Video & Transcript Research : 'Senate Concurrent Resolution 184'
Page 109 of 500
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator Bravo? Here. Senator Adios? Here. Senator Hamilton? Here. Senator Tavadol? Here.
- Senator Pryl? No. Senator Farnsworth? Aye. Senator Cavanagh? Aye. Senator Cuebe? Mr.
- Senator Pryor? Aye. Senator Kavanaugh? Aye. Senator Cappano? No. Senator Rogers? Aye.
- Chair, members, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1024, subject to voter approval, constitutionally requires
- Chair and members, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1025, subject to voter approval, constitutionally requires
Bills:
SB1433, SB1434, SB1435, SB1567, SB1571, SB1686, SB1745, SCR1024, SCR1025, HB2671, HB2676, HCR2044
Keywords:
county boundaries, Maricopa, Gila, Pinal, Yavapai, Yuma, La Paz, local governance, Arizona Revised Statutes, Maricopa county, county division, new counties, intergovernmental agreements, special election, shared use agreements, education, explicit material, parental consent, student protection, library access
Summary:
The committee approved the February 4, 2026 minutes and held SB 1571 until the following week. It then heard and advanced several measures, beginning with SB 1745, which would cap transaction privilege/excise tax rates in the state’s largest cities at 2.5% per classification unless approved by voters, and would allow enforcement through the attorney general and state-shared revenue withholding. Supporters argued it would protect taxpayers and restrain municipal tax increases; the bill received a technical amendment and a due pass recommendation. The committee also advanced SB 1686, renaming Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza as the Wesley Bolin and Charlie Kirk Freedom Plaza and authorizing memorial placements for Don Bowles and Charlie Kirk, after brief supportive discussion and no substantive opposition testimony.
The committee spent substantial time on SB 1567 and SB 1435, both aimed at restricting public entities, schools, and libraries from exposing minors to sexually explicit materials and from using public facilities for sexually explicit filming or access. Supporters framed the bills as child-protection measures and cited examples of explicit books and materials in libraries and schools; opponents, including the ACLU, warned the definitions were broad, could chill speech, and could criminalize librarians and educators for handling constitutionally protected literature or sex-education materials. Both bills were amended and passed on 4-3 votes, with supporters emphasizing existing obscenity standards and opponents stressing First Amendment concerns and implementation problems.
The committee also advanced SB 1433 and SB 1434, which would redraw Maricopa County boundaries and, in the latter bill, create three new counties with a transition board and staggered elections. The sponsor argued Maricopa County had become too large and politically dominant, making government less representative and less responsive; opponents called the proposals expensive, disruptive, and politically motivated, citing concerns about debt division, duplicated county systems, and fiscal impacts. Both bills received due pass recommendations on 4-3 votes. Finally, the committee approved SCR 1024, requiring legislators to live in their district for one year before election, and SCR 1025, moving the legislative session start date from the second Monday to the fourth Monday in January; both resolutions passed unanimously or near-unanimously after sponsor testimony that they would modernize outdated rules and improve use of time.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- We're going to move to the introduction of guests, and I recognize Senator Rosenwald for a resolution
- . >> Senator Waters, no. >> Senator Apprentice, yes. >> Senator Gray, yes. >> Senator Inis, yes. >> Senator
- Senator Roart, yes. Senator Lang, yes. Senator McConi, yes. Senator Waters, no.
- Therefore, recommendation the Senate proceeds from its position of non-concurrence with the House amendment
- Senator Senator Dlesandro. Senator Senator Dlesandro.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
March 25, 2025 - 12:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- Again, this just conforms the bill to the Senate companion, and it clarifies that the office is permitted
- There were 184 eligible employees who would be part of the bargaining unit, and only five voted, all
Summary:
The Government Operations Subcommittee heard a long agenda of bills covering education, public safety, local government, labor relations, and foreign policy. Early measures included HB 1055, which would support Florida State University’s Election Law Center; CS/HB 4073, a Leon County local bill updating career service rules for sheriff’s office employees; CS/HB 253, creating penalties for license plate obscuring devices and misuse of emergency-style lights; and HB 293, codifying the Office of Faith and Community in the Governor’s Office and creating a liaison and advisory council. Members raised questions on academic freedom in HB 1055 and on church-state concerns and oversight in HB 293, but both bills advanced after supportive testimony from university, faith-based, and law enforcement representatives. The committee also approved HB 4029, a local bill for the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District, and HB 889, requiring classroom driver education for minors before licensure, with supporters emphasizing roadway safety and teen crash reduction.
The committee then took up PCS/HB 731, which would require standardized testing for admission to health-related degree programs at state universities. The sponsor argued the bill would ensure qualified applicants and objective admissions standards, while several members and public witnesses raised concerns that it would duplicate existing requirements like the MCAT and create unnecessary barriers; the bill still passed, though with several no votes. HB 1519, expanding Florida’s anti-BDS law to cover academic boycotts, nonprofits, local governments, and certain grants, drew strong support from Jewish organizations and strong opposition from speakers who argued it chilled free speech and punished criticism of Israel. After an amendment narrowing and clarifying parts of the bill, it passed favorably as a committee substitute.
The most contentious debate came on HB 1387, a major overhaul of Public Employees Relations Commission procedures and public-sector union rules. Supporters said the bill would streamline PERC processes, improve fairness, and address cases where unions were certified with very low participation; opponents, including teachers and labor advocates, said it weakened collective bargaining and public employee rights. After a strike-all amendment and extensive testimony, the bill passed as a committee substitute. The committee also approved HB 351, which adds extreme speeding to reckless driving and increases penalties, after removing impoundment language in an amendment, and PCB GOS 25-07, preserving a public records exemption for minors seeking judicial waiver of parental notice/consent for abortion. The meeting adjourned after all measures were reported favorably.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184
- Senator Providy's guideline in terms of application. Yes, sir.
Keywords:
education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session - part 2 Apr 24th, 2025
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Message from the Senate.
- Herewith returned as amended by the Senate, in which amendments the concurrence of the House is respectfully
- Boddern, Secretary of the Senate.
- : Senate File Number 3196.
- Boddern, Secretary of the Senate. First reading, Senate File Number 3196.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Ethics and Elections Feb 4th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We first met him as a legislative aide to Senator Charlie Bean afternoon isn't to Senator Dean.
- He was elected in 2012 Senator Hayes to finish his term in the Senate in 2016 was then elected to the
- Senator Hayes.
- Thank you, Senator Grall.
- The Senator Hayes just said.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Education Funding (10/28/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- We can interim study it and be studying at the same time, concurrent with the other, but it's just going
- Same time, currently concurrent with the other, but it's just going to be duplicating the effort. >>
- else they can offer right now, they think they need to put it on the table and try to get some resolution
um <03:01:14.240>to <03:01:14.800>whether <03:01:15.120>we're some resolution- here um to whether we're some resolution here um to whether we're going<03:01:15.439>
to <03:01
Summary:
The subcommittee took up several school building aid bills. HB 295, which would make school building aid program funds non-lapsing, drew debate over whether the program is effective and whether funds should be allowed to carry forward. Supporters argued the program is underfunded and that even small leftover amounts should remain available for building aid; opponents said non-lapsing funds limit future budget flexibility and that the program creates winners and losers. The committee voted 4-3 to recommend HB 295 inexpedient to legislate (ITL).
The committee then considered HB 366, which would increase school building aid for eligible projects and include retroactive funding for projects completed in the past. The motion to ITL was supported on the grounds that retroactive payments would be unfair to districts still waiting in line and that the legislature should focus on future projects. Supporters of the bill said the increase was modest and that districts that built during a prior moratorium on aid were left with long-term fiscal burdens. The committee again voted 4-3 to recommend ITL.
The discussion also broadened into special education funding and a retained bill, HB 742, concerning catastrophic special education aid and the source of funding. Members debated whether the education trust fund should cover the aid and whether the committee should act now or wait for a separate commission studying special education costs. Several members emphasized that special education costs are rising, that more data is needed on student identification and funding formulas, and that the commission’s report may provide better guidance. The chair said the subcommittee’s recommendations would go to the full committee, and the next meeting was expected to be rescheduled from November 4 to later that week because of election-related conflicts.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The Senate will be in a brief recess. The Senate will come to order.
- The Committee on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, to whom was referred several Senate
- The Senator from the First Bristol and Plymouth District, Senator Rodrigues, has filed resolutions that
- The Senate will come to order, returning to the resolution previously offered by the Senator from Bristol
- Question now comes on adoption of the resolutions. The Senator from Essex and Middlesex, Mr.
Summary:
The Senate first adopted an emergency preamble for H. 4521, establishing a sick leave bank for Kathleen Roder of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, by standing vote, with 8 in favor and none opposed. The chamber also suspended rules to refer several petitions to committee, including a resolution to rescind prior Article 5 constitutional convention applications and a petition on officer training related to stage suicides. Committee reports moved several bills forward, including legislation clarifying the duties of the Adjutant General and enhancing access and support for military-connected families, both with new drafts, and a bill designating Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day, which was ordered to a third reading.
A major portion of the session focused on the House’s nonconcurrence in the Senate’s amendment to the fiscal year 2025 supplemental budget and the appointment of a conference committee. Senators from both parties debated how to respond to the federal government shutdown and the threatened lapse in SNAP benefits, with repeated calls for the Commonwealth to use available state resources to prevent hunger, protect vulnerable residents, and seek federal reimbursement. Several members criticized the governor’s use of taxpayer-funded communications on the issue, while others defended the administration’s limited initial response and emphasized fiscal constraints. The Senate ultimately insisted on its amendment and appointed a conference committee consisting of Senators Rodrigues, Comerford, and O’Connor.
The chamber also passed several local and special bills, including measures exempting Natick’s assistant fire chief from civil service, authorizing sewer service in Sharon, changing the term of the elected moderator in Holden, updating Medford’s linkage exaction program, and establishing sick leave banks for Candy J. Pike and Kathleen Roder. The Senate later adopted amended resolutions calling on the President of the United States to release contingency funds for SNAP during the shutdown, adopted an order to adjourn to the following Monday, and then adjourned.
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- Will the Senate please come to order? Will the Senate please come to order?
- Washington, Senator Perchick. Washington, Senator Perchick.
- Senator from Chitten Central. Senator from Chitten Central.
- Uh, Senate Economic Development and Housing and General Affairs will be addressing this resolution at
- Senator from Windham. Senate Institutions will meet at 1. Senator from Bennington. Mr.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session - part 2 May 5th, 2025
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- as amended by the Senate, in which amendments the concurrence of the House is respectfully requested
- Message from the Senate.
- as amended by the Senate, in which amendments the concurrence of the House is respectfully requested
- Message from the Senate.
- Motions and resolutions.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh, we started this audit because of a concurrent resolution that requested us to audit both the Department
- I think maybe Senator Hashimoto was one of the introducers of this resolution.
- this audit because of concurrent this audit because of concurrent resolution<00:03:10.239>
that - <01:04:51.920>
resolutions <01:04:52.559>request the concurrent resolutions request - <01:20:12.800>
that Senator of uh different resolutions that Senator of uh different resolutions
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Formal House Session 54 Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The Committee on Rules reports recommending that the following resolutions ought to be adopted: Resolutions
- Resolutions filed by Representative McMurtry of Dedham.
- The ayes have it; resolutions are adopted. Motion, please.
- Second reading of the bill, an act regarding free expression, Senate Number 2726.
- House of your honor, the Chair has been informed that Senate No. 2628 has been...
Summary:
The House began with routine ceremonial business, including the Pledge of Allegiance, adoption of several congratulatory resolutions, and suspension of Joint Rule 12 to send two petitions to committee. It then took up a supplemental fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill (H. 5393 / H. 5493), which Ways and Means reported at about $227.3 million for items including snow and ice costs, no-cost calls, substance use services, homeless programs, and technical changes related to lottery revenue and other outside sections. The bill was advanced through second and third reading and later passed to be engrossed after a roll call vote. The chamber also passed to engrossment a land transfer bill for the Town of Marion (H. 5388) and a Bolton alcohol licensing bill (S. 2628, as amended). The House also enacted two local bills: one further regulating special meetings of the Holyoke City Council and one amending the charter of the town of Reading.
A major floor debate centered on S. 2726, an act regarding free expression, which was framed by supporters as a response to book challenges and censorship in public and school libraries. Supporters, including Representatives Garballey and Moran, argued the bill would protect librarians, require reporting of book challenges, preserve age-appropriate access to materials, and keep challenged books on shelves during review; opponents raised concerns about parental rights and local control. Several amendments were offered and rejected, including one that would have removed a criminal-law protection for librarians and educators, and another that would have shifted school review authority more directly to elected school committees. Two amendments were adopted: one clarifying that challenged material is considered in its entirety, and another narrowing who may initiate certain complaints to parents or guardians of a student in the school. The bill ultimately passed to be engrossed by a large roll call vote.
The House also debated and passed H. 5491 / S. 1646, implementing recommendations of the Walsh Kennedy Commission on hot work safety after the 2014 Beacon Street fire. Supporters said the bill would require certification for hot work, strengthen penalties for repeated or reckless violations, and improve public notification and enforcement to prevent future tragedies; the bill passed to be engrossed unanimously or near-unanimously after roll call. In addition, the chamber advanced a local land transfer for the Yankee Doodle Bike Path in Billerica and a bill concerning ownership and maintenance of culverts and dams in Town Line Brook and Lindenbrook. The session included several recesses, quorum checks, and recognition of guests, including Danvers High School graduates, a former state representative, and WGBH representatives for Public Media Awareness Day.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm joined by Senator Will Brownsberger, the Senate co-chair.
- So we have an interstate compact, Senator, that we have. We have a population...
- But some of the accounting for the numbers, Senator, are also based on revocations.
- Thank you, Senator. Sorry for the confusion, Jeff. Thank you. Thank you, Senator.
- All right, so our total count of staff is about 184.
Summary:
The Special Commission on Criminal Justice Reform 3.0 heard a presentation from the Massachusetts Parole Board focused on consolidation, cooperation, and evidence-based supervision across the correctional system. Parole Board Chair Angela Gomez-June described the board’s mission, its coordination with the Department of Correction, houses of correction, courts, probation, law enforcement, victim services, and UMass partners, and outlined 2024 activity including 2,810 institutional release hearings, 18,238 victim notifications, 53 pardon petitions, 70 commutation petitions, 41 early termination applications, and supervision of 2,993 parolees. She emphasized the board’s shift toward individualized, data-driven decision-making, including revised GPS use, graduated sanctions, and more service-oriented community supervision.
Members and sheriffs pressed for clearer breakdowns of the board’s data, including the difference between releases, hearings, and active supervision; average length of supervision; the share of lifers in the caseload; and how many people are placed in housing, employment, and treatment. The board said its active supervised population fluctuates around 1,600 to 1,800, with more than 400 lifers, and that about 30 to 36 percent of its population is housed through programs such as MASH, community justice resource centers, and sheriff-run residential programs like Rocky Hill and HOPE. Members also discussed parole refusals, noting that some individuals decline parole to avoid supervision or to serve time inside instead, and asked for a more detailed breakdown of those cases.
The board and commission also discussed collaboration with DOC and UMass on risk assessment, reentry planning, and community pathways, including a tablet video explaining the parole process and pharmacist support for medication-related drug test issues. The board reported that after the SJC’s Matus decision, 210 individuals were identified as affected, 144 were immediately eligible for hearings, 100 hearings had been completed, and 10 more were scheduled; it also said clemency and commutation work had been slowed by staffing and Matus-related demands. The meeting ended with a request for follow-up data on outcomes, supervision lengths, housing and employment placements, and other consolidated statistics, and the commission announced its next public hearing for March 9 at 10 a.m. before adjourning.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Feb 9th, 2026 at 11:52 am
New Mexico House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator Hardin was one of my favorite, or probably still my favorite senator.
- on that side of the Senate side of the Senate.
- Senate Bill 48 and requests the concurrence of the House respectfully submitted, Sherry, Lujan, Hamilton
- substitute for Senate Bill 17 and Senate Bill 143, as amended, and requests the concurrence of the House
- Senate Bill 48.
Bills:
HB111, HB61, HB43, HB156, HB70, SB3, HB103, HB109, HB128, HB247, HJM2, HJM3, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, 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
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Oh, Senator Angus. Oh, Senator Angus. Mr.
- Senator Diaz votes no. Senator Diaz votes no. Senator Alston, how do you vote? Senator Fincham.
- This proposal, Senate Bill 1106 from Senator B.
- Senate Concurrent Memorial 1003 is withdrawn from the Committee on Judiciary and Elections and further
- Senate Concurrent Memorial 1003 is withdrawn from the Committee on Judiciary and Elections and further
Summary:
The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, and routine journal and guest items, then moved into the Committee of the Whole to consider bills on the calendar. The main substantive item was SB 1106, a tax conformity bill tied to federal tax changes. Senators debated it extensively, with supporters arguing it would provide tax relief, certainty for taxpayers filing returns, and pro-growth benefits for workers and businesses, while opponents said it would reduce state revenue, favor wealthier taxpayers and corporations, and should be handled in broader budget negotiations. Several senators also objected to provisions they said were added late, including child care, senior deductions, and education-related tax credit language. The bill was ultimately passed in open session by a vote of 17 ayes, 12 nays, and 1 not voting, and was transmitted to the governor.
After SB 1106, the chamber adopted the Committee of the Whole report and then heard a proclamation in support of law enforcement, read by Senator Bolick and signed by Senate leadership. The proclamation cited officer safety, assaults, fatalities, and mental health concerns, and called for continued support, equipment, training, and resources for law enforcement. Senators spoke in favor of honoring police and “backing the blue.”
The Senate also handled routine floor business, including a message from the House, transmission of SB 1106 to the governor, and a long list of first-reading bill introductions and committee references covering topics such as public safety, health and human services, education, finance, elections, immigration, border issues, and appropriations. The meeting concluded with committee announcements and adjournment until Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/18/2026 - House Transportation & Infrastructure
Transportation & Infrastructure
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm here in support of Senate Bill 2304.
- I'm here in support of Senate Bill 2304.
- Senate campaign. It wasn't until two years later that I met him.
- You’ve given House Concurrent Memorial 2012 a do pass recommendation.
- Okay, House Concurrent Memorial 2016. House Concurrent Memorial 2016. Mr. Chair.
Bills:
HB2067, HB2068, HB2127, HB2164, HB2200, HB2201, HB2242, HB2283, HB2284, HB2285, HB2286, HB2287, HB2304, HB2306, HB2399, HB2601, HB2609, HB2760, HB2761, HB2859, HB2887, HB2892, HB2893, HB2894, HB2978, HB4027, HCM2012, HCM2016
Keywords:
appropriation, transportation, infrastructure, Apache Junction, funding, Show Low, road extension, special license plates, nonprofits, charitable contributions, Reay Lane, Graham County, HB 2200, State Route 89, SR 89, Chino Valley, Arizona Department of Transportation, ADOT, road widening, highway expansion
Summary:
The committee heard an ADOT presentation on Interstate 11, SR 347, the I-10 Wild Horse Pass corridor, and the I-40/US 93 West Kingman project. ADOT said the I-11 corridor remains under a federal lawsuit covering the full 280-mile route from Mexico to Nevada, with a Tier 1 reevaluation underway and public outreach expected later in the year, concluding in early 2027. ADOT said segmentation of the corridor would add time and cost, and that current work is limited to pre-NOI Tier 2 activities and other allowed planning steps. For SR 347, ADOT described widening, intersection upgrades, two grade separations, and a schedule that could begin construction in summer pending clearances. For I-10, ADOT outlined four widening projects adding a third lane each way, interchange reconstructions, a new interchange at Coley Road, and corridor-wide freeway management systems, with completion expected by late 2029. For the West Kingman I-40/US 93 project, ADOT said the $106.5 million project is about 60% complete and should finish in early 2027; members asked about temporary traffic control near Beale Street and possible additional signage or signals on the corridor.
Members also raised local traffic and safety concerns on the SR 347 and I-10 projects, including signal timing, median barriers, construction hours, truck traffic, and the need for clearer driver education and digital signs. ADOT said it would look into signal optimization, possible temporary fixes, and additional signage, and noted the I-10 corridor total cost is just under $1 billion, funded through a mix of MAG, federal, and state money. On I-40, members also discussed a possible temporary traffic light near Beale Street to improve safety and access. The committee then moved to a series of transportation appropriation bills and announced a mass-motion process for the projects.
Staff explained HB 2067 for Apache Junction ($29.4 million), HB 2068 for the Wolford Road extension in Show Low ($6.5 million), HB 2164 for Ray Lane improvements in Graham County ($3.73 million), HB 2200 for SR 89 widening in Chino Valley ($36 million, contingent on a $1 million local commitment), HB 2201 for Sedona SR 89A/Forest Road/Ranger Road projects ($8.03 million), and HB 2304, the ARTEC bill, which appropriates about $473 million for multiple highway projects statewide. Witnesses from Show Low, Eloy, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Lake Havasu City, Clarkdale, San Luis, Yuma, and Yavapai County testified in support of their local projects, emphasizing congestion relief, freight movement, emergency evacuation, safety, economic development, and local matching funds. No final votes were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would proceed with a mass motion on the project bills after testimony.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
House Chamber - Mon Apr 14, 2025, 11:30 AM HST - Day 50
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Item number four, Senate communications. Mr. Clerk, are there any Senate communications?
- Item number four, Senate Item number four, Senate communications.<00:12:36.240>
Mr. - Madam Speaker, Senate communications?
- concurrent resolutions, as may be amended, be referred to their designated committees.
- concurrent resolutions and House resolution, as may be amended, be adopted.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee 1/16/25
Higher Education Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- resolution will be um that budget resolution will be um Targets<00:12:26.560>
in <00:12:26.680 - >
a <00:13:03.839>house if it's used a senate file or a house if it's used a senate file - <00:36:00.040>
or earlier within a budget resolution or earlier within a budget resolution - <00:38:21.400>
representative resolution representative resolution representative Allen<00:38: - the legislature the House and Senate the legislature the House and Senate come<01:19:08.880>
Summary:
The Higher Ed Finance and Policy Committee met to begin a budget overview for higher education. The chair noted quorum, committee member introductions, and that Democratic members were absent. The chair also said the Office of Higher Education would not be appearing for the planned budget deep dive, so nonpartisan fiscal staff would present instead. Ken Savory, the committee’s nonpartisan fiscal analyst, introduced a presentation on the higher education finance structure and timeline.
Savory explained the state budget cycle, the difference between direct appropriations, statutory appropriations, open appropriations, base funding, tails, and one-time appropriations, and how those concepts apply to higher education. He described the committee’s usual budget areas: the Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State, the University of Minnesota, and the Mayo Foundation. He also reviewed historical spending charts showing higher education’s share of the general fund over time, the 2/3-1/3 funding policy in statute, and how tuition and general fund support have shifted. He noted that the FY 26-27 base for the Office of Higher Education area is about $725 million, including roughly $450 million for the State Grant program and about $99 million for North Star Promise.
Members asked about comparing the current budget to earlier biennia, and staff responded that they would need to calculate the percentage difference. The chair then summarized prior budget growth, saying the previous budget was about $650 million over base and the current budget/tail was about $450 million over base. Staff also reviewed the 2024 omnibus higher education bill, including a roughly $5 million reduction to North Star Promise that was redirected to the Fostering Independence Grant program and a $500,000 appropriation for Minnesota State’s Kids on Campus program. The committee did not take any formal votes or actions during this portion of the meeting.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator Stewart. Senator Townsend. Senator Warren. No. Senator Maesta: No. Senator Cervantes: No.
- No, Senator No, Senator Townsend. No, Senator Warren. No, Senator Leyesca. No, Senator Cervantes.
- Senator Boone Senator Brantley, Senator Duhigg, Senator Lopez, Senator Stewart Senator Townsend, Senator
- Senator Booth, no. Senator Brantley, no. Senator Juney, no. Senator Sebelius, yes. Senator Stewart.
- Senator Stewart. Senator Townsend, no. Senator Wood, no. Senator Meiser, no. Senator Serban, no.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
JHA Public Hearing - Tue Feb 24, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST
Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:51:45.040>
that I feel conflict but also resolution that I feel conflict but also resolution - Um, and I realize that there are Senate.
- I did get concurrence from the agriculture chair to do that.
- I did get concurrence from the agriculture chair to do that.
- <03:34:43.200>
chair concurrence from the agriculture chair concurrence from the agriculture
Summary:
The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard testimony on HB 1875, which would expand Hawaii’s existing protections to include gender-affirming health care, clarify permitted disclosures of protected health information, and bar certain adverse actions by malpractice insurers and health carriers against providers of lawful reproductive or gender-affirming care. The Insurance Division of DCCA supported the bill with a technical amendment, suggesting language tied to actuarial analysis rather than the phrase “actuarially sound.” The Office of Information Practices also provided comments.
Most testimony was strongly in support. State agencies and advocacy groups, including the Hawaii State Youth Commission, State Health Planning and Development Agency, Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Stonewall Caucus, ACLU of Hawaii, PFLAG Oahu, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the bill would protect patient privacy, reduce chilling effects from out-of-state litigation, and help retain providers in a state already facing shortages. Several testifiers said gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based, and life-saving, and emphasized that Hawaii should protect its own health care decisions from outside political pressure.
A few individuals testified in opposition, arguing the bill was unnecessary or that it protected providers more than opponents of the bill, but these views were not echoed by most of the testimony. The chair repeatedly reminded testifiers to keep comments brief and maintain decorum. The transcript provided does not include a final committee vote or disposition on the bill.