Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Wendy Pollson.
• </c><00:13:25.200><c> support</c><00:13:25.360><c> of</c> opportunity to testify in support of opportunity
• But today I am here on behalf of the Americans for Digital Opportunity.
• </c><00:15:31.600><c> Opportunity.
• </c> the Americans for Digital Opportunity. the Americans for Digital Opportunity.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3117, which would impose an excise tax on social media companies based on Minnesota monthly users and data-mining activity, and adopted an A1 amendment that added clarifying language identifying social media platforms. Chair Gomez described the bill as a way to tax companies profiting from data mining and social media use, citing concerns about child bullying, misinformation, and wealth concentration. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the 2025 taxes bill. Supporters testified that the measure would help raise revenue from a highly profitable industry and better align the tax code with the social costs of data collection and social media use. Pastor Julie Thompson, MAPE representative Tanner Fritzinger, Council Member Sue Bud, and Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota all backed the bill, arguing that social media companies extract value from users’ data, contribute to mental health and social harms, and should pay more toward public needs. Bernstein also framed the tax as a way to broaden the tax base and fund schools and other services. Opponents warned that the bill could sweep in local broadcasters, newspapers, and other businesses that use digital platforms and collect some user data, and that costs would likely be passed on to consumers. Wendy Pollson of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association said the definitions were too broad and could unintentionally include local media. Deb Peters, speaking for Americans for Digital Opportunity, argued the tax would raise costs for small businesses and consumers, create legal risks, and amount to double taxation. Several members echoed concerns about regressivity, administration, and whether the bill actually addresses online bullying or data privacy, while supporters said it is a first step toward taxing a new, lightly taxed industry.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, wellness opportunity for nurses.
• Again, wellness opportunity for nurses.
• Thank you for the opportunity to be here. Thank you.
• Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
• Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Health and Privacy Committees focused on generative AI in health care, with opening remarks emphasizing both its potential to improve care and its risks around privacy, bias, liability, workforce impacts, and unequal access. Chair Bauer-Kahan and Chair Bonta framed the discussion around how California can encourage beneficial innovation while protecting patients, especially given the sensitivity of health data and the possibility that AI could worsen existing disparities if not carefully governed. The first panel featured representatives from Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, Penguin AI, and Google, who described current uses of AI such as ambient clinical scribes, nursing documentation tools, imaging triage, maternal-fetal risk prediction, and administrative automation. Speakers said these tools can reduce clinician burden, improve patient experience, speed treatment, and in some cases improve outcomes, including a reported mortality benefit from a Kaiser predictive model and faster thrombectomy times at Cedars-Sinai. Members raised concerns about accuracy with accents and multilingual visits, whether predictive tools could reinforce bias or lead to more interventions such as C-sections, and how to ensure a human remains in the loop for important decisions. The second panel, including representatives from the California Health Care Foundation, UC Berkeley, and Stanford, focused on policy and governance challenges. Testimony highlighted examples of AI supporting homelessness outreach and community health work, but also warned that biased algorithms can encode inequities, especially when trained on data that reflect under-treatment of Black, rural, or low-income patients. Witnesses urged clearer standards for trustworthy AI, stronger monitoring and governance structures, better data access for accountability, and attention to the safety net’s limited resources. Several speakers argued that states should require health systems to have AI governance processes, clarify liability between developers and deployers, and regulate downstream uses of AI while preserving access to data for lifesaving research and oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chair Berry, and members of the committee for this opportunity to speak on this important
• I appreciate the opportunity to be here today speaking in favor of Senate Bill 5061.
• So I really think that we have an opportunity here to make this go, and I'm happy to answer any other
• So when these unusual circumstances occur and it's a double-digit increase in the prevailing wage, if
• And it's, you know, a double-digit increase in the prevailing wage.

Bills: SB5944

Keywords: language access, collective bargaining, labor relations, employment rights, worker protections, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're just talking about a digital system to request. The ballot. Exactly.
• This isn't, this isn't some technological breakthrough for voting digitally. OK.
• It's about making it harder for seniors to vote, and, and we have an opportunity to make it easier.
• Chairman, for the opportunity to close.
• Chairman and members for the opportunity to lay this out.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lay out Senate Bill 1862.
• We're just talking about a digital system to request the ballot. Exactly.
• This isn't some technological breakthrough for voting digitally.
• Chairman, for the opportunity to close.
• Chairman and members, for the opportunity to lay this out.

Bills: HB3097, HB3691, SB108, SB827, SB1541, SB1862, SB2166, SB2216

Keywords: Texas elections, Election Code, uniform election date, November election, local elections, political subdivisions, general election date, election administration, municipal utility district, county elections, local government, ballot scheduling, candidate filing, voter turnout, election calendar, HB 3097, early voting, electronic application, mail-in ballot, voting accessibility

Transcript Highlights:

• And secondly, as we become more of a digital court, there's a lot of digital literacy that needs to happen
• Are we doing enough on digital literacy so people know?
• Thank you for this opportunity to testify.
• I look forward to the opportunity to talk with you today.
• So it was a great opportunity. We're thrilled to have it.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> accessibility of data of the Digital accessibility of data of the Digital Coast<00:11:54.160><c>
• </c> These represent real opportunities. These represent real opportunities.
• </c> promotes consistency and opportunity promotes consistency and opportunity across<03:20:29.480><c
• </c> economic opportunity in Indian country. economic opportunity in Indian country.
• </c><05:20:53.880><c> for</c> limit educational opportunities for limit educational opportunities for

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank you for the opportunity to come and speak again about adverse childhood experiences.
• I really appreciated the opportunity to share information in December. Thank you.
• How they did that is by including a match opportunity by states. It is a three-to-one match.
• So there are opportunities.
• And so it really makes me excited to know that these four young people have an opportunity.

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), focusing on the economic and public-system impacts in North Dakota. She explained that ACEs are a population-level measure, not a diagnostic tool for individuals, and said higher ACE exposure is consistently associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare involvement, justice-system contact, and reduced workforce participation. She emphasized that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across a person’s life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based prevention and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, historical trends in ACEs, and the role of positive childhood experiences and home visiting. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota, including Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. They described home visiting as voluntary, relationship-based, and tailored to family needs, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, human service zones, pregnancy navigators, self-referrals, and other community sources. A parent, Abby, shared that home visiting helped her family after premature births and NICU stays by providing support with postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, developmental screenings, referrals, and parenting guidance. The presenters said the programs are funded through a mix of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E dollars, Medicaid targeted case management, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and grants, and they noted that current funding is fragmented and insufficient to serve all eligible families statewide. Members discussed whether the state should expand or better fund these services and how to improve outreach and referrals. Later, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, followed by a presentation from a BCI special agent on how AI is already affecting child exploitation investigations in North Dakota. The memo and testimony described AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and risks posed by chatbots, along with relevant federal and state law and recent executive orders. The agent said North Dakota saw 2,698 cyber tips in 2025, the highest on record, and that investigators are increasingly encountering AI-assisted exploitation that is harder to detect and verify. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI undermining critical thinking and spreading misinformation. No votes were taken on the AI materials during the portion provided, and the committee recessed briefly after the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when we look at reducing the opportunities, the financial aid opportunities for those students, it's
• It's an opportunity cost for our students, but it's also a loss for our state.
• It's an opportunity cost for our students, but it's also a loss for our state.
• And so I hope we take this as an opportunity.
• Thank you for the opportunity.

Summary: The subcommittee on Education Finance heard an overview of the governor’s budget proposals and higher education financial aid trends, with a major focus on the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS), Cal Grant spending, and the effects of recent federal student aid changes. The Department of Finance said the budget would fully fund Cal Grant at projected levels and reduce MCS coverage from 35% to 17.5% of unmet need in 2026-27, while the Legislative Analyst’s Office supported considering the reduction as a cost-saving measure given out-year deficits. UC and CSU representatives opposed the cut, saying MCS is important to affordability and debt-free degree goals; they estimated average awards would fall substantially and that campuses do not have funds to backfill the loss. The Student Aid Commission said the proposal would reduce aid but simplify administration, and members questioned how lower awards would affect students, borrowing, and work-study options. No vote was taken, and the issue was held open for possible future action. The committee then discussed federal changes to student loans and Pell Grant policy under H.R. 1, including caps on Parent PLUS loans, elimination of Grad PLUS loans, and new proration rules for federal direct loans based on enrollment intensity. The LAO said these changes would likely push some borrowers into the private market, especially graduate and professional students and some parents of students at private institutions. CSU said the changes would affect thousands of graduate and part-time students and could reduce access by about $97 million in loan availability for part-time borrowers, while UC said the new definitions of professional degrees were too restrictive and would reduce access for nursing, teaching, law, dentistry, and other programs. Community colleges said they use relatively little federal loan aid but are monitoring Workforce Pell. Members raised concerns about workforce impacts, social mobility, and whether the state should consider alternative loan programs or other ways to reduce student costs. This issue was also held open. In the segment financial aid update, the LAO reported Cal Grant spending is projected to rise to about $3.2 billion in 2026-27, driven by more recipients and higher awards tied to UC and CSU tuition increases, while CSAC said FAFSA and CADAA applications are up significantly year over year. CSU, community colleges, and UC described their aid packaging and rising aid totals, with CSU reporting over $5.5 billion in aid to 381,000 students, community colleges reporting over $4.3 billion to more than 920,000 students, and UC reporting $3.17 billion in grant aid to undergraduates. Members asked about Cal Grant reform, application trends, and long-term outcomes; UC and community colleges pointed to alumni and wage dashboards, and the LAO noted the state’s Cradle to Career data effort. The committee then took public comment, including testimony on library funding and other education-related priorities, and concluded by holding the issues open without formal action.

Transcript Highlights:

• The healthy aging subcabinet is an opportunity.
• It holds cabinet is an opportunity.
• </c> so much for the opportunity to testify. so much for the opportunity to testify.
• I you for your opportunity to testify.
• 34:05.039><c> continue</c> appreciate the opportunity to continue appreciate the opportunity to continue

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an opportunity to have public input and dialogue and debate with regard to the proposed changes.
• It's an opportunity to have public input and dialogue and debate with regard to the proposed changes.
• But from what I read in this bill, this is about giving the public the opportunity to weigh in before
• the Arizona State Retirement System and the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System to monitor digital
• of the previous bills, addressed my general concern for states being involved with cryptocurrency digital

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee considered several Senate bills dealing largely with cryptocurrency, county tax liens, and tax conformity. SB 1042 would allow state retirement systems to invest up to 10% in virtual currency holdings, and SB 1043 would let state agencies accept virtual currency payments through agreements with providers; both were described as permissive rather than mandatory and were returned with due pass recommendations on 5-3 votes. Members expressed caution about volatility and government involvement in digital assets, but supporters said the bills simply create options and could improve efficiency. The committee then took up SB 1067, which addresses county cleanup assessments for blighted properties in unincorporated areas. Chairman Olson offered an amendment removing the bill’s original mechanism for placing the assessment directly on the property tax bill, while preserving the lien so it survives a tax lien sale. County officials and the County Supervisors Association testified in support, saying counties currently absorb cleanup costs for hazardous properties and the amendment would help make counties whole without broadening property tax use. The amendment was adopted and the bill was returned with a due pass as amended recommendation on an 8-0 vote. SB 1180, on Department of Revenue tax conformity forms and instructions, prompted extended debate over whether DOR should presume conformity with federal tax changes and how to avoid an automatic tax increase without legislative action. Chairman Olson’s amendment would have DOR presume conformity only when federal changes reduce income or tax liability, while nonconformity would be presumed for increases; the sponsor said he wanted the bill to move but did not prefer the amendment. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed 5-3, with members noting the issue needed further work and clearer statutory language. SB 1221, requiring DOR to notify legislative tax chairs before new interpretations that adversely affect taxpayers and to testify if asked, also passed 5-3 after adoption of an intent-clause amendment. SB 1292, clarifying PSPRS’s 5% voting-stock cap applies to publicly traded corporations, passed unanimously, and SCR 1033, a nonbinding resolution encouraging retirement systems to monitor digital asset ETFs and report back before the next session, passed 5-3. SB 1503 was held at the sponsor’s request, and the committee adjourned at the end of the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about the CPUC's budget change proposals.
• I thank you again for the opportunity to appear today, and I'm happy to take questions.
• They've been in the single-digit capacity factor: 6, 7, 8%.
• That gives us the opportunity to move on to issue number five. Thank you very much.
• Digital equity. Thank you. That's going to be in my hearing today.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Have you had an opportunity to look at any of these documents related to the Changecraft community?
• We were pleased to have the opportunity after collecting the documents, reporting within...
• So I have four invoices here for web digital landing page.
• It states that these were all for web digital landing page fee.
• And what is web digital landing page fee beyond the website page?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Have you had an opportunity to look at any of these documents related to the Changecraft community?
• We were pleased to have the opportunity, after collecting the documents, to report within...
• So I have four invoices here for web digital landing page.
• It states that these were all for web digital landing page fee.
• And what is web digital landing page fee beyond the website page?

Summary: The follow-up informational hearing focused on the State Library’s oversight of the statewide Imagination Library and the Strong Reader Partnership (SRP), including how the original $68.2 million state investment was spent, why funds were not redirected sooner to the Dollywood Foundation, and whether spending complied with AB 157 and later SB 105. Committee members repeatedly raised concerns that SRP and the State Library had been slow to provide documents, that quarterly reporting and other contract requirements were not met on time, and that the State Library did not escalate issues earlier. State Librarian Greg Lucas said the library sent one demand letter, relied on counsel’s view that SRP could continue spending its $4.8 million so long as it furthered the program, and later redirected about $55 million to the Dollywood Foundation after paperwork was submitted. He also acknowledged the library should have shared SRP’s final report with the committee sooner and said the materials eventually received appeared satisfactory, though the chair and Senator Grove remained concerned that there was still no clear accounting of books delivered by SRP. A major portion of the hearing examined SRP’s expenditures and vendor contracts, including Shipyard for marketing and web services, SAGE Strategies for management consulting, Lotus Financial Solutions and other financial vendors, and United Way California Capital Region for a small marketing grant. Committee members questioned whether some spending, especially Changecraft’s work during the AB 157 period, amounted to lobbying or attempts to influence legislation, which the grant agreement prohibited. SRP representatives said the work was communications and stakeholder outreach, not lobbying, and that invoices reflected the board’s oversight and the nonprofit’s startup and closeout phases. They also said some work continued during the rescission and closeout period to unwind contracts and return funds, and that any reporting delays were due to transition, lack of a reporting mechanism from the State Library, and the need to collect records after vendors were canceled. Members of SRP said the nonprofit was created to build the infrastructure for a self-sustaining statewide program, expand local partnerships, and support multilingual outreach in underserved counties. They described a working board that met regularly, selected vendors collectively, and used multiple financial and administrative contractors to maintain checks and balances. However, committee members pressed them on the lack of detailed invoices, the absence of clear metrics showing how many books SRP actually delivered, and the limited apparent return on spending such as the $581,708 Shipyard contract, the $125,000 website work, and the $5,000 United Way grant. No formal vote or legislative action was taken during the hearing; it was an oversight session aimed at obtaining explanations and additional documentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for this opportunity to testify on behalf of AB 508, and thank you to the committee staff for
• I appreciate the opportunity to share my personal story.
• I thank you for the opportunity to address you today. Dr.
• I thank you for the opportunity to address you today. Dr. B. they are most needed.
• I thank you for the opportunity to address you today. Dr.

Summary: The Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee met on April 22, established a quorum, and adopted its 2023-24 committee rules. The hearing then considered five bills focused on aging, long-term care, immigrant seniors, nutrition, and emergency preparedness. AB 450 would create a task force to study the needs of undocumented Californians age 55 and older; supporters from CHIRLA and other advocates described barriers to housing, health care, retirement, and digital access, while members raised questions about eligibility and process. The bill was approved on a due pass motion and re-referred to the Committee on Human Services. AB 508 would require residential care facilities for the elderly to disclose staffing information upon request at admission and when rates increase. The author and supporters argued that staffing levels are closely tied to quality of care and that families need transparency to make informed choices; a witness described her father’s death in an understaffed facility. Assisted living industry representatives opposed the bill as burdensome but said they were continuing discussions with the author. The committee adopted amendments and passed the bill to Appropriations. AB 1476 would allow senior congregate meal programs to continue offering to-go meals, a practice expanded during the pandemic. Supporters said the option improved access for homebound and food-insecure seniors and helped bring people into senior centers; there was no opposition, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 1068 would create a working group on evacuation and sheltering needs for older adults and people with disabilities in long-term care during disasters, and AB 1069 would ensure area agencies on aging and aging/disability resource programs have access to emergency shelters to provide services. Both measures drew broad support from aging, disability, and advocacy groups, with testimony citing recent fires and evacuations, and both were approved and re-referred to the Committee on Emergency Management. The committee also left rolls open for additional members to add votes before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also here as a member of the Kids Campaign, Keep It Digitally Safe, which is a global campaign contest
• So we need to get the cell phones out of schools, and that is another opportunity to disrupt social media
• So we need to get the cell phones out of schools, and that is another opportunity to disrupt social media
• So we need to get the cell phones out of schools, and that is another opportunity to disrupt social media
• </c><00:18:10.480><c> to</c> and that is another opportunity to and that is another opportunity to disrupt

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Rep. Zach Stevenson and Sen. Mann presented Minnesota legislation aimed at requiring warning labels on social media platforms, modeled on the Surgeon General’s recommendation, and adding pop-up notifications every 30 minutes to show users how long they have been on a platform. They argued that social media use is linked to serious mental health harms among youth, including anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, and said the bill is part of a broader effort to add guardrails on big tech. They also referenced related Minnesota efforts on deepfakes, child influencers, platform-use disclosures, and a separate effort to remove cell phones from classrooms. The hearing featured emotional testimony from parents Bridget Noring and Tabitha Urbansky, who described losing sons to fentanyl poisoning after drugs were arranged through Snapchat. Both said social media platforms can function as drug markets and that warning labels and other restrictions could help prevent similar tragedies. Eric Mishy of SAVE and the Kids Campaign also testified in support, saying social media is contributing to anxiety, depression, suicide, sextortion, trafficking, bullying, and drug sales, and that companies have not done enough to stop these harms. In response to a question about the pop-up feature, Stevenson said the idea is new in Minnesota but similar to “are you still watching” prompts on streaming services, intended to add friction and interrupt addictive use. He and others said no state had yet enacted similar warning-label laws, though several have proposed them, and they emphasized that regulating technology companies is difficult because of their resources and lobbying power. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the transcript, though the bill was scheduled for a House Commerce Committee hearing the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• , so... ...characteristics, equal rights and opportunities in the educational institutions of the state
• But really today it's just about an opportunity to continue to affirm our students in success here in
• Thank you, Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, and members of the committee for giving me the opportunity
• Jesse Hernandez Reyes, on behalf of the Campaign for College Opportunity, in support.
• And so it is incumbent on us to make sure that there are real opportunities.

Summary: The committee heard SB 998, which would define and expand the roles of discrimination prevention coordinators in the Office of Civil Rights, including a new disability-focused coordinator and a deputy coordinator on anti-AAPI discrimination. The authors and supporters, including representatives from LGBTQ, Black, Latino, and AAPI caucuses, argued the bill would help schools proactively address discrimination, improve student safety and belonging, and support learning. Opposition from the California Faculty Association and SEIU California focused on the appointment structure and preference for regular civil service hiring, while some members questioned whether the bill duplicated existing anti-discrimination law and whether it would add government bloat. The committee ultimately voted SB 998 out on a due pass basis to the Senate Judiciary Committee and placed it on call. SB 1082 was then presented as a measure to streamline inter-district transfer appeals by requiring more timely district action, allowing concurrent review, and clarifying that a district’s failure to respond is not treated as a denial. The sponsor, the Association of California County Boards of Education, and supporters from Families in Action for Quality Education said the bill would reduce delays, improve fairness, and help families make timely educational decisions without changing districts’ authority to approve or deny transfers. The California School Boards Association had previously been opposed unless amended and said it would re-evaluate after the committee changes. The committee supported the measure, and SB 1082 was voted out as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee and placed on call. The committee also took up SB 960, which would revise the rules for community college baccalaureate degrees by tying authorization to local access gaps and impacted CSU programs rather than a blanket statewide prohibition. Supporters, including the Campaign for College Opportunity and several community college and education groups, argued the bill would expand access for place-bound and adult learners and better align programs with workforce needs. CSU representatives and the California Faculty Association opposed the bill, warning it could duplicate CSU offerings, worsen enrollment and funding pressures, and affect faculty jobs. Members debated the Master Plan for Higher Education, impaction, and whether the state should instead fully fund CSU capacity; the committee nevertheless recommended SB 960 for passage as amended to Appropriations and placed it on call. Finally, SB 965 was heard, a bill to make it easier for 16- and 17-year-olds to obtain public library cards without a parent or guardian physically present. The author and supporters said the bill would remove an unnecessary barrier to educational resources while preserving local library control over checkout policies and liability rules. The California Library Association expressed support for the goal but said details matter and urged language that preserves local discretion while encouraging reduced in-person requirements where feasible. The transcript ended during that testimony, before any committee vote on SB 965.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am patient, and I appreciate this opportunity.
• This will give us an opportunity to answer their questions and see where there’s agreement.
• But digital formats actually, they rot. There's a thing called bit rot.
• But digital formats actually, they rot. There's a thing called bit rot.
• It is harder to maintain digital files over years than it is actually paper records.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal by a 129-0 roll call vote. Members used a series of personal privilege remarks and special introductions to recognize law enforcement wellness, personal health updates, departing colleagues, interns, guests, and a House resolution honoring Dana Powell and her Chocolate Diamonds Foundation. The chamber also received Senate messages on HB 1871 and HB 2818, and committee reports recommending passage of SB 953, SB 1470, HB 1871, and HB 1940. The House agreed to conference on HCS for SBs 835 and 1111 and on HCS for SB 1020, with a conference committee appointed for SB 1020. The body then passed Senate Substitute for SBs 97 and 1011 by a 99-45 vote after extended debate over a provision barring foreign law and international bodies from having authority in Missouri; supporters framed it as protecting constitutional rights, while opponents argued it was unnecessary, politically motivated, and potentially disruptive to existing conflict-of-law and arbitration practices. The House next took up HCS for SB 1470, a legislative research/oversight cleanup bill. Members adopted an amendment removing privacy-sensitive sections and changing a requirement for the state auditor to assist in fiscal notes from mandatory to permissive, and then adopted a second amendment debate on committee composition that was ultimately defeated 50-94. The bill passed 148-1. Members also adopted an amendment to keep the statutory revision fund sweep threshold at current law, then passed HB 1470. Finally, the House adopted and finally passed HB 1940, the newspaper/public notice bill, and began debate on HB 1871, which combines county clerk and election administration changes with Senate-added campaign finance and polling-place provisions; the bill was described as improving transparency, donor notice, election testing, and clerk procedures, with further debate continuing on electioneering distance rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is about access, it is about opportunity, it is about affordability.
• And, but there's opportunities in this state.
• So this co-location study will really create new opportunities to connect North Dakota's digital economy
• Yeah, this is Applied Digital. Thank you.
• Thank you, Representative Chris Wisensky with Applied Digital. Yeah, we are Applied Digital.

Summary: The committee met in Fargo and approved the minutes from the March 31 meeting before hearing a series of informational presentations focused on North Dakota agriculture, water, and research. NDSU President David Cook opened with remarks about NDSU’s land-grant mission, emphasizing statewide service through research, teaching, and extension, and highlighting examples such as the Lilac Agriculture startup and the university’s role in applying research to real-world problems. He said he intends to spend time listening across the state to better understand local needs. The committee then received a detailed presentation on a state irrigation and drainage study from Tom Bodine on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The study projected significant potential for expanded irrigation acreage, especially in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau, and estimated major economic gains from irrigation, including higher farm returns and support for value-added agriculture. Members discussed water permits, surface water versus aquifers, infrastructure, drought resilience, and the role of legal drains in improving productivity and generating economic activity. The presenters also noted that the full report is available online. Dr. Greg Lardy followed with NDSU’s required interim report, outlining the university’s agricultural research and extension system, including the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, seven research-extension centers, and the economic importance of agriculture to the state. He highlighted recent research impacts such as new crop varieties, potato breeding successes, virtual fencing, AI-assisted weed control, weather-network tools, and 4-H programming. He also described NDSU’s budget priorities: restoring the governor’s proposed 10% cuts, additional operating support, and deferred maintenance funding. Committee members asked about the new agricultural field lab, storage sheds, and NDSU’s partnership with Grand Farm. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor presenting water-related research, including data center cooling, water reuse, smart irrigation, and a feasibility study on co-locating data centers with greenhouse and aquaculture production. Members asked about water use, ownership, and whether the concepts were operational or still speculative. Finally, North Dakota AgTech presented its NSF-funded innovation engine work, describing startup commercialization, on-farm trials, workforce development, and partnerships with NDSU, UND, tribal colleges, and other land-grant institutions. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the prior meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:16:10.880><c> to</c> director and get the opportunity to director and get the opportunity to
• </c> that opportunity to spend those funds. that opportunity to spend those funds.
• </c> that we've had for our digitization that we've had for our digitization project.<00:26:43.039><c
• </c> going forward to keep the digitization. going forward to keep the digitization.
• Is there an opportunity?

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 14 January, 2026; 1:00 PM, 925, all