolences for the UPS crash victims and then presented higher education budget recommendations for the 2026-2028 biennium. Thompson emphasized the return on investment from state support for higher education, citing gains in retention, enrollment, persistence, graduation, reduced time to degree, lower student debt, and expanded dual credit participation, while noting that affordability and access remain priorities. Payne outlined CPE’s operating funds request, including $43.3 million in the first year and $86.6 million in the second year for inflation adjustments, plus $30 million and $45 million for performance funding. He said the inflation request would apply across the board to institutions to offset rising costs, and that the KSU land grant match would not need additional funding because the state has already met the matching requirement. He also explained that state support for educating students has not kept pace with inflation over time, creating pressure on institutional budgets and tuition, though tuition increases have been held to historic lows in recent years. A major portion of the discussion focused on the performance funding model and how it affects smaller institutions. CPE proposed two approaches to address institutions that have received little or no performance funding, especially Kentucky State University and Morehead State University. The first approach would create a $20 million minimum distribution pool, providing $1.95 million to each university and $4.4 million to KCTCS, with the goal of giving smaller and rural institutions a base level of support. The second approach would provide direct appropriations totaling a little over $5.6 million to Kentucky State, Morehead State, and five community colleges that have not been receiving performance funding. Members, especially Representative Tipton and Senator West, questioned how the model had treated small schools over time, and CPE officials explained that the original small school adjustment was not large enough to prevent KSU and Morehead from effectively being left out of the distribution. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh also, uh we've got u um All right. Uh also, uh we've got u um All right.
• Uh we're going to uh try to of the bill. Uh we're going to uh try to of the bill.
• Uh first up uh as an opponent is um Jeta Uh first up uh as an opponent is um Jeta Uh first up uh as an
• Uh, next up, uh, Mr. you, Mr. Jackson. Uh, next up, uh, Mr. you, Mr. Jackson. Uh, next up, uh, Mr.
• Danny Carr uh in a brief year uh here in the uh in a brief year uh here in the uh in a brief year uh

Bills: HB265, HB146, SB254, HB202, HB3, HB42, SB18

Keywords: resisting arrest, penalties, criminal justice, law enforcement, public safety, youthful offender, capital murder, victims' rights, SB254, Alabama, statute of limitations, civil procedure, civil action, sex offense, sexual abuse, child sexual abuse, survivor rights, tolling, disability, minor plaintiff