Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Does not the state auditor have the ability to monitor that type of activity?
• Does<01:42:42.120> not<01:42:42.360> the<01:42:42.440> state<01:42:42.880> auditor
• <01:42:43.440> auditor<01:42:43.880> have >> Does not the state auditor auditor
• have >> Does not the state auditor auditor have the<01:42:44.280> ability<01:42:44.840>

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 10 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, received the invocation and pledge, and then dispensed with reading the journal, committee reports, and bill titles. Several guests and pages were introduced, including junior pages, a doctor of the day, Farm Bureau representatives, and other visitors in the galleries. The chamber also recognized a birthday and welcomed a House member to the Senate. On the calendar, the Senate took up several bills and mostly adopted strike-all amendments before passing them, often by morning roll call. These included HB 1646, which increased disaster trust fund transfer limits for declared and non-declared disasters; HB 1649, which authorized additional state fund transfers for Main Street revitalization projects and increased the total authorized expenditure; HB 1653, which kept a local improvements project fund bill alive for possible repurposing of funds, including a Mississippi Valley State residence hall project; and HB 669, which allowed patrons to bring wine into licensed premises with a corkage fee and changed wine shipment reporting from quarterly to semiannual. HB 1620 created an economic zone around the Chevron refinery in Jackson County, and HB 2787 changed school district gas-piping inspection requirements from annual testing to a two-year cycle, with funding support from gas companies. The Senate also handled several concurrence and conference motions on House and Senate bills, including SB 2263 on probable-cause requirements for Marine Resources officers boarding or stopping vessels, SB 2524 establishing the Postsecondary Attainment Council, and SB 2597 involving the ABC warehouse transfer in Madison County, with the chamber choosing not to concur and to invite conference on those items. SB 2368 made technical changes to the higher education legislative plan grant program, and SB 2526 on the Rural Water Oversight Committee returned with changes removing a reverse repealer and shifting administration of some duties to a nonprofit using rural water revolving loan funds. The Senate also tabled motions to reconsider on some items, and one nomination-related motion drew extended remarks about the role of the capital post-conviction counsel office and respect for crime victims.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're also joined by the state treasurer and state auditor and four subject matter advisers, one of whom
• joined by the state treasurer<00:57:22.640> and<00:57:22.880> state<00:57:23.119> auditor
• <00:57:23.839> and<00:57:24.160> four treasurer and state auditor and four treasurer
• and state auditor and four subject<00:57:24.880> matter<00:57:25.200> adviserss,<00:57

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Stable Token Study Commission held its first regular meeting, welcomed all remaining appointed members, and completed brief introductions from legislators and agency designees. The chair outlined the commission’s plan to use the first part of the enabling legislation as a “level-setting” discussion, focusing this meeting on the basics of blockchain, the current landscape for stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets, and leaving blockchain-based trust for a later meeting. No votes were taken. The main presentation came from Deanna Bario Zales of the Global Blockchain Business Council, who described stablecoins as increasingly converging toward fiat-backed or asset-backed models, with algorithmic designs viewed more cautiously. She said stablecoins are being used for payments, remittances, DeFi activity, cross-border transfers, retail use in high-inflation markets, and treasury functions, while noting risks such as peg instability, reserve transparency, counterparty and network risk, and possible capital flight from weaker banking systems. She cited growth in supply, wallet activity, and transfer volume, and said U.S.-pegged stablecoins dominate the market, with USDT and USDC leading. Zales also discussed tokenized real-world assets, describing them as digital representations of physical assets that can enable fractional ownership, liquidity, and faster settlement. She said the market is growing quickly, with institutional participation from firms such as BlackRock and Franklin Templeton, and projected continued expansion. She closed with an overview of regulatory developments, emphasizing the new U.S. stablecoin framework under the Genius Act, the proposed Clarity Act, OCC guidance, and similar regimes in the EU, UK, UAE, Singapore, Japan, and elsewhere, all of which she said are shaping compliance requirements and market development.

Transcript Highlights:

• In paragraph A, this changes the date by which a county auditor must submit data to the commissioner
• c><01:46:38.880> which<01:46:39.040> a<01:46:39.199> county<01:46:39.440> auditor
• <01:46:40.320> uh the date by which a county auditor uh the date by which a county auditor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• committee at the time, and I brought to the attention of the committee the Office of the Legislative Auditor
• 01:15:15.520> of<01:15:15.719> the<01:15:15.960> legislative<01:15:16.840> auditor
• the office of the legislative auditor the office of the legislative auditor report<01:15:18.000>

Bills: HF2335, HF2400, HF2401, HF2522

Keywords: Medicare, health insurance, supplement policies, preexisting conditions, medical assistance, premium classification, real estate, appraisers, disciplinary actions, sanction matrix, Minnesota Statutes, continuing education, out-of-state, licensing, commerce, fraud prevention, automobile theft, law enforcement, insurance crimes, 1183

Transcript Highlights:

• And last Friday, the legislative auditor had an audit on DEED grants and direct earmarks.
• 00:14:24.120> uh<00:14:24.600> the<00:14:24.800> legislative<00:14:25.279> auditor
• <00:14:25.759> had<00:14:26.160> a Friday uh the legislative auditor had a Friday uh
• the legislative auditor had a audit<00:14:27.360> on<00:14:27.600> deed<00:14:28.160><

Bills: HF1621, HF1701, HF1796, HF1676, HF40, HF1428, HF1540

Keywords: HF1621, CelluComp, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, appropriation, grant, commercialization, fiber-based barrier packaging, packaging materials, PFAS, perfluoroalkyl substances, polyfluoroalkyl substances, plastic reduction, sustainable packaging, environmental health, materials innovation, bio-based packaging, food packaging, agriculture finance, one-time grant, state subsidy

Transcript Highlights:

• So you want the packet that says Mahoney, which is the packet that says Mahoney, which is the auditor
• 46:04.280> the packet that says Mahoney which is the packet that says Mahoney which is the auditor
• 05.880> then<00:46:06.079> it<00:46:06.200> says<00:46:06.480> Minnesota auditor
• and then it says Minnesota auditor and then it says Minnesota independent<00:46:07.520> college

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• On page 20, there's also discussion of where independent auditors are set, because we do have similar
• sure that the money is being used wisely, and so there would have to be financial reports sent by auditors
• On page 20, there's also discussion of where independent auditors are set, because we do have similar
• sure that the money is being used wisely, and so there would have to be financial reports sent by auditors

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have agencies like MMB and the Legislative Auditor that obviously need to be close to legislative
• 43.160> got represents Minnesota and if you've got represents Minnesota and if you've got Auditors
• 44.720> in<00:57:45.039> rural<00:57:45.440> Minnesota<00:57:46.000> and Auditors
• out in rural Minnesota and Auditors out in rural Minnesota and areas<00:57:46.599> they<00:57

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• overpayments, and these are not the result of fraud but of claims being adjusted over time, as the auditor
• So I have our auditor and chief compliance officer reviewing it on a regular basis to determine if there's
• Twitter so I have our auditor and chief Twitter so I have our auditor and chief compliance<01:34:53.320

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The county auditor calculates taxes and computes the tax, and lastly the county treasurer mails the tax
• 13.199> county property's C classification the county property's C classification the county auditor
• calculates<00:05:14.600> taxes<00:05:14.919> and<00:05:15.080> computes auditor
• calculates taxes and computes auditor calculates taxes and computes the<00:05:15.680> tax<00:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I read in the bill here about the fees, but I don't, and I see we've got an independent auditor, and
• but I don't uh and I see we got an but I don't uh and I see we got an independent<00:20:58.159> auditor
• independent auditor independent auditor and<00:20:59.720> I'm<00:20:59.840> not<00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 451, which would create a postconsumer paint stewardship program in New Hampshire. Prime sponsor Representative Karen Ebel described the bill as a bipartisan, broadly supported model based on PaintCare programs used in other states. She said consumers and businesses could drop off leftover paint at participating retailers or municipal household hazardous waste sites, with the paint then collected and recycled by the stewardship organization. She emphasized that the program is intended to reduce landfill disposal, improper dumping, and contamination of groundwater and soil, while also helping municipalities save on hazardous waste handling costs. Members asked several questions about how the program would work and how it would be funded. Ebel explained that the program would be financed by a small fee charged at the point of sale on paint products, not a general sales tax, and that retailers could either list it separately or roll it into the price. She said the fee would cover the Department of Environmental Services’ administrative costs, which were described as minimal, and that the program’s structure was developed with DES and industry input. Questions also addressed whether cans would be recycled and how collected paint would be processed; Ebel said the ACA and PaintCare representatives could provide more detail, but that the paint and containers would be handled through recycling or other approved disposal methods rather than landfilled. Representative Judy Aron, a co-sponsor and chair of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee, testified in support, saying the bill had been developed over several years with stakeholders and would keep toxic paint out of landfills while saving municipalities and taxpayers money. Representative Peter Bixby, the ranking member of Environment and Agriculture, also supported the bill, saying his committee had heard it many times and that it had strong bipartisan enthusiasm. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you're dealing with auditors.
• 37.320> with so you know and um you're dealing with so you know and um you're dealing with Auditors
• :38.360> said<00:29:38.640> I<00:29:38.720> can't<00:29:38.880> lose Auditors
• I almost said I can't lose Auditors I almost said I can't lose either<00:29:39.440> way<00:29

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on January 28, 2025, to review Governor’s budget proposals for several health-related licensing boards. The chair said no formal action would be taken and noted that final budget language was not yet available. The committee began with an overview from Bridget Anderson of the health-related licensing boards, who explained that the boards are fee-funded, operate as independent executive agencies, and handle licensing, complaints, rulemaking, and disciplinary matters. She also noted that the Board of Dentistry’s budget includes the Administrative Services Unit and criminal background check program, which can make the budget graphs appear larger than the dentistry board’s own operations. The Board of Dentistry requested funding for a new administrative staff position, estimating about $100,000 in salary, insurance, and fringe costs, to replace support lost when an administrative position was reclassified. Anderson said the board handled more than 300 complaints last year, with cases becoming more complex, especially involving surgical and implant procedures and imaging. Members asked about dental Medicaid access, but Anderson said that issue would be better directed to DHS’s Medicaid oral health division. The Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy requested a full-time position due to rapid growth in the number of regulated professionals, from about 4,000 in 2014 to nearly 10,000 now, and also sought authority to set a fee for out-of-state applicants under the Counseling Compact, with a cap of up to $100 though the board expects to charge much less. The Board of Podiatric Medicine asked to raise its fee ceiling, saying fees had not been increased since 1999 and that the board now faces a structural deficit of about $40,000 per year and declining reserves. Several senators expressed concern about “not-to-exceed” fee authority, calling it too open-ended and suggesting the legislature should scrutinize specific fee needs rather than approve broad ceilings. Similar concerns were raised during the Board of Chiropractic Examiners presentation, where the board sought $100,000 in additional spending authority and a fee increase after 32 years without an adjustment; members questioned the proposed ceiling approach and asked for more historical information before deciding. The Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice also discussed fee-setting authority, with the executive director explaining that the board had previously lowered fees without clear authority and later faced audit questions; she requested funding for a vacant administrative position, saying applications and revenues have increased sharply and no fee increase would be needed. The final presentation began with the Board of Pharmacy, which said it serves more than 26,000 licensees and oversees the Prescription Monitoring Program and opioid product registration. The board requested an extension of previously appropriated general fund dollars through fiscal year 2027 to continue paying legal costs tied to the insulin safety net lawsuit, emphasizing that this was not a new funding request but an extension of existing authority. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• recommendations of the tax expenditure profiles prepared for us by nonpartisan staff in the office of the state auditor
• The Office of the State Auditor in the General Assembly regularly review tax credits, deductions, and
• The tax expenditure committee that’s been meeting reviewed data from the office of the state auditor

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 57.640> legislative also have a role for the legislative also have a role for the legislative auditor
• <01:27:58.640> to auditor to auditor to review<01:28:01.080> and<01:28:01.280> confirm

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• forensic audits to confirm whether these problems have been resolved in the opinions of independent auditors
• Fourth, her commitment to engage outside forensic auditors to review the performance of the CBC in northwest
• Fourth, her commitment to engage outside forensic auditors to review the performance of the CBC in northwest

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized several guests, including a state champion Crossroads Academy girls basketball team and a Florida State University student intern. The chamber then turned to executive appointment confirmations reported by the Committee on Ethics and Elections and other reference committees under Rule 12.7, with Chair Don Gates explaining that the committee had reviewed the qualifications and suitability of the nominees and held public hearings where required. Members debated several confirmations at length. The report containing 186 appointments was adopted 31-0 after Senator Polsky explained her no votes on three nominees, citing concerns about past comments and ideological views. The Senate then confirmed Jeffrey Aaron to the Public Employee Relations Commission by a 26-10 vote after sharp debate over his role as counsel to the Hope Florida Foundation and allegations tied to the diversion of Medicaid settlement funds; supporters argued he was a competent lawyer and no formal action had been taken against him. Chavon Harris was confirmed as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration by a 32-5 vote, with supporters praising her work on Medicaid funding and opponents criticizing her prior leadership at DCF and the Hope Florida-related issues. Taylor Hatch was confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families by a 33-4 vote, despite concerns raised about SNAP/EBT compliance, child welfare practices, audits, and DCF’s handling of Hope Florida; supporters emphasized her commitment to reform and the difficulty of the agency’s mission. After a brief recess, the Senate held a lengthy recognition of outgoing President Kathleen Passidomo. Senators from both parties offered personal tributes focused on her leadership, toughness, humor, mentorship, and support for colleagues, especially women in the chamber. Several speakers also referenced her handling of difficult bills, her post-presidency service as Rules Chair, and her resilience after personal loss. No further legislative action was taken during the recognition segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• enforcement official or the body or law enforcement official or the legislative<00:46:40.079> auditor
• > or<00:46:40.880> member<00:46:41.200> of<00:46:41.359> the legislative auditor
• or member of the legislative auditor or member of the legislature<00:46:42.880> uh<00:46:43.040

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• concerns — the concerns that you began to investigate in 2023, were those raised to the security — auditor
• The information that you shared with the auditor, but I do have the report and it's that is September
• Auditor, they review every single transaction that occurs on our platform. review all of our customer

Bills: SB 28, SB 687, SJR 34, SCR 9, SB 523, SB 62, SB 847, SB 706, SB 869, SB 890, SB 992

Keywords: lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, SB 687, land surveyor, land surveying, surveying services, construction contract, anti-indemnity, indemnity, hold harmless, defense obligation, standard of care, professional negligence, civil practice and remedies code, local government code, governmental agency, public contracts

Summary: The meeting was a crucial session for discussing several important bills including SB992, which aims to establish a clear time frame for the Attorney General's approval on outside legal counsel for state agencies. Senator Nichols presented the bill, emphasizing its necessity for timely responses to ensure efficient legal processing. Another notable discussion centered around SB523, which seeks to allow parole and probation officers to use a business address on their driver's licenses for safety and security purposes. This bill passed favorably out of the committee, with public testimony supporting the need for such provisions due to the risks these officers face.

Transcript Highlights:

• half, you know, and understanding that I thought maybe what we need to do is provide that the state auditor
• half, you know, and understanding that I thought maybe what we need to do is provide that the state auditor
• half, you know, and understanding that I thought maybe what we need to do is provide that the state auditor

Bills: HF1063

Keywords: grain buyers, grain dealer, grain elevator, agriculture, financial reporting, audit, CPA review, independent accountant, financial statement, balance sheet, cash flow, nonpublic data, licensee oversight, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, grain purchase volume, insolvency, nonpayment, warehouse chain, fiduciary duties, producer protection

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the one last reminder for the Legislative Auditor topic selection because I forgot to bring the
• You can send an email to the Legislative Auditor with any topics that you would like. prevails announcements
• the the one last reminder for the the one last reminder for the legislative<01:35:21.639> auditor

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The auditor herself has mentioned an audit of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House considered House No. 57, a $425 million supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 to fund the emergency shelter/emergency housing assistance system and related activities. The bill, as described by the chair of Ways and Means, included major policy changes requested by the Governor: immediate residency verification at intake, limits on eligibility, required criminal history disclosures and CORI checks, a reduced maximum shelter stay from nine months to six months with hardship waivers, temporary respite sites for 30 days, and a cap on system capacity. Supporters argued the changes were needed to preserve the right-to-shelter system amid fiscal strain and federal inaction; opponents said the bill still did not go far enough or, in some cases, went too far and risked harming families and children. The House debated and voted on numerous amendments, mostly focused on tightening eligibility or changing shelter operations. Several Republican amendments to reduce funding, impose a one-year residency requirement, require broader background checks, limit eligibility to homelessness caused within Massachusetts, and require cooperation with ICE were rejected, often after roll call votes. A point of order was sustained on multiple amendments as beyond the scope of the bill, including proposals affecting court officers, law enforcement, and ICE-related provisions. The House also rejected amendments to cut the appropriation from $425 million to $200 million and to add other restrictions on eligibility and administration. Some amendments were adopted. A redrafted Amendment 27, offered by Rep. Decker, was adopted 25-25 on a tie vote and expanded protections to children under age six and added related hardship/extension language. A subsequent amendment by Rep. Consalvo was adopted unanimously to add disability-related protections and extend benefits in certain cases. Another amendment by Rep. Finn was adopted to modify language about seeking federal reimbursement, and Amendment 9 was adopted to require competitive bidding for certain service funds. After debate and roll call, the bill was passed to be engrossed by a vote of 126-26. The House then observed a moment of tribute for Doug Selfick and adjourned to meet again Monday at 11 a.m.