Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:58.400><c> so</c><00:20:58.600><c> it</c> funding so it funding so it doesn't<00:21:00.160><c>
• Uh as as I think was um of funding.
• </c> increased to to the base level funding increased to to the base level funding in<00:25:15.600><c
• </c> So taken all together these challenges So taken all together these challenges point<00:43:30.120
• user-based funding mechanisms.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• ...that the bill is challenging, will cause challenging budget issues for providers.
• to another district fund.
• The Senate budget funds this bill at $6,000 general fund-state to OSPI.
• Vehicle Fund or the Capital Projects Fund.
• So it's a bigger challenge for us. The other challenge is for small rural hospitals.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on a series of bills, beginning with House Bill 2689 on Working Connections Child Care. Staff explained that the proposed substitute would keep eligibility at 60% of state median income, eliminate scheduled expansions to 75% and 85%, reduce future subsidy rates from the 85th to the 75th percentile of market, end enhanced regional rates, and change reimbursement rules from prospective enrollment-based payments back to attendance-based payments with a reduced monthly payment after 11 absent days. Child care advocates thanked the committee for removing the proposed cap on the program but opposed the cuts to provider rates and eligibility expansions, warning of harm to families and providers. The committee then heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5124 on Medicaid network adequacy for post-acute care, with staff noting administrative costs and indeterminate fiscal effects; hospitals supported the bill as a way to reduce discharge delays and reliance on single-case agreements. Senate Bill 5832, which would raise the new motor vehicle arbitration fee from $3 to $6 to support the Lemon Law arbitration program, drew support from the Attorney General’s Office and auto dealers, who said the fee had not been updated since 1995 and the program was underfunded. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5862, providing a one-time 3% COLA for certain PERS 1 and TRS 1 retirees, with retirees testifying in favor and local government representatives warning about added employer costs. The committee next heard Senate Bill 5922, allowing school districts to transfer money from the Transportation Vehicle Fund to other funds if they reduce their fleet and receive OSPI approval; staff said the bill would mainly add administrative work for OSPI, and no one testified. Substitute Senate Bill 5923 would allow a hospital on an island in Skagit County to qualify as a critical access hospital if federally certified; Island Health testified that the designation would help sustain rural services, and a committee member asked about bed count and Medicaid/charity-care pressures. Senate Bill 5944 would require language access providers to bargain over compensation for missed or canceled appointments and clarify that statutes prevail over conflicting contract terms; WFSE supported the bill, saying it would equalize bargaining rights across agencies. Substitute Senate Bill 5972 would extend interest arbitration rights to correctional employees in city and county jails regardless of population size; labor supported the bill as a retention tool, while cities and counties opposed it, arguing it would raise costs and should include ability-to-pay protections. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5988, authorizing the Department of Health to continue accrediting opioid treatment programs and charge accreditation fees, which DOH said was needed to avoid winding down the program. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 6151, which would move Ecology fee revenues for landfill methane emissions and laboratory accreditation into dedicated accounts; Ecology supported the bill as improving transparency and reinvesting fees into the programs, and staff said the lab fee shift would be offset by a related budget action. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6194 would pay a rural hospital on a federally recognized Indian reservation, specifically Astria Toppenish, at 150% of the Medicaid fee-for-service rate beginning in 2027; hospital leaders and community members testified that the hospital serves a high-Medicaid, rural, and tribal population and faces persistent losses. Finally, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6302 would direct L&I to investigate possible misclassification of independent contractors on public works projects involving multiple workers doing the same finishing work; labor and business representatives both described it as a negotiated compromise to address underground economy abuses. The committee took no final votes during the hearing and ended by reiterating amendment deadlines for bills scheduled for executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• aid and decreased state funding.
• to secure funding for other government entities.
• Perrault can get into the funding for Mountain Home.
• The state starts funding a school once it opens.
• But beyond that, it was a challenge for them.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of funds from these loans. of funds from these loans.
• </c><02:16:25.840><c> uh</c> funded from the state's general fund. uh funded from the state's general
• </c><02:25:57.439><c> going</c> those funding uh those funds are going those funding uh those funds are
• Funding stacks. What funding is available at a community?
• What funding is Funding stacks.

Committee: Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> funded positions for federal school. funded positions for federal school.
• because that funding is a mandatory federal funding program.
• c> mandatory funding federal funding mandatory funding federal funding program.<00:49:48.960><c> It's
• It's challenging. challenging. Um these are all civil challenging.
• </c> it's it's challenging. it's it's challenging.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, and critically, this strategy lacks prioritization and funding.
• The speaker said the funding aspect will be a challenge and that everyone will need to work on it together
• I think there has to be a funding issue. I can't support the bill.
• We know that we're facing increasingly challenging risks associated with wildfire.
• SB 894 tackles this challenge directly.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Transcript Highlights:

• investing general funds into a fund that already has $10 billion in it?
• childhood trust fund.
• But I do have a challenge with this coming out of general fund when we know that there's been over 300
• funds to complete.
• As well as local funding, other state funds, and federal funds that were put into the projects.

Summary: The committee heard first from LFC staff on a brief about New Mexico’s universal child care expansion. Staff said child care assistance has clear benefits for parents and families, but LFC has not found evidence in New Mexico that it improves children’s educational outcomes; they argued pre-K is the better tool for that goal. The brief highlighted four concerns with universal access: an estimated annual cost of about $849.7 million, a sharp decline in registered homes, possible crowding out of lower-income families, and reduced access for children under age two. Staff also suggested possible mitigations such as prioritizing slots for low-income and at-risk families, reinstating sliding-scale co-pays, and tying quality improvements to workforce wages. Members raised questions about the cost estimate, funding sources, provider quality, and whether the data showed actual crowding out. Several lawmakers expressed support for child care generally but concern about the fiscal impact and whether universal access would divert resources from the families most in need. Others emphasized the importance of child care for workforce participation, rural communities, and family stability, and questioned how registered homes are counted and regulated. LFC staff clarified that the cost estimate was for child care assistance only, not the entire ECECD budget, and that the data showed declines in the share of lowest-income children and infants/toddlers served, though not causation. The ECECD secretary then presented the department’s response, saying universal child care is intended to complete a cradle-to-career system and that the department has already seen strong uptake, increased capacity, and rising workforce participation. She said 6,206 families were found eligible in the first month, the share of infants and toddlers served rose, and new provider applications and licensed slots increased after the November rollout. The department also emphasized wage increases, quality improvements, and a new wage scale/career lattice, while projecting a lower near-term cost than LFC’s estimate and requesting additional funding for child care, early pre-K, home visiting, workforce systems, and capacity-building. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I understand the challenges. I understand the challenges. I understand.
• But I understand the challenges.
• But I understand the challenges. I understand the challenges. I understand.
• But I understand the challenges.
• This is a statewide, a national challenge.

Bills: SB1475 , SB1447 , HB2288 , SB1521 , SB592 , SB1533 , HB1276 , SB201 , SB1477 , SB1232 , SB1255 , SB1327 , SB1525 , SB1721 , SB667 , SB1436 , SB1317 , SB604 , SB1325 , SB1496 , SB2007 , SB1567 , SB2112 , SB1980 , SB1735 , SB1558 , SB1491 , SB1287 , SB1378 , SB1369 , SB1441 , SB137 , SB483 , SB843 , SB1433 , SB1257 , SB1365 , SJR49 , HJR1090 , HJR1091 , HJR1092 , HJR1093 , HJR1095 , HJR1094

Summary: The House convened, called the roll, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized the Nurse of the Day and several student and athletic groups, including Career Tech students, charter school students, Meridian Tech students, and Carl Albert championship teams. A lengthy personal privilege/farewell-style speech was delivered by Representative Lepak, reflecting on his service, family, staff, and legislative colleagues, and offering general advice about public service and the legislative process. The chamber then took up several Senate bills. SB 1369, creating a 988 revolving fund to support Oklahoma’s mental health lifeline, passed 85-7. SB 1441, clarifying penalties for drones contacting critical infrastructure, passed 80-2. SB 137, adding DUI/GBI to electronic monitoring ineligibility and clarifying Department of Corrections language, passed 72-18 after questions about retroactivity and administrative authority. SB 843, raising the minimum ADA threshold from 400 to 550 for school districts to hire relatives of board members, passed 77-4, and its emergency clause also received the required two-thirds vote. The most extensive debate centered on SB 483, which would have authorized county commissioners to establish a relocation assistance program for people seeking to move to supportive housing or services. Members raised concerns about homelessness policy, county capacity, public-private partnerships, safeguards, and possible misuse or “bussing” of people between communities. The bill ultimately failed 35-52, and notice was given of a possible motion to reconsider. Later, SB 1433, requiring agencies to publicly post guidance documents and note they lack the force of law, passed unanimously; SB 1257, updating THC-related language in controlled substances law, passed 68-13; and SB 1365, updating promotional fund language for state retail outlets, lodges, gift shops, and golf courses, failed 43-42, with notice of reconsideration also given. The House then moved to recess until 1:15 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• No funding attached, just an appropriation.
• They could request the funding, so they could certainly request more funding if they felt like from another
• Right now, this funding can be used for anything, if it's found, This funding can be used for anything
• To my knowledge, we have not funded that.
• have not provided funding for to solve.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, recognized guests, and adopted consent-calendar resolutions before taking up House Resolution 1052 regarding Arkansas Girls State. Rep. Vaught explained that about 150 eligible girls were denied registration because a counselor missed the deadline, and said the House would instead host an “elite Girls State” program for them this summer. He then moved to withdraw the resolution, and the withdrawal was accepted. The chamber also presented a citation to Pastor Richard Hamlin for his service during the session. The House then considered several Senate appropriation bills. Senate Bills 3, 4, 7, 15, 21, and 31 all passed with broad support and emergency clauses. Senate Bill 77, an unfunded appropriation related to Arkansas Television Network/PBS matching funds, drew extended debate. Supporters said it would encourage private donations and could help with programming and infrastructure, while opponents argued the department had not requested the money and that the House should not force additional funding. The bill failed on the first vote, was brought back for a second vote after questions about the rules and the nature of the appropriation, and failed again. After the fiscal session business concluded, Rep. Meeks moved to adjourn sine die, and the House agreed. The House caucus then met to elect the Speaker-designate for the 96th General Assembly. The chamber suspended the formal election process by voice vote and unanimously elected Speaker Brian S. Evans as Speaker-designate. Evans thanked members, reflected on the 95th General Assembly, and pledged continued leadership and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:25.199><c> limited</c> construction of a self-funding limited construction of a self-funding
• </c><00:14:45.839><c> limited</c> construction of a self-funding limited construction of a self-funding
• </c><00:23:21.840><c> That</c> challenge so far in California. That challenge so far in California.
• ><c> there's</c><00:23:24.000><c> a</c> challenge was upheld and there's a challenge was upheld and there's
• There have not been any challenges to that yet.

Transcript Highlights:

• General Fund revenues are put into that set-aside pot.
• So right now the fund, under the required deposits, just grows until it reaches 10% of General Fund revenues
• reaches 20% of General Fund revenue.
• , as well as paying for the state retiree health care funding plan.
• pre-funding has typically been funded through Proposition 2.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review held an informational hearing on ACA 20, the Save for California’s Future Act, and took no votes. The chair described the measure as a way to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund by increasing reserves during strong revenue years and helping pay down long-term obligations. The vice chair said he preferred a broader spending rule tied to a rolling average of revenues, rather than the proposal’s reserve-focused approach. The Legislative Analyst’s Office explained how Proposition 2 currently requires deposits into the Budget Stabilization Account and debt payments when revenues are strong, and how ACA 20 would change those rules by increasing required reserve deposits, raising the BSA target from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenues, creating a “super excess capital gains” deposit requirement, extending debt-payment requirements through 2040, and expanding eligible debt uses to include Proposition 98 settle-up, budgetary borrowing, and federal unemployment insurance debt. The Department of Finance said the administration supports the measure and believes it improves Proposition 2. Members asked about the Gann limit, whether the measure would allow more spending or simply change how deposits are counted, the impact on infrastructure and other programs, the size of the UI debt, and how the proposal would affect future budget flexibility. Several senators supported the goal of saving more in good years and using reserves to avoid painful cuts in downturns, while others questioned whether the proposal was sufficiently simple or whether a larger structural spending rule would be better. Public comment largely supported the measure, with one former legislative staffer arguing it follows earlier reserve reforms and helps address the state’s UI debt. The chair closed by noting the committee would not act that day and that the measure would be considered on the Senate floor the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• the the Texas Mobility Fund, and alternative transportation funding options.
• Highway Fund.
• that we're funded, is that we fund it on a population basis or we fund it by, you know, you've got a
• Also, going back to your funding on the slide two there, with your federal fund. funds being 30 percent
• Those funds are.

Committee: House S/C on Transportation Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• The challenges of working in Stockton are many.
• We don't fund them for all of that.
• A question for the CSU: I mean, the Senator raised the funding challenges of the CSU.
• The community college programs would be Prop 98 funded.
• Prop 98 funds are intended as determined by the ballot initiative.

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't believe the fund should receive any more public funding. Thank you.
• And then the remainder of that program is funded by the county general fund.
• We also appreciate that the bill recognizes the scale of the challenges ahead and how to fund all of
• That funding is provided from, like, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
• That funding is provided from like the Greenhouse gas reduction fund.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Transcript Highlights:

• Then many of us got funding to help fund that work.
• Um, we don't receive, ONRT doesn't receive any federal funding, so we are not at risk of losing funds
• This past year, we have, we have relied on special appropriations into the trustee fund to fund our,
• So, um, restoration funds and assessment funds, they do not revert. Thank you.
• or have the capacity to raise the funds and.

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• This grant funding is only available for upgrades.
• We receive less than 1% of the funding that's available.
• I talked about this back in the 90s, and people said, oh, it's not a challenge.
• Like that, but the community itself has to reach out for that funding. Thank you.
• It includes authorizing FWC to invest and reinvest the administrative trust fund.

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The committee began with a presentation from the Florida On-Site Wastewater Association on advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems. Roxanne Groover described several technologies used in Florida, including NSF-245 systems, performance-based treatment systems, in-ground nitrogen-reducing biofilters, membrane/media filters, and sequencing batch reactors. She emphasized that these systems can substantially reduce nitrogen compared with conventional septic systems, discussed permitting and maintenance requirements, and noted that some grant programs help fund upgrades in springs and other impaired-water areas. Members asked about phosphorus and PFAS treatment, funding for non-springs watersheds, incentives for new construction, and whether more data should be collected on system performance. The committee then took up CS for SB 164 on vessel ownership, derelict vessels, and anchoring/mooring rules. The bill was explained as clarifying who is responsible for derelict vessels and using vessel title as prima facie evidence of ownership. Two amendments were adopted: one requiring FWC to offer an electronic long-term anchoring permit system and clarifying that the permit does not override other anchoring limits, and a technical amendment correcting a drafting error. Public testimony included opposition from a cruiser advocacy representative who argued the bill would unfairly restrict responsible boaters and harm the marine economy, and support from another boating coalition representative who said the bill was a proactive step to address derelict vessels. The committee then passed CS/SB 164 favorably by roll call. Finally, the committee considered SB 38, which makes clarifying changes to FWC trust funds. The bill would allow investment and carryover of the administrative trust fund balance, expand use of the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund for feline disease research, monitoring, and habitat acquisition, and allow use of the Non-Game Wildlife Trust Fund for law enforcement and related coordination agreements. With no debate or opposition, the committee passed SB 38 favorably by roll call and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To ensure that there's adequate funding for ADA, for full funding for the child care, for co-enrollment
• And that funding has been depleted.
• However, an omission in the bill left out a key funding tier, leading to funding shortfalls. for adult
• 75% ADA funding to your for eligible students.
• For legacy facility funding would help us.

Bills: SB451 , SB762 , SB1490 , SB1262 , SB1459 , SB1750 , SB1962 , SB2252 , SB2253 , SB2365

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:57.279><c> to</c> are appropriated federal funds to are appropriated federal funds to co-manage
• :13:21.519><c> be</c><00:13:21.760><c> an</c> challenging often times to be an challenging often times
• </c><00:41:43.280><c> to</c> our local BIA, uh, is challenging to our local BIA, uh, is challenging to
• . we did not receive any our funds. we did not receive any funding funding funding for<03:55:54.800><
• </c> an update on higher education funding. an update on higher education funding.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Tribal Relations

Transcript Highlights:

• Fund.
• Fund at SIB.
• Fund, $414 million in the Resources Trust Fund.
• Fund at SIB.
• That is challenging some of our funding, obviously, long-term.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• The direct appeal challenges the validity of the judgment.
• The direct appeal challenges the validity of the judgment.
• Top among them is naming a charity as a beneficiary of a retirement fund.
• If these funds are distributed to the charity, is the charity in a position to return funds to the estate
• funds?

Bills: HB2095 , HB2500 , HB2412 , HB2595 , HB2354 , HB2597

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: public safety, vulnerable users, pedestrians, protected classes, transportation, charitable organization, charity, nonprobate transfer, beneficiary designation, life insurance, retirement account, payable on death, POD account, transfer on death, TOD, financial institution, insurance company, transfer agent, estate planning, donor intent