Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Adams, if you'll know the drill.
• Senator Adams, if you'll you know the<00:01:42.960><c> drill.
• you</c><00:01:43.439><c> introduce</c><00:01:43.680><c> yourself</c><00:01:43.920><c> for</c> the drill
• If you introduce yourself for the drill.

Committee: House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• recommendation list of the report, and we recognize that baseline information, perhaps from a well that we can drill
• influence that may have come from the generating station or from the mine side needs to still be drilled
• There have been multiple drilling phases completed, and there are a number of additional drilling phases

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Health impacts in the community when they're exposed to those gases, drilling impacts from noise, well
• :28.800><c> gases,</c> when they're exposed to those gases, when they're exposed to those gases, drilling
• ><c> impacts</c><00:36:30.640><c> from</c><00:36:30.880><c> noise,</c><00:36:31.359><c> well</c> drilling
• impacts from noise, well drilling impacts from noise, well blowouts,<00:36:32.240><c> underground</c

Committee: Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The joint Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Committee on Transportation, Culture, and the Arts heard several resolutions, with most public testimony focused on Senate Concurrent Resolution 159 and Senate Resolution 129, which urge continued U.S. support for the Ukrainian military. Testimony on those measures was largely opposed, with witnesses arguing Hawaii should prioritize local needs such as homelessness, infrastructure, and cost of living over additional aid to Ukraine; one support testimony was noted from the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Despite the opposition, both committees recommended passage with technical, nonsubstantive amendments, and the recommendations were adopted. The committees also considered transportation-related resolutions. Senate Concurrent Resolution 182 and Senate Resolution 152 would initiate a summer streets pilot program, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 200 and Senate Resolution 180 would ask AMPO to coordinate a transportation management training program. Testimony on the summer streets proposal included support and opposition, with one witness saying community input should be gathered through existing district and community meetings rather than creating a pilot. The training-program measure drew opposition from a witness who argued it would add unnecessary bureaucracy. Both pairs were recommended for passage, with the summer streets resolutions passed unamended and the training-program resolutions passed with technical amendments. In the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee, Senate Concurrent Resolution 18 and Senate Resolution 14, concerning relocation of the Pearl City post office to Navy property, were recommended for passage with technical amendments. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate Concurrent Resolution 136 and Senate Resolution 150, which call for a geothermal energy working group. Supporters included the State Energy Office, PUC, consumer advocate, and others, though the energy office asked to move the report deadline to 2027. Opponents raised concerns about cost, health impacts, environmental risks, and Native Hawaiian representation. The chair proposed amendments to add a Native Hawaiian member, the consumer advocate, and the House and Senate energy committee chairs, clarify participation by utility, geothermal, and nonprofit representatives, and extend the report deadline to 2027. The resolutions were then recommended for passage with amendments, and all recommendations were adopted before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• turn on the record player while we had to stare straight ahead to the blackboard, and we would do drills
• and</c><00:20:25.520><c> we</c><00:20:25.679><c> would</c><00:20:25.919><c> do</c><00:20:26.400><c> drills
• </c><00:20:27.400><c> okay</c> Blackboard and we would do drills okay Blackboard and we would do drills

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• just a slide I showed the other group because I think it's really, really important to see those drilling
• You can go out and drill four Bakken wells or four Permian wells for that price.
• fact that they've got the biggest footprint in North Dakota, and yes, Continental's back, putting drilling
• They literally just drilled one of the biggest wells in the company, north of Tioga, in what we would
• perfected kind of the key to break that loose in the Bakken, and there was other companies were drilling

Summary: The committee received a compliance and status update on Industrial Commission programs and the Bank of North Dakota. Staff reviewed appropriations and spending for several Industrial Commission funds and grant programs, including lignite research, oil and gas research, clean sustainable energy, grid resiliency, salt cavern analysis, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members discussed the timing of reimbursements, uncommitted balances, and the structure of the pipeline capacity and enhanced oil recovery funding. The Industrial Commission also reported on its administrative budget, grant management system project, and recent leadership transitions across several agencies. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described active grant rounds and the status of major projects. She said the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority approved three projects in its sixth round, with remaining uncommitted cash and loan capacity still available, though no new funding was appropriated this session. She also said the Oil and Gas Research Council approved six enhanced oil recovery projects and expects additional funding after a federal Department of Energy award replaces one project’s state funding. For grid resiliency grants, she said some projects have been funded, some commitments were returned or reallocated, and some DOE funds remain pending. She also updated the committee on the salt cavern business case study, which replaced an earlier larger development proposal, and on the NDSU research park grant, where the nonmatching portion was paid and the matching portion has moved slowly because the match must be in cash. Ron Ness then gave an extended presentation on enhanced oil recovery and North Dakota oil and gas trends. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, especially gas takeaway and projects like the Bakken East pipeline. He argued that enhanced oil recovery using CO2, natural gas, surfactants, and other methods could extend Bakken production for decades, but that the state needs more CO2 supply, better storage, and updated tax and regulatory incentives. Members asked about lateral lengths, CO2 availability, pipeline impacts, and the role of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and Ness emphasized that the projects are intended to share technical learning across operators and attract follow-on investment. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and strategic update. President Don Morgan said the bank’s mission remains to support North Dakota agriculture, commerce, and industry while cooperating with the state’s financial sector. He reviewed the bank’s main business lines: participation lending with community institutions, student loans, disaster lending, mission-based programs, and a new fintech-focused effort. Morgan said deposits are flattening, so the bank is managing balance sheet growth carefully, while still reporting improved net income and strong efficiency. He also introduced Rough Rider Coin as a bank-to-bank payment rail, not a public cryptocurrency, intended to speed and modernize payments within North Dakota’s banking and credit union system. Committee members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster program use, and how credit lines and liquidity would be affected if deposits shrink.

Transcript Highlights:

• They drill down on these cases, look at them with increased granularity at what is going on in these
• And then we kind of drill down as to what could be contributing factors to these cases, things like lack
• in the setting of a labor and delivery in a hospital, where you have skilled people, you have the equipment
• or if there's other states that are, you know, is it possible to have a regional facility that is equipped

Summary: The committee first approved the previous meeting minutes and then heard a detailed annual report from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and policy issues. He explained the committee’s review process, confidentiality protections, and national and North Dakota data showing that most maternal deaths are preventable and that mental health conditions, substance use, cardiovascular issues, infection, hemorrhage, and embolism are the leading causes. Members asked about suicide, domestic violence, midwife training, home births, and whether pregnancy testing at death scenes should be expanded; Dr. Arnold said better coroner education, more investigation of unexplained deaths, and possible post-mortem pregnancy testing could improve case identification, especially in rural areas. He also noted that deaths often occur well after 42 days postpartum and that mental health-related deaths remain a major concern. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark on cigarette reduced-ignition-propensity standards and related fire prevention issues. He recommended updating the state’s cigarette propensity law to current national standards and also raised a separate recommendation to require fast-breakaway oxygen tubing for home oxygen users, citing fatal fires linked to smoking around oxygen. Members asked about implementation, cost, insurance coverage, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Dr. Clark said he would provide follow-up information and was willing to help with any legislation, but no agency bill had yet been planned. Next, Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services reported on the North Dakota Stroke System of Care. She described the statewide network of stroke-ready hospitals, registry-based quality improvement, and performance data showing continued improvement in stroke recognition, imaging, thrombolytic treatment, transfers, and EMS pre-notification. She highlighted new quality measures for inter-facility transfers and intracerebral hemorrhage care, and said the system remains strong but depends on continued legislative and hospital support. Committee members asked about participation by the VA hospital and were encouraged to consider outreach to include it more fully in the stroke system. Finally, the committee began a presentation on prior authorization and non-opioid pain treatment from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to non-opioid acute pain medications, especially in the 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window when pain is most severe, and said delays can push patients toward opioids. He emphasized that prior authorization has a role in utilization management but should not create barriers in acute pain care, and he noted that current use of the company’s non-opioid product remains very low. The discussion was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know the drill. You'll have four minutes once you begin to speak.
• And you know the drill, but between the two of you, you'll have four minutes to address the committee
• definitions around commercial use for small businesses that employ mixed personal and commercial equipment
• And if the equipment that is being used to kill people is the actual vehicle, then it's the vehicle that

Summary: The committee heard several public safety bills and took testimony on each, with members often noting amendments and continuing negotiations. SB 1009 by Senator Becker would require juvenile courts to find that less restrictive alternatives are unsuitable before ordering detention, and would require periodic review of continued detention and consideration of alternatives at disposition. Supporters argued it would reduce unnecessary youth detention and improve transparency; probation, judges, and police groups opposed it as an undue limit on judicial discretion and potentially unsafe in serious cases. The chair said he would recommend an aye with amendments, but the bill was held pending quorum and later remained on call. SB 1130 by Senator Gomez Reyes would update privacy law for wearable recording devices such as smart glasses, requiring consent before recording in places where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy and banning devices or accessories designed to defeat recording indicators. Supporters said the bill addresses secret recording and invasive surveillance; opponents from tech and hospitality groups sought clarification to avoid unintended liability for businesses and exempt workplace communication devices. Members discussed those exemptions, and the chair recommended an aye, but the measure also remained on call. Senator Blake Spear presented SB 99, which would let courts consider military protective orders in domestic violence proceedings and require better communication between civilian law enforcement and military authorities. Supporters from the Department of Defense, local officials, and military representatives said it would close protection gaps for military families; the ACLU opposed it on due process grounds because MPOs are issued without judicial process. The chair and author emphasized that the bill only allows consideration of MPOs and does not require civilian enforcement of them. The bill passed out on a vote, though it remained on call for additional members. The committee also heard SB 937 by Senator Gonzalez, restricting flashbang use for crowd control and banning flashbangs and explosive breaching charges in immigration enforcement, and SB 1022, creating a statewide anti-trafficking task force. SB 937 drew support from civil rights and community groups and opposition from police and sheriffs over the use-of-force standard and limits on tactics; it passed out on a vote but remained on call. SB 1022 was supported by survivor and faith groups and opposed by public defenders and sex worker advocates who raised concerns about racial disparities and enforcement harms; it also passed out on a vote. Later, SB 1395, extending criminal protective orders for certain felony sex offenses against minors up to 20 years, and SB 1230, increasing penalties for repeat illegal dumping, were both heard with mixed testimony and were held on call after committee votes. The committee also adopted a consent calendar and several bills were moved forward with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• We teach our students how to prepare for fire drills and lockdowns.
• overdose prevention the same way that I wish that she’s not going to have to learn about school shooter drills
• So what if a sibling had received Narcan training at school and was equipped with the knowledge and resources
• It's about equipping DMH and DOE with the understanding to recognize when a child's symptoms may point

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

Summary: The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery opened its first public hearing of the 2025–26 session with remarks from the Senate and House chairs outlining the committee’s priorities. They noted recent work on addiction and recovery legislation, the ongoing youth behavioral health crisis, and that members might need to leave periodically for floor votes. The chairs explained hearing procedures, including three-minute testimony limits, written testimony deadlines, and reporting deadlines for Senate and House bills. The hearing then focused on several bills related to youth mental health, overdose prevention, and psychedelic treatment research. A major portion of the hearing centered on bills to improve youth crisis response and overdose prevention. Testimony strongly supported bills to print the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on student ID cards, with speakers from mental health organizations, crisis centers, and individuals sharing personal stories of depression, suicide attempts, and the importance of making 988 as familiar as 911. Another set of bills would require schools to stock naloxone and provide overdose prevention education. Physicians, harm reduction advocates, students, and grieving family members testified that school-based Narcan access and education could save lives, reduce stigma, and help students recognize overdoses and understand Good Samaritan protections. Senator O’Connor and Tamika Perry also testified for a bill to strengthen substance use prevention education and reduce overdose abandonment, emphasizing the need to teach students about overdose risks and the legal protections for calling 911. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to authorize a pilot program for psychedelic treatment in licensed facilities. Senator Friedman and several medical and behavioral health professionals argued the proposal was a narrow, research-based approach distinct from the broader ballot question rejected in 2024. They said the bill would allow only a small number of supervised clinics to use psychedelics for conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders, with data reporting and Department of Public Health oversight. Supporters described it as a cautious way to study promising treatments while avoiding unsupervised or commercialized use. Finally, the committee heard support for a bill to create a special commission and five-year strategic plan for children’s behavioral health services, with testimony that the current system is fragmented, difficult for families to navigate, and strained by workforce and funding challenges. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• We wanted to drill down.
• But bringing people back from the premium that left and chased the premium and equipment, and bringing
• know we lost almost 70% of our employees through the... ...that left and chased the premium and equipment
• I'll tell you, 2019 to 2026, we weren't getting any drill permits in California.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications held an oversight hearing on managing the transportation fuels transition, fuel pricing, and supply reliability. Chair Allen opened by discussing prior legislation, including SB 1322 and special session measures, that expanded reporting to the California Energy Commission (CEC) and gave the state tools to study gasoline costs, refinery margins, inventories, and potential supply disruptions. He framed the hearing around refinery closures, rising imports, global conflict affecting crude markets, and the need to balance affordability, reliability, and the state’s long-term clean-fuels transition. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda, CDTFA Chief Deputy Director Gentian Droboniku, and DPMO Director Ty Miller presented data showing California’s growing dependence on imported crude and refined products, declining in-state refining capacity, and stable-to-tight inventories that are being supported by higher imports. They said the new transparency laws have improved understanding of the market and pointed to the proposed Gateway Pipeline, marine imports, and distribution constraints as important supply issues. CDTFA and DPMO emphasized that retail margins, especially for branded gasoline, have widened significantly, with large price gaps between branded stations and hypermarts/unbranded stations, and that some of the recent price increases were tied to the Iran conflict while earlier spikes were more consistent with localized market behavior and possible price gouging. DPMO also said it is investigating high-priced branded stations, monitoring algorithmic pricing under AB 325, and continuing to analyze diesel spot-market transparency. The CEC and CARB also discussed the Transportation Fuels Transition Plan and the SB 237 assessment, describing them as efforts to plan for a managed decline in fossil fuel demand while protecting workers, communities, and consumers. They said California’s climate goals remain centered on an 85% greenhouse gas reduction by 2045, with continued use of liquid fuels expected but with lower-carbon alternatives, more efficient vehicles, and alternative fuels playing a larger role. Committee members focused heavily on workforce impacts, the need for concrete transition planning, and whether the agencies could provide a clearer picture of what California’s fuel system will look like under the state’s long-term goals. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a lot of my constituents coming to me, and the majority of them don't want offshore drilling environmentally
• wise, but then... ...the majority of them don't want offshore drilling, environmentally wise.
• practical considerations outside of the scope of AB 30, for instance, current gasoline dispensing equipment
• And in my district, this company, using union workers and manufacturing their equipment in the state

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• So like 3,600 feet, you can't drill in a neighborhood. This is not a prohibition.
• to respond to California's climate goals, energy efficiency goals, even to put in more protective equipment
• , they would not be able to take advantage of the exemption to expedite their ability to upgrade equipment
• Compostable plastics have been promoted as a promising alternative, but our current systems are not equipped
• Compostable plastics have been promoted as a promising alternative, but our current systems are not equipped

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• It raises training standards, provides funding for life-saving equipment and medical kits, and allows
• It raises training standards, provides funding for life-saving equipment and medical kits, and allows
• As you know, educators are already equipped to provide basic training to students in terms of, you know
• Garcia, educators prioritize—and let’s be clear—that students grow into successful human beings equipped
• Some schools weren’t even doing fire drills, okay?

Bills: HB2076 , HB2135 , HB2175 , HB2186 , HB2223 , HB2345 , HB2364 , HB2417 , HB2440 , HB2666 , HB2763 , HCR2043

Committees: House Judiciary , House House Judiciary Committee of Reference

Keywords: school safety, employee training, firearm certification, crisis response, school policies, reimbursement fund, local law enforcement, HB2135, Arizona, civil liability, private right of action, DEI, diversity equity and inclusion, critical race theory, anti-racism, race stereotyping, sex stereotyping, race scapegoating, sex scapegoating, gender identity

Transcript Highlights:

• , training equipment for basic uniforms and stuff like that.
• If there are any cities, municipalities, or other entities that want a piece of military equipment, I'll
• Unfortunately, the federal government is closing many of its military museums, and a lot of that equipment
• There are old, retired pieces of military equipment available for parks or memorial centers.
• But if I'm not sure that even if we have the equipment ready, but. It's not.

Committee: House A&B General Government Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of the government efficiency drills, Cal HHS reduced our budget by $1 million for establishing
• To provide critical support to individuals who are in the shelters, including durable medical equipment
• Also, durable medical equipment was difficult for people.
• We invested in 400 portable batteries for people to keep that equipment running if that happens again
• So the people who've lived in those areas Preparing them through education and training, and equipping

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Mickelsen, I think I want to drill down again additionally on this: any arrest...
• I think I want to drill down again additionally on this: any arrest of an individual.

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• 'type,' that could be a general classification or a family of products used, and not necessarily drilling
• Used, and not necessarily drilling down to the exact ingredients, even though some of those ingredients

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, you know the drill: state your name. Make sure you’ve got a witness form filled out.
• Again, you know the drill: state your name. Make sure you got a witness form filled out.

Committee: House Legislative Review

Summary: The committee met in executive session first and approved several measures. House Bill 2516 was voted do pass by a 6-yes, 1-present roll call. House Joint Resolution 171 was amended, rolled into a new House committee substitute, and then voted do pass by a 7-0 roll call. House Bill 3090 was also amended to remove three sections, rolled into a new House committee substitute, and then passed unanimously, 7-0. The committee then returned to open session to hear House Bill 2512, sponsored by Representative Tricia Burns. The bill would replace the current “imminent danger” standard with “predictable harm,” create a “qualified petitioner” process, and expand court involvement in ordering treatment, including long-acting antipsychotic injections for certain patients with severe mental illness. Burns argued the bill is meant to help families and police intervene earlier in cases involving schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with psychotic features, and similar conditions, and said current law leaves families with too few tools and too little communication from providers. Members asked about how the bill differs from current 96-hour psychiatric holds, how “predictable harm” would work in practice, and whether the proposal raises constitutional concerns. Burns said the bill is intended to allow earlier intervention based on documented patterns of behavior and to provide due process through the courts. In opposition, Lisa Pennett of Armour Vine raised concerns about court-ordered treatment against a patient’s will, unclear standards for incapacity, immunity provisions, funding penalties for noncompliant clinics, and criminal penalties for interference. The hearing on House Bill 2512 concluded without a vote, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Follow up, so currently under this, it would be possible for someone from Texas who is drilling in Oklahoma
• Oklahoma Guard leadership decided to accept somebody from Texas that lived in Texas and wanted to drill

Bills: SB2026 , SB1376 , SB1355 , SB2115 , SB1533

Committee: Senate Veterans and Military Affairs

Keywords: military discharge, veterans, DD Form 214, confidentiality, grandchildren access, Oklahoma National Guard, education assistance, military benefits, dependents, CareerTech Assistance Act, burial grant, memorial headstone, eligibility requirements, funding, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, fiscal management, state law, veteran burial, burial assistance, indigent veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• We have about 1.7 million in IT equipment and supports.
• operations associated with IT changes that we're going to make for the reconciliation bill, including equipment
• And then associated with those additional staff we have needs for space and equipment.
• We are, as I said, doing a procurement to provide us with an analytical tool that will help us drill
• Chair, Senator Trujillo, there is part of the budget request that does include leases and equipment and

Transcript Highlights:

• We're about to purchase, I think it's over $300,000. in aerial firefighting equipment, aircraft, because
• So I would like to see some sort of a process where we have continuing reimbursement for this equipment
• Every year in our budget hearings I will drill my tech services director about these increases.
• A couple of sessions ago, the legislator required voting equipment.
• In order for our county to comply with the new equipment and capabilities required, it cost us over $600,000

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs