Transcript Highlights:

• The blue line you see there is what normally we translate to inflation which is a consumer price index
• We estimate the shortfall again to be around 10 million and That is tough.
• That's not price-based, but it's not just competitively bid when we do construction projects.
• I think some of it was almost like a market correction where prices were probably too low.
• Thank goodness that fuel prices have come down because that helps our economy a whole lot.

Committee: House Appropriations and Budget

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:36:23.480><c> that</c> governmental risk pools estimates that governmental risk pools estimates
• If they, between now and implementation, do nothing, essentially, we provided us an estimate of their
• </c> know uh for example um high price know uh for example um high price prescription<00:53:35.599><c
• </c> we saw we did not have the pricing we saw we did not have the pricing flexibility<01:40:06.760><
• <02:30:06.800><c> for</c><02:30:07.040><c> the</c> price for the price for the year<02:30:09.720><c>

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:56:26.319><c> under</c> The total number that we estimated under The total number that we estimated
• That means the tax will ultimately show up in the price consumers pay at the shelf.
• Retail operates on tight margins and intense price competition.
• Retail operates on tight margins and intense price competition.
• Retail operates on tight margins and intense price competition.

Bills: HF3793 , HF3699 , HF793 , HF3322 , HF3426

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: groundwater, water use permit, data centers, public health, environmental regulations, municipalities, state park license plate, specialty license plate, Minnesota DNR, Department of Natural Resources, license plate design contest, North Shore, Lake Superior Agate, AI-generated art, artificial intelligence, Minnesota resident, state parks, specialty plates, vehicle registration, contest requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• sure that the estimated half a million<00:01:40.600><c> adult</c><00:01:41.640><c> Minnesotans</c><00
• Selwood, got better information than that. sense of pricing on these cuz sense of pricing on these cuz
• 00:53:59.840><c> conscious</c> to price conscious to price conscious shoppers<00:54:01.920><c> and</c
• a higher priced we are now mandating a higher priced uh<00:54:32.080><c> across</c><00:54:32.440><c>
• Combined, we estimate that HRAs own over 35,000 rental homes in Minnesota.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In 1976, if you looked at the price for a bushel of wheat in Idaho, this is interesting.
• Guess what a price for a bushel of wheat brings a farmer today? You're getting about $6.
• The farmer should be getting, based on the price...
• The farmers should be getting, based on the price in 1976, about $16.50.
• Diesel prices, however, since 1976 have gone up 744%. Now, why am I telling you this?

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Another stat that USDA actually published is the estimated take-home pay for Washington farmers.
• Another stat that USDA actually published is the estimated take-home pay for Washington farmers.
• It's increasing the competing uses for land, and many times ag producers are being priced out.
• You heard that the price of land has gone up.
• Most people are familiar with the wonderful egg prices that we’ve gone through.

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met for a work session focused on Washington agriculture’s condition, food security, behavioral health, and animal disease surveillance. WSDA Director Derek Sandison and economist Maddie Roy presented an update on agricultural viability, describing Washington agriculture as highly diverse and valuable but increasingly strained by rising production and labor costs, aging producers, consolidation, trade barriers, land pressures, stagnant research funding, infrastructure concerns, and climate impacts. They cited declining farm numbers, falling net farm income, and negative take-home pay for farmers, while also noting strengths such as climate, soils, ports, irrigation, universities, and other infrastructure. Committee members asked about commodity-specific impacts, comparisons with other states, and the role of regulation in worsening costs. Kelly McLean followed with a discussion of opportunities to support agriculture, including trade, domestic food systems development, climate mitigation, clean energy, ag tech, workforce and education, and mental health. She highlighted investments in port and transportation infrastructure, local food processing and distribution, land access and incubator opportunities, climate resilience projects, and programs supporting farmworker and farmer mental health. Katie Raines then updated the committee on food systems and food security, explaining WSDA’s reorganization into a Farm and Food Systems Development Division and describing trends in household food insecurity, the state’s hunger safety net, and the importance of food system infrastructure. She noted that food insecurity is rising again and that even higher-income households are reporting need, while legislators asked about eligibility thresholds and the impact on lower-income residents. The committee also heard from WSU Skagit County Extension’s Don McMoran and Maddie Van der Koi on agricultural stress and suicide prevention. They described the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Partnership, crisis and referral resources, peer-to-peer outreach, trainings, and free counseling vouchers for farmers and farmworkers. They emphasized that farmers face chronic stress from financial volatility, weather, labor shortages, isolation, and stigma, and cited elevated suicide rates in agricultural populations. Members asked about reluctance to seek help and whether flooding had increased demand for services. Finally, Dr. Kevin Snekovic of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory described WADDL’s role in disease testing, food safety, wildlife surveillance, and rapid response to outbreaks such as avian influenza and chronic wasting disease. He said the lab supports trade and quarantine decisions, and members asked about elk hoof rot research, workforce needs, and how to connect constituents to the lab. No votes were taken; the session ended with a preview of upcoming Thursday work sessions on marine resources, Columbia River Basin supply, Ecology’s report back, and agricultural natural resources issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• The New York Times has estimated what they can, you know, questions like this don't get answered by folks
• The subsequent book on price gouging and predatory billing in health care turned into advocacy to demand
• And I do believe in price transparency. It will have an effect on the entire marketplace.
• In 2025, drug makers have increased the list prices of over 500 common medications. Dr.
• The best way to lower drug prices in the United States are to stop taking drugs we don't need.

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Keywords: nominations, labor, health, veterans, Social Security, Elon Musk, transparency, government accountability

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on various executive nominations and their implications on labor and health affairs. Significant discussions surrounded the nomination of Mr. Sonderling as the Deputy Secretary of Labor, with members expressing concerns about workforce cuts affecting veterans and Social Security employees. There was also a debate led by a member regarding the authority and influence of private individuals, specifically citing Elon Musk's involvement in government decisions. Such discussions raised questions about transparency and accountability within governmental agencies, leading to a proposal for Mr. Musk to provide testimony before the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• estimates for both versions of the bill, which are also in our written testimony.
• </c><00:37:23.119><c> of</c><00:37:23.280><c> the</c> price estimates for both versions of the price
• of a free or reduced priced school lunch it<01:06:25.279><c> says</c> Aloha.
• If we were to do free school meals for all, the lost revenue would be estimated around $20 million.
• Seasonal pricing is something that I feel able... yeah. Okay. Okay. Mahalo. Thank you very much.

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not going to come back overnight, no matter what price does, no matter how much price moves around
• No matter how much price moves around.
• that loss was because of the stripper wells that's not going to come back overnight no matter what price
• does no matter how much price moves around and so therefore price does, no matter how much price moves
• submitted to the Water Commission or to the next Legislative Assembly, for which the state cost share is estimated

Bills: SB2004 , HB1600

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division

Keywords: ethics commission, immunity, conflict of interest, complaints, public officials, transparency, legislative action, criminal prosecution, complaint resolution, HB 1600, immigration law clinic, University of North Dakota, UND Law, law school clinic, legal aid, immigration attorney, student clinic, pro bono, immigration legal services, caseload limit

Summary: The committee reconvened to continue work on water-related appropriations and related bills, with the chair emphasizing the need to move the water bill to conference committee soon because of differences with the House. Members reviewed project funding levels and carryover balances across several water projects, including NAWS, Southwest, Valley City, Cirrus River flood control, Hart River, Redder water supply, municipal and rural water, general water, and discretionary funding. The discussion focused on reduced revenue forecasts, the use of a $150 million line of credit as a working assumption, and concerns about large carryover amounts and piling up cash. No final changes were made to the water funding numbers, but the chair said the committee would revisit the bill after further cleanup of the draft language. The committee then took up House Bill 1600, which would create an immigration law clinic at the University of North Dakota law school. Members agreed the program should be treated as a one-time pilot rather than ongoing general fund spending, so they adopted an amendment changing the $400,000 appropriation to one-time funding from the strategic investment fund. The amended bill passed unanimously, and Senator Meyer was assigned to carry it. House Bill 1417, dealing with parole and probation-related policy, was also amended. The committee removed Section 8, which eliminated the bill’s appropriations language, based on testimony that the referenced funding was already included elsewhere in the budget. The amended bill then passed unanimously. The committee also discussed possible future amendments to water study language, including earlier reporting deadlines and a proposal to require larger new water project requests to go through the Water Topics Overview Committee before being introduced, but no final action was taken on those concepts. Several other bills, including the AI-related House Bill 1448 and law enforcement bonus bill 1193, were left for later consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• One, because we have less livestock to eat it; two, because the prices are lower, right?
• Fuel prices are down. That's definitely been a positive factor for producers.
• When crop prices are good, when debt is cheap, it's easy to carry that debt.
• Generally, a lot of crop prices will trend with fuel prices.
• prices just because the cost of transport isn't there.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Summary: The committee approved the January 14, 2026 minutes and then heard a presentation from the University of Idaho on the financial condition of Idaho agriculture in 2025. Presenter Brett Wilder said Idaho agriculture is a major part of the state economy and forecasted record cash receipts of about $12.1 billion, driven largely by livestock, especially cattle and dairy. He contrasted strong livestock performance with weaker crop markets, noting declines in potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, and barley, along with rising labor, storage, transportation, and interest costs. He also said export activity remains important, with agriculture accounting for a large share of Idaho exports, and projected overall net farm income to rise modestly in 2025 despite continued pressure on crop producers. Committee members asked about cattle herd rebuilding, heifer retention, dairy-beef crossbreeding, Canadian cattle imports, processing capacity, hemp, land values, and producer leverage. Wilder said herd expansion appears to be starting, but the official federal inventory data was still pending; he also said beef-on-dairy production and the eventual reopening of the Mexican border could help rebuild supplies. On the crop side, he described severe financial stress from low prices, high debt, and reduced capital spending, and said sugar beets were likely to see the largest further drop in value in 2026. He added that land values remain strong but are closer to fair value than the peaks seen a few years ago, and that he was tracking rental rates and regional land trends. Wilder also discussed the broader supply chain, saying the beef sector depends on multiple links from genetics through processing and that packers and processors need enough cattle flow to remain viable. He said current conditions favor cow-calf producers more than processors, while crop producers face continued margin pressure. The committee thanked him for the presentation, asked no further questions, and adjourned the meeting until Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• So what is the estimated cost system-wide for providing the 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave?
• which were provided back in October, versus the estimates that were provided in the spring.
• So there's no cutting of eligibility or grant size; it's purely just the adjusted estimates.
• It's just reflecting lower estimates of usage. Okay.
• So those figures were estimates when we presented them back in the Governor's budget.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the low end based on Department of Revenue's estimates.
• the low end based on Department of Revenue's estimates.
• the low end based on Department of Revenue's estimates.
• the low end based on Department of Revenue's estimates.
• the low end based on Department of Revenue's estimates.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard presentation on HF 495, a bill intended to help families with rising child care costs by allowing a subtraction from taxable income for licensed child care expenses. The author said the measure would provide immediate relief to families while broader child care supply and affordability problems are addressed, citing a revenue analysis estimating about 81,700 returns affected and an average tax decrease of $639. The bill was described as applying only to licensed child care centers, family child care, or group family child care under chapter 142B. A virtual testifier, Annel Velasco of St. Paul, opposed the bill. She said child care is indeed expensive but argued the proposal is only a small patch that does not address structural problems such as provider closures, low teacher pay, and lack of available slots. She also said the subtraction would disproportionately benefit higher-income families and would not help providers or teachers. Members debated whether the bill should be more targeted. Representative Smith and Representative Lee argued the proposal is uncapped, expensive, and structured as a subtraction rather than a refundable credit, meaning it would mainly help higher-income households and could divert resources from other credits such as the working family tax credit or child tax credit. Representative Swedzinski supported the bill as allowing families to keep their own money and said child care costs are high across income levels. Chair Gomez and others emphasized that the child care system has broader structural failures, including low pay and lack of slots, and said this bill would address only one part of the problem. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the CBO estimate for the bill." the CBO estimate for the bill."
• </c> difficult to quantify, it is estimated difficult to quantify, it is estimated conservatively<04:
• </c> supply chains and raise consumer prices. supply chains and raise consumer prices.
• The goods stolen by these price.
• Now, the president wants to of prices.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:20.400><c> because</c> than we had originally estimated because than we had originally estimated
• >> What you would estimate the cost. >> Oh, boy.
• I don't want to estimate wrong. >> Okay. Yes.
• I'm sorry. >> What you would estimate the cost. >> Oh, boy. But can I get back to you on that?
• I don't want to estimate wrong. >> Okay. Yes.

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard seven bills on consumer protection, DBEDT-related matters, and tourism/creative industry issues. On SB 2031, DCCA supported aligning state law with the FTC’s 2025 rule on hidden fees and pricing misrepresentations in live event ticketing and short-term lodging; hotel and financial industry witnesses also testified, and senators asked for complaint and enforcement data. On SB 2129, DBEDT and business groups supported a study of minimum wage impacts, with testimony emphasizing effects on hours, employment, prices, and business viability; a senator asked whether the study could also examine the gig economy and business closures, and DBEDT said that may be possible but would require more research and data access. On SB 2259, which would promote dementia-friendly businesses, DBEDT said the measure fit better with another agency and lacked the department’s expertise, while the Executive Office on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association supported the intent and offered to help with curriculum, branding, and training. Testifiers described dementia as a spectrum and said businesses should be trained to communicate effectively with customers and employees living with the disease; suggested amendments included changing the branding language and requiring at least 85% of employees to complete training rather than all employees. A senator also raised concerns about stigma and whether early-stage dementia should affect a person’s ability to function, and the witness responded that people can often function well in early stages. The committee also heard SB 2577 on sports tourism, which DBEDT and the Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported as a way to better understand which events draw visitors and economic benefits. SB 2578, creating a film commission, drew broad support from DBEDT, Creative Industries, SAG-AFTRA, the Hawaii Film Alliance, the Hawaii Film Office, and others, but several witnesses urged changes to the commission’s composition and authority, including more labor representation and limits on the commission’s ability to adjust the production cap. Senators questioned staffing, costs, and whether current film office employees should transfer to the new commission, and one senator proposed a friendly amendment to add musicians, SAG, IATSE, and Teamsters, though the department cautioned that too many members could make the commission difficult to manage. The transcript ends during discussion of the film bill, with no final votes or committee actions stated for the measures heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for service or a price for a product. for service or a price for a product.
• </c><01:21:54.719><c> similar</c><01:21:55.280><c> estimates</c><01:21:55.840><c> for</c> try to estimate
• similar estimates for try to estimate similar estimates for hospitals<01:21:56.560><c> or</c><01:21:
• Health care consolidation leads to price increases up to 65% in one study.
• <c> $400</c><01:37:38.880><c> million</c> estimated to generate $400 million estimated to generate $400

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> talk about the high price of vehicles. talk about the high price of vehicles.
• And what they're doing with regards to prices: Trump's tariffs are raising prices.
• Price, a beloved wife of the honorable Elder Larry Price, a devoted mother to Dr.
• Price. Thank you, and I yield back.
• </c><07:52:25.600><c> of</c><07:52:25.760><c> faith,</c> Miss Price was a pillar of faith, Miss Price

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Amazon Web Services estimated 5.5 to 7,000...
• The impact estimates that are given to us from the Congressional Budget Office, they estimate that the
• So what this risk, the estimates, the senator from 30 talked about estimates of cost savings, will the
• all from 30 talked about estimates of cost savings.
• conservative estimate.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, received committee reports, and moved through messages from the House and first- and second-reading business before taking up a long series of third-reading bills. Early action included referral of Senate Bill 1449 on elections petitions and signature gatherers, and passage of several measures on cooperative purchasing, industrial hemp, community infrastructure districts, parental school choice tax credit clarifications, open meetings recording rights, an advisory question on an official state gun, water skiing rules, and data center water use. The chamber also returned House Bill 888 to committee after concerns were raised about procurement transparency and possible conflict with another procurement bill passed the prior day. Several bills drew extended debate. Senate Bill 1424, which would have expanded dealer protections against direct manufacturer vehicle sales and grandfathered existing operations, failed on a 11-24 vote after opponents called it protectionist and argued it would limit consumer choice. Senate Bill 1436, clarifying cooperative and group discount purchasing for state procurement, passed after supporters said it would allow agencies to use competitive bids more effectively and avoid litigation. House Bill 772 and House Bill 879, both relating to industrial hemp, passed with supporters stressing they were clarifications for grain/fiber hemp and consumable hemp products, while opponents worried about THC and regulatory scope. House Bill 926, allowing counties to form community infrastructure districts in unincorporated areas, passed despite objections that it would accelerate development and increase property tax burdens. House Bill 934, making technical changes to the parental school choice tax credit, passed after a lengthy debate over whether students using the credit should still participate in public school extracurriculars; supporters said the bill clarified original intent, while opponents called it a double dip. House Bill 894, protecting the public’s right to record open meetings, passed overwhelmingly. House Bill 932, placing an advisory question on the ballot for an official state gun, also passed after a spirited historical discussion of firearms. House Bill 887, creating a limited exception for early-morning water skiing outside designated courses, passed by unanimous-consent roll call. The final bill discussed in the excerpt, House Bill 895 on data center cooling and water use, was introduced with a warning that consumptive water use by large data centers could strain Idaho’s aquifer and should be limited to closed-loop systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• It might be internal reference pricing, or it may be external. reference pricing.
• . of prices.
• If you do not have those different pricing models, you can't price them effectively.
• If you do not have those different pricing models, you can't price them effectively.
• He's talking about European pricing.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• well that's not contestants on it prices well that's not funny<00:44:34.319><c> I'm</c><00:44:34.920
• However, we estimate that these standards will cost nursing homes $200 million.
• Due to rate equalization, nursing homes are unable to raise prices.
• Due to rate equalization, nursing homes are unable to raise prices.
• Due to rate equalization, nursing homes are unable to raise prices.

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 2012 and for general fund impact in 2012 the estimated or expected revenue loss was a million to 1.1
• million, so that should give you a good reasonable estimate of what this bill would be.
• of what this bill would be okay estimate of what this bill would be okay thank<00:13:59.519><c> you<
• Tax Research and Planning come up with a revised estimate, but the benefits can't be ignored.
• And in the committee report, we are also going to note the Department of Taxation's proposed estimate

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on several health-related measures, with most of the discussion focused on SB 1419, SB 1494, and SB 1495, which were taken out of order to accommodate ASL/Death Blind Task Force testimony. SB 1419, relating to Act 253 (Session Laws of Hawaii 2023), drew support from the Department of Human Services and the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, with testimony emphasizing use of the term “low vision” and support for the program timeline. The committee later recommended passage with amendments, including technical changes and updated appropriation fiscal years, and the motion was adopted unanimously by the members present. SB 1494, concerning hearing aids, drew broad support from disability advocates and others who argued that hearing aids improve health, reduce accidents, and may help reduce dementia risk. Testifiers also urged that the bill define hearing aids as prescription hearing aids rather than including over-the-counter devices, and the Department of the Auditor and Insurance Division raised cost and coverage questions. The committee recommended passage with amendments, changing the coverage approach to optional coverage similar to vision and dental and requesting a sunrise analysis for prescription hearing aids; that recommendation was adopted. SB 1495, which exempts hearing aids from the general excise tax, also received support, while the Attorney General flagged a possible single-subject issue and the Tax Department estimated a potential $1.1 million revenue impact. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including deletion of the challenged language, technical fixes, and noting the revenue estimate; that recommendation was adopted. The committee then moved through additional measures with mostly supportive testimony. SB 1421 on medical records prompted questions about what happens when a solo practitioner dies or closes practice, and the discussion centered on ensuring patients can obtain records, including a proposed amendment requiring a successor provider to send records to the patient’s last known address. SB 1422, dealing with a special fund and vital statistics funding, was supported by the Department of Health, which said the special fund did not meet criteria and that deposits should instead go to the Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund. SB 1423 on certificate of need exemptions for Department of Health facilities drew support, with discussion of possibly extending exemptions to dialysis and behavioral health/psychiatric services; the Department indicated it would not oppose that change. SB 1424 on credentialing of health care providers also received support, and SB 1425 on the State Emergency Medical Services Committee focused on reducing quorum requirements because many members are active first responders and cannot always attend meetings. The committee also heard support for SB 1426 on emergency medical services, SB 1431 on viral hepatitis, and SB 1433 on harm reduction, with testimony on hepatitis outreach funding and syringe access best practices; for SB 1433, the Department of Health identified a blank in the bill and recommended a six-month period for the syringe-possession exception.