Transcript Highlights:

• It's tied to Participation in high school athletics is a privilege.
• Teams, programs, and people affiliated with them are poaching young people.
• There's a lot of things going on out there with a lot of programs with...
• And you knew a lot of the kids that were participating.
• And you knew a lot of the kids and that were participating.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:02.480> and program the community grant program and program the community grant program
• each participate participation has grown each participate participation has grown each year.<
• More than 25 Minnesota colleges participate in clay target shooting sports through the programs managed
• Over 75,000 Minnesota students have participated in the league's program since 2001.
• . participation. participation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• assistance program.
• We're going to stop you from participating in this program.
• . program.
• That's just over 1% of the programs participating in CCAP. >> Thank you, Madam Chair.
• That's just over 1% of the programs participating in CCAP. >> Thank you, Madam Chair.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All the members and participants are participating remotely. We had limited ability to find a room.
• All the members and participants are participating remotely. We had limited ability to find a room.
• We also participate and collaborate and design, in some cases, tabletop exercises and even participate
• So we try to participate in those exercises and then get the cyber forces as well to participate too
• Um the U program has been timely.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity met remotely on January 8, 2026, approved the minutes from October 27, 2025 by voice vote, and confirmed a quorum was present. The main presentation came from the Minnesota National Guard’s cyber coordination cell, with Lieutenant Colonel Brian Morgan describing the unit’s mission to prepare Guard cyber forces for state or federal cyber support, including domestic emergencies like the St. Paul ransomware incident and broader federal activations. Morgan outlined three main lines of effort: optimizing cyber force training for likely threats, building relationships with state, federal, academic, and local partners, and equipping deployable incident-response tools. He said the coordination cell is not itself the incident response team, but serves as the planning and coordination office for military cyber response, maintaining equipment at Cedar Street Armory that can provide out-of-band connectivity and be deployed quickly. He also described partnerships with Minnesota IT Services, CISA, the FBI, Metro State University, and international/state partners such as Norway and Croatia, along with participation in major exercises and conferences. The presentation emphasized the St. Paul response as a model for coordination, noting the Guard’s role in mission coordination, operational support, public affairs support, and lessons learned. Morgan said the Guard has conducted more than 200 engagements with partner institutions in 2024-2025 and uses outreach to educate counties and other entities on how to request Guard cyber support, comparing the process to requesting assistance for a fire or flood. In response to a question from Representative Bonner, he highlighted the long-standing relationship with Metro State University and its practical role in training cyber personnel, including operational technology training and a credit-transfer pathway toward a master’s degree.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is more expensive than if you just participate either in your own program or you contract with a
• If you are participating in a program, whether it's with the state as a partner, and I know that they
• They don't have to participate in this program.
• programs.
• If they choose not to participate or not get their apprenticeship programs certified to the state, then

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 322, which would create a transportation trust fund and transportation program fund. The sponsor offered and the committee adopted an amendment striking the section that would have imposed a 1% gross receipts tax on electricity sales. After a recap of the bill’s remaining provisions, including a $400 million seed amount and future transfers from motor vehicle excise tax revenue, the committee heard brief support from Associated Contractors of New Mexico and the Asphalt Pavement Association and no opposition. The amended bill then passed on a roll-call vote. The committee then heard HB 270, a public works/apprenticeship bill that would require contributions to approved apprenticeship and training programs or to the Public Works Apprentice and Training Fund for public works construction projects, while eliminating an exemption for certain road, highway, utility, and maintenance work. Supporters, including union carpenters, electrical workers, the building trades council, and apprenticeship advocates, argued the bill would expand training, help address labor shortages, and provide a return on public investment. Opponents from utility contractors, highway contractors, and Associated Contractors of New Mexico said they already operate federally approved in-house training programs, warned the bill would raise project costs, and argued some trades have no accessible approved programs. Members questioned how the bill would interact with existing in-house programs, whether rural contractors and nonunion firms would be affected, and whether the state-approved fund and federal highway training requirements could conflict. A proposed amendment to exempt projects of $50 million or less was introduced but tabled. After extensive debate, the committee voted 6-5 to pass HB 270. The meeting also included discussion of a prior procedural error in which HB 270 had been heard before being properly assigned, which the chair said rendered that earlier action void. At the end of the meeting, the committee received a brief New Mexico Department of Transportation District 3 presentation on district projects, budget, and construction status.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:17:10.039> appropriate enforcement systems programs appropriate enforcement systems programs
• There are two programs. There's one federal program that was mandated by FHWA.
• It cannot be used to sustain a program long term, so it's very difficult for many to use that program
• program coordinator there's two programs program coordinator there's two programs one<00:42:10.319
• a was mandated by fwa that program has a was mandated by fwa that program has a lot<00:42:14.920

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation held a hearing on several traffic safety and transportation bills. HB 1163 would update commercial driver licensing rules to meet federal requirements and allow limited-term non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits and licenses; the Department of Transportation supported it as a fix to an FMCSA-identified issue, while Frank Schultz testified in opposition. HB 1166 would appropriate funds for the automated speed enforcement program; the Department of Law Enforcement, Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Edgardo Diaz Vega supported it, while Chad Taniguchi opposed and Frank Schultz offered support. The committee then heard HB 1231, which would prioritize photo red light cameras in school zones and direct related fine revenue to the Safe Routes to School fund; DOT supported the intent but cautioned against limiting placement decisions, Judiciary raised concerns about added court workload, and several advocacy groups and individuals supported the bill as a pedestrian and school safety measure. The committee spent substantial time on HB 1471, which would fund traffic-actuated signals, including leading pedestrian intervals and accessible pedestrian signals, and add a $5 vehicle registration fee for the Safe Routes to School special fund. DOT supported the bill with comments, saying its older signal controllers make LPIs harder to implement but that statewide upgrades are underway; the Department of Health also supported the safety and Vision Zero goals and said it is working with counties on public education. Testimony in support came from Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii Bicycling League, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Path People for Active Transportation Hawaii, the Hawaii Self-Advocacy Advisory Council, and others, with one opposition noted among many supporters. Members asked questions about whether LPIs would address “beg buttons,” how red-light and speed-camera programs interact with county roads, and whether speed humps might be more effective in school zones. DOT explained that LPIs improve visibility but do not solve every signal issue, that newer adaptive signals use camera-based sensing, and that the department coordinates with counties and communities on crash mitigation and enforcement priorities. Officials also discussed the status of Safe Routes to School programs, noting that the federal program remains but is difficult to use and that the state program had been moved out of DOT; county coordinators and related coalitions were said to still be active. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the program partners with social services agencies statewide to enroll people in the program, and
• once enrolled in the program the participant is provided a substitute address that they can use as their
• once enrolled in the program the participant is provided a substitute address that they can use as their
• once enrolled in the program the participant is provided a substitute address that they can use as their
• program like that. I'd say pretty bad. program like that. I'd say pretty bad.

Bills: HF1151, HF1239, HF1240, HF2020, HF2514, HF2515, HF2451

Keywords: Compensation Council, salaries, state officials, judicial compensation, legislative process, public funds, misuse, law enforcement, accountability, state government, legislative auditor, compliance, transparency, retirement benefits, health insurance, dependents, state employees, Medicare, legislative studies, government oversight

Transcript Highlights:

• in federally protected activities like voting, participating in any benefit or Participating in federally
• protected activities like voting, participating in any benefit or service, privilege, or program, or
• the denial of the opportunity to participate in those activities.
• The federally funded nonprofit security grant program is an annual program that provides funds to support
• program.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Anti-Semitism met to focus on the role of law enforcement in responding to anti-Semitic incidents. After approving amended minutes, the chair opened with remarks emphasizing that the Commission would confront anti-Semitism from any political direction and outlined the day’s agenda: extremist activity trends, hate-crime statutes, intergovernmental coordination, and security funding. The first presentation came from Ben Pott of the ADL Center on Extremism, who described rising extremist propaganda and anti-Semitic incidents nationally and in Massachusetts, highlighting groups such as NSC-131, GDL, and Patriot Front. He said these groups increasingly use anti-Zionist language, public disruptions, and online platforms to spread hate, and recommended prosecution where possible, civil litigation, education about symbols and tactics, and community reporting to law enforcement and ADL. Assistant District Attorney David Solvin then reviewed federal and Massachusetts hate-crime laws, including federal civil-rights and hate-crime statutes and state provisions for civil-rights violations, assault and battery to intimidate, religious vandalism, terroristic threats, and criminal harassment. He explained that many of these laws enhance penalties based on bias motivation, but some do not create standalone offenses or qualify as dangerousness predicates under current law. Commissioners pressed him on hypothetical fact patterns involving anti-Semitic slurs, symbols, and attacks, as well as on the limits of existing law for pretrial detention and the need for better data collection. Solvin said more training, better reporting, and possible legislative updates could improve enforcement, and he noted pending bills that would require more regular hate-crime reporting and expand protected classes. Detective Lieutenant Ryan Cepiel of the State Police Anti-Terrorism Unit and HART described the unit’s creation in 2023, its role in implementing prior hate-crime task force recommendations, and its work with local, state, federal, and community partners. He said HART has trained civil-rights officers, developed recruit and in-service curricula, created resource pamphlets and a Teams page, and is building a GIS-based reporting portal to improve tracking and victim support. Cepiel reported a year-over-year rise in reported anti-Semitic hate crimes in Massachusetts, while noting that current numbers are incomplete because reporting is inconsistent and there is no mandate for local departments to notify HART. Commissioners discussed underreporting, rural versus eastern Massachusetts coverage, the need for more officers and training, and the importance of making victims feel safe coming forward. The meeting ended with agreement that better data, training, and coordination are needed to address the rise in anti-Semitic hate and bias incidents.

Transcript Highlights:

• Market Nutrition Program.
• So now he goes out and he actually sells every twice a month to our participants on our program to be
• So those are things that we do as a program. for providing benefits to our participants on the shopper
• But we have seen southern New Mexico increase participation in the New Mexico Grown Program recently,
• So the total program activity proposed. $10.3 million for this program.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, since then, California credit union participation has grown substantially.
• So say we pass the program and we create this other option.
• . ...with the retail locations in terms of having community banks and credit unions participate.
• of the residents of California and have a free banking program.
• I know there are programs the state of California provides. No one should be put in that situation.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 407, which would expand the California Pollution Control Financing Authority. The author said the measure would increase flexibility and access to resources, and the bill was approved 7-0 and sent to the Committee on Local Government. The committee also adopted the consent calendar, which included AB 76, by a 7-0 vote. A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on AB 1065, which would prohibit swipe fees on the sales tax portion of credit card transactions. Supporters, including small business owners, restaurant and grocery representatives, and a payments-policy expert, argued the bill would reduce costs for merchants and consumers and rein in dominant card networks. Opponents, including banks, credit unions, and payment industry groups, argued the bill is likely preempted by federal law, would be difficult to implement, and could disproportionately affect community banks and credit unions. After extensive questioning about preemption, fraud, implementation, and consumer impacts, the committee rejected the bill on a 6-0 vote, but then granted reconsideration by a 7-1 vote. The committee then heard AB 1365, which would create the Cal Account Program, a zero-fee, zero-penalty state banking account for unbanked and underbanked Californians. Supporters said the program would help low-income households, survivors of abuse, and others facing barriers to traditional banking, while opponents from community banks and credit unions argued existing low-cost accounts and the Bank On program already address the need and raised concerns about cost, feasibility, and duplication. The bill advanced on a 6-0 vote and later received enough votes on the reopened roll to move forward to the Committee on Labor and Employment. The committee also approved AB 1052, which would create a legal framework for digital assets and address unclaimed digital property and restrictions on public officials issuing or promoting digital assets, and AB 1180, which would create a pilot program for paying state fees with digital financial assets and require a report on broader adoption. Both bills passed with broad support after brief testimony and discussion. Final roll calls later confirmed AB 1052 and AB 1180, along with AB 407 and AB 1365, were moved out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a growing program. This is a growing program.
• The program has grown from about 1,000 participants in 2021 to over 9,300 participants as of March 26
• services into the program and also developed a participant-directed service option to reduce access
• As the department standardizes key areas of the program, it will provide overview trainings for participants
• program.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in those programs.
• participation and completion.
• in the program.
• since setting up that program.
• and our familial search program.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Two main barriers are often cited by those who are not participating in the program.
• Two main barriers are often cited by those who are not participating in the program.
• in the program each year. ...especially as I know that we have more districts that are participating
• And so the program fundamentally is an incentive program, as we've all talked about.
• At the same time, more young people than ever are participating in school sports programs intended to

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that we uh participate in. that we uh participate in.
• program to cover these fees? program to cover these fees?
• by eligible students um in participation by eligible students um in the<01:11:23.440> program.
• So the program is now uh in the program.
• program.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The conference committee received a nonpartisan walkthrough of the House and Senate side-by-side for higher education-related legislation, with staff identifying Senate-only, House-only, identical, and technical-difference provisions. Topics included paid blood donation leave for Minnesota State employees, a revised higher education attainment goal, athletic fee restrictions, developmental course disclosures, American Indian Scholars Program eligibility, protections and definitions for pregnant and parenting students, online program management contracts, student aid reporting, work-study and dual training grants, private and out-of-state postsecondary education regulation, private career school licensing and data privacy, college savings plan changes, and several University of Minnesota-related provisions. House-only items also included an unemployment insurance aid adjustment, a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and $5,000 for Bemidji State University reforestation; Senate-only items included Board of Regents appointment language, limits on for-profit control of medical school curriculum, and reporting on for-profit funding in medical education. After the walkthrough, the committee moved to adopt the same and similar provisions and direct staff to make technical corrections. A senator asked about proposed adjustments to the pregnant and parenting student language, and the chair said amendments would be considered after adopting the same and similar provisions. The motion to adopt prevailed. During public testimony, Sydney Spre of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the Senate’s paid blood donation leave language, saying it would create parity for Minnesota State employees and encourage blood and plasma donation. Commissioner Dennis Olsen of the Office of Higher Education thanked the committee for adopting most of the agency’s proposed language and said he was available to help clarify remaining differences. In response to questions, he explained the Senate’s higher education attainment goal proposal, saying it would extend and broaden the existing goal, raise the target from 70% to 75%, expand the age range, and use additional metrics and partner agencies; he also said the overall attainment rate had been 63.5 under the prior goal. The transcript ends as the commissioner was being asked whether the proposal would require additional appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we've over 50 of the defendants that forensic navigators work with have participated in programming
• <00:18:53.520> of participated in programming at one of participated in programming at one
• So if an individual who's participating in a program with one of the certified programs has a complaint
• who's participating in a program<00:58:46.799> with<00:58:47.040> one<00:58:47.280>
• on the part of the program. on the part of the program.

Bills: HF2825

Keywords: expungement, criminal justice, background check, security industry, private detective, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This change would expand the list of eligible welfare-to-work program activities available to participants
• in this program.
• program features and things going on. in the program.
• The reappropriation would allow for us to complete those programs and honor commitments to participants
• in both of those programs. programs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our programs are free for all participants, which limits access to traditional funding, and yet we currently
• In terms of who exactly will participate in the program, as my colleague mentioned, that county office
• program for a period of two years so that there's some consistency in their participation.
• Additionally, one of the goals of the funding is to support student participation in CTE programs that
• So any—you don't have to be in the cohort to participate from the support services created by this program

Summary: The committee heard the May Revision presentation for the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, with public comment focused heavily on K-12 priorities such as universal school meals, kitchen infrastructure, food service and custodial support, youth leadership grants, Special Olympics funding, English learner support, universal pre-K, literacy investments, and concerns about community college funding shifts. Speakers also urged support for expanded learning, teacher recruitment and training, and maintaining or increasing funding for community colleges and student support programs. Finance and the LAO then reviewed the Proposition 98 outlook. Finance said the May Revision lowers the 2025-26 Prop. 98 guarantee to $114.6 billion, about $4.3 billion below January, due mainly to lower revenue estimates, with smaller effects from attendance and property tax changes. The administration also described rebenching for universal transitional kindergarten and a one-time rebench tied to Los Angeles fire-related property tax losses, along with changes to the Public School System Stabilization Account, deferrals, and updated COLA assumptions. The LAO said the budget relies too much on deferrals and one-time funds, creates a structural shortfall, and should instead align ongoing spending with the guarantee and preserve a reserve buffer. Members questioned the TK rebench and the shift of funding from community colleges to K-12, asking why it was being applied retroactively and how colleges would be held harmless. Finance said the changes align funding with where TK costs are being incurred and that reappropriation funding and other adjustments would offset impacts on community colleges. The LAO argued the historical split formula is outdated and should be abandoned in favor of budgeting around current priorities rather than fixed percentages. Members also raised concerns about draining the rainy day reserve and using deferrals, while the LAO said preserving reserves would better protect against future volatility. The committee then moved to specific K-12 and education proposals. Finance outlined May Revision changes including state operations adjustments for the Department of Education, technical trailer bill changes, a $100 million student teacher stipend program administered by Kern County, and updates to the charter school facility grant program. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed increases for expanded learning, literacy coaches, and the student teacher stipend as currently structured, while supporting the minimum grant increase for expanded learning. Members expressed support for teacher recruitment efforts but questioned whether one-time funding can sustain ongoing programs and whether the student teacher stipend should be targeted to shortage areas or low-income communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• We ask that all remote participants remain muted until they are recognized.
• Civic participation in low rates of recidivism.
• rehabilitative program component.
• Thank you for participating. Any questions? Thank you.
• They are structural barriers that determine who can participate.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on a wide range of voting-access and election-administration bills. The largest portion of testimony focused on same-day voter registration (H. 834/S. 505), with support from Rep. Gentile, Boston and Chelsea officials, civic groups, and election administrators from Maine and Vermont. Supporters argued that same-day registration would help eligible voters who move frequently, miss deadlines, or face administrative errors, and would reduce rejected provisional ballots. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Vermont elections director Sean Sheehan testified that same-day registration has worked in their states without major administrative problems and has helped increase turnout. A Boston-based panel also described high rejection rates for provisional ballots and the burden of registration cutoffs on renters, students, immigrants, and low-income voters. A second major topic was restoration of voting rights for incarcerated people, including S. 524 and related House bills. The committee heard extensive virtual testimony from incarcerated individuals at MCI Norfolk and MCI Shirley, who said voting should be restored as part of rehabilitation, civic engagement, and reintegration. They described disenfranchisement as dehumanizing and argued that voting would help maintain family and community ties, reduce recidivism, and give incarcerated people a voice on laws affecting prisons and reentry. Rep. Erica Uyterhoeven also testified in support, saying the bill would restore municipal voting rights for incarcerated residents and align with broader efforts to expand political participation. The committee also heard testimony on bills affecting election administration and access, including a proposal to reduce or eliminate mandated early in-person voting in primaries and shorten the general-election early voting period, with supporters from the town clerks’ community arguing that low usage, staffing burdens, and costs justify the change. Opponents warned that reducing in-person early voting could hurt voters who do not use mail ballots and could disproportionately affect communities of color. Other bills discussed included decoupling the municipal census from voter registration, requiring periodic accessibility inspections of polling places, and a Somerville home-rule petition on non-citizen municipal voting and another on lowering the voting age in municipal elections. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• who were participating in the program continued to run the courses.
• . program. program.
• In Indiana, for example, again, a program that is nearly universal, about half of students participating
• In Indiana, for example, again, a program that is nearly universal, about half of students participating
• <03:24:35.520> in program a neutral benefit program in program a neutral benefit program in

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , which is a tractor replacement program where agricultural entities are given... ...program where agricultural
• program.
• "We participate with other states and other veterinary schools, in addition to UC Davis, to participate
• We have a research grant program, and we've also expanded that grant program to include more research
• Thank you everyone for participating.

Keywords: 987, senate, all