Transcript Highlights:

• needed to stay in in the housing. needed to stay in in the housing.
• need all across the state. need all across the state. Chair<00:17:24.880> Gomez.
• It's, I think, we need to, as members of this body, need to have special ed reimbursement as well. special
• that we need to pay close attention to. that we need to pay close attention to.
• And we need to do that.

Bills: HF3425

Keywords: supportive housing, grants, housing assistance, funding, Minnesota Statutes, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:40.440> to not underfunding this so we need to not underfunding this so we need to
• extra and special extra and special Duty<00:12:05.560> right<00:12:06.000> correct
• it would only allow... special special duty pay as special special duty pay as um um um um<00:13:21.399
• um if you're working say 10% special um if you're working say 10% special Duty<00:13:41.000>
• I don't see that we need it.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee reviewed selected House Bill 2 provisions, focusing first on the group two pension reform language and whether it matched prior legislation and the fiscal note. Members discussed two main issues: the treatment of extra and special duty pay in the pension calculation for employees hired before 2011, and the annuity multiplier after 15 years of creditable service. Several members said the HB 2 language was intended to restore prior law and protect against pension “spiking,” while others worried the draft and fiscal note may not have fully reflected current law, potentially affecting the cost estimate. The discussion repeatedly emphasized the need to avoid underfunding or double counting and to make sure Finance had the correct actuarial assumptions. No vote was taken; the committee agreed to flag the issues for Finance and to clarify the fiscal note. Members also discussed the vested-rights language, which was described as an explicit definition of vesting and a restriction on future legislative changes to compensation calculations after three years of service. Some viewed it as a policy protection with no immediate fiscal impact, while others noted it had been included in prior legislation and should be clearly understood before the bill moved forward. The committee also briefly referenced prior pension legislation, including House Bill 436 and House Bill 727, and noted that HB 2 was being used to carry forward related pension repair provisions. The committee then turned to an OPLC-related section transferring building, plumbing, electrical, and fuel gas inspector positions from OPLC to the Department of Safety’s Fire Marshal’s office. Testimony explained that the nine inspector positions are funded from the licensing fund, and that the move was justified as a public-safety function better aligned with the Fire Marshal’s mission because the inspections are statewide code-enforcement work rather than facility-specific licensing work. The discussion ended with a note that the remaining HB 2 changes run through 2034 and a brief announcement about memorial arrangements for C.J. Gerard.

Transcript Highlights:

• Appropriating funds for the expenses of the 57th Legislature First Special Session 2025.
• organized and ready to conduct the business of the First Special Session of the 57th Legislature.
• Members, it is my honor to call to order the First Special Session of the 57th Legislature.
• Both our permanent staff and those who are joining us for this special session.
• This special session should be about lifting up our communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• You need two-thirds of each house.
• You need twothirds of these amendments. You need twothirds of each<00:13:06.880> house.
• There are no special interests.
• <00:56:29.680> special controls the whole thing. special controls the whole thing. special
• There are no special in a row.

Keywords: Concurrent meeting of the House Standing Committee on Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs and the House Standing Committee on State Government. Title of video has been shortened due to YouTube length restrictions. Discussion of HCR 45: 00:04:14, 958, all

Summary: The joint meeting of the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and the House State Government Committee was called to consider House Concurrent Resolution 45, sponsored by Representative Jason Petri. The resolution would support calling for a federal balanced budget amendment through the Article V process. Petri argued that Kentucky’s own constitutional balanced-budget requirement shows the value of fiscal restraint, and he said decades of federal deficit spending and rising debt make a constitutional amendment necessary. Governor Ron DeSantis and Lauren Ends of the National Campaign for a Balanced Budget Amendment also testified in support, emphasizing the growth of federal debt, the risk of a future debt crisis, and the view that Congress is unlikely to solve the problem on its own. Members asked about the mechanics and risks of an Article V convention, including whether the convention’s “sole purpose” language would be enforceable and whether a convention could become a “runaway” process. DeSantis and Ends said states can impose guardrails on delegates, including criminal penalties and delegate-limitation laws, and noted that any proposed amendment would still require ratification by 38 states. They also said that if Congress chose to draft the amendment itself in response to state pressure, that would be acceptable. One witness said 18 states have passed faithful-delegate or delegate-limitation laws. Representative Callaway asked what would happen if the debt issue is not addressed. Witnesses responded that continued borrowing could lead to economic dislocation, higher interest costs, and a debt crisis that would crowd out other federal spending. They said the current debt burden is already more than $100,000 per U.S. citizen and roughly $300,000 per taxpayer, and that a balanced budget amendment would be a first step toward stopping the growth of debt before any long-term paydown could occur. The transcript provided does not show a final vote or other committee action on the resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that needs to be revised.
• We need outcomes.
• Or do I need to use that money right here, right now, to pay for a special education EA teacher to go
• Those schools needed those funds.
• I am a special education teacher. I've been a special education director as well as a principal.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't need an action besides moving them to special language, okay?
• Those will all go to special language without objection. All right, special language.
• need.
• With that, this is an item that needs a motion due pass. So I need a motion due pass.
• We don't need to lose that.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think this is pretty special.
• can make him feel special today.
• We need to find a balance to make sure that our departments have the funds that they need, but also when
• So I need to renew my motion.
• We need that.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the previous day’s journal by a 129-0 vote. Members then spent considerable time on points of personal privilege and introductions, including remarks recognizing law enforcement wellness, personal health updates, legislative service and family sacrifices, interns, visiting students, and special guests such as a St. Louis entrepreneur honored with a House resolution and a visiting governor from Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The chamber then received Senate messages and committee reports before moving to conference requests on Senate Bills 835 and 1111 and Senate Bill 1020, both of which were approved for conference committees. The House also passed Senate Bills 977 and 1011, a measure barring international organizations or foreign law from exercising authority in Missouri or being used to deny “fundamental rights,” after debate over its scope and concerns about foreign-law venue rules and its practical effect; the final vote was 99-45. Senate Bill 1470, dealing with legislative research and statutory publication procedures, was amended and passed 148-1 after debate over reducing committee size, shifting publication to a primarily web-based format, and preserving printed archival copies. The House then adopted and finally passed Senate Bill 1940, the public notices/newspaper bill, by 142-1, with discussion focused on modernizing notice publication rules and election-related deadlines. It also took up Senate Bill 1871, which included county clerk and election administration provisions and a Senate amendment incorporating campaign finance language; debate emphasized ballot testing timelines and election transparency. The transcript ends during discussion of that bill, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a rate increase for certain populations, including children, individuals with special needs
• I think the bill was trying to specifically focus on adults with special needs.
• dentists to be able to receive the proper compensation, and we were talking about that special-needs
• for dentist to be able to receive the proper compensation and we were talking about that special needs
• population right um now talking about that special needs population right now we've kind of separated

Summary: The committee reviewed a series of Arkansas DHS and Department of Health rules, most tied to 2025 legislation. Early items covered Medicaid changes including presumptive eligibility application timing, adding a fictive kin definition for foster child eligibility, raising the able account disability onset age to 46, allowing continuous glucose monitors to be billed by both pharmacy and DME providers, increasing the RSV vaccine administration fee for children, a telemedicine exemption for ET3 ambulance services, and a physical therapy access rule that also included occupational therapy. Members generally asked limited questions and most rules were reviewed without objection. A major portion of the meeting focused on the dental rate increase rule under Act 1025. DHS said it implemented rate increases for certain pediatric, special-needs, and oral surgeon services, but not orthodontics, and it interpreted the act as applying only to oral and maxillofacial surgeons, not general dentists. The Arkansas State Dental Association and legislative sponsors testified that the intent was to cover general dentists performing oral surgery procedures for special-needs patients, estimating the broader interpretation would add about $1.5 million annually. Committee members debated the plain language of the act versus legislative intent, and the rule was reviewed, but with testimony noting the issue should be fixed in future legislation. Later items included the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies rule adding doula and lactation consultant billing and remote monitoring benefits; an adverse decisions rule extending provider appeal time from 35 to 65 days; CNA training program updates; PASSE network-status disclosure rules; certification rules for community-based doulas and community health workers; cosmetology, massage therapy, lead-based paint, radiation, radiologic technology, and RV park rule updates. Most of these were described as technical, statutory, or federally driven changes and were reviewed without objection. The committee briefly reopened the CGM rule after a motion to expunge the prior vote, and Representative Wardlaw said he would hold the rule for further review because he believed the billing changes did not match the law’s intent. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the special session, we funded those for two years, so this appropriation doesn't really need to happen
• I mean they don't really need the money.
• We need to be able to train them for those skills that these companies are going to need. Need.
• So do we need energy fields? Do we need to throw in the Spaceport? What are we missing?
• invest, and we need to have those returns, and we need to pay people what the best people can do to get

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But you said he worked with special needs children, was it your son? He's my oldest son.
• , their director... informed them that they needed to serve fewer special needs children.
• needs, even though they were.
• As these special ed numbers really go up, we're going to need to take care of those.
• We need to make, to y'all's point, we need to reward the good charter schools, and we need to get rid

Bills: HB1540, HB3837, HB5571, SB370, SB2425

Keywords: government review, Texas Sunset Act, regulatory oversight, agencies, sunset provisions, autonomous vehicles, regulation, safety, criminal offense, Autonomous Vehicle Commission, registration, regulations, Level 4 automation, Level 5 automation, self-driving technology, traffic laws, permit system, collision reporting, safety standards, Automated Vehicle Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• The next order of business is introduction of special guests. Introduction of special guests.
• Introduction of special guests. Proceed, gentlemen.
• Introduction of special guest. Proceed, lady.
• Special introduction from a microphone not my own.
• , and then we need to do it fairly quickly.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the House Journal for the prior day by a 126-0 roll call, and then moved through several points of personal privilege and guest introductions. Members recognized National Fentanyl Awareness Day, honored journalist Ray Hartman with a moment of silence, and welcomed numerous student groups, interns, and other visitors to the chamber. The main floor action centered on conference committee report HB 2637/HB 3155, a large public safety package. Members discussed its size and scope, including juvenile justice changes, mental health provisions, cyberstalking language, drone restrictions, prosecutorial salaries, and sex offender registry issues. The House first approved a motion allowing conferees to exceed the differences, then adopted the conference report 124-13, passed the bill 119-18, and adopted an emergency clause for the drone-related sections 125-15. Supporters said the bill improved earlier legislation, while opponents criticized the bill’s length and constitutionality. The House then passed Senate Bill 834, a consumer protection measure combining mortgage modification rules with protections against predatory residential sale-leaseback transactions, by 139-1. Members said it would help homeowners and small businesses and improve transparency. The chamber also passed Senate Bill 937, a land transfer bill authorizing the governor to dispose of certain state properties, by 137-2-1 after a minor amendment, and Senate Bill 938, which raises recording-related fees from $4 to $6 to fund the land survey program and recorder of deeds offices, by 121-21-2. Finally, the House passed House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 973, a wholesaler/consumer protection bill that was amended to remove a school property right-of-first-refusal provision and add land bank language, by 110-36. The House then announced upcoming committee meetings, noted bills moving to the informal calendar, and adjourned until April 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• of special ed in Lakeville, and I've served charter schools as a director of special ed as well.
• I'm also a parent of children with special needs, and I serve on the school board in Lakeville schools
• needs<00:17:00.639> and<00:17:00.880> I<00:17:01.040> serve children with special
• needs and I serve children with special needs and I serve on<00:17:01.360> the<00:17:01.440><
• Do we need to change legal definitions? Do we need to change the<01:16:37.679> law?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• deliberative sessions and special deliberative sessions and special meetings. meetings. meetings
• The process of special special meeting.
• Can call special meetings. morning. Can call special meetings.
• So C, do we need to uh uh consider city So C, do we need to uh uh consider city elections?
• I need a second. 2025-2326H. Represent. I need a second.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on uh Grant standard issue on a special on uh Grant standard issue on a special fund<00:27:00.039
• ball security as a use for the special ball security as a use for the special fund<00:29:22.320>
• Okay, thank you. per Hub Farms per need the just need per Hub Farms per need the just need okay<00:43
• They don't need it.
• No, they no longer need this general excise tax credit. I do. They don't need it.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Agriculture and Environment hearing on January 27, 2025, took up multiple measures, beginning with a proposed constitutional amendment, HB 559, to recognize a right to clean water and air, a healthful environment, climate, native ecosystems, and beaches. The Attorney General’s Office testified with concerns that the amendment’s broad language could create challenges for future legislatures and environmental enforcement, while the Climate Commission and DLNR supported it. Environmental and advocacy groups, including Climate Protectors Hawaii, 350 Hawaii, Greenpeace Hawaii, and others, strongly supported the measure, arguing it would strengthen decision-making and protect Hawaii’s natural resources. Committee members raised questions about how the amendment would interact with existing constitutional protections and recent litigation, and the AG’s office said the proposal could lead to broad judicial interpretation and possible liability issues. The hearing then moved on without a recorded vote on this bill. The committee next heard SB 552, which would establish a healthy soils program in the Department of Agriculture and require annual reporting and funding. The Climate Change Commission supported the bill, and the Department of Agriculture said it stood on its submitted testimony but noted existing commissions and the greenhouse gas sequestration task force already address similar objectives, suggesting SB 552 may duplicate current efforts. Agricultural and environmental advocates, including the Hawaii Farmers Union, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and others, supported the concept of a consolidated healthy soils program, saying it would better organize existing efforts, improve access for producers, and support conservation practices. The Agribusiness Development Corporation said it would support either DOA or ADC administering the program, and committee discussion focused on implementation, program overlap, and whether the bill should better integrate existing compost reimbursement and related efforts. The final measure discussed in the excerpt was SB 678, which would create an Agricultural Development Food Security Special Fund, dedicate a portion of the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to it, and appropriate funds equal to 3% of the state budget for agriculture. The Department of Agriculture strongly supported the bill, saying the funding would align with its goals and help support farmers and ranchers. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Department of Budget and Finance raised concerns that the proposed special fund may not meet statutory criteria. Farm and industry groups generally supported the measure but suggested changes, including adding uses related to local food sourcing, distribution, and biosecurity. Committee members questioned the scale of the appropriation, noting it could amount to roughly $250 million and a major increase in DOA’s budget, and discussed whether the department could realistically implement such a large program. The hearing ended with testimony counts noted for the measures heard, and the chair indicated the committee would reconvene later for any unfinished business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Murphy to designate special orders. Murphy to designate special orders.
• They need to occur. We need to valuable. They need to occur.
• /c> need all hands on deck.
• We need to have need all hands on deck.
• It's time to say no to those special special special interests.<00:49:41.760> Adopt<00:49:42.319

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand that we need to grow businesses.
• And that's the special, that's something that really specially just happens here.
• So I wanted to make this day special for Senator Murdock because he's so special to me.
• We needed a...
• And so we will miss that because sometimes we do need to be asked that and we need to ask some more questions

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, the governor has to agree um to the special session deal, right?
• for the the special session trajectory? for the the special session trajectory?
• governor has to agree um to the special governor has to agree um to the special session<00:04:55.680
• the governor calls us in special the governor calls us in special session.<00:05:08.240> They
• I think we will have a special session?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We focused on English language learners, homeless students, and special education students.
• Short-term interventions and up to more intensive interventions, such as special education.
• have to imagine a lot of their special ed pieces were in place to...
• Population, so I would have to imagine a lot of their special ed pieces were in place to move.
• A lot of my heart is with special education.

Summary: The committee meeting began with a brief explanation of the renamed Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee subcommittee, now called the Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits, and a presentation from the State Auditor’s Office on its current biennium performance audit work plan. The auditor described how topics are selected from a large pool of potential audits and highlighted several ongoing or planned audits, including the Liquor and Cannabis Board, oversight of authorized entities serving students with disabilities, the Quality Home Care Initiative, Medicaid managed care versus fee-for-service costs, the Housing Commission tenant ownership follow-up, DSHS vendor payment patterns, implementation of the Since Time Memorial curriculum, and the Washington State ferry system. Members asked about coordination with JLARC to avoid duplication, and the auditor said the offices exchange work plans, monthly updates, and quarterly coordination meetings. The committee then heard the State Auditor’s performance audit on how charter schools identify and support at-risk students. Auditors reviewed four charter schools—Catalyst Public Schools, Innovation High School, Pinnacles Prep, and Rainier Prep—and focused on English language learners, homeless students, and special education students. The audit found the schools met nearly all legal requirements reviewed, with only one area where two schools partially met a language-access requirement. The schools also used several promising practices, including small-group instruction, culturally responsive environments, and multi-tiered systems of support, though the auditors recommended better documentation of procedures to improve consistency. Families interviewed generally reported positive experiences, while noting resource constraints. Committee members asked about how the four schools were selected, whether the audit compared charter populations to home districts, and how MTSS requirements applied to the schools reviewed. The State Auditor’s Office said the sample was chosen for geographic diversity, student population characteristics, and representation from both authorizers, and that K-2 MTSS requirements were not evaluated because they applied to only one school. Representatives from the Charter School Commission and charter school advocates responded positively, emphasizing technical assistance, collaboration, and sharing best practices across schools. Two public testifiers also supported the report and said it highlighted effective practices that could be expanded across charter and traditional public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• there'll be state state special there'll be state state special Appropriations<00:26:43.679>
• So that is $139 million of specials, so we'll hear back from different specials and what they're doing
• so we'll hear back from specials so we'll hear back from different<00:35:17.560> specials<00:
• The largest state special appropriation for agriculture is called the Agricultural State Special.
• established in 1969 it's a need-based established in 1969 it's a need-based program<00:47:52.119

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Higher Ed Finance and Policy Committee met to begin a budget overview for higher education. The chair noted quorum, committee member introductions, and that Democratic members were absent. The chair also said the Office of Higher Education would not be appearing for the planned budget deep dive, so nonpartisan fiscal staff would present instead. Ken Savory, the committee’s nonpartisan fiscal analyst, introduced a presentation on the higher education finance structure and timeline. Savory explained the state budget cycle, the difference between direct appropriations, statutory appropriations, open appropriations, base funding, tails, and one-time appropriations, and how those concepts apply to higher education. He described the committee’s usual budget areas: the Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State, the University of Minnesota, and the Mayo Foundation. He also reviewed historical spending charts showing higher education’s share of the general fund over time, the 2/3-1/3 funding policy in statute, and how tuition and general fund support have shifted. He noted that the FY 26-27 base for the Office of Higher Education area is about $725 million, including roughly $450 million for the State Grant program and about $99 million for North Star Promise. Members asked about comparing the current budget to earlier biennia, and staff responded that they would need to calculate the percentage difference. The chair then summarized prior budget growth, saying the previous budget was about $650 million over base and the current budget/tail was about $450 million over base. Staff also reviewed the 2024 omnibus higher education bill, including a roughly $5 million reduction to North Star Promise that was redirected to the Fostering Independence Grant program and a $500,000 appropriation for Minnesota State’s Kids on Campus program. The committee did not take any formal votes or actions during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll help you if you need to.
• So they need more.
• So, larger conversations need to be had.
• Some of our students actually in the minority groups are over-identified as special needs.
• Here that needs to be kind of addressed.