Transcript Highlights:

• </c> language down the road. language down the road.
• And I live at 178 Pineh Hill Road, Hollis. So Pineh Hill Road being the street.
• And I live at 178 Pineh Hill Road, Hollis. So Pineh Hill Road being the street.
• And I live at 178 Pineh Hill Road, Hollis. So Pineh Hill Road being the street.
• So Pineh Hill Road being Road, Hollis. So Pineh Hill Road being the<01:56:23.920><c> street.

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and spoke with Jason if there was anything we could do to improve
• to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and spoke with Jason if there was anything we could do to improve
• and bridges sponsored by roads and bridges sponsored by representative representative representative
• You know, road naming is an honor to get to honor these folks that have given so much to our state and
• There's always changes coming and new things that need to be improved.

Keywords: Roll Call 00:23 Roll Call Approval of Minutes 00:57 HB 664 Discussion 01:26 HB 664 Vote 08:25 HB 682 Discussion 10:46 HB 682 Vote 12:12 HB 493 Discussion 13:00 HB 493 Vote 20:20 HJR 5 Discussion 21:14 HJR 5 Vote 25:08 Kavis and Sherriff’s Inspection Discussion 27:40 Admin. Reg Consideration 35:40, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met with a quorum, approved prior meeting minutes, and then took up several transportation-related measures. House Bill 664, concerning work zone safety, was amended by the committee to clarify that a peace officer may issue a citation based on images from an automated speed enforcement device. Representative John Blanton said the bill was prompted by the 2019 death of Jared Lee Helton in a work zone and is intended to slow drivers, protect workers, and improve safety. The bill would allow automated devices to transmit speed and rear license plate images to an officer, require active worker presence and warning signage with flashing lights, keep the $500 fine, and direct fines to the work zone safety fund. After questions about whether citations would be mailed and whether a worker must be present, the committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 664 favorably with expressions of opinion that it should pass. House Bill 682, sponsored by Representative Ken Upchurch, was also amended by a committee substitute and reported favorably. The bill gives cable operators and broadband providers the same reimbursement treatment as other public utilities when their facilities must be relocated for construction projects. House Bill 493, sponsored by Representative Steve Pollock, was taken up next and, after a committee substitute was adopted, was reported favorably. Pollock described the bill as a transparency measure for towing and storage, creating a certification process through the Transportation Cabinet, requiring public rate sheets, and setting rates to be reasonable and customary in Kentucky. The substitute removed an initial $1,500 cap, extended notice timing to up to five days in some cases, and clarified fees related to investigations and fatalities. Senators asked about regional differences in towing rates, and Pollock said the cabinet would consider different situations and that posted rates would govern. House Joint Resolution 5, designating honorary road and bridge names, was amended by both a committee substitute and committee amendment and then reported favorably. Representative Josh Branscum said the resolution honors various Kentuckians and is especially in memory of Russell County Deputy Joshua Fipps, who was killed in the line of duty in September 2024. The committee approved the resolution and a title amendment. Later in the meeting, Senator Armstrong asked to be recorded as voting aye on HB 664, HB 682, and HB 493. The committee also received an update from Transportation Cabinet IT Director Heather Stout on the CAVIS system, including improved performance, upcoming integration with KY ELT, centralized lien management, online boat renewals, permanent fleet plates, rolling replating changes, temporary tag printing, insurance modernization, and an electronic sheriff’s inspection system expected to reduce fraud and streamline transfers. No vote was taken on the CAVIS update, and the committee also began consideration of a referred administrative regulation on hazardous materials endorsement requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we moved down this little road to May.
• This process of continual improvement and innovation is consistent with our mission.
• But just know, there are a lot of things coming down the road that we're focused on.
• And hopefully improves the trust with clients, partners, and staff.
• So May is kind of the next rock in the road for folks not in King County.

Bills: SB5966

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: healthcare, nutrition, medically tailored meals, dietary support, food security, chronic illness, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They improve stakeholders as champions.
• </c> 26 on page three under state road 26 on page three under state road construction<01:06:50.640><c
• </c> the state uh transportation improvement the state uh transportation improvement program.
• or</c><01:31:01.280><c> other</c><01:31:01.520><c> road</c> road uh road construction or other road
• road uh road construction or other road projects.<01:31:02.560><c> Um</c><01:31:02.880><c> the</c><01

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have done some infrastructure improvements in particular.
• And early on, you know, we consider the local government our partner for the road... of coordinating
• on, you know, we considered the local government our partner for the road to recovery because, again
• The one road in, one road out, which is extremely well known in Hawaii, but I'm seeing it pretty much
• The one road in, one road out, which is extremely well known in Hawaii, but I'm seeing it pretty much

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Typically, the road authority is responsible for the installation of the signals and things, and then
• , utility extensions, road extensions, etc., to basically support development.
• </c><01:05:17.960><c> that</c> other infrastructure improvements that other infrastructure improvements
• </c><01:05:20.440><c> the</c> are necessary uh to improve the are necessary uh to improve the transportation
• </c> essentially to um uh the connecting road essentially to um uh the connecting road that<01:05:55.680

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• a $50 billion federal program designed to provide annual funding over five years through 2030 to improve
• Implementing provider training and remote care technologies to expand access, improve local capacity,
• Through that, we will be building a platform that integrates our siloed data sources to improve rural
• Page 27, line 291, $14 million for improvements to athletic facilities at UNM.
• So a lot of different sources for local roads. Oh, Mr.

Bills: SB193 , SB132 , SB35 , SB145

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects, SB132, DOIT, Department of Information Technology, software replacement, equipment replacement

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, go to page 14, road improvements.
• Overpass and the one above that that said road improvement, we're doing the Senate position because those
• Clarendon Road, Senate position. 0.05, Clarendon Road, third one down. Senate position. O.A., I-70.
• Do you mind, can we go back to Clarendon Road? A little more clarity here. Clarendon Road.
• road.

Committee: House Conference Committee on Budget

Summary: The conference committee spent most of the meeting working through House Bill 2, the education budget, with repeated debate over how to close the remaining gap in the foundation formula. Members discussed fund swaps involving the blind pension fund, capital commission fund, lottery proceeds, state school money, and classroom trust funds, with several senators arguing the committee should fully fund the formula if possible and warning against leaving schools with a shortfall. The committee also reviewed child care subsidies, Parents as Teachers language, school safety and assessment-related items, Title I reallocation language, and a compromise on flexibility percentages for certain education lines. Several members raised concerns about language restricting virtual Parents as Teachers visits and about child care subsidy language tied to enrollment-based payment and prospective payment, while others defended the compromise as a way to balance provider concerns and budget limits. House Bill 3, covering higher education, was also reviewed. The committee largely accepted Senate positions on appropriations, with a compromise on the St. Louis Community College nursing program and a new proposal directing the Department of Higher Education to develop a new funding model by December 1, 2026. That language drew concern from some members, who said the timeline was too aggressive and asked for more flexibility, but supporters said prior work on performance funding justified the deadline. The committee then moved through House Bill 2004, transportation, agreeing to a mix of Senate positions and compromises on items such as safety operations, low-volume roads, port funding, and road improvements, including a larger-than-expected appropriation for Clarendon Road tied to a State Fair relocation plan. House Bill 5, general administration and IT, generated the most controversy over new language directing a plan for state IT modernization and cloud migration; several members objected that it was too prescriptive, resembled a resolution, and could favor a specific vendor, but the chair said the goal was accountability and oversight. The committee left some House Bill 5 items open for further negotiation, then later returned to finalize several dollar amounts and a shorter conference proposal on the IT language. The committee also worked through House Bills 7, 8, and 9, mostly adopting Senate positions with a few compromises. House Bill 7 covered economic development and tourism items, including Main Street, Missouri One Start, broadband, Juneteenth, and the Great American State Fair, with some items set aside for later or moved to other bills. House Bill 8 focused on public safety and veterans’ funding, including school safety apps, fentanyl testing, crime lab workload, DNA testing, veterans’ programs, and Highway Patrol fleet and fuel items; members debated whether to keep fleet and fuel funding separated or rolled together, and several items were set at compromise levels. House Bill 9, covering mental health and corrections, was handled more briefly, with most items following Senate positions and a few compromises, including probation and parole funding and a reduction on one appropriation. The committee then recessed and later resumed with House Bill 2010, beginning work on another budget bill with a mix of Senate, House, and compromise positions on early line items, but the transcript cuts off before that bill is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• off our roads, and all the above.
• They're in our backyards, in our front yards, lining the roads that I grew up on.
• They're in our backyards, in our front yards, lining the roads that I grew up on.
• There's really improvements for flow in the rivers, as I had mentioned.
• We cannot continue down this road that we've gone so many times before.

Summary: The committee heard several water, wildlife, and land-use bills. AB 2218 by Assembly Member Calóra would establish a state policy directing agencies to recognize and address water-related inequities affecting tribes; tribal supporters said it is a needed step toward restoring a voice at the table, while water agencies and local government groups opposed it as vague and potentially harmful to water supply reliability. The bill was amended in committee and moved forward on a vote, though it was left on call. AB 2032 by Assembly Member Ransom, the Golden Mussel Response Act, would speed agency response to the invasive golden mussel by streamlining permits and research; it drew broad support and no opposition, and passed the committee unanimously to Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. AB 1712 by Assembly Member Pacheco would let Santa Fe Springs sell its small, contaminated water system through a protest process instead of a municipal election; supporters said it would avoid major rate hikes and improve reliability, and it was moved to Appropriations, though the vote was left on call. The committee also considered AB 1722 by Assembly Member Hadwick, which would create a clearer self-defense exception under the California Endangered Species Act for people facing dangerous predators. The author and a sheriff described a fatal mountain lion attack and argued rural residents need certainty; Defenders of Wildlife withdrew opposition after committee amendments, and the bill advanced to Judiciary on a vote that was left on call. AB 1613 by Assembly Member Wilson would require an off-highway vehicle safety and stewardship certification course before operating OHVs on public lands starting in 2029. Supporters said it would reduce accidents and educate new riders, while Vice Chair Gonzalez raised concerns about fees, penalties, tourism, and impacts on low-income residents in his district; the bill passed on a split vote and was left on call. Later, AB 1808 by Assembly Member Carrillo would expand local permitting authority for Western Joshua tree projects and reduce or waive some fees for homeowners and public works. Supporters framed it as a way to balance conservation with housing and infrastructure needs, while environmental groups opposed changes they said would weaken avoidance and mitigation protections; the bill passed to Natural Resources and was left on call. AB 1894 by Assembly Member Rubio would address imported water deliveries and groundwater recharge in the context of golden mussel restrictions, with supporters arguing for a statewide, science-based approach that preserves water reliability; it advanced to Appropriations with no opposition. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly emphasized the need to balance competing interests, especially around water reliability, tribal equity, public safety, and environmental protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• A car comes down a road going in a slow fashion because these are normally on back roads.
• The driver stops, may into the road.
• He's turned off the road. He's fashion. He's turned off the road.
• </c><01:04:14.319><c> I</c><01:04:14.559><c> turn</c> road. I see a deer in a field. I turn road.
• Continued improvement in wildlife management and habitat improvements will likely increase those revenue

Committee: House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's 1.2% for Chapter 90 for road miles, with 92% to the T.
• the road and bridge repair needed in our rural and less populated areas across the Commonwealth.
• repair needs, since these towns have extensive local road networks.
• have extensive local road networks.
• And was sold to voters as a way to strengthen public education and improve roads, bridges, and transit

Summary: The House convened with the Pledge of Allegiance, received and placed on file the resignation letter of Rep. Vanna Howard of Lowell, and adopted several routine committee reports. These included extensions of reporting deadlines for the Healthcare Financing and Public Health committees, concurrence with Senate petitions sent to Housing and Public Safety and Homeland Security, and suspension of Joint Rule 12 for a petition concerning children involved with DCF. The chamber also adopted a resolution commending the Admetek Foundation on Prostate Cancer Awareness Day. The main business was House No. 5264, a fiscal year 2026 supplemental appropriations bill totaling about $1.8 billion. House leaders described the bill as using Fair Share surtax surplus funds for transportation and education, addressing MBTA reserves, safety and infrastructure, special education circuit breaker costs, early education and childcare, and other deficiencies such as GIC costs, sheriff deficiencies, heating assistance, and World Cup-related expenses. Members also discussed the bill’s tax conformity provisions responding to federal tax changes, with supporters arguing the bill would reduce a projected revenue shortfall and preserve competitiveness while delaying some conformity changes. The House considered several amendments to the supplemental bill. Amendment 43, which would have redirected $100 million of Fair Share funds to a per-capita municipal distribution for roads and schools, drew debate over equity and rural road needs but was rejected on a roll call, 25-128. A consolidated amendment was then adopted on a roll call, 148-0, and the bill itself was passed to be engrossed on a roll call, 150-3. The House also adopted an amendment setting the next day’s meeting time and then adjourned to meet the following day at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• neighborhoods and helping to improving neighborhoods and helping to improve<00:13:10.000><c> health<
• people driving on local roads.
• </c> experience for example in improving experience for example in improving septic<01:23:20.280><c>
• Class Five roads are better.
• Class Five roads are better.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill applies to on-road heavy-duty vehicles, off-road diesel equipment, and several equipment vehicles
• off-road, and including special equipment.
• There's roads and equipment and lay-down facilities.
• Of course, we work on things and improve things.
• CEQA helped improve a harmful project that would have worsened air quality.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1375 by Senator Cortese, which would streamline environmental review for certain transit and rail projects that have already undergone extensive prior review. Supporters, including VTA, San Jose transportation staff, BART, Caltrain, MTC, and Climate Reality Silicon Valley, said the bill would reduce duplicative analysis, save time and money, and help advance projects like the Diridon Station modernization in San Jose. Committee members emphasized the bill’s narrow scope and the added amendments requiring displacement planning, legal services for displaced residents, construction-impact mitigation, and natural resources planning. The bill was approved on a 5-0 vote and sent to Transportation as amended. The committee also took up SB 1031 on compostable plastics labeling and waste-stream impacts. The author and supporters such as Californians Against Waste argued the bill would reduce greenwashing, clarify labeling, cut contamination in compost and recycling streams, and direct OEHHA to study health and environmental effects. Opposition from manufacturers, BPI, retailers, and others focused on concerns that the bill would effectively ban compostable products in California, create costs, and fail to fix a separate federal/NOP labeling problem. After extensive discussion about composting capacity, labeling clarity, and costs, the bill passed 3-2 to Appropriations. SB 958 by Senator Weber Pierson addressed the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego. The bill, as amended, would no longer create a full CEQA exemption but instead clarify CEQA treatment of building-height impacts in the project’s future EIR. Supporters said the project would deliver thousands of housing units, including affordable housing, along with parks, a new arena, and economic benefits on underused city land. The committee voiced support for the project’s housing and revitalization goals, and the bill passed 3-0 to Local Government as amended. The committee also heard SB 1075 on strengthening AB 617 community air protection plans, with environmental justice supporters backing stronger enforcement and local implementation while local governments, business groups, and air district representatives warned it could create uncertainty, raise costs, and function as a land-use mandate; the bill was held on a 2-2 vote after the author accepted several amendments and continued negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The plans can always be improving.
• </c> The status of improvement was unknown. The status of improvement was unknown.
• And again, we don't care if it's state road, county roads, or private land. We're going to do it.
• Yeah, you mentioned maybe even shutting down some roads or contraflowing some road patterns.
• </c> contraflowing some some road patterns. contraflowing some some road patterns.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on hazard mitigation planning and recent tsunami and wildfire threats. Chair Dela Buladi opened by framing the meeting around the need for iterative disaster planning and lessons learned from events such as the Lahaina wildfires, the Puna Coast earthquake/tsunami, and recent wildfire activity. The committee heard first from Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Tomage Magno, who explained the federal and local hazard mitigation planning process, including the requirement for an active five-year mitigation plan to qualify for federal disaster funds. He described the plan as a living document built from prior plans, public and agency outreach, risk and capability assessments, and ongoing updates, with county departments, state agencies, and subject matter experts participating in the process. Magno outlined several FEMA-related mitigation funding programs, including flood mitigation assistance, post-fire assistance, pre-disaster mitigation, revolving loan funds, and dam safety grants. He emphasized that the Hawaii County plan was recently approved by FEMA, that the county council approves the plan, and that the county reviews it annually with a formal revision process beginning in the fourth year. Members asked about how the plan tracks project status, how priorities and funding changes are handled, and whether federal funding programs might be affected by HR1; Magno said the county is proceeding on the assumption that funding will remain available and noted some sources have been reestablished. He also said the county encourages council participation in meetings and planning. Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen then addressed the committee on DOT’s response to a recent tsunami threat, saying the agency had about four hours to prepare before the first wave arrival and was focused on its own operational response rather than the broader statewide planning process. In response to questions, he stated that FHWA funds cannot be used for evacuation routes, which is why prior legislative funding was important. Members also discussed specific mitigation projects such as fire breaks, bridge retrofits, and the Singing Bridge, with DOT noting that work is underway and that a replacement bridge upstream is being planned to carry traffic during repairs. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• that need to be done down the road?
• Where they set the boundaries, we still use county roads as a dividing point.
• avoid road restrictions.
• avoid road restrictions.
• avoid road restrictions.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know in the road plan, you know, it may not be apples to apples, but in a road project, sometimes it'll
• take them a year and a half, two years just to get the design finished on a road. >> Right?
• >> So in the road project, sometimes we'll ask for, like Representative Bowling was saying, just give
• back home, it apples, but in in a road back home, it takes<00:20:49.760><c> you</c><00:20:49.840><c>
• ,</c> design finished on a on a road, design finished on a on a road, &gt;&gt; right?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee heard testimony from the Energy and Environment Cabinet on the state-owned dam repair program and Kentucky’s electric grid resilience program. On dams, Commissioner Tony Hatton explained the legal definition and hazard classifications for Kentucky dams, noting there are 975 regulated dams statewide, including 76 state-owned dams, and that hazard ratings are based on potential loss of life or property damage if a dam fails. He described the cabinet’s screening criteria, including inundation mapping, engineering condition, and compliance status, and said the cabinet uses a design-bid-build procurement process to manage public funds responsibly. Hatton outlined current and planned dam projects funded from the prior biennium, including Willisburg Lake in Washington County, where work will address hydraulic capacity, unstable downstream slopes, and likely require a coffer dam, flood wall, auxiliary spillway, and raw water line replacement. He also said Big Bone Lake State Park Dam will be decommissioned, Clemens Lake Dam at Morehead State University is in design for a major rehabilitation, and additional projects include Marion County Sportsman’s Dam, Chenoa Lake Creek/Canning Creek Dam, and a rehabilitation study for the Mud River at Lake Malone. The cabinet also requested $500,000 for routine repairs and maintenance. Members questioned cost estimates, inflation, and whether it would be better to fund design separately; cabinet officials said estimates are current best engineering estimates, costs have generally stayed within about 10%, and the current funding flow requires all funds to be available before bidding. The committee then received a status update on the electric grid resilience program, a five-year federal formula grant under Section 40101(d) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Officials said Kentucky has received years one through three of funding, which has been allocated to state park facilities and municipal electric utilities, while years four and five have not yet been received and would go to distribution cooperatives and remaining municipal utilities. Projects discussed included upgrades at Ken Lake State Park and Kentucky Dam Village, plus municipal projects in Owensboro, Princeton, Williamstown, and Hopkinsville. The cabinet said the selected projects focus on hardening infrastructure, replacing poles, wires, conductors, and transformers, improving vegetation management, and adding or upgrading outage management systems. Officials reported that all projects are under contract and moving into subcontracting and construction, while the Department of Parks is finalizing an agreement with Western Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative for the park-related work.

Transcript Highlights:

• need to be made, but that would be on down the road and ultimately the responsibility of the regional
• We raised that dam and actually expanded the capacity, so that's an area of improvement.
• And so, you know, when animals are running across the road, somebody's mind prioritizes around.
• Yes, we need to improve our environmental conditions and we need to securitize our water supply.
• TIRCP is important for long-term capital projects that improve service quality and reliability.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview of the May Revision from the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, focused on resources, environmental protection, energy, and related budget issues. Finance said the May Revision keeps the budget balanced in 2026-27 and 2027-28, narrows the structural deficit, and proposes major investments in natural resources, including Proposition 4 bond funding for the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, wildlife refuge and wetland projects, Fort Ord Dunes campground operations, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, wildfire-human coexistence, and beverage container recycling. The LAO praised stronger-than-expected revenues but argued the state still has a structural deficit and is relying too heavily on reserves, recommending more reserve deposits and fewer new discretionary expenditures. Members questioned several proposals, especially the Golden Gate Fields purchase and the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program. Agency officials said the Golden Gate Fields site is a time-limited opportunity, would be remediated by the current owner, transferred to East Bay Regional Park District after closing, and restricted to park/open-space uses rather than commercial development. On Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, Finance and the Natural Resources Agency said the $25 million request would help launch year one of the program, support scientific monitoring, and maintain commitments to environmental flows and habitat restoration; the LAO said the request was premature because the Bay-Delta plan has not yet been formally adopted and the state’s total funding commitment remains unclear. Officials also discussed water storage, subsidence, and the need for ongoing investments in aquifer recharge, aqueduct repairs, and recycling. The committee also reviewed a proposed $1 million shift for the Coexisting with Wildlife Initiative. Fish and Wildlife and the Cattlemen’s Association said the money would support limited-term staffing, deterrence tools, and livestock-loss compensation, while acknowledging the amount is modest compared with the need. Members emphasized the growing human-wildlife conflict problem and the importance of nonlethal deterrence and public education. The discussion then turned to greenhouse gas reduction fund revenues and transit; members warned that lower auction revenues and possible CARB rule changes could leave little or nothing for Tier 3 programs such as transit, clean water, and air-quality programs. Finance and the LAO said the Legislature should plan for multiple revenue scenarios and consider whether the existing cap-and-invest spending framework still matches current revenue expectations and priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our energy partners to better manage the road network in the Bakken.
• We've improved profitability and sustainability of crop production across North Dakota.
• We estimate the conditions of the paved roads.
• We survey the counties about the gravel roads, and we come up with investment needs for the unpaved roads
• and transportation assistance, mostly road planning, safety, and operations.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed the 2024-25 tuition waiver report for the North Dakota University System. Staff explained that waivers were reported for degree-seeking students and broken out by residency, institution, and waiver type. Members asked about partial versus full waivers, institutional discretion, athletic waivers, and whether campuses have published guardrails or transparency requirements. Staff said most waivers are set by institutions, with some statutory and board-required categories, and that athletic waivers are a small share of total waiver dollars. The report showed total gross tuition of $354.5 million, tuition waived of $38.9 million, and 11,193 of 42,040 students receiving some waiver. Members also discussed how waivers affect net tuition revenue, housing and food collections, and whether campuses are using waivers strategically compared with scholarships and other funding sources. The committee then heard a presentation on tuition rates by campus and State Board policy. Staff explained the board’s tuition factors for resident, Minnesota reciprocity, contiguous-state/U.S. nonresident, and international students, and noted that campuses often seek exceptions based on program-specific competition and enrollment goals. Members asked whether rates are based on cost or competition, and staff said campuses typically bring forward estimates and market comparisons when requesting special rates. The presentation also reviewed general fund appropriations versus net tuition revenue by campus, and members discussed how local tuition decisions and waivers do not directly affect the state funding formula, though they do affect institutional revenue and reserves. Questions were also raised about the Higher Learning Commission’s financial composite indicator and how it differs from the more intuitive reserve and revenue figures. The committee next received a broad overview of non-higher-education entities affiliated with the State Board of Higher Education, beginning with NDSU agriculture-related units. Dr. Greg Lardy described the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, the NDSU Extension Service, the Agricultural Experiment Station, and the branch research centers, emphasizing their statewide role in crop and livestock research, extension education, and county-based outreach. He outlined funding mixes for extension, the experiment station, and branch stations, noting that grants and contracts support both research and education, while the agronomy seed farm is self-funded through seed sales. Members asked about the new and vacant FTE pool, R1 research status, matching requirements for grants, and whether state appropriations count toward research expenditures. Dr. Lardy also highlighted major research impacts, including crop varieties, virtual fencing, AI-assisted weed control, and NDAWN weather data. The Northern Crops Institute and the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute also presented. NCI described its role in market development, technical services, and education for regional agriculture, its governance through the Northern Crops Council, and its funding from state appropriations, other states, and earned revenue. Members asked about the source of out-of-state funding, intellectual property, and the institute’s international reach. UGPTI then outlined its transportation research, federal and state funding structure, and work on road and bridge condition assessments, travel demand modeling, and workforce training. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the back of a truck, so you have 35 feet behind the truck when towing a travel trailer down the road
• rather than relying on measurements that do not reflect how these vehicles actually operate on the road
• This structural design improves stability, reduces sway, and allows for a tighter and more predictable
• allows Washington RV dealers to sell the same fifth-wheel models available elsewhere without changing road
• state in the country not currently measuring or allowing fifth-wheel trailers of this length on the road

Bills: HB2467 , HB2495 , HB2552

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: HB 2467, fifth-wheel travel trailer, fifth wheel trailer, travel trailer, RV, recreational vehicle, trailer length, vehicle length limits, oversize vehicle, truck and trailer, tractor-semitrailer, semi-trailer, kingpin, Washington RCW, Department of Transportation, WSDOT, highway safety, commercial trucking, towing, motor home

Transcript Highlights:

• It improves the information on which these decisions are made by requiring CARB to analyze how major
• And that has significantly improved air quality.
• And that's because they want to improve our roads, as was mentioned.
• Repairs because of how lousy our roads are.
• and repair that we just heard about, how important our roads are.

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Keywords: 987, senate, all