Transcript Highlights:

• We've had the River and we've had the Lucky Moose.
• > uh<04:56:55.480> lucky and we've had the uh uh lucky and we've had the uh uh lucky moose
• 56:58.280> from<04:56:58.920> uh<04:56:59.920> from<04:57:00.120> card moose
• they've morphed from uh from card moose they've morphed from uh from card games<04:57:00.760> into

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 135, introduced by Representative Michael Harrington. He said the bill would codify a portion of the New Hampshire Constitution to bar New Hampshire businesses from being required to collect sales or use taxes for other states unless Congress mandates it, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision created an onerous compliance burden for businesses. He described the patchwork of state and local sales tax rules, thresholds, and product exemptions as extremely complex and said the bill was intended to push the issue back toward Congress and the courts. Members questioned whether the bill’s reference to a “foreign government” would apply to other U.S. states, whether the proposal would conflict with the Supremacy Clause, and whether it would create standing for businesses to challenge Wayfair. Harrington responded that “foreign government” meant any government other than New Hampshire, that he believed the state could challenge the decision in court by passing a law contrary to Wayfair, and that businesses were already being harmed by compliance costs. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill was an unfunded mandate or simply a private compliance burden, and Harrington argued that the state itself would not be collecting the taxes, but businesses would still face recordkeeping and administrative costs. Sam Garland of the Department of Justice then testified. He said the department was not taking a formal position on the bill, but offered technical comments. Garland acknowledged that Wayfair created significant compliance burdens and noted that states have become somewhat more uniform, with all states now having a $100,000 economic nexus threshold, though not all use the 200-transaction threshold and local tax variation remains substantial. He said the department’s concerns were legal, describing the issue as uncharted constitutional territory involving both vertical and horizontal federalism. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, and then Madam Chair, Charles, you know, six months from now and straight to a moose could be opened

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, and then Madam Chair, Charles, you know, six months from now, and straight to a moose could be

Summary: The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of Minnkota Power Cooperative before hearing presentations on large energy consumers and related infrastructure issues. The first presentation, from the North Dakota Transmission Authority, focused on the need for better local decision-making tools for counties, townships, and planning and zoning boards facing major projects such as transmission lines, pipelines, data centers, wind, solar, and large-scale agriculture. The speaker urged more objective, data-driven analysis, noted that local officials often have limited time and resources, and said the state should support training and tools through groups like the League of Cities and the Association of Counties. Members asked about proactive outreach, data center ordinances, and how to avoid subsidizing large loads or causing reliability problems. The Division of Air Quality then discussed environmental oversight of data centers, emphasizing that North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the country and that the agency’s role is limited to air, water discharge, stormwater, and waste—not zoning or water use. The presentation explained that data centers generally have low direct emissions but may rely on diesel backup generators when the grid is unavailable, which creates air-quality concerns; the department said it is requiring air monitors at some projects to collect real-world data and guide future decisions. Members asked about generator emissions, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession, and the agency said permit applicants pay for the monitors while the state handles some QA work. The Department of Water Resources followed with an overview of North Dakota water law and data center water use. The director explained the state’s prior-appropriation system, the public-interest review for permits, and the large overall water supply available from groundwater and the Missouri River. He said most proposed data centers use closed-loop cooling systems and generally request relatively small amounts of water compared with other uses such as power plants, irrigation, and oilfield operations, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use only a tiny fraction of Missouri River flow. Questions focused on downstream impacts and comparisons to fracking water use, and the director said the state’s use is too small to materially affect downstream users. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd-Erickson testified online about data center zoning and permitting. He asked the committee to have Legislative Council gather information on how other states handle data center permitting and to keep the topic on the interim agenda. He argued that local zoning should remain local, but said counties lack the technical and legal resources to manage complex reclamation or bonding requirements and that state-level enabling legislation may be more appropriate. He also recommended eliminating tax incentives for data centers. The committee chair said staff would prepare a document on other states’ zoning and permitting approaches. After a lunch recess, the committee reconvened at the EERC, where CEO Charles Gorecki gave an overview of the center’s 75 years of work and its role in oil and gas, carbon management, and other energy technologies, highlighting enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide utilization as major opportunities for future production and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, and then Madam Chair, Charles, you know, six months from now and straight to a moose could be opened

Summary: The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of the Mincota Power Cooperative headquarters before returning for presentations on large energy consumers, especially data centers. The first presentations focused on how North Dakota should respond to rapid growth in energy-intensive projects, with speakers emphasizing the need for reliable transmission, local decision-making tools, and factual information for county and township officials who are being asked to weigh major projects with limited staff and technical support. The North Dakota Transmission Authority director said local governments are being asked to make high-impact decisions on pipelines, transmission lines, large agriculture, wind, solar, carbon dioxide pipelines, direct-air capture, and data centers, and urged development of simple statewide decision tools and support from the League of Cities and Association of Counties. The Department of Environmental Quality’s air division director said North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the nation, but large data centers can create air-quality concerns because of diesel backup generation; he said the department is requiring air monitors at some facilities and expects grid power and, potentially, cleaner natural gas backup to reduce emissions. Members asked about emissions standards, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession at DEQ. The Department of Water Resources director said North Dakota’s water law is based on common ownership and prior appropriation, and that data centers generally use relatively small amounts of water, often in closed-loop systems. He said the Missouri River and groundwater supplies are ample for projected needs, that the department’s permitting process protects senior water rights, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use a very small share of Missouri River flow. Members asked about downstream impacts and compared data center water use with fracking. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd Erickson urged the committee to study how other states regulate data centers, warned against litigation-driven delays and overly broad local ordinances, argued reclamation bonding should be handled at the state level if at all, and said data centers can bring jobs and tax base but should remain subject to local zoning. The committee ended the morning session for lunch and later heard an EERC update from CEO Charles Gorecki on the center’s 75 years of work in energy and environmental technologies, especially oil and gas development and related research.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an attorney with the Molly Moose Center for Justice, where the nonprofit law firm that the state

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , Similarly, direct care and treatment addresses needs at five locations in an area, Brainard, Moose

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Blanco Moose passes to engrossment. Is there an objection?

Bills: SJR 12, SCR 39, SB 7, SB 8, SB 27, SB 29, SB 125, SB 241, SB 371, SB 396, SB 406, SB 464, SB 568, SB 578, SB 608, SB 617, SB 660, SB 689, SB 693, SB 707, SB 731, SB 732, SB 763, SB 779, SB 836, SB 854, SB 857, SB 875, SB 878, SB 879, SB 906, SB 920, SB 921, SB 922, SB 942, SB 965, SB 985, SB 996, SB 1029, SB 1035, SB 1036, SB 1059, SB 1084, SB 1098, SB 1101, SB 1185, SB 1188, SB 1321, SB 1332, SB 1366, SB 1388, SB 1396, SB 1453, SB 1484, SB 1494, SB 1536, SB 1563, SB 1596, SB 1610, SB 1619, SB 1737, SB 1738, SB 1741, SB 1816, SB 1822, SB 1841, SB 1939, SB 2155, SB 2188, SB 2230

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: In this meeting, significant discussions revolved around the passage and modification of various Senate Bills, including SB1388, which pertains to family support services under the Health and Human Services Commission. Senator Kolkhorst advocated for the bill, emphasizing its focus on pro-life, family-centered care. The committee passed the bill after thorough examination, showcasing a collaborative effort among the members to ensure its alignment with successful past initiatives. In another session, Senator Hughes presented SB942, aimed at retroactive child support linked to prenatal care, which sparked a constructive dialogue reflecting bipartisan support for maternal and child welfare.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's going to include things like water buffalo, African buffalo, antelope. musk oxen, elk, deer, moose

Bills: HB134, HB135, HB 1109, HB 1243, HB1392, HB1399, HJR99, HB134, HB135

Keywords: sales tax, use tax, local tax, municipal tax, county tax, tax sourcing, place of business, principal business location, small business, retailer, marketplace seller, economic development agreement, Chapter 321, Chapter 323, Tax Code, Texas Comptroller, local sales and use tax, tax jurisdiction, order consummation, ship-to location

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, final presenter is Daa Moose.
• 00:20:30.480> presenter<00:20:30.919> is<00:20:31.120> daa Hi, my name is Dean Moose

Bills: HF29, HF921, HF922, HF1048, HF1049

Keywords: railroad, infrastructure, transportation funding, environmental remediation, capital investment, HF921, tax increment financing, TIF, excess tax increment, school district aid, levy adjustment, property tax levy, education finance, Minnesota education aid, decertification, local government finance, school funding formula, state aid reduction, referendum equalization aid, debt service equalization

Transcript Highlights:

• Here's a short list of places we've visited: Litchfield, Hutchinson, Chatfield, Iron, Moose Lake, Park
• We're going to Moose Lake and Grand Rapids to The Reef Center, which is supposed to be a nice auditorium

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund requests and laid them over for possible inclusion. Senate File 673 sought $795,000 to help replace or refurbish the structurally unsound Marshall bandshell. Senator Gary Dames, Marshall Mayor Bob Burns, and Parks and Recreation Superintendent Preston Stenard described the bandshell as an iconic community venue used for concerts and arts events, noting prior repairs in 2004, a 2001 structural report, and the need for full replacement due to settlement and deterioration near the Redwood River. They said the project has local support and a local funding commitment for the remaining costs. Senate File 627 requested $850,000 for the Olmsted County Historical Society to continue rehabilitation of the George Stoppel Farmstead. Senator Liz Balden, Dr. Mark Warner, and Commissioner Sanum said the site includes three National Register buildings and preserves immigration and agricultural history in southeast Minnesota. They reported that $1.1 million had already been raised and that prior Legacy funding helped stabilize one structure, but additional work is needed on the bank barn and Stoppel house to complete restoration and improve accessibility. Senate File 822 proposed $65,000 in fiscal year 2026 for the Minnesota State Band to provide free public performances across Minnesota. Testifier Craig Allen said the volunteer band, formed in 1898, uses the funding to travel to small towns and schools, including outreach to students and veterans. Conductor Keith Leuty emphasized the educational value of school visits and upcoming concerts in Moose Lake, Grand Rapids, and Cloquet, including a performance at Fond du Lac Ojibwe School. Members expressed support, and the bill was also laid over. The committee then began hearing Senate File 575, which would appropriate $3.8 million for the Grand Rapids Old Central School renovation. Senator Iorn, city councilor Rick Blake, and City Administrator Tom Pagel described the 1895 building as a historic and arts-centered community landmark with artist residencies, galleries, concerts, and other public uses. They said the building needs major repairs, including a new roof, structural truss work, HVAC replacement, and ADA and elevator upgrades, and they were in the middle of detailing those needs when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no direct state funding going into that; that's funded through the Moose Plate grants, and counties
• > going into that that's funded through going into that that's funded through the<00:11:20.160> Moose
• > grants<00:11:22.160> um<00:11:22.320> and<00:11:22.639> counties the Moose
• plate grants um and counties the Moose plate grants um and counties also<00:11:23.519> put<00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's usually larger animals that the department staff will relay, so things like moose calves, deer fawns
• It's usually larger animals that the department staff will relay, so things like moose calves, deer fawns
• It's usually larger animals that the department staff will relay, so things like moose calves, deer fawns
• It's usually larger animals that the department staff will relay, so things like moose calves, deer fawns
• It's usually larger animals that the department staff will relay, so things like moose calves, deer fawns

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a work session on HB 505, which would allow the sale of freeze-dried foods produced in homestead food operations. Members raised concerns about the bill’s broad language, especially the provision stating freeze-dried food would not be considered potentially hazardous. Several suggested narrowing the bill to specific products such as processed foods, berries, fruit, dairy products, ice cream, or vegetables, and requiring use of commercial freeze-drying equipment rather than dehydrators. There was also discussion of oxygen absorbers, moisture control, sanitation, and whether the issue should be handled in statute or rules. By the end of the discussion, members generally agreed the topic should be treated in a separate section of law rather than folded into the existing homestead food license, and the chair said the matter would be sent to the food safety subcommittee, with the possibility of a study committee if more time was needed. The committee then moved to HB 277, a technical correction to the animal cruelty statutes. Representative Bixby explained that current law refers to a “colt,” which applies only to male baby horses, leaving fillies unaddressed; the bill would replace “colt” with “foal” and make related wording changes so the restriction applies to any horse under 90 days old not being nursed by its dam. The New Hampshire Farm Bureau testified in support, saying the change was requested to clarify and modernize the statute and that the issue had been identified during work on related animal cruelty legislation. No votes were taken in the portion provided. The chair recessed the work session until 11:00 a.m. and announced that Representative Ktoa would take over the hearing on HB 277.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Senate File 1291, the Minnesota Sex Offender Program at Moose Lake.
• I want to express our appreciation for the inclusion of the funding for MSOP Moose Lake.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• continues to support high-quality brook trout fishing, big game hunting for white-tailed deer, bear, moose
• ><04:16:36.880> tail<04:16:37.120> deer,<04:16:37.520> bear,<04:16:37.840> moose
• ,<04:16:38.239> an for white tail deer, bear, moose, an for white tail deer, bear, moose,

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just to build upon some of the previous testimony and highlight two specific instances: currently at Moose

Bills: HF1, HF1754, HF1809, HF1478

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Coakar is moose suspension of the regular order of business on committee substitute for Senate

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, received a House message announcing passage of H.B. 500, and a gubernatorial nomination for the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority Board. The chamber adopted several resolutions, including SR 409 recognizing Blue Ribbon Lobby Day, SR 402 honoring the discovery of the woolly devil plant at Big Bend National Park, and recognitions for Operation Christmas RGV and Wilson County Day. The Senate also heard an announcement that the Committee on Senate Nominations action report had been placed on members’ desks. The body then took up and passed several bills. SB 2365 was passed to prohibit personal wireless communication devices by public school students during instructional time, with exceptions for health, special education, and safety needs. SB 1869 was passed to reaffirm the DSHS commissioner’s authority over controlled-substance schedule changes without rulemaking or judicial review. SB 1124 was passed to revise criminal discovery procedures in response to the Heath decision, with supporters saying it preserves exculpatory evidence protections while limiting suppression of inculpatory evidence when the defense already knew of it. SB 1758 was passed to create a Grayson County pilot study and temporary permitting hold concerning a cement kiln/quarry near a semiconductor wafer facility, and SB 2078 was passed to regulate composting in certain counties, after a clarifying amendment. The Senate also passed SB 33, barring governmental entities from transactions that support abortion assistance or out-of-state abortion procurement; SB 34, expanding wildfire preparedness measures, studies, equipment databases, and rural fire department funding; SB 1208, increasing the penalty for interference with public duties from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony; SB 1030, removing the maintenance, repair, and overhaul tax for general aviation; SB 505, creating processes to address election irregularities; SB 2411, updating the Business Organizations Code and changing filing-method requirements; and SB 1333, addressing unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, or conveyance of real property. Most measures advanced on voice vote or recorded roll call after motions to suspend the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule, with several members raising questions or objections, especially on the criminal justice, abortion, and public duties bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• .<03:45:10.720> Representative<03:45:11.199> Theresa<03:45:11.600> Moose.
• Representative Theresa Moose. >> Okay. Representative Theresa Moose.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When we go into the woods of New Hampshire, you think the deer and the moose need an education on that
• Thank you. think the deer in in in the in the Moose think the deer in in in the in the Moose need<06:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 763, an early bill concerning AED access at athletic events and venues. Representative Morris offered amendment 0743H to clarify the bill by removing charter schools from the language and tying AED placement to American Heart Association guidance, emphasizing that AEDs should be readily accessible within a reasonable walking distance rather than mandated on every field. The amendment and then the bill as amended both passed 17-0, and the bill was reported out as Ought to Pass with Amendment. The committee then considered House Bill 781, requiring school districts to adopt cell phone-free education policies, and a related bill, House Bill 131. HB 781 was amended to include charter public school boards, cover other personal electronic communication devices, require at minimum restrictions on student personal cell phones during class instruction, allow superintendent-approved exceptions for medical or language needs, protect students with medical needs or disabilities under Section 504, and set an effective date of July 1, 2025. Some members argued the amendment was too prescriptive and limited local control, while supporters said it still left districts flexibility outside classroom instruction. The amendment passed 16-1, and the bill then passed Ought to Pass as Amended 16-1. HB 131, described as a mirror bill, was then retained by a 17-0 vote. House Bill 398, a title bill requiring Holocaust and genocide studies to include impacts on people with disabilities, was moved to ITL after Representative Selig reported the genocide commission believed the topic was already being covered. That motion passed 17-0. The committee also agreed to hold several bills for later consideration, including HB 754, HB 1221, HB 360, and HB 699, citing the need for more review or missing copies. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 361, prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools. Supporters argued the bill would preserve individual choice while preventing statewide or districtwide mandates in future public health emergencies, and cited a Department of Health and Human Services letter saying masks remain effective but decisions should be based on individual choice and risk assessment. Opponents emphasized local control and the need for districts to respond to different public health conditions. The transcript cuts off before the final vote on HB 361 was completed.

Keywords: 1189, house, all