Transcript Highlights:

• WT supports Chancellor Sharpe's system priorities.
• Priorities and requests are detailed on page 1 of our handout. legislative session, the state allocated
• Our strategic focus is centered around three priority areas, strengthening rural and community health
• Our mission towards research... impact is achieved by focusing on four interconnected strategic priorities
• Those priorities are focused on leading-edge innovation and discovery, sustainable agricultural systems

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Priority is given to growing marijuana, cannabis, or hemp and specialty crops.
• go so projected funding priorities go so projected funding shortfall<00:17:44.200> for<00:17:
• <00:18:33.159> is so despite the fact the uh priority is so despite the fact the uh priority
• So to have that flexibility to make sure that we are truly funding the best highest-priority projects
• So to have that flexibility to make sure that we are truly funding the best highest-priority projects

Bills: HF770, HF857, HF38, HF1500, HF43

Keywords: HF770, Rural Finance Authority, RFA, capital investment, state bonds, general obligation bonds, bonding bill, agricultural loans, farm loans, beginning farmer, new farmer, seller-sponsored loans, loan restructuring, agricultural improvement loans, livestock expansion, modernization loans, rural development, Minnesota agriculture, farm credit, chapter 41B

Transcript Highlights:

• to identify priority issues in education<00:47:19.680> and<00:47:19.920> workforce<00:
• How is that rolling into our priorities in K-12 and in higher ed and workforce development?
• <00:57:35.280> Again, and what our priorities are. Again, and what our priorities are.
• look forward to sharing those priorities look forward to sharing those priorities with<00:58:08.000
• Um, so these are the priority Um, so these are the priority recommendations<01:15:58.159> that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is very low priority.
• And of course, if it's a low priority, then it is in fact a low priority.
• This is very low priority. Uh if this. This is very low priority.
• , then it is in fact a low priority, then it is in fact a low priority.<00:14:09.680> And<00:14
• it's low, it's low on our priority list. it's low, it's low on our priority list.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then approved an agency amendment to a health and family services regulation. The amendment reversed a prior change so that neonatal ICU beds would remain subject to regular review rather than nonsubstantive review. The remaining administrative regulations were then reviewed without objection. The main presentation was from State Auditor Allison Ball on a report finding $836 million in concurrent Medicaid capitation payments from 2019 through 2022, involving individuals enrolled in Kentucky and at least one other state. Ball said Kentucky relied on the PARIS system, which has limitations because it is updated quarterly and depends on voluntary state participation, while a better federal data source, T-MSIS, was not fully available to the state. She said the audit found weak internal controls, siloed processes, outdated guidance, and a low-priority attitude toward residency checks, all of which contributed to missed alerts and improper payments. She also said the report identified additional problems, including payments made after beneficiaries died and cases involving multiple states paying for the same person. Ball recommended better access to federal data, stronger MCO contract provisions, and more active oversight by the Department for Medicaid Services and managed care organizations. She said the contracts reviewed did not provide a clear way to recoup the improper payments, though she and her counsel suggested possible equitable legal theories might be explored. Members expressed concern about the scale of the waste and the lack of contract enforcement, and asked whether any money could be recovered. Ball said the audit did not identify a clear contractual path to recoup the funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• Its duties really are to govern the programmatic and budgetary priorities for both of those agencies,
• So they just recently completed the final priority session and discussion with the board.
• So for Extension, they're bringing forward one priority, and the critical priority is restoration of
• For the experiment station, the critical priority is again the restoration of the governor's proposed
• As you recall, over the past several biennia, we've had storage sheds on the list of priorities for one

Summary: The committee met in Fargo and approved the minutes from the March 31 meeting before hearing a series of informational presentations focused on North Dakota agriculture, water, and research. NDSU President David Cook opened with remarks about NDSU’s land-grant mission, emphasizing statewide service through research, teaching, and extension, and highlighting examples such as the Lilac Agriculture startup and the university’s role in applying research to real-world problems. He said he intends to spend time listening across the state to better understand local needs. The committee then received a detailed presentation on a state irrigation and drainage study from Tom Bodine on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The study projected significant potential for expanded irrigation acreage, especially in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau, and estimated major economic gains from irrigation, including higher farm returns and support for value-added agriculture. Members discussed water permits, surface water versus aquifers, infrastructure, drought resilience, and the role of legal drains in improving productivity and generating economic activity. The presenters also noted that the full report is available online. Dr. Greg Lardy followed with NDSU’s required interim report, outlining the university’s agricultural research and extension system, including the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, seven research-extension centers, and the economic importance of agriculture to the state. He highlighted recent research impacts such as new crop varieties, potato breeding successes, virtual fencing, AI-assisted weed control, weather-network tools, and 4-H programming. He also described NDSU’s budget priorities: restoring the governor’s proposed 10% cuts, additional operating support, and deferred maintenance funding. Committee members asked about the new agricultural field lab, storage sheds, and NDSU’s partnership with Grand Farm. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor presenting water-related research, including data center cooling, water reuse, smart irrigation, and a feasibility study on co-locating data centers with greenhouse and aquaculture production. Members asked about water use, ownership, and whether the concepts were operational or still speculative. Finally, North Dakota AgTech presented its NSF-funded innovation engine work, describing startup commercialization, on-farm trials, workforce development, and partnerships with NDSU, UND, tribal colleges, and other land-grant institutions. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the prior meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this legislature has made early learning a priority. You need to know, thank you.
• And this legislature has made early learning a priority.
• And this legislature has made early learning a priority.
• And this legislature has made early learning a priority.
• You need to know, thank you. ...has made early learning a priority.

Summary: The House took up the special order calendar for a proposed constitutional amendment on property taxes, CS/HJR 1F, which would create a new homestead exemption for non-school taxes, lower the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property, and restrict how counties and municipalities may use ad valorem tax revenue. The sponsor, Rep. Overdorf, said the measure would give homeowners tax relief and argued local governments could adjust spending or use other revenue sources. Opponents repeatedly questioned the ballot language, the lack of a fiscal estimate or backfill, and the potential impact on local services, public safety, and debt obligations. The House adopted the special order report and then debated the resolution and a series of amendments. Several amendments were offered to carve out or protect specific services from the tax changes. Rep. Bartleman’s amendment to protect Children’s Services Councils and Children’s Trusts was supported by members who said those entities fund early learning, mental health, aftercare, and other services for children and working families, but it failed 25-74. Rep. Cross offered an amendment to include water management districts in allowable ad valorem uses, warning of impacts on flood control, water quality, Everglades restoration, and water supply; that amendment also failed. Rep. Eskamani offered an amendment requiring the Legislature to backfill public safety funding if local revenues fall, arguing police and fire services, staffing, and response times would be at risk; it failed 25-71. The chamber then rejected Rep. Woodson’s amendment to require state backfill for senior services, with supporters citing Meals on Wheels, transportation, adult day care, and other local senior programs, and opponents saying the proposal was outside the bill’s scope. Finally, Rep. Gant offered an amendment to protect veteran services, saying local governments fund housing, mental health, transition, and family support programs for veterans; debate emphasized the importance of honoring veterans and avoiding cuts to those services. The transcript cuts off during debate on that amendment, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know a lot of you have made these priorities. and advanced AI.
• I know a lot of you have made, these are priority. Go through these next few fairly quickly.
• I know a lot of you have made these priorities for you.
• New Mexico's recurring revenue dollars are small, and these will be our two priorities, right?
• Requests: I believe this was brought to you by Kelly from LFC staff, but priority number one for the

Summary: The committee first recognized Mark Roper of the Economic Development Department for his long service and retirement, with members and the secretary praising his work on economic development across the state. Secretary Rob Black then presented EDD’s budget and special appropriation requests, describing strong recent job and income growth and outlining the department’s strategy around science and technology, site readiness, workforce development, foreign direct investment, and rural/community programs. He highlighted wins in advanced energy, quantum, space and defense, and biosciences, and asked for funding for quantum/DARPA matching funds, additional site readiness work, LIDA closing funds, JTIP training support, New Mexico Partnership, and healthy foods and other community programs. Members asked detailed questions about the quantum proposal, site readiness, the new mapping tool for industrial sites, workforce participation, trade missions, foreign investment, tariffs, water and produced water, tribal site evaluation, and public engagement on major projects. Black said the quantum request was intended to match federal dollars and build a workforce pipeline, that the site-readiness software would be a set enterprise license, and that the department was working with tribes and local partners on future site evaluations. He also said tariffs have created uncertainty but New Mexico’s infrastructure and foreign trade zones could help attract manufacturing, and he acknowledged concerns about transparency and community input while noting that some projects, such as Pacific Fusion, had gone through extensive public processes. The committee also discussed specific projects and funding balances, including Mantis Space’s move to Albuquerque, the status of Virgin Galactic’s spaceport lease, and the current LIDA fund balance and encumbrances. Black and Deputy Secretary Isaac Romero said the department was trying to use State Investment Council-backed venture funds to attract companies and that the new investments were already producing deals and jobs. Members generally supported the department’s direction but pressed for more targeted expertise, faster deployment, and stronger community involvement in future economic development decisions. Later, Secretary de Blassie of the Department of Health presented the department’s budget request and progress report. He said DOH had improved revenue cycle management, reduced old Medicaid-pending cases, increased census at facilities, improved budget and contract timeliness, and responded effectively to the measles outbreak. The department requested additional base funding for epidemiology and response, the DOH helpline, the Vital Records Virtual Vault, state labs, and the veterans home, along with special requests for respiratory vaccinations and marketing and lab equipment replacement. He also noted progress on MOUD and the medical psilocybin program, and said the department was not seeking to launch new programs given the limited time left in the administration.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes competing priorities for one-time funding.
• competing priorities for includes competing priorities for one-time<00:42:18.640> funding.
• Uh and I that's been one of my priorities<00:48:10.079> coming<00:48:10.319> into<00:48
• :10.560> this<00:48:10.720> session<00:48:10.960> is priorities coming into this
• Um, this should be among our top priorities this legislative session.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am going to make my pitch that I think collectively all of us together a top priority is to get the
• Um, so I think that's going to be a priority, but I think you will see limited expenditures.
• ,<00:54:38.480> but think that's going to be a priority, but think that's going to be a priority
• Those are top priorities for stop fraud.
• >> The Republicans significant priorities >> The Republicans significant priorities

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:33:25.440> Your<00:33:25.679> priority. Senator, your priority in the CI.
• On page 11, into our priorities, priorities 1, 2, and 3 have to do with our state narcotics responsibility
• On page 11, into our priorities, priorities 1, 2, and 3 have to do with our state narcotics responsibility
• On page 11, into our priorities, priorities 1, 2, and 3 have to do with our state narcotics responsibility
• Priorities 1, 2, and 3 have to do with our state narcotics responsibility.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a reminder for us to look at the priorities in front of us.
• It's a reminder for us to look at the priorities in front of us.
• , when I say our priority, Minnesota's state priority for recruiting teachers is expansion and recruiting
• our priority when I say our priority our priority when I say our priority Minnesota's<01:21:16.239
• > State<01:21:16.679> priority<01:21:17.159> for Minnesota's State priority for

Bills: HF51, HF1161, HF2201, HF2786, HF1053

Keywords: HF51, Sibley County, State-Aid Highway 21, capital investment, bonding bill, general obligation bonds, transportation infrastructure, road improvements, sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, local infrastructure, county grant, Minnesota Department of Transportation, bond proceeds fund, public works, utility infrastructure, education finance, school district funding, tax base adjustment

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:35.920> in MLDD newborn screening a priority in MLDD newborn screening a priority in
• It would help us to draw out what are our priority opportunities and priority needs in the state
• work and with legislative priorities being set.
• <00:37:09.040> established based on actual priorities established based on actual priorities
• someone, you know, with the priorities someone, you know, with the priorities of<00:38:28.160>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The 25-year Legacy Plan is organized around four pillars, or strategic priorities, that are illustrated
• The DNR is reviewing this 25-year Parks and Trails Legacy Plan as well as DNR strategic priorities to
• to see how these are aligning priorities to see how these are aligning we<00:15:41.480> look<
• and look at our next set of priorities and look at our next set of priorities for<00:15:47.319><
• <00:16:04.480> which to set up our next bium priorities which to set up our next bium priorities

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 10 repeals the current priority access return allocation and retiree raise rules for the
• Senate Bill 10 repeals the current priority access return allocation and retiree raise rules for the
• Now that the experience account no longer exists, it revises the system's priority allocation.
• The employers, with the change, the priority allocation provisions would put money in the account.

Bills: SB8, SB10, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB14, SB16, SB17, SB18, SB20, SB21, SB22, SB416, SB455, SB456, SB477

Keywords: Municipal Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana, participation, employer, retirement, SB 10, Act 222, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, state police retirement, retirement system funding, employer contributions, actuarial gains, amortization, Permanent Benefit Increase, PBI account, benefit increase reserve, supplemental permanent benefit increase, public retirement systems, state pension, pension funding

Summary: The Retirement Committee met on April 29, 2026, established a quorum, and heard a series of retirement-related bills, mostly cleanup or technical measures affecting various public retirement systems. SB 22 would extend Municipal Employees Retirement System eligibility to certain positions in the Second City Court constable’s office in New Orleans. SB 17 would create a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees’ retirement system. SB 455 would allow certain district and parish courts to participate in the Parochial Employees Retirement System. SB 456 would update compensation rules for assigned retired judges, and SB 8 would add the Louisiana Asset Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. All of these bills were described as aligning statutes with current practice or expanding participation options, and each was reported favorably without objection. The committee also heard several Louisiana State Police retirement bills. SB 10 would repeal outdated priority allocation and retiree raise rules and adjust handling of surplus employee contributions; SB 11 would increase the funding cap for benefit increases from 2.5% to 3.5%; and SB 12 would update membership and definition language to reflect the State Police Commission rather than the Civil Service Commission. SB 18 would repeal a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting roughly 30 current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 would update actuarial gain/loss and unfunded liability funding rules for school employees’ retirement and LASERS, respectively, in light of the new permanent benefit increase funding structure. Each of these bills was supported by system officials as cleanup or modernization measures and was reported favorably. The committee spent the most time on education and return-to-work issues for teachers and public employees. SB 16 would reduce annual trustee training requirements for retirement system boards from 16 hours back to 12 hours, which witnesses said would better fit smaller systems and match the original intent of the law. SB 13 would similarly update TRSL’s actuarial funding rules after the sunset of the experience account. SB 14, based on a 2025 study work group, would consolidate and simplify TRSL return-to-work rules and expand options for retired teachers, with witnesses emphasizing teacher shortages and the need to retain experienced educators. All three were reported favorably. Finally, SB 416 would allow certain Department of Public Safety and Corrections retirees to return to critical shortage positions after one year, and SB 477 would classify the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee for retirement purposes. Both bills drew questions and discussion, especially SB 416, and both were reported favorably. The chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 10 repeals the current priority access return allocation and retiree raise rules for the
• Now that the experience account no longer exists, it reuses the system's priority agent.
• The employers, with the change, the priority allocation provisions, which would put place in the account
• The employers, with the change, the priority allocation provisions, which would put place in the account

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Retirement Committee met with a quorum and heard a series of retirement-system bills, mostly described by sponsors and system directors as cleanup measures, technical corrections, or changes to funding and re-employment rules. Early bills included SB 22, which made the constable position for the Second City Court of New Orleans eligible for membership in the Municipal Employees Retirement System, and SB 17, which created a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees. The committee also advanced SB 455 and SB 456, addressing employer participation in the Parochial Employees Retirement System and compensation for assigned retired judges, respectively. The committee then took up a group of State Police and teacher-retirement measures. SB 8 added the Louisiana Access Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. SB 10, SB 11, and SB 12 adjusted State Police retirement funding and actuarial treatment, including changes to COLA funding, benefit increase funding, and administrative definitions. SB 16 reduced annual trustee education requirements for retirement boards from 16 hours to 12. SB 13 made similar actuarial-funding changes for the Teacher’s Retirement System, and SB 14, developed from a study group, consolidated and simplified TRSL return-to-work rules while expanding some re-employment options for retirees. Later bills focused on re-employment and system funding. SB 18 repealed a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 updated actuarial gain and loss handling for the School Employees’ Retirement System and LASERS, respectively, to align with newer COLA funding structures. SB 416 expanded re-employment options for retired Department of Public Safety and Corrections employees in critical shortage positions, prompting discussion about staffing needs and cross-gender strip-search issues in prisons. SB 477 clarified the retirement status of the Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee. All bills discussed were reported favorably, and the chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's a concern because the halves that have the largest number going their priorities are going
• And that's a concern because the halves that have the largest number going their priorities are going
• And that's a concern because the halves that have the largest number going their priorities are going
• And that's a concern because the halves that have the largest number going their priorities are going

Bills: HB8, HB380, HB8, HB380

Keywords: tobacco regulation, vaping, sales restrictions, youth protection, tobacco compliance, public health, education programs, electronic nicotine delivery systems, human cloning, criminal penalties, embryo, genetic modification, bioethics, campus chaplain, chaplain, school chaplain, volunteer, public K-12 schools, public schools, public charter schools

Transcript Highlights:

• This has been one of my top priorities for a long time, but now you see that all of us are working together
• This has been one of my top<00:03:38.239> priorities<00:03:38.720> for<00:03:38.959>
• 39.120> long<00:03:39.360> time,<00:03:39.920> but<00:03:40.159> now top priorities
• for a long time, but now top priorities for a long time, but now you<00:03:40.640> see<00:03:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• college access and increasing degree completion to meet our state's workforce needs are important priorities
• efforts reflect the direction we are headed: more accountability, stronger alignment with workforce priorities
• order to maintain quality, affordable education aligned with system and institutional strategic priorities
• $56.3 million for the next phase in that remediation effort, allowing us to continue addressing high priority

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He also said the Jewish Federation told him this was their number one priority this year, and he wanted
• He said the Jewish Federation told him this was their number one priority this year.
• He also said the Jewish Federation told him this was their number one priority this year.
• He said the Jewish Federation told him this was their number one priority this year.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:03 Attendance Roll Call: 00:08 SB 27 Discussion 01:36 SB 27 Vote 07:06 SB 40 Discussion 08:11 SB 40 Vote 12:38 Adjournment: 13:31, 958, all

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met with a quorum and adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 27, sponsored by Senator Greg Elkins. SB 27 would let fiscal courts or local governments responsible for indigent remains choose cremation instead of burial, after consulting the coroner and after a 30-day effort to locate next of kin. The bill also preserves the ability of a religious community to assume responsibility if it has expressed that intent in writing. Jason Hall of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky said his only concern was ensuring cremated remains are interred, not disposed of otherwise, and Rabbi Schlommo Litman of the Kentucky Jewish Council thanked the sponsor for accommodating religious communities and said the bill was a good compromise. After discussion, the committee voted 10-0 to report SB 27 favorably as amended by committee substitute, with members indicating they expected it to pass on the floor. The sponsor thanked the committee for its work and noted the bill’s importance to religious communities. The committee then considered Senate Bill 40, sponsored by Senator Gary Boswell, and adopted its committee substitute. SB 40 changes the process for library board appointments, returning appointments to local judge executives and local boards and modifying the alternate appointment process created by prior law. Testimony from the County Judges Association and the Kentucky Public Library Association indicated the parties had worked together and were in agreement on the compromise. After questions about how the regular and alternate processes would work, the committee voted 10-0 to report SB 40 favorably as amended by committee substitute, also with favorable expression for floor passage. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• THEN WE TAKE A NEXT STEP OF ADDING IN WHAT WE CALL OTHER HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS.
• YOU CAN SEE THAT IN ALL THREE YEARS THE OTHER HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS ARE RUNNING ABOUT 61% OF OUR TOTAL
• BETWEEN CRITICAL NEEDS AND OTHER HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THERE IS MORE FLEXIBILITY
• IN THE OTHER HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all