Transcript Highlights:

• yards and related departmental facilities, where the security... ...within our maintenance yards and
• And these are, I'm talking about jobs here— manufacturing, maintenance.
• Yes. standards for the manufacturing and the maintenance jobs and if so could you explain it what that
• And these are, I'm talking about jobs here, manufacturing, maintenance.
• Have you guys adjusted your reserve maintenance accounts that we need to put in... ...reserve maintenance

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard several Caltrans, CHP, and DMV budget and trailer bill items. On Caltrans fleet replacement, the department requested a one-time $225 million augmentation to replace aging medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure. LAO said the request was consistent with state policy, but senators criticized the high cost of electric fleet purchases and Caltrans’ delayed zero-emission fleet report; the chair said the report must be delivered within 30 days before the request could be fully considered. Caltrans also presented trailer bill language to replace an originally intended $50 million federal transfer for the High Road Construction Careers Program with $30 million in state Highway Account funds after federal eligibility problems prevented use of the federal dollars. Members questioned the reduction, the delay in implementation, where the remaining funds would go, and whether the program would keep jobs in California and meet labor standards; Caltrans and the Workforce Development Board said the program had prior success and that the state-funds transfer was intended to preserve the original policy goal. The committee then reviewed CHP’s request for a $60 million augmentation for equipment and operating costs, which CHP said was needed because vacancy savings no longer covered rising fuel, vehicle, and other operating costs. CHP argued that recruitment success had reduced vacancies and that costs had risen sharply since 2006, while LAO recommended rejection, citing that the expenses were ongoing, CHP still had vacancies above pre-pandemic levels, and the Motor Vehicle Account faces structural insolvency by 2028-29. Members discussed whether the account can sustain these costs and whether the Legislature should consider broader funding changes. CHP also sought a permanent $885,000 augmentation for seven analyst positions for the Highway Violence Task Force; CHP said freeway shootings had fallen sharply since 2021 and that analysts were essential to solving cases, while LAO noted the request was smaller than prior years but would create an ongoing commitment. Senators generally supported the task force but asked for clearer metrics and reporting, especially because the data categories had changed over time. Finally, the DMV presented the State-to-State verification system and related modernization work under DXP. DMV said State-to-State is required for Real ID compliance and that California must join the system by February 2027, with live testing planned for the summer. Senators focused heavily on privacy and data security, especially the inclusion of Social Security number digits in the system, the role of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and whether Californians understood their information would be shared in a nationwide database. DMV said the system only shares federally required data, uses encryption, and is designed to de-duplicate records across states, but members pressed for more information on governance, audit authority, and whether the Legislature had explicitly approved the data-sharing approach. The chair asked DMV to follow up with the Attorney General and indicated the committee would continue reviewing the issue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Eighteen million of it will remain for rural services in New Mexico from repairs, maintenance, and bringing
• The bill also supports rural broadband with operations and maintenance in our most rural areas in New
• Additionally, the fund also provides much-needed maintenance for rural New Mexico companies to continue
• Additionally, the fund also provides much-needed maintenance for rural New Mexico companies to continue
• That is why we need to support this and have maintenance repair.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 152, which would create a low-income telecommunications assistance program and continue support for rural broadband operations and maintenance through the State Rural Universal Service Fund. Senator Padilla and Office of Broadband Access and Expansion Director Jeff Lopez said the bill responds to the loss of federal affordability support and would help low-income households pay for broadband, while also preserving funding for rural carriers and maintenance. Supporters included the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the New Mexico Exchange Carrier Group, tribal telecom representatives, and several rural providers, who said affordability is the main barrier to service and that the bill would help families, students, and rural communities. A few witnesses opposed parts of the bill, arguing that the ARS funding should be redirected entirely to broadband affordability and that legacy POTS-line support should sunset. Committee members asked about ETC requirements, satellite and wireless options, rural density, and the sunset provision; the sponsor said the sunset on ARS would be removed and that stakeholder discussions would continue in the interim. The committee voted due pass on the Senate Finance Committee substitute for SB 152. The committee then took up Senate Rules Committee substitute for Senate Bill 132, which would add software planning and replacement to the state’s equipment replacement fund. The sponsor and expert said state agencies now rely heavily on software for core services and that planning for software alongside hardware would improve efficiency, security, and long-term sustainability. There was no opposition, and the committee voted due pass on the substitute. The meeting then shifted to a lengthy discussion of Senate changes to House Bill 2, the budget bill. Senate Finance staff described roughly 300 changes, including additional funding for fire response, early childhood, housing, health care, quantum initiatives, public safety, courts, transportation, education, and several social service programs. Members questioned cuts or reallocations affecting state employee pay, public school capital outlay, the state fair redevelopment, CARA, personal care services, the Office of Child Advocate, and other items. The presenters repeatedly defended the Senate’s use of funds as a way to preserve reserves while prioritizing health care, housing, education, and other recurring needs, and said reserves would remain above the target level even with the changes discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those have been C2 funded in years past; those now will be seeing maintenance recurring costs, and so
• Vehicle repairs and maintenance costs, if we don't replace those vehicles, we see increased costs and
• So this is really scratching the surface of our maintenance costs and infrastructure. needs.
• We've been seeing almost a 12% increase in maintenance costs for specialized software and hardware.
• If you start looking at the cost for maintenance and repair on those vehicles.

Transcript Highlights:

• When it comes to revenue, however, the evidence for Maintenance of Certification is clear.
• That's not money that's in our coffers, but we move to maintenance of certification, recognizing that
• Also, the other part of that maintenance of certification is observing a professional code of conduct
• We charge physicians a sustaining fee for the maintenance of certification, separate from CME, separate
• Yet, because I chose not to participate in the expensive, time-consuming maintenance of certification

Bills: SB2024 , SB227 , SB268 , SB1467 , SB1580 , HB5537 , SB1313 , SB1677 , SB918 , SB331 , SB2207 , SB2721

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: e-cigarettes, marketing prohibition, youth protection, criminal penalties, public health, school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, health care, licensing, complaint procedure, disciplinary action, law enforcement, death records, vital statistics, healthcare, trauma facility, Medicaid

Transcript Highlights:

• of Highway Maintenance, Bridge Maintenance, and Traffic.
• </c><01:13:44.199><c> and</c><01:13:44.520><c> operations</c> years from a maintenance and operations
• </c><01:13:51.239><c> Bridge</c><01:13:51.719><c> maintenance</c> Highway Maintenance Bridge maintenance
• Highway Maintenance Bridge maintenance traffic<01:13:53.600><c> Mechanical</c><01:13:54.280><c> Services
• </c><01:14:50.040><c> is</c> effective with our winter maintenance is effective with our winter maintenance

Summary: The Department of Safety presented an overview of highway fund and unrestricted revenue collections, focusing on the Division of Administration, the Road Toll Bureau, and the Division of Motor Vehicles. Amy Newbery explained that the main unrestricted funding sources are highway funds and general funds, with highway fund revenue of about $263 million in FY 2024 and a FY 2025 projection of $261.2 million. She said revenue growth has been modest and has not kept pace with costs, creating structural deficits that required general fund transfers of $50 million in FY 2022-23 and another $10 million in FY 2024-25 to balance the fund. Jennifer Hall described Road Toll operations, including motor fuel tax collection at the distributor level, compliance enforcement, and licensing for fuel distributors, transporters, IFTA carriers, and oil discharge/pollution control. Members asked about IFTA, dyed-fuel enforcement, the possibility of using the state forensic lab for dyed-fuel testing, and whether audit positions had been filled; the department said it recently hired a part-time fuel enforcement officer, still uses IRS testing, could explore lab testing, and had no audit vacancies. Hall also discussed factors affecting fuel-tax revenue, including gas prices, crude oil forecasts, weather, tourism, GDP, and inflation, and said FY 2024 road toll revenue was $127.5 million, above plan, with FY 2025 projected at $127.71 million. The committee then turned to DMV-related revenues. Newbery said motor vehicle registration revenue was $93.1 million in FY 2024 and is projected at $90.4 million in FY 2025, with the state share going directly to the highway fund. Members asked about the state/town fee split, the five-year registration cycle dip, the distribution of registration revenue by vehicle weight category, and the impact of electric-vehicle surcharges; the department said the five-year dip is still occurring and will fade over time, and it would follow up on the weight-category breakdown. The presentation also noted that driver-license revenues have stabilized, inspection revenues remain steady, plea-by-mail revenue was added to the highway fund in FY 2024, and general fund revenues tied to the department are relatively small and have declined as some functions moved to OPLC. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> budget for repair and maintenance. budget for repair and maintenance.
• So you do the maintenance. >> Yeah.
• </c> &gt;&gt; for the for maintenance. &gt;&gt; for the for maintenance. &gt;&gt; Right.
• What is the maintenance schedule?
• What is the maintenance going? What is the maintenance<02:48:53.200><c> schedule?

Bills: HB111 , HB108 , HB145 , HB164 , HB291 , HJR6 , HR1 , HB63 , HB64 , HB165 , HB184 , HB200 , HB4 , HB7 , HB20 , HB65 , HB66 , HB80 , HB88 , HB96 , HB166 , HB285 , HB295 , HB306 , SB29 , SB37 , HJM2 , HJM3 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM2 , HM16 , HM32 , HM13 , HM47 , HM20 , HM51 , HM1 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM46 , HM53 , HM54 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HB111 , HB108 , HB145 , HB164 , HB291 , HJR6 , HR1 , HB63 , HB64 , HB165 , HB184 , HB200 , HB4 , HB7 , HB20 , HB65 , HB66 , HB80 , HB88 , HB96 , HB166 , HB285 , HB295 , HB306 , SB29 , SB37 , HJM2 , HJM3 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM2 , HM16 , HM32 , HM13 , HM47 , HM20 , HM51 , HM1 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM46 , HM53 , HM54 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• committee, with your indulgence, we're going to lay back Senate File 120, K-12 school facilities major maintenance
• </c><00:00:37.280><c> major</c> uh, K12 school facilities major uh, K12 school facilities major maintenance
• 39.680><c> we</c><00:00:39.920><c> will</c><00:00:40.079><c> have</c><00:00:40.239><c> only</c> maintenance
• And, uh, we will have only maintenance.

Bills: SF0085 , SF0056 , SF0084 , SF0104 , SF0109 , SF0120 , SF0050

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• and maintenance and support of<00:12:14.080><c> the</c><00:12:14.200><c> legislative</c><00:12:14.960
• House Bill 504: An act making appropriations for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning
• For KET, we authorized two maintenance pool projects totaling $2.5 million.
• </c> For KET, we authorized two maintenance For KET, we authorized two maintenance pool<00:34:37.560>
• of effort for match in of maintenance of effort for vocational<00:35:00.280><c> rehab</c><00:35:00.720

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:30.640><c> Uh</c> and maintenance of the NGKIH system.
• Uh and maintenance of the NGKIH system.
• </c><00:54:18.880><c> or</c> realistic in terms of maintenance or realistic in terms of maintenance or
• They've already received a maintenance release.
• </c><01:28:58.880><c> and</c> department does is is maintenance and department does is is maintenance

Summary: The committee first approved the July 9 minutes without objection and heard from Jay Hartz and Jonathan Harris of the Legislative Research Commission. Members asked about Capitol and legislator security in light of recent targeted shootings in other states. Hartz said LRC had removed members’ home addresses from its website, was reviewing other state-government records for similar information, and was working with the Speaker, Senate President, Kentucky State Police, and outside security experts on broader safety measures. He also said LRC is exploring commercial products to help block personal contact information from public view, but declined to name vendors publicly. Harris added that driver’s license scans at the Capitol are handled by Kentucky State Police, while LRC has a process for flagging high-volume or concerning contacts for police review. The LRC also reported that redistricting work has already begun, with census coordination underway, evaluation of redistricting software including Mapitude and open-source tools, and plans to make the same tools available to the public in the LRC library. The committee then heard from Kentucky Wired Operations Company CEO Robert Morphonius, COO Tom Snyder, and counsel Patrick Hughes about the Kentucky Wired network. They explained the corporate structure: Kentucky Wired Operations Company is a private for-profit special purpose entity that designs, builds, operates, and maintains the network; Kentucky Wired Infrastructure Company is a nonprofit instrumentality used for financing; and Open Fiber Kentucky handles commercialization of excess capacity under a wholesale agreement. They said Kentucky Wired Operations is in the operations and maintenance phase, with those obligations continuing until 2045, and that technical changes to the network generally require KCNA approval through formal change-order processes. They also said the company conducted a market test in June 2023 under Schedule 19 of its contract, considered proposals including Open Fiber and the incumbent service provider, and retained the existing provider. Members asked about KCNA’s role, procurement, network customers, and revenue. The witnesses said Quac operates outside normal state procurement because its process is governed by contract, while KCNA acts as the Commonwealth’s oversight authority and filter for changes. They identified current network users as including AOC, KCTCS, postsecondary education, and other Commonwealth agencies, with all requests routed through KCNA; they also said a separate change process for Exceliccom is in litigation. On funding, they said the operation is paid through monthly appropriations, with roughly a million dollars a month for the service provider and a couple hundred thousand for Quac’s oversight, not including debt service, which is bundled into the availability payment. The discussion ended as members began asking about responsibility for damage-related costs such as squirrel-related outages.

Transcript Highlights:

• School district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes are under consideration for the Committee
• HB number seventy-nine by Cain relates to reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem
• No. 93 relating to school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes through the use of certain
• No. 97 by Kerwin, relating to reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes through
• No. 166 by Metcalf relating to the elimination of school district maintenance and operations ad valorem

Transcript Highlights:

• , repairs, renovations that maintenance, repairs, renovations that need<00:33:41.440><c> to</c><00:33
• , and and even some of uh maintenance, and and even some of that<00:34:34.399><c> is</c><00:34:34.639
• So, you know, having a good on our maintenance schedule kind of let you know we're just spending too
• So, you know, having a good on our maintenance<00:41:27.599><c> schedule</c><00:41:27.920><c> kind</c
• ><00:41:28.079><c> of</c><00:41:28.160><c> let</c><00:41:28.319><c> you</c> maintenance schedule kind

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to keep up with the deferred maintenance to keep up with the deferred maintenance on<00:36:30.720
• ,</c> Um this is for uh deferred maintenance, Um this is for uh deferred maintenance, so<02:02:02.440
• . maintenance. maintenance. $5<02:02:09.760><c> million</c><02:02:10.160><c> increase.
• </c> planners, engineers, um park maintenance planners, engineers, um park maintenance supervisor,<02
• For deferred maintenance or in the No For deferred maintenance or in the No How<02:52:49.200><c> much

Transcript Highlights:

• Means, to whom was referred the House bill authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
• Second reading of the bill, an act authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
• An act authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to take by eminent domain
• Third reading of the bill, an act authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
• An act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2027 for the maintenance of the departments, boards,

Summary: The House opened with routine procedural actions, including suspension of Joint Rule 12 for two petitions and suspension of Rule 7A to take up several bills immediately. Members advanced multiple Ways and Means bills to third reading, including measures on campaign finance reporting for statewide ballot questions, tax-free medical devices, fairness for Massachusetts Water Resources Authority employees, releasing land use restrictions in Revere, and authorizing a land taking in Norwood. Several engrossed local and special bills were then passed to be enacted, including measures affecting Boston police age waivers, the Hudson charter, Plymouth’s land acquisition account, Falmouth sewer-related costs, and Randolph’s charter. The House also considered Senate Bill 2916 on campaign finance reporting for ballot questions. Supporters said the bill would strengthen disclosure, close reporting loopholes, and improve transparency around ballot question committees and signature gathering, while also creating a commission to review the initiative petition process. Amendments were adopted, including changes to the commission’s membership and a separate amendment related to signature-gathering provisions. After debate, the bill passed to be engrossed by roll call vote 149-0. Members then took up the fiscal year 2027 budget conference report, House No. 5555, totaling about $63.4 billion. Supporters highlighted funding for Chapter 70 education aid, local aid, Fair Share investments in education and transportation, MBTA and regional transit support, housing and homelessness programs, food assistance, and immigration legal aid. The conference report was adopted by roll call 142-6, the emergency preamble was adopted, and the budget bill was passed to be enacted by the same vote. The House also declined concurrence on Senate Bill 3064, “to build resilience for Massachusetts communities,” and appointed a committee of conference, and later appointed a conference committee on House Bill 4646, enhancing child welfare protections. The session ended with a moment of silence for community figures and adjournment to the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Means, to whom was referred the House bill authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
• Second reading of the bill: An act authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
• Second reading of the bill: An act authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
• Third reading of the bill: An act authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
• An act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2027 for the maintenance of the departments, boards,

Transcript Highlights:

• sustainable design, more sustainable material and more sustainable practices in our construction and maintenance
• You have these MOUs and these delegated maintenance agreements.
• And the maintenance agreements that may be entered into, could you give us an update on that, please?
• Yeah, so the delegated maintenance agreements that we're entering into is part of our statewide effort
• The delegated maintenance agreement that you reference would help the locals to come in and do some work

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met to consider several governor’s appointments, bill referrals, a rule waiver, and floor acknowledgments. The committee approved multiple appointments not required to appear, including members of the Board of Behavioral Science, the Contractors’ State License Board, and the Medical Board of California, with most votes either 3-2 or 5-0. It also approved a reference of bills to committees, a waiver of SR 55 to allow guests on the Senate floor for an adjourn-in-memory of former President Pro Tempore John Burton, and floor acknowledgments, all by 5-0 votes. The committee then heard testimony on the appointment of Dina El-Tawansy as Director of Caltrans. In her opening remarks, she emphasized her 28 years at the department, and said her priorities would be safety, equity, climate resilience, economic prosperity, workforce development, and a multimodal transportation system. Senators questioned her on a range of transportation issues, including impacts from federal and state disputes over immigrant truck drivers, the Highway 58 truck climbing lane, DBE certification changes, asphalt recycling and waste disposal, climate adaptation on coastal infrastructure, and the future of road funding as electric vehicles reduce gas tax revenue. El-Tawansy said Caltrans is pursuing project prioritization, climate vulnerability assessments, partnerships with local governments, DBE reevaluation guidance, recycling efforts, and research into road user charges. Members also asked about toll lane agreements, homelessness encampments and litter on Caltrans property, and the Los Angeles-San Diego rail corridor and broader transit integration. El-Tawansy said Caltrans is moving toward more consistent statewide toll agreements, has signed or is negotiating delegated maintenance MOUs with local agencies to address encampments and litter, and is expanding rail and transit planning. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with representatives from transportation agencies, contractors, local governments, labor, and technology firms backing the nomination. The committee voted 5-0 to move El-Tawansy’s appointment to the full Senate for confirmation, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• As background, Washington imposes an insurance premium tax on health maintenance organizations, health
• First, for taxes due and payable beginning on March 1, 2027, the tax on health maintenance organizations
• Does this bill somehow, since it's talking about health maintenance organizations and that sort of thing
• Section 1 increases the existing tax on health maintenance organizations, health care service contractors
• Section 1 increases in existing tax on health maintenance organizations, healthcare service contractors

Bills: HB2367 , HB1974 , HB2650 , HB2626

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: coal-fired plant, preferential treatment, energy policy, electric generation, regulatory reform, land bank, land banking authority, affordable housing, housing crisis, housing supply, public corporation, public housing authority, nonprofit housing, tax-foreclosed property, blight remediation, redevelopment, anti-displacement, equity, redlining, racial segregation

Transcript Highlights:

• IT WILL ALSO HELP TRUCK FUEL CONSUMPTION, MAINTENANCE OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO THE VEHICLE.
• YOU CANNOT ANSWER IT IS AN AGENCY QUESTION. >> YES BUT THEY HAVE THE DATA ON THE MILEAGE, FUEL, MAINTENANCE
• Antone: THIS GOES TOWARD THE SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS.
• IS THERE ONE REPOSITORY IN EACH AGENCY FOR THE SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND IS SOMEONE ANALYZING
• ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF A TELEMATICS SYSTEM IS MAINTENANCE COMES TO US AUTOMATED.

Transcript Highlights:

• There was some shuffling that we had to do, put money back in maintenance for roads, reduce some other
• So, the, the only thing we did to the general fund is we added 65 million for maintenance.
• kind of highlighted were CTE CTE career technical Education, The school security and basically the maintenance
• Uh, money that you sent over stayed the same where districts can use that for maintenance, security,
• Chair, that the Senate added another $65 million somewhere for maintenance of roads.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:05:52.240><c> support,</c> the operations, maintenance, support, the operations, maintenance
• Similarly, Kentucky Educational Television is authorized two maintenance pool projects totaling $2.5
• Similarly, Kentucky Educational Television is authorized two maintenance pool projects totaling $2.5
• maintenance and federal projects.<00:30:17.279><c> And</c><00:30:17.520><c> for</c><00:30:17.679><c>
• </c> the state fair uh board maintenance the state fair uh board maintenance pool,<00:33:48.720><c> and

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into committee and floor reports. Several measures received favorable committee reports and were ordered to first reading and placed on the calendar, including Current Resolution 9, Senate Joint Resolution 23, House Bill 145, House Bill 567, and House Bill 506 with House Committee Substitute 1. The chamber also noted that House Bills 500 and 504 had already received two readings and were sent to the Rules Committee before House Bill 500 was brought up for final consideration. Most of the discussion focused on House Bill 500, the executive branch budget bill. Members described it as a “good first draft” and emphasized a budget process they said was more transparent than in prior years. The bill was presented as a restrained two-year operating budget with spending growth kept at a little under 2% annually, while setting aside about 2% of projected revenues, or roughly $614 million, in the Budget Reserve Trust Fund for future needs. The budget also used base reductions in some areas while exempting others such as Medicaid benefits, SEEK, corrections, behavioral health, and veterans programs. Subcommittee chairs then outlined major spending areas. Education provisions included a 2% annual increase in base SEEK funding, transportation funding held flat, equalization for recallable nickel funding, continued retirement contributions, and major support for postsecondary access, dual credit, asset preservation, and workforce training. Health and family services provisions held Medicaid steady while adding waiver slots, behavioral health and substance use support, public health investments, and funding for rural health and laboratory capacity. Other sections covered personnel and pensions, veterans services, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, tourism, and environmental projects. The only recorded action on the floor was adoption of House Committee Substitute 1 to House Bill 500, followed by a motion for final passage of the bill as amended. The transcript ends as discussion on final passage begins, before any final vote is shown.