Transcript Highlights:

• The Capital Investment Committee for April 29th is called to order.
• but crazily complex program.
• This leads us to our 2025 capital program.
• Our hazardous waste permitting program sets by the legislature in the appropriate program dollar amounts
• Here are the capital investment priorities for this year.

Bills: HF3220

Keywords: school safety, school security, emergency access, law enforcement access, master key box, secure key box, entry device, school grants, education finance, Department of Education, charter schools, school districts, cooperative units, appropriation cancellation, one-time appropriation, school safety plan, emergency preparedness, public safety, school building security

Transcript Highlights:

• which is called capitation. which is called capitation.
• Integrated Health Partnership Program is called the IHP program.
• this PMAP program, prepaid medical assistance program.
• And my entire career has been focused on providing clinical care and developing programs to improve the
• developing programs developing programs to<01:19:28.920> improve<01:19:29.480> the

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House File 3939, a bill to support a Helping Paws service-dog litter named in honor of Gilbert and the Hortman family. Testimony from Helping Paws and service-dog graduate Angie Foley described the organization’s work, the significance of the “Guided by Gilbert” litter, and how the funding would help train dogs that provide independence and support to people with disabilities, veterans, and others. Members from both parties spoke warmly about Speaker Hortman’s connection to the organization and Gilbert, and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion. The committee then considered House File 3769, the Department of Corrections’ technical omnibus bill, with an A1 amendment adopted to clarify tuberculosis testing language. The bill updates TB screening procedures in correctional facilities, including how refusals are handled, and adds Quantiferon Gold Plus testing as an option alongside existing methods. Members discussed whether the bill would create costs for counties and jails, with some noting added testing and segregation costs and others arguing the changes would improve accuracy and reduce time in restrictive housing. The bill, as amended, was recommended to the general register. House File 3978 was next, a technical cleanup bill for a provider wellness program created last year. The bill expands eligibility and confidentiality protections from physicians to all health care providers, while supporters said the program is meant to address burnout and mental health strain in the workforce and does not require new money. Some members questioned whether the change was redundant or would broaden the program without additional funding, but the Minnesota Medical Association testified that the program is separate from insurance and was intended to serve all providers. The bill was recommended to the general register. Finally, the committee began House File 3476, which Rep. Liebling described as a cleanup bill related to Minnesota’s Medicaid managed care system and public program oversight. She argued that the state spends billions through managed care organizations and that the system has never been proven better than direct payment, setting up a broader discussion of the bill’s purpose and the state’s oversight of public health care spending.

Transcript Highlights:

• for a program.
• Uh just a mere $3 million out of our $1.8 billion capital program, um which is designed to support centers
• Uh just a mere $3 million out of our $1.8 billion capital program, um which is designed to support centers
• capital program. capital program.
• Uh, amendments 190 through 198 pertain to the administration of the capital program, a parking facility

Keywords: House streaming session for Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, quorum call, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then received Senate Bill 890 and several House committee reports. The first major measure taken up was House Bill 627, which establishes a Commission on Histories, Culture, and Civics in Education. Committee amendments clarified the commission’s purpose, membership, and charge to review curriculum materials and school calendars and make recommendations to the State Board of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Additional amendments added a disability community expert and preamble language. The bill prompted extended debate about whether the commission would promote diversity in curriculum, how it would address religious and ethnic representation, and whether it would include Christian or Catholic perspectives; supporters said it was meant to reflect communities that had requested inclusion and to improve the completeness of Maryland history, while critics questioned the need for a new commission and raised concerns about identity politics and curriculum control. The bill was ordered printed for third reading after second-reader consideration. The House also considered House Bill 1582, the Education Program Accountability, Comprehensive Outcomes and Measures of Progress for Supporting Schools (COMPASS) Act. An amendment removed references to advanced professional certificates and national board certification from school quality indicators and required annual reporting on the relationship between composite scores and concentrations of low-income students. During discussion, members asked whether the bill was changing the scoring system and how much weight academics would carry; the response was that academic indicators would remain a majority of the score, but no single indicator could exceed 20% of the composite. The amendment and favorable report were adopted, and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. The House then took up House Bill 1514 concerning Calvert County county officials and Board of Education salaries and benefits. Committee amendments were technical and removed a benefit provision related to a former commissioner; both the amendment and favorable report were adopted without opposition, and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. Finally, the chamber moved to special order calendar item Senate Bill 283, the Maryland Consolidated Capital Bond Loan of 2026. The House Appropriations Committee presented 198 amendments to the capital budget, describing them as balanced across regions and within debt affordability limits, and began moving the amendments in groups, starting with a technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Target underserved markets and programs Target underserved markets and programs to<00:10:35.560>
• otherwise have access to the capital otherwise have access to the capital required<00:13:45.880>
• <00:47:43.440> streams that have much larger Capital streams that have much larger Capital
• Every loan will have a different capital stack, with different funding sources in the capital stack.
• different funding sources in the capital different funding sources in the capital stack<00:58:16.640

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One area certainly with room for improvement is using the GSEP program to issue non-gas pipe alternatives
• GSEP is no longer a program for just replacing gas pipes. It's a gas transition program.
• GSEP is not a safety program.
• GSEP is not a safety program.
• So beginning with the GSEP program.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on two related issues: gas utilities’ climate compliance plans filed with the Department of Public Utilities and the recent DPU orders reforming the Gas System Enhancement Program (GSEP). Chair Creem and other senators emphasized that Massachusetts must reduce gas use, shrink the gas distribution footprint, and move customers to alternatives such as heat pumps, network geothermal, and non-gas pipeline alternatives (NPAs). DPU Chair Jamie Van Nostrand said the new GSEP orders lower the annual revenue cap from 3.0% to 2.5%, phase it down toward 1.5%, eliminate carrying charges, require more rigorous risk prioritization, and push utilities to consider advanced leak technology, relining, repairs, and NPAs. He also described the climate compliance plans as the start of a longer process covering decommissioning, stranded costs, line extension allowances, integrated energy planning, and targeted electrification demonstrations. Senators pressed the DPU and utility witnesses on the lack of specificity in the climate compliance plans, especially the absence of numeric goals for gas usage reduction, customer conversions, and near-term deployment of NPAs. Utility representatives from Eversource and National Grid said their plans include NPA frameworks, integrated energy planning, targeted electrification pilots, network geothermal, and workforce transition efforts, but argued that implementation takes time, requires customer participation, and depends on coordination with electric utilities and communities. They said some NPA and electrification projects are being evaluated now, while larger-scale deployment is expected later in the decade. Senators also raised concerns about line extension allowances, with utilities explaining that new customers may be charged based on whether existing ratepayers would otherwise be harmed, while National Grid said it has begun increasing customer contributions to send stronger price signals. Attorney General Mary Gardner supported the DPU’s GSEP reforms and said the office favors eventually stepping the GSEP cap down to zero by 2030, with repair and replacement costs recovered in base rate cases instead. She argued that the utilities’ plans still rely too heavily on business-as-usual approaches, do not adequately quantify scope 3 emissions, and leave unresolved questions about the obligation to serve and the future of line extension allowances. Advocacy witnesses from the Conservation Law Foundation and Acadia Center were more critical, saying the plans lack the detailed modeling, targets, and transparency needed to show how the utilities will help meet the Commonwealth’s heating and cooling sublimits and broader climate goals. No votes were taken; the hearing consisted of testimony and questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this is the bill we heard previously designated Galveston as the official Juneteenth Capital
• This is a bill we heard previously designating La Salle County as official wild hog Capital of Texas
• These programs help communities, uh, across our state attract and support high profile.
• The program consists of three separate funds the Events Trust Fund, ETF, Major Events reimbursement Program
• House Bill 4895 updates Texas boat titling laws to improve efficiency, reduce fraud, and improve consumer

Transcript Highlights:

• housing, and cemetery programs.
• housing, and cemetery programs.
• Our hope is that programs like transitional housing, suicide prevention, and other grant programs will
• This places the DCIP and DCCA programs at odds, with both programs essentially telling projects the other
• program needs to commit their funding first.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs met to hear updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington Military Department, the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Commerce on federal and state impacts affecting veterans, military families, and military installations. JBLM’s garrison commander said the base remains focused on housing, child care, and spouse employment, but is facing workforce reductions tied to federal personnel actions, especially in air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and firefighting. He also said JBLM is preparing for increased mutual-aid needs during fire season, and that the Army Transformation Initiative could change unit composition at JBLM over time without a major overall population shift. He confirmed that the Lewis Army Museum is on a closure list, but said the building will remain in use for training and that the base is exploring partnerships to keep museum functions operating, possibly with volunteers or local partners. The Washington Military Department reported about 400 Guard members deployed on federal missions and described ongoing state missions in cybersecurity and firefighting. The department said the Army National Guard’s 81st Stryker Brigade will transition to a mobile combat team, with associated changes in equipment, manning, and end strength. It also warned that continuing resolutions are delaying funding, limiting new military construction starts, and increasing costs. The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs outlined a $3.2 million reduction from the governor’s budget and related cuts affecting internships, vacant positions, outreach travel, claims support contracts, counseling and wellness, veterans’ innovation assistance, and the military transition and readiness council staff position. WDVA said it is ending or scaling back several programs, including in-house nursing assistant training, the veteran farm at Ordean, Vet Corps due to AmeriCorps funding changes, and the tobacco cessation program, while noting that the legislature funded about $23.7 million in capital projects for veteran homes, cemeteries, and transitional housing. The Department of Commerce presented on the Defense Community Compatibility Account, which funds projects that reduce conflicts between military installations and nearby communities. The program currently has 10 projects across five legislative districts, including school and child care improvements, water wells, land acquisition, and a joint firefighting training center in Everett. The presenter said the main challenge is that DCCA projects often need non-state funding secured before they can compete, which can make it hard to leverage federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program dollars; he recommended more flexible state timing to help projects qualify for federal funding. In closing discussion, members raised possible future agenda items including child care near bases, veteran homelessness, suicide prevention, Navy Day, military family housing, and a possible Department of Licensing issue involving guard and reserve designations on driver’s licenses. No formal votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members were invited to suggest topics for the October and December committee meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, Chair Ghea, members of the Public School Capital Outlay Committee, staff, and the PSFA.
• I think there's still a reason to support that program. I think the task force has mentioned.
• We have a new deputy director of capital operations, Mr. Sean Murray.
• Legislative initiatives, improving tools and processes and resources is critical.
• There's definitely room for improvement.

Transcript Highlights:

• State and local pre-kindergarten programs almost without exception improve academic readiness for school
• There's a school year program that includes a 540 instructional hour program.
• The Fixed Capital Outlay Office in this bureau administers all fixed capital outlay programs for all
• The Fixed Capital Outlay Office in this bureau administers all fixed capital outlay programs for all
• The summer bridge program is for VPK children at the end of the VPK program year.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee held its first interim meeting, took roll, and established a quorum. Members introduced themselves, many noting backgrounds in education, school boards, local government, or parenting, and Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka outlined the committee’s goal of building the fiscal year 2025-26 Pre-K-12 budget. She also reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 education budget, noting that the Pre-K-12 portion totals about $21 billion, with the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) as the largest driver, along with major funding for VPK, school readiness, and school recognition. She explained that federal COVID relief funds have ended and that recent school choice legislation has affected budget structure. Commissioner Manny Diaz and department leaders then gave overviews of their divisions. Diaz highlighted Florida’s education rankings, record graduation rate, progress monitoring, expanded school choice participation, charter school growth, and teacher salary investments, while emphasizing a focus on literacy, math, and early learning. Carrie Miller described the Division of Early Learning’s school readiness and VPK programs, their funding, eligibility, accountability systems, and the importance of kindergarten readiness. Paul Burns outlined the Division of Public Schools’ work on educator quality, literacy, standards, certification, family outreach, federal programs, and school improvement. Suzanne Pridgen reviewed finance and operations functions, including budget management, FEFP calculations, grants, procurement, transportation, and emergency management. Adam Emerson described parental choice programs, including scholarships, charter schools, schools of hope, virtual education, and home education. Darren Norris detailed the Office of Safe Schools’ responsibilities for risk assessments, compliance inspections, threat management, grants, and training created after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy. Members asked questions about several issues, including whether the Safe Schools office recommends changes to the school safety grant distribution formula, whether early learning eligibility should shift from federal poverty level to state median income, how scholarship payments are verified to avoid funding students who return to public school, and whether daily attendance systems could improve funding accuracy. Other questions addressed hurricane-related survey disruptions, VPK provider reimbursement rates and instructional hours, teacher salary increases, school start time costs, and how voucher schools handle IEP accommodations. Department officials generally said some issues remain under review, supported moving school readiness eligibility to SMI, noted that scholarship and enrollment data are cross-checked and adjusted when needed, and said progress monitoring now helps schools support mobile students. On school safety, officials said exemptions are allowed in statute for some items but not for classroom doors, and that district-specific conditions matter. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond receiving presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:30.079> as of aat monoa visiting the capital as of aat monoa visiting the capital as
• which is led by part of the Hol program which is led by Dr<00:14:32.440> Lori<00:14:33.040>
• where they learned tour of the capital where they learned all<00:14:59.839> about<00:15:00.000
• contributed to significant improvements contributed to significant improvements in<00:26:49.520>
• <00:41:03.760> if their experience on the program if their experience on the program if anybody

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:47.040> that significant number of improvements that significant number of improvements
• be inventoried like what kind of capital be inventoried like what kind of capital assets<00:21:17.720
• Um, and Representative... um, so again, capital assets is the... the word capital is defining something
• Capital equipment do they have, right?
• Capital equipment do they have, right?

Bills: HF1060, HF1062

Keywords: sports facilities, Minnesota, legislative commission, financial oversight, accountability, HF1062, driver and vehicle systems oversight committee, MNLARS, VTRS, vehicle title and registration system, driver's license system, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, MN.IT, legislative oversight, transportation finance, state government, committee repeal, sunset provision, information technology audit, vehicle registration

Transcript Highlights:

• asset program, which includes the approval of major capital projects; setting expectations for the maintenance
• asset program, which includes the approval of major capital projects; setting expectations for the maintenance
• asset program, which includes the approval of major capital projects; setting expectations for the maintenance
• asset program, which includes the approval of major capital projects; setting expectations for the maintenance
• asset program, which includes the approval of major capital projects; setting expectations for the maintenance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . world-class programming.
• you're able to put through this program. you're able to put through this program.
• this program in enrollment? this program in enrollment?
• specifically through the Legacy Program. specifically through the Legacy Program.
• and SNAP program impacts. and SNAP program impacts.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So what are capitation rates?
• We do separate the capitation rates by the programs we have: healthier Oregon this year, the Basic Health
• Program changes trend 1.3.
• On the program change tracking, OHA is working closely with CCOs on program changes, including new potential
• CCOs and also working on improving format.

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing focused first on Oregon Medicaid coordinated care organization (CCO) finances and rate setting. Oregon Health Authority staff explained how 2025 CCO financial results will inform 2027 capitation rates, including reserve requirements, subcapitation arrangements, and major cost drivers such as behavioral health, pharmacy, rural hospital costs, and dental directed payments. They said the Legislature’s added 2025 funding materially improved CCO margins and that, without it, the program would have been negative overall. Members asked about retained earnings, subcapitation, behavioral health utilization, ABA therapy, and whether outcomes are being evaluated; OHA said rate setting is actuarial and that CCOs, OHA, and other partners all play roles in monitoring efficacy and access. OHA also reviewed House Bill 4039 changes intended to increase transparency and give CCOs earlier access to rate information and reconciliation exhibits. CCO representatives then testified that the system is under significant financial pressure and that behavioral health state-directed payments, benefit changes, and federal uncertainty from H.R. 1 are reducing flexibility. CareOregon said it has lost more than $500 million over the last couple of years and is now making provider terminations and other network changes to align spending with available funding, while emphasizing that CCOs must make hard decisions about which services and providers can be sustained. Eastern Oregon CCO said rural and frontier factors, cost-based hospitals, air ambulance needs, and statewide efficiency adjustments are not fully reflected in rates, and that dental funding is especially strained. Trillium similarly warned that state-directed payments and benefit expansion pressures are constraining the global budget model and that H.R. 1 could worsen acuity and volatility. Members pressed the witnesses on who is responsible for evaluating treatment effectiveness, especially for ABA and psychotherapy, and on how utilization limits and reimbursement changes are being used to control costs. The committee then shifted to an overview of the Affordable Care Act and Oregon’s commercial insurance market. Department of Consumer and Business Services staff explained actuarial value, metal tiers, premium tax credits, medical loss ratio rules, and the main drivers of premium rates: cost trend, utilization trend, and administrative costs. They said mandates have likely added only a limited amount to premiums over the past decade, though the exact effect is difficult to isolate, and they gave examples of how high-cost, low-volume services versus broad, high-utilization services can affect rates differently. Staff also noted that Providence Health Plan and PacificSource Health Plans are withdrawing from the individual market, though consumers should still have at least three insurer options in every county and may have four in many counties. The division said it is in the middle of reviewing proposed 2027 rates and will continue its public rate review process, including hearings and written comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Does this bill remove water flidation<00:35:05.760> programs? flidation programs?
• flidation programs?
• yearly expense to the Medicaid program. yearly expense to the Medicaid program.
• Utility improvements. Our utility improvements total $20 million.
• improvements total $20 million. improvements total $20 million.

Keywords: Discussion of SB 126 (2025 RS) 00:05:13 Discussion of HB 16 (2025 RS) 00:15:40 Kentucky Department of Parks – Overview 01:05:06, 958, all

Summary: The committee met jointly for State Government, State and Local Government, and Elections and Constitutional Amendments, approved the minutes from the September 23 meeting, and then took up discussion of Senate Bill 126, a proposed constitutional amendment to restrict the governor’s pardon power. Senator Chris McDaniel said the measure was prompted by concerns over pardons issued in 2019 and would bar pardons for 60 days before a gubernatorial election through the swearing-in of a new governor, leaving the power otherwise intact. Members who spoke generally supported the proposal as a way to increase accountability, and McDaniel said he intended to place it on the 2026 ballot. No vote was taken on the bill during the discussion. The committee then moved to House Bill 16 on water fluoridation. Representative Hart and Senator Greg Elkins said the bill would remove Kentucky’s fluoridation mandate and give local water districts the choice to add fluoride or not. They emphasized that the revised draft also adds immunity language to protect districts from civil litigation regardless of their decision. Dr. Jack Call, a Louisville dentist, presented against fluoridation, arguing that the main dental benefit is topical rather than from drinking water and citing studies and reports he said linked fluoride exposure to reduced IQ in children and other health concerns. Cindy Batson, a nurse and parent, also supported the bill and said she had testified on the issue for years. During questions, Senator Rollins raised concerns about fluoride being an industrial byproduct and described fluoridation as forced medication. The discussion remained focused on the bill’s local-control and immunity provisions, with sponsors saying they were not trying to relitigate the broader science but wanted to remove the mandate. The transcript ends while questions and testimony on HB 16 were still underway, and no final committee action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, HB25, the appropriations for capital improvements.
• We do get funding from the VA for our home, not necessarily for capital improvements per se, but they
• We do get funding from the VA for our home, not necessarily for capital improvements per se, but they
• We do get funding from the VA for our home, not necessarily for capital improvements per se, but they
• We do get funding from the VA for our home, not necessarily for capital improvements per se, but they

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• And this strategic venture capital program is already bringing new projects, new companies, and jobs
• And this strategic venture capital program is already bringing new projects, new companies, and jobs
• And I'm very excited about the venture capital issue.
• But my read in the newspapers is that the capital requirements... ...is that the capital requirements

Bills: SM20, SM9, SJR6, HB124

Keywords: youth violence, violence prevention, violence intervention, community violence intervention, credible messengers, peer support, restorative justice, violence interrupters, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, high-risk youth, public safety, Department of Health, New Mexico, statewide summit, data collection, reporting, interagency coordination, community-based organizations, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• to improve their outcomes.
• so far, the in-state program.
• And the issue is private capital is not going to go in unless public capital is at... ...capital is not
• the in-state investment program.
• firms or capital funds there.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe it's about $20 million that we invest every year in capital improvements, and that's a fairly
• And you've paid for those improvements by way of your capital improvements?
• So, you know, this is one part of a total capital improvement program and so there are other pressures
• Our capital budgets run.
• STEM programs.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• which administers the Statewide Health Improvement Program, also known as SHIP, a statewide program
• which administers the Statewide Health Improvement Program, also known as SHIP, a statewide program
• which administers the Statewide Health Improvement Program, also known as SHIP, a statewide program
• which administers the Statewide Health Improvement Program, also known as SHIP, a statewide program
• which administers the Statewide Health Improvement Program, also known as SHIP, a statewide program

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The meeting was an informational walkthrough for the Health Finance and Policy Working Group, focused on committee structure, budget basics, and major health-related accounts and programs. Staff explained the roles of House Research and House Fiscal, then reviewed key funds used by the committee, including the general fund, government special revenue fund, federal funds, the health care access fund, remediation account, and drinking water revolving fund. They also outlined the committee’s main budget areas, noting that medical assistance is the largest general fund item and that the Department of Health is a substantial agency funded by a mix of federal, general fund, and special revenue dollars. A major portion of the presentation covered subsidized health coverage programs. Staff described Medical Assistance (Minnesota’s Medicaid program) as an entitlement for eligible Minnesotans, with no premiums or cost sharing, and explained its managed care and fee-for-service delivery systems. MinnesotaCare was presented as a separate federal-state basic health program for people who are not eligible for MA, with income limits, premiums for adults age 21 and older, and cost-sharing requirements; staff noted that federal premium tax credit changes affect MinnesotaCare premium ranges. The presentation also summarized MNsure’s role in the individual market and in determining eligibility for premium tax credits, cost-sharing reductions, MinnesotaCare, and MA. The committee also received an overview of health-related licensing boards and occupational regulation. Staff said Minnesota has 16 health-related licensing boards, funded mainly through the state government special revenue fund and subject to legislative appropriation, and explained that health occupations may be regulated by the Department of Health, the Office of Emergency Medical Services, or the boards under chapter 214. Interstate licensure compacts were briefly noted as a way to ease practice across states. No bills were debated and no votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.