Transcript Highlights:

• rest of the system improvements and the rest of the system improvements cannot<00:30:37.360> function
• cannot function as intended. cannot function as intended.
• , we can modernize an aging system, reduce long-term operating costs, and ensure it continues to function
• , we can modernize an aging system, reduce long-term operating costs, and ensure it continues to function
• , we can modernize an aging system, reduce long-term operating costs, and ensure it continues to function

Bills: HF4680, HF4047, HF4590, HF3757, HF3569, HF4507, HF4426, HF4927, HF4788, HF4757, HF4747, HF3561, HF4014, HF4013, HF4689, HF4766, HF4589

Keywords: wastewater treatment, improvements, capital investment, Greenfield, bonds, water treatment, infrastructure, municipal funding, state bonds, public utilities, HF4590, Tamarack, municipal infrastructure, bonding bill, general obligation bonds, Public Facilities Authority, sewer system, collection system, street reconstruction, local infrastructure

Transcript Highlights:

• Does the code show keyboard functionality? Is there text behind the image or the video?
• So those are the four different metrics that you'll see to show what the Zoom function does.
• So as you move the screen size, the functionality is preserved, even as you adjust the screen size.
• So as you move the screen size, the functionality is preserved, even as you adjust the screen size.
• this work so that we're getting to the core functions first.

Bills: HB1623

Keywords: HB 1623, North Dakota, rural health, rural health transformation program, medical facility infrastructure loan fund, medical facility infrastructure loan program, rural health loan program, Bank of North Dakota, Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, federal grant, health care infrastructure, rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, nonprofit health care providers, gap financing, loan fund, public health funding, healthcare financing, Medicaid

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1624, the “Universal Lunch Bill,” from Rep. Mike Nathie. He argued the proposal should be placed in Century Code rather than the Constitution so future legislatures can adjust it if state finances tighten, and said the bill would start the program a year earlier with a $65 million appropriation for one school year. DPI testified that the estimate did not include nonpublic schools that do not participate, and members questioned the impact on Title I, free-and-reduced applications, private-school accountability, breakfast mandates for schools that do not currently serve breakfast, and whether the funding could come from the DPI budget or other sources. Supporters, including North Dakota United, the North Dakota Catholic Conference, a pediatrician, and the American Heart Association, said universal meals improve student health and learning, reduce family costs, and are better handled in statute than by constitutional amendment. No opposition testimony was offered, and the chair closed the hearing for later work-session action. The committee then took up House Bill 1627, introduced by Rep. Tye Dressler, which would raise the income threshold for the state-funded school lunch program from 225% to 300% of poverty, with an estimated cost of about $7 million for 2026-27. Dressler said the bill is intended as a targeted, budget-friendly alternative to the ballot measure and emphasized that the state should maximize federal meal dollars while improving participation in the current program. Members questioned whether raising the threshold would actually increase utilization, whether a dollar amount would be clearer than a percentage, and how the change would affect federal reimbursements and application rates. DPI said it could quickly calculate additional percentage levels, and the chair closed the hearing, directing DPI to prepare more numbers for the work session. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 2403, presented by Sen. Schiable, to create a short-term bridge-loan program for financially distressed hospitals, centered on Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. The bill would authorize up to $5 million per loan, with a $10 million appropriation available on a first-come, first-served basis, and would run only through June 30, 2027. Schiable said the hospital’s debt and operating problems threaten local health care, ambulance service, and the community’s economy, and that the proposal was designed narrowly with Bank of North Dakota review to avoid creating a broad precedent. Committee members asked whether the appropriation could be reduced and whether the bank would still apply commercial feasibility and repayment standards; Schiable said yes, the bank would still evaluate the loan and could reject it if it was not sound.

Transcript Highlights:

• scheduled to start maybe around September of this year, and then the lab will start to become fully functional
• already been doing some testing and setting up of equipment to get their bearings on how that system functions
• the common fees, or the more collected fees where the bulk of the revenue comes for the securities function
• It's more just, is this how things currently function?
• Is this the way we'd like it to function moving forward?

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the lab will start to become fully functional and operational at that point.
• already been doing some testing and setting up of equipment to get their bearings on how that system functions
• the common fees, or the more collected fees where the bulk of the revenue comes for the securities function
• It's more just: is this how things currently function?
• Is this the way we'd like it to function moving forward?

Summary: The committee first received a general fund and revenue update from the Office of Management and Budget. Staff reported that the state started the biennium about $176 million above prior estimates, but year-to-date revenues were now running below legislative forecast, mainly due to lower individual income tax and sales tax collections. The budget stabilization fund was above its cap, the legacy fund continued to grow, and oil revenues were slightly above forecast overall. Members also asked about federal funding uncertainty and mineral leasing variability, and OMB said agencies would be asked to address potential federal reductions case by case during budget preparation. The committee then reviewed compliance reports and trust fund analysis materials, followed by a bill draft for a fixed-route city transportation grant program. Testimony from transit officials in Fargo and Minot supported the proposal, saying state aid would help match federal transit funds and support operations, but members raised questions about the funding source, fare structures, and whether the program should be limited to the current four fixed-route cities or allow future eligible cities. Several members asked for more time to study the formula and possible funding options before moving the bill forward. Next, the committee approved a bill draft repealing obsolete language related to a proposed North Dakota-South Dakota bi-state authority. Staff explained the provision had been unused for about 30 years and that existing law likely already allowed joint powers agreements without the specific language. The committee voted to adopt the repeal bill draft. The Department of Commerce and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site then provided an update on uncrewed aircraft system initiatives, including the Vantis radar data enclave, the drone replacement program, and future revenue models. Officials said North Dakota had received FAA approval to operate the radar data pathfinder, had begun replacing non-compliant drones from restricted foreign sources, and was working on phased procurement and cost-recovery plans. Members asked about deadlines, funding, supply-chain issues, and how the system would be used; staff said the federal restrictions were already in effect and that Vantis was being positioned as infrastructure for future beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. Finally, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation presented on the design of a new minimum-security prison and on a reentry housing task force. The new facility is planned for the penitentiary grounds, with a reduced estimated cost of about $263 million, 600 beds initially, possible expansion to 732 beds, and completion projected around 2031 if funded in 2027. The reentry housing task force described a data-driven effort to identify housing needs for people leaving incarceration, with the goal of reducing homelessness and recidivism through targeted housing support and possible subsidies. Members asked about staffing, site selection, housing duration, and whether employment and transportation needs would be included in the assessment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the funding is still there, but the fiscal note is a function of the U thinking, "Oh, we'll use that
• fiscal<00:06:50.800> note<00:06:51.080> is<00:06:51.200> a<00:06:51.280> function
• /c><00:06:51.680> of<00:06:51.800> the<00:06:51.919> U the fiscal note is a function
• of the U the fiscal note is a function of the U thinking,<00:06:52.640> "Oh,<00:06:52.800>
• <00:37:45.120> and programs and how they're functioning and programs and how they're functioning

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a function in the budget bill, and this number kind of ripples through the whole formula to impact
• time.<00:04:39.440> This<00:04:39.680> is<00:04:39.759> a<00:04:40.000> function
• This is a function in the budget time.
• This is a function in the budget bill<00:04:41.280> and<00:04:41.600> this<00:04:41.840
• <00:18:22.799> of have the same seek for the function of have the same seek for the function

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 History of SEEK 00:02:15 Summary of On-Behalf Payments 00:12:40 Discussion on Collection of University Debt Department of Revenue 00:32:40 Northern Kentucky University 00:57:10, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the September 17 meeting, and heard a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education staff on SEEK school funding and KDE on-behalf payments. KDE explained recent SEEK changes, including the guaranteed base per-pupil amount, attendance-based calculations, second-month and January growth, the 2022 change funding kindergarten at 100% instead of 50%, and the existing add-ons for at-risk students, exceptional children, limited English learners, home/hospital instruction, and transportation. Staff also reviewed tier one funding, noting the 2024 increase from 15% to 17.5% and explaining that eligibility depends on local tax effort and property wealth. They also described Senate Bill 6 from the 2025 session as a reporting proposal to include on-behalf costs in education spending totals. KDE staff then outlined on-behalf payments made for districts, including roughly $458 million for Teachers Retirement System contributions, $942 million for health insurance, about $12 million for technology costs, and additional SFCC debt service outside KDE’s appropriation, for a total of about $1.5 billion. Members asked how a future Senate Bill 6 would affect local contributions and whether folding on-behalf payments into SEEK would shift costs among districts. KDE and Senator Gibbons clarified that the bill was intended only as a reporting mechanism and would not change local contribution or district payments; it would simply present a broader total of state education investment. The discussion also noted that Kentucky’s reported SEEK amount alone does not capture all state education spending. Members raised questions about home and hospital instruction data, saying local concerns suggest growth in some communities even if statewide numbers appear stable. KDE said the statewide figure has been relatively consistent but offered to provide district-level trend data. Co-Chair Petrie also asked about the accuracy of SEEK projections and on-behalf calculations, referencing prior concerns from the Office of Education Accountability. KDE responded that it works with the state budget director’s office in a consensus forecasting process and has been reviewing demographic and property-assessment data, including exceptional child counts, to improve forecast accuracy.

Transcript Highlights:

• , which<00:27:18.159> is<00:27:18.480> not<00:27:18.720> a<00:27:18.960> function
• <00:27:22.000> Um which is not a function of age alone.
• Um which is not a function of age alone.
• this closed ecosystem device that to be this closed ecosystem device that just<01:08:55.040> functions
• to provide their child just functions to provide their child with<01:08:57.359> the<01:08:57.600

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee work session focused on House Bill 293, which would prevent minors from accessing obscenity on certain internet-connected electronic devices. Chair Pardell opened by noting the bill had been discussed several times and that the goal was to find language acceptable to the committee. Representative Coutab argued the bill is important for child safety, said parents vary in technical ability, and pointed to Apple as evidence that filtering tools can be implemented. He asked whether the other members saw a path forward and what it might look like. Representatives McFarland and Tur both said they support the underlying concern but questioned the bill’s structure and practicality. McFarland emphasized parental responsibility and individual liberty, said any final language should avoid infringing on rights or creating indirect pressure on corporations, and suggested looking at other states’ approaches and Apple’s closed ecosystem as a limited example. Tur said the bill may solve one problem while creating others, especially by placing the burden on device manufacturers and browsers rather than on the content providers; he cited the recent Texas Paxton decision as an example of a more targeted age-verification approach aimed at websites. Both expressed concern that a broad device-level mandate may be difficult to implement consistently across different platforms. Chair Pardell responded that the bill is intended to add protective measures rather than impose a blanket ban, and compared it to existing restrictions on minors accessing alcohol, tobacco, or pornographic magazines. She said the proposal is meant to ask for the user’s age during device setup, not to require identification or database checks, and stressed that parents would still be responsible for entering accurate information. Members also discussed whether Apple’s tools are generalizable to Android and other ecosystems, whether the market is already developing solutions, and whether a parent-facing filter or device-level controls would be the best route. Pardell said the committee had received public feedback and that another work session would likely be held in October; no vote or final action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I just don't think that is functional.
• And I just don't think that is functional.
• functional. Thank you. functional. Thank you.
• , open enrollment, public open enrollment schools, I believe the legislature in 2009 intended to function
• , open enrollment, public open enrollment schools, I believe the legislature in 2009 intended to function

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They’re not really a licensing function. Yeah, that we’ve moved to Division Two.
• They’re not really a licensing function.
• They’re not really a licensing function. That’s the best way to do it.
• They’re not really a licensing function. Yeah, that we’ve moved to Division Two.
• they're not really a licensing function they're not really a licensing function yeah<01:16:44.040

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard from the Department of Labor on several House Bill 2 sections. Members discussed raising the annual elevator certificate fee, which had been $50 since at least fiscal year 2014; the commissioner said the Inspection Division generates more revenue than its costs, and members agreed to amend the fee to $75 and later voted unanimously to accept Section 137. The department also explained a proposed change to civil penalty/warning language in Section 139 to align enforcement across labor laws; that section was accepted unanimously. The commissioner then gave a detailed overview of the second injury fund, describing how it is financed by assessments on insurance carriers, how claims are reviewed for reimbursement, and how the fund is intended to reimburse certain workers’ compensation costs. Members questioned whether the program still serves its original purpose, whether it is revenue-neutral, and whether it should be sunset; the department said the fund is a mixed bag for the state and industry, but no sunset language was adopted. Sections 140 and 141 were then accepted unanimously. The committee next heard from the Judicial Council on Sections 125 through 127. The witness said the changes would streamline payment for indigent defense services other than counsel, reduce the number of bills requiring judge review, and expand the council’s ability to contract with providers for services such as translation and evaluations. He also explained a proposed fail-safe allowing the executive director to decline to process questionable invoices and send them to a judge instead. Members generally supported the streamlining, and Sections 125 through 127 were accepted unanimously. Toward the end of the discussion, members asked about the cost impact of changing the misdemeanor/felony threshold from $1,000 to a higher amount. The Judicial Council said felony cases are significantly more expensive than misdemeanors because they involve more hearings, more discovery, and more attorney time, with assigned felony cases costing several times more on average. No action was taken on that question in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Zoom chat function is there complete.
• The Zoom chat function is there for technical support, so please use the chat feature only for technical
• agenda today, the first item is SB 693 SD1, relating to the food hub pilot. complete the zoom chat function
• is there complete the zoom chat function is there for<00:08:31.479> technical<00:08:32.039>
• <00:34:19.960> agricultural in the 1980s our functional agricultural in the 1980s our functional

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency is concerned that core functions will begin to suffer due to constraints under which we are
• Also in the presentation, TCEQ has 170 customized internal systems to support the agency's core functions
• Some ways away from hitting any functional balance, but as costs do come on the state's radar, our agency
• span, so we'll likely just come to you with these projects in a real. requestPosture, but it's functional
• Item 10 is scientific functions.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it’s a related function that you’re talking about, but it is separate from the PSPs.”
• would want the power to come back on automatically, but if there is this high risk, we turn that function
• So it’s a related function that you’re talking about, but it is separate from the PSPs.”
• Can you kind of explain the role and function of the board and of the School Facilities Authority, and
• of the board as the role and function of the board as it's<00:56:50.400> and<00:56:50.599>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Education met on February 6 at 2:00 p.m. and heard testimony on a series of education-related bills. HB 1200, which would codify teacher ratios in statute, drew support from the Department of Education, the Democratic Party of the Education Caucus, and 11 individuals; no opposition was noted and the committee moved on without questions. HB 1344, concerning mandatory FAFSA completion, received testimony from the Department of Education, Hawaii P20, and a University of Hawaiʻi student who cited unclaimed Pell Grant funds and low FAFSA completion rates as reasons to support the bill. Committee members asked about current outreach efforts, and DOE and P20 described FAFSA tracking data, hotlines, email support, school-based FAFSA nights, and coordination with counselors; members also raised concerns about federal education funding and Pell Grants. The committee then heard HB 1499, which would authorize staff and volunteers to administer certain medications. The Department of Education, Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi nursing leadership, and the Hawaii State Center for Nursing all testified in support, along with several individuals and the Democratic Party Environmental Caucus. The next measure, HB 902 on the Public Safety Power Shutoff program, was supported by DOE, the Public Utilities Commission, and Hawaiian Electric, but it prompted extensive questioning from the Vice Chair about whether taxpayers should fund a study to help schools remain open during shutoffs. Hawaiian Electric said the bill would help DOE assess impacts in wildfire-risk areas and noted its wildfire safety strategy, outreach efforts, and potential community resource centers, while the Vice Chair argued the utility should bear more of the cost. The committee also heard HB 961, a bill on school libraries and a CASS pilot program, with DOE offering comments and HSTA and the Hawaii Library Association strongly supporting it. HSTA argued certified librarians are important for literacy, research, and digital literacy, and said many schools lack them because of cost; the association and 14 individuals testified in support. HB 962, a related bill on DOE libraries and the system, also drew support from DOE, HSTA, and the Hawaii Library Association, with 15 individuals in support. Finally, HB 730, concerning the Civil Rights Compliance Branch, received support from DOE, White Children’s Action Network, AAW of Hawaiʻi, and many individuals. Testifiers said the branch needs more resources and training and handles more than Title IX, including Title VI, Title VII, and ADA matters. A student plaintiff in a Title IX lawsuit described unequal treatment in athletics and facilities, and another supporter said the bill would help ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I remind Carl all the time, we still have to focus on our core function.
• What's our core function as a judiciary? It's to get timely resolution to disputes. So that's it.
• What's my core function?
• They have to be safe because people cannot function well in an unsafe environment.
• Chairman and panel, functionally, what do we get by putting pre-trial services into AOC? Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, in other words, the commission never really did function and never had a chance to do anything last
• 01:37:11.320> never<01:37:11.600> really<01:37:11.840> did<01:37:12.080> function
• commission never really did function commission never really did function have<01:37:12.679>
• out<01:43:20.440> is<01:43:20.679> this<01:43:20.880> a<01:43:21.119> function
• reasonably sort out is this a function reasonably sort out is this a function of<01:43:21.599>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're dead because their brain has irreversibly ceased to function.
• following the determination of death based on irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions
• How is Louisiana's current law functioning in practice, inside hospitals, emergency rooms, pharmacies
• on page one, we're just, the focus was to make sure that this information, when looking at these functions
• Functions, we want that it all deals with public.

Summary: The committee heard a personal privilege update on HB 1227, which Representative DeWitt said would return next week as a proposed HCR for a two-year study of the three-doctor panel after discussions with Dr. Nia Colotta. Better Louisiana also presented its new Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Program, describing it as a data-driven leadership initiative focused on health care workforce, rural access, chronic disease, and other system issues; members discussed whether the program could also help generate policy research, including on managed care organizations. The committee then considered SB 427 on anatomical gifts. After adopting technical amendments, Senator Presley and Dr. Jeff White explained that the bill would strengthen organ donation law by creating a decision registry that records both yes and no choices, clarifying the legal effect of refusal, and codifying ethical principles such as the dead donor rule. Questions focused on organ viability, registry procedures, minors, and a Monroe case involving a disputed donor designation. Supporters included LOPA and the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 946, dealing with hospital price transparency and compliance with federal pricing rules, drew extensive testimony. Representative Landry and a witness from Patient Rights Advocate described it as a consumer transparency measure, but the Louisiana Hospital Association opposed the bill’s state-level enforcement and debt-collection provisions. Landry offered an amendment removing the debt-collection and affirmative-defense language, but after debate the substitute failed on a 5-6 vote and the bill was voluntarily deferred. The committee also reported favorably on SB 109, which revises membership qualifications for the Louisiana Emergency Medical Services Commission; SCR 20, urging federal flexibility on Medicaid redetermination for elderly and disabled beneficiaries; SB 216, allowing coroners to rely on licensed practical nurses for medical pronouncements of death; and SB 45, exempting certain gratuitous hospice houses from licensure, with testimony from hospice house operators and supporters. Finally, HCR 71 by Representative Chasson sought an LDH study of how Louisiana’s law and guidance on pregnancy-related emergency medications is working in hospitals, urgent care, and retail settings. Supporters said providers are hesitant to use medications such as misoprostol because of stigma and uncertainty, while opponents from Louisiana Right to Life argued the resolution was unnecessary and could create controversy. The discussion centered on whether the study should be narrowed or made more objective, but no final action on the resolution was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• You see, I have a daughter, and she's autistic, and she has a cognitive functioning of an 8- to 11-year-old
• That is not a functioning system. That is the system reacting to damage that is done.
• CAST believes that we are within arm's reach of hitting functional zero when it comes to homeless veterans
• I think that this is a really good step to moving the needle towards functional zero, but that is a much
• questions. ...and requires each participating school to test the program twice a year to ensure functionality

Bills: HB2014, HB2111, HB2156, HB2165, HB2202, HB2305, HB2321, HB2399, HB2403, HB2416, HB2418, HB2446, HB2601, HB2615, HB2620, HB2812, HB2939, HB2940, HB2955, HB2957, HB2960, HB2992, HB4026, HB4049

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, driver license, examinations, motorcycle awareness, public safety, traffic laws, livestock, compensation, funding, ranching, agriculture, veterans, state parks, admission fees, military exemption, recreation access

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2615, a strike-everything amendment creating an Independent Oversight Committee tied to the Department of Child Safety, with authority to review DCS practices, request briefings and audits, visit sites, and receive confidential complaints, along with a $2.2 million appropriation. The sponsor and several parents and advocates testified that stronger independent oversight was needed because of serious DCS failures affecting children and families. Some members supported the goal but objected to housing the committee in the Ombudsman’s office or questioned whether the structure was the right approach. The strike-everything amendment was adopted, but the bill itself then failed on a 5-5 vote. The committee then passed House Bill 2620, which provides $300,000 annually for five years to the Arizona Department of Veterans Services to grant funds to emergency shelters serving veterans without requiring scheduled intake appointments. The sponsor and shelter representatives said the money would support trauma-informed case managers, help veterans connect to VA and shelter resources, and move the state closer to functional zero for veteran homelessness. The bill received unanimous support and a do-pass recommendation. House Bill 2321 also passed unanimously. It requires DCS to place a security freeze on the credit reports of children entering foster care, with the freeze remaining until age 16 unless the child later chooses otherwise, and includes a $100,000 appropriation and one ongoing FTE. The sponsor said foster youth are especially vulnerable to identity theft and need automatic protection. House Bill 2601, which directs ADOT to seek federal segmentation for the Interstate 11 project between Casa Grande and Wickenburg, passed 6-4 after testimony from supporters who said it would keep the project moving and opponents who raised environmental, cost, and litigation concerns. House Bill 2992, a pilot program for child sexual abuse and grooming awareness education in six public schools, also passed 6-4 after testimony from a survivor and advocates; supporters framed it as prevention and critics argued it duplicated existing sex education and should be handled through broader curriculum or parent education. Additional bills considered included House Bill 2156, which appropriates $250,000 to the livestock compensation fund and passed 7-3 despite transparency and conflict-of-interest concerns from an opponent; House Bill 2165, which exempts certain veterans and military members from state park admission fees, as amended to narrow the exemption to retired or disabled veterans and similar National Guard members, and passed 6-4 amid concerns about lost park revenue; House Bill 2960, creating a veterans specialty court grant program and requiring better coordination on incarcerated veterans, which passed 8-0; House Bill 2014, directing studies on gasoline blends and emissions modeling, which passed 6-2 despite concerns about cost and limited impact; and House Bill 2957, preserving non-REAL ID driver licenses and restricting biometric collection and data sharing, which passed 5-4 after amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• over the summer when I was visiting in the schools and the FMD units of the schools, which are the functional
• President, I move that the Senate does not recede Senate Committee Sub 1 to House Bill 500. functioning
• of the government of the functioning of the government of the Commonwealth<01:15:16.520> of<01
• House Bill 504, an act making appropriations for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning
• As have it, the Senate does not recede. functioning of the judicial branch of functioning of the judicial

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What is their function? Madam Chair, yes, we do contract... ...what is their function?
• What is their function? Madam Chair, yes, we do contract... ...what is their function?
• turbines that are turning, and it turns out that more than 60% of them are not turning and are not functional
• This bill would functionally ban new and affordable renewable energy projects like wind and solar, labeling
• I think the idea is that if you have a lease for a particular function, whether it be grazing or whatever

Bills: HB2150, HB2262, HB2267, HB2268, HB2351, HB2425, HB2426, HB2427, HB2755, HB2781, HB2913, HB2943, HB2956, HB2975, HB2985, HB4009

Keywords: state land department, mineral lease, renewals, indexed royalties, land use planning, auditor general, five-year plans, geospatial data, Arizona Geological Survey, resource analysis, geographic information systems, wildlife protection, public nuisance, renewable energy, wind farm, solar farm, residential property, public health, local regulations, state land

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2150, which would continue the State Land Department until July 1, 2030. Members discussed a Griffin amendment requiring quarterly updates from the commissioner, a public hearing on the department’s strategic plan in 2028, changes to conceptual land use plans and five-year disposition plans, and legislative findings. The hearing focused heavily on State Land Department practices, including whether it is subject to state agency statutes, the department’s internal ASAP application review process, backlog levels, appraisal and consultant use, audit findings, privileged documents in the Fondomonte matter, Proposition 207 notices, and the Coyotes land auction. Members also raised concerns about land sales, leases, special use permits, and the department’s compliance history. The amendment was adopted and HB 2150 was passed as amended on a 6-4 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 2975, which would suspend the department’s solar scoring map and require new mining and housing resource maps, with a Griffin amendment extending the mapping deadline to ten years or earlier and requiring website posting. Supporters argued the bill would restore neutrality, improve planning, and maximize trust revenue; opponents said the solar map is only a guidance tool and that removing it could reduce transparency and harm solar development. The State Land Department said it was neutral but noted the solar layer is used as guidance and that additional staff or consultant support might be needed to create the new maps. The bill passed as amended on a 6-4 vote. House Bill 2781 followed, proposing county or municipal decommissioning standards and financial assurance requirements for solar energy power plants, along with a remediation fund. A Griffin amendment narrowed local authority to decommissioning standards only and limited applicability to projects receiving permits after the effective date. The sponsor and several witnesses from Pinal County planning and zoning supported the bill, saying solar projects should be required to post real financial assurance so land can be restored if operators go bankrupt or abandon sites. The committee adopted the amendment and passed HB 2781 as amended on a 6-4 vote. Finally, the committee began House Bill 2267, which would classify certain renewable energy projects within four miles of residential property as a public nuisance, with a Heap amendment narrowing it to new utility-scale wind or solar farms and preserving existing projects. The sponsor argued the bill responds to concerns about large wind and solar projects near homes, property values, and wildlife impacts. Testimony and questioning centered on nuisance standards, property value effects, and environmental and health concerns, but the transcript cuts off before final action on HB 2267.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is functionally similar to other compacts. Each compact has its own unique things.
• There are some concerns with—you have to do some long-term liver function tests and that kind of stuff
• They're functionally equivalent.
• That is one function that we're talking about.
• The second function is how the discount is applied and to what amount specifically.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 2401, which would require physicians to complete continuing education on nutrition and metabolic health as part of the state’s rural health transformation effort. HHS supported the bill, saying it would help physicians better address chronic disease and preserve federal grant points tied to the state’s application. A member of the public also testified in favor, arguing that better nutrition education could improve diabetes outcomes and reduce costs. The committee then adopted an amendment to add the Board of Occupational Therapy Practice to the background-check statute so the occupational therapy compact could proceed, and it passed the bill as amended on a roll call vote. The committee next heard House Bill 1621, which would require the Presidential Fitness Physical Fitness Test in elementary, middle, and high school physical education courses. HHS said the bill was part of the rural health transformation application and could help preserve federal funding, but members raised many questions about the test’s criteria, adaptive options for students with disabilities, equipment needs, and whether the bill should apply to non-public schools. Senator Clemens offered an amendment to limit the requirement to public schools, but it failed. Senator Hogan then offered an amendment to clarify exemptions and allow DPI to align implementation with federal guidance; that amendment passed. A further amendment adding language allowing DPI to establish criteria for and exceptions to the test also passed. The committee then approved the bill as amended on a roll call vote. The committee also considered House Bill 1622, which joins North Dakota to the physician assistant licensure compact. HHS said the compact would improve access to care, especially in rural areas, support military families, and help preserve rural health transformation funding. Members noted the compact had been discussed in a prior session and that many earlier concerns had been resolved. After brief discussion about the compact process and its consistency with other interstate compacts, the committee voted to do pass the bill. Finally, the committee began Senate Bill 2402, which expands pharmacists’ prescriptive authority and therapeutic substitution powers. HHS and the Board of Pharmacy supported the bill as a way to improve access to care and maintain rural health transformation funding. Senator Roers introduced a detailed amendment negotiated with the Board of Medicine and Board of Pharmacy to narrow and clarify the bill, including notification requirements, limits on certain drug categories, and patient-protection language for therapeutic substitution. The Board of Pharmacy then testified in support of the broader bill and explained the CLIA-waived testing provisions and the repeal of the older, narrower pharmacist-testing language. The hearing and amendment discussion were still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Very functionally and effectively and fairly. Is that correct? Yes.
• Number one, by establishing a nutrition advisory council with a focus on metabolic health, functional
• And there's a lot of research that shows mindfulness techniques in schools can boost cognitive functions
• You've got a physician in functional medicine, and a pediatrician who specializes in metabolic health
• This legislation abolishes the commission. ...and moves its functions to TDLR.

Bills: SB835, SB3070, SB22, SJR59, SB926, SB1494, SB251, SB456, SB500, SB1307, SB2615, SB2995, SB2321, SB973, SB974, SB865, SB506, SB781, SB1522, SB1558, SB510, SB667, SB763, SB2073, SB1858, SB1660, SB505, SB2900, SB1433, SB1540, SB1964, SB1300, SB1644, SB2217, SB2373, SB2431, SB1758, SB2480, SB3039, SB3047, SB3073, SB2920, SB2781, SB826, SB766, SB2460, SB527, SB1946, SB2885, SB1243, SB2610, SB2595, SB857, SB37, SB8, SB10, SB227, SB261, SB12, SB15, SJR27, SB552, SB835, SB3070, SB22, SJR59, SB25, SB57, SB127, SB293, SB441, SB3059, SB512, SB241, SB1718, SB140, SB2055, SB2075, SB2018, SB1534, SB1567, SB785, SB1233, SB1580, SB1663, SB413, SB447, SB519, SB467, SB1579, SB1191, SB1021, SB1838, SB2807, SB2835, SB546, SB2121, SB2167, SB2035, SB2024, SB1032, SB1049, SB1266, SB1400, SB1302, SB401, SB1596, SB1281, SB1242, SB1343, SB310, SB1346, SB2753, SB2703, SB2221, SB1719, SB2177, SB800, SB790, SB748, SB571, SB1957, SB1923, SB1896, SB1760, SB1335, SB2368, SB2477, SB2587, SB2972, SB2986, SB2965, SB1563, SB1467, SB1164, SB1137, SB614, SB705, SB961, SB918, SB955, SB869, SB850, SB863, SB1610, SB1055, SB2206, SB457, SB2337, SB1362, SB926, SB1494, SB251, SB456, SB500, SB1307, SB2615, SB2995, SB2321, SB973, SB974, SB865, SB506, SB781, SB1522, SB1558, SB510, SB667, SB763, SB2073, SB1858, SB1660, SB505, SB2900, SB1433, SB1540, SB1964, SB1300, SB1644, SB2217, SB2373, SB2431, SB1758, SB2480, SB3039, SB3047, SB3073, SB2920, SB2781, SB826, SB766, SB2460, SB527, SB1946, SB2885, SB1243, SB2610, SB2595, SB857, SCR9, HB5560, HB762, HB 107, HB 114, HB300, HB138, HB4386, HB2495, HB581, HB3348, HB5323

Keywords: sexual abuse, nondisclosure agreements, confidentiality agreements, public policy, victim rights, lottery, bingo, regulation, Texas Lottery Commission, Department of Licensing and Regulation, criminal offenses, state administration, audits, transfers, Texas, moving image industry, incentive program, film production, grant funding, job creation