Video & Transcript Research : 'arbitrary assessment'

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MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee 2/26/26

Commerce Finance and Policy

Bills: HF3642, HF2700, HF3615
Summary: The Commerce Finance and Policy Committee met on House File 3642, which would prohibit virtual currency kiosks in Minnesota. The bill was laid over, and the committee adopted a DE1 author’s amendment. Chair Kaggel and Representative Perryman described the measure as a response to widespread scams using crypto kiosks, especially against older adults and other vulnerable people, and said they would continue working with the Department of Commerce and other stakeholders. Testimony from law enforcement and advocates strongly supported the ban. A St. Cloud police sergeant and a Woodbury detective described cases in which victims lost large sums, said the current safeguards and refund rules are being bypassed, and argued that the kiosks are difficult to investigate because funds move quickly and often overseas. An AARP Minnesota volunteer also supported the bill, saying kiosks are a preferred tool for scammers and that existing protections have not kept pace with the problem. The Department of Commerce said it strongly supports the bill and reported that it has received 120 complaints over three years involving nearly $1 million in reported losses, with 2025 the worst year so far. The main opposition came from CoinFlip’s general counsel, who argued that the problem is fraud generally, not kiosks themselves, and said Minnesota already has consumer protections, including refunds for eligible victims. He urged stronger regulation rather than a ban, citing blockchain analytics, hold periods, and 24-hour customer service as alternatives. Committee members then asked questions about how long kiosks have operated in Minnesota, how many there are, who owns them, and the scale of losses; Commerce said there are hundreds statewide, operated by a variety of companies, and that reported losses are likely undercounts.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

S/C on Property Tax Appraisals Mar 20th, 2025

S/C on Property Tax Appraisals

Transcript Highlights:
  • Homeowners benefit from the 10% cap on the annual property tax assessment. Uh, but renters don't.
  • You're saying the landlord gets the assessment cap of 10% if he is charging fair market rent.
  • So it would be the assessment value can't go up more than 10% year over year.
  • Your assessed value can increase by more than 10% a year. Correct. Got it. All right, that's it.
  • And then if they do so verify, then that appraised value, uh, cannot, or, or, uh, assessed value.
Bills: HB148, HB203, HJR30
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Education Policy Committee 3/11/26

Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • States and local districts can create their own assessment.
  • and definition of assessment.
  • MDE has yet to define what an assessment is.
  • and definition of assessment.
  • being assessed. Thank you, Mr. Chair. being assessed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Bills: HF3698, HF3067, HF3730
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Education Apr 7th, 2025 at 10:00 am

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • They can either do the NDA Plus assessment, and if they score something equivalent or better than what
  • And it specifically does say in that section of code, the ACT assessment used for accountability.
  • option was not available for any student whose school chose to use the regular North Dakota State assessment
Bills: HB1404
Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with six members present and first took up House Bill 1404, which would update North Dakota scholarship eligibility language by allowing the NDA Plus assessment to be used in place of ACT scores in certain pathways. The Department of Public Instruction explained that the bill does not eliminate the ACT entirely, but removes outdated references tied to ACT accountability testing that will no longer apply after this year’s seniors graduate. Members discussed how the change affects public and nonpublic schools, then voted 6-0 to give HB 1404 a do pass recommendation. The committee then returned to House Bill 1363, a bill dealing with school emergency response planning and automatic external defibrillators. Members adopted an amendment clarifying that the requirements apply to school-owned facilities and grounds, replacing language about school events and venues, and revising the planning language for school-based events not held on school-owned property. The committee also debated whether the bill should be mandatory or permissive; a motion to change “shall” to “may” failed, with members noting the bill’s liability protections. The committee then voted 5-1 to pass HB 1363 as amended, with Senator Gerhardt carrying the bill. Before recessing, the chair noted that House Bill 1533 would be taken up later in the day after additional information from DPI was received.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • strategically determine where exactly that money needs to go, and that would be done by a needs assessment
  • So what this does is it overlays the needs assessment tool onto the decision-making of how the housing
  • But the needs assessment tool, as per the PCS, is then sunset after five years.
  • So I would like to pursue this housing needs assessment tool to give us better ends...
  • This housing needs assessment tool would give us better insight about how we can invest that money in
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • that um the to the state uh assessment that um the state<00:03:54.280> assessment<00:03:54.760
  • our that that assesses our that that assesses our our<00:05:20.600> academic<00:05:20.960
  • know, assesses all the Kentucky you know, assesses all the Kentucky Academic<00:05:27.080> Standards
  • um again, that are assessed separately. um again, that are assessed separately.
  • So I was just curious if they had applied or were able to assessment? assessment?
Summary: The Education Assessment & Accountability Review Subcommittee approved the minutes from its October 14 and November 4 meetings and also approved the Office of Education Accountability report analyzing student discipline data in Kentucky schools. The main presentation came from KDE Commissioner Dr. Robby Fletcher on implementation of House Bill 257, which he said has two major parts: selection of a statewide college entrance exam through a new procurement process, and development of locally designed indicators of quality for accountability. On the college exam, Fletcher explained that the state had to reopen procurement after Senate Bill 197, with the RFP released May 21, vendor questions handled through the Finance and Administration Cabinet, proposals due June 22, and scoring and review expected in July and August, with a vendor decision not likely until October. He emphasized that the exam is a norm-referenced college-readiness measure, not a test of Kentucky academic standards, which are assessed by the KSA. Members asked about the science requirement in statute, the possibility of multiple vendors or district choice, and whether the CLT could participate; Fletcher said vendors must address science in the RFP, multiple vendors could be possible, and any vendor could submit a proposal if it meets the rubric. He also noted that ACT and SAT differ in structure, that either can meet college-readiness benchmarks, and that there were no major complaints about the SAT during its first year of use. The second major topic was the locally developed indicators of quality under House Bill 257. Fletcher said these are intended to let districts measure themselves against their own goals rather than compare districts statewide, while still aligning with Kentucky standards. He described examples such as achievement, growth, student well-being, safety, fiscal responsibility, civics, internships, apprenticeships, project-based learning, and defenses of learning. He said districts may use local assessments such as MAP, STAR, and I-Ready alongside state data, and that local models should be developed with families, community members, and workforce partners. He added that KDE is providing technical assistance, has applied for a federal CGSA grant, and will use a one-time $15,000 cost offset for districts implementing local accountability models, with a superintendent webcast planned for August.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/19/2026 - House Rural Economic Development

Rural Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • Additionally, the bill prohibits a municipality from assessing a development fee on the development of
  • Current law says that if a municipality assesses a higher sales tax rate on construction than other retail
Summary: The Rural Economic Development Committee first took up HB 2950, which would allow governing bodies to approve tourism improvement areas to promote lodging and tourism as an economic development tool. Supporters from the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, Visit Yuma, and Visit Phoenix said tourism is a major economic driver, especially in rural communities, and argued the bill would give local areas a voluntary, industry-led way to market themselves, attract visitors, and support jobs without raising taxes on residents. Members discussed tourism in places such as Yuma and other rural destinations, and the committee voted 7-0 to give HB 2950 a do pass recommendation. The committee then heard a presentation on rural economic development centered on Lucid Motors’ investment in Pinal County and its partnership with Central Arizona College. Speakers from the Arizona Commerce Authority, Central Arizona College, and Lucid described workforce training programs, including the Drive48 accelerator, which they said has helped train workers for advanced manufacturing jobs and raised local incomes. The committee read proclamations recognizing both Lucid Motors and Central Arizona College for their contributions to job creation, workforce development, and economic growth in rural Arizona. Finally, the committee considered HB 2946, which would revise development fee requirements, including changes affecting the timing and administration of fees and a prohibition on charging development fees for accessory dwelling units. The sponsor and housing advocates said the bill was intended to help address housing affordability and give developers more predictable costs, while city and league representatives opposed it, arguing it would shift costs from growth to existing taxpayers and interfere with local infrastructure planning. After adopting an amendment that removed county-related provisions and made clarifying changes, the committee passed HB 2946 on a 4-1 vote with two members present, and the meeting adjourned.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

AGR Public Hearing - Wed Feb 4, 2026 @ 9:00 AM HST

Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:
  • And these assessments, you know, are available for consumers to potentially look at and, you know, see
  • .<00:24:43.679> And<00:24:44.240> these<00:24:44.640> assessments,<00:24:45.440>
  • you assessment.
  • And these assessments, you assessment.
  • And these assessments, you know,<00:24:45.919> are<00:24:46.320> available<00:24:46.799
Summary: The committee heard opening remarks and then took testimony on several agriculture-related bills. HB 2425 would exempt agricultural enterprises on former commercial sugarcane lands in conservation use districts from certain permitting and site plan requirements. The Department of Agriculture supported the measure and stood on written comments. The Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the intent but said the bill appeared to cite the wrong statute and suggested amending the conservation district law instead. Other testimony was generally supportive, while some witnesses raised concerns about using the right statutory vehicle. Committee members questioned whether the bill should be redirected through a different chapter. The committee then heard HB 596, which would require retail sellers of plants to disclose invasiveness risk, direct the Invasive Species Council to create a labeling system and weed risk assessments, and establish fines. The Department of Land and Natural Resources strongly supported the bill, saying point-of-sale labels would help consumers make informed choices. Supporters from the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species said the state’s noxious weed and restricted plant lists are outdated or incomplete and that the bill would help prevent harmful species from being purchased and planted. Opponents, including the Hawaii Farm Bureau and Hawaii Food Policy Foundation, argued the measure was too broad, could stigmatize plants and producers, and might be better implemented through voluntary education or narrower definitions. Committee discussion focused on possible amendments, including using printable labels from a website and limiting the bill to larger commercial retailers. HB 2573 would create a five-year agriculture and biosecurity workforce development pilot program involving the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Leeward Community College, and the Department of Human Resources Development. DHRD said it supported the intent but wanted clearer responsibilities; the University of Hawaiʻi, the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Food Policy Foundation, and others supported the proposal. DAB said the program would help build needed biosecurity staffing and training, and that law-enforcement-related curriculum could be incorporated. Finally, the committee began hearing HB 207, which would expand the important agricultural land qualified agricultural tax credit to include certain Hawaiian homelands and additional agricultural costs such as orchards, fruit crops, and clearing former sugar and pineapple lands. The Department of Taxation and DAB stood on written comments, while the Department of Hawaiian Homelands strongly supported the bill, calling it a potential game-changer for developing agricultural lands and offsetting infrastructure costs; the department also asked that the credit be broadened beyond agriculture alone.