Transcript Highlights:

• that we'll all operate on in structure that we'll all operate on in this<00:27:31.200> landscape<
• Can create it within our own structures and parcel that out within our structures.
• So, there will be a new structure and there will be new rules and there'll be new guidelines in all of
• But we need more structure to this so we don't have to come back every year and make an exception one
• continue operating with the structure continue operating with the structure and<01:14:08.000>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:01:04 Attendance Roll Call: 00:01:12 Senate Bill 3 (Sen. Wise): 00:05:28 Senate Bill 6 (Sen. Givens): 00:32:17 House Bill 241 (Rep. Truett): 00:52:18 Senate Bill 268 (Sen. Reed): 01:11:57 Adjournment: 01:24:48, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Education met and first handled introductions of guests and visitors from several school districts and education groups. The committee then took up Senate Bill 3, which relates to student athletes and includes an emergency clause. The bill sponsor and invited witnesses, including athletics directors from the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, said the measure is intended to update Kentucky’s NIL laws in light of the House v. NCAA settlement and other national changes in college athletics. Supporters said SB 3 would let Kentucky universities directly compensate student athletes, help them secure third-party NIL deals, require reporting of deals over $600, and create guardrails and fair-market-value review to reduce pay-for-play concerns. They emphasized that the bill is meant to keep Kentucky institutions competitive, align with expected national standards, and prepare for changes expected around July 1, 2025. Witnesses also discussed the need for more uniform rules nationally, the role of the Power Four conferences in developing governance and clearinghouse systems, and the desire to preserve both athlete mobility and continuity in college sports. Several members raised concerns about the transfer portal, NIL incentives, and the broader effect on college athletics, with one senator saying NIL and the portal have damaged the sport but acknowledging Kentucky must compete. Witnesses responded that tighter portal windows and clearer national rules would help, while still preserving student-athlete transfer rights when needed. After discussion, the committee moved to a vote on SB 3; the roll call was taken, and the bill advanced out of committee, with at least one senator explaining a reluctant yes vote because of competitive pressures on the Commonwealth.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we're finally creating that and structuring regulation.
• I think there's more to be done to structure CFTs in a way that actually matches the intent, which is
• What I would add is that, in passage of the tiered rates proposal and structure, and the centrality of
• Looking ahead, the new tiered rate structure launching in 2027 will align payments with each child's
• Counties like ours need assurance that the new rate structure accounts for these operational realities

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• More than two million Californian households, and one in four residential structures in California, are
• Noncompliant parcels can contribute to structure-to-structure ignition, increase fire spread, and threaten
• Noncompliant parcels can contribute to structure-to-structure ignition, increase fire spread, and threaten
• However, currently we have three primary concerns with how the bill is structured.
• The first is on the risk assessments, and the second is on the litigation structure, the PRA that the

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that taxing structure will be decimated.
• They're developing structural and non-structural measures to protect our communities from flooding.
• They're also... ...non-structural measures to protect our communities from flooding.
• There also is work in structural and non-structural flood protection and helping to support some of the
• Members, we're going into structured debate on CS for H.J.R. 1F.

Summary: The House met in special session, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the journal, and adopted the special order report setting the day’s calendar. The chamber then took up CS/House Joint Resolution 1F, the Governor’s property tax proposal, which would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes, lower the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, and restrict county and municipal ad valorem revenue to public safety and certain other uses. Sponsor Rep. Overdorf said the measure would return money to homeowners and give local governments flexibility, while opponents repeatedly argued the ballot language was misleading and that the proposal could create large local revenue shortfalls, shift costs to other taxpayers, and threaten local services and debt obligations. Members debated a series of amendments aimed at protecting specific programs from the bill’s effects. Rep. Bartleman’s amendment to exempt Children’s Services Councils and Children’s Trusts was defeated 25-74 after supporters said those entities fund child care, mental health, aftercare, and family support, while opponents said local governments could still choose to fund them. Rep. Cross’s amendment to include water management districts in allowable uses of ad valorem taxes was also defeated, despite testimony that the districts are essential for flood control, water supply, Everglades restoration, and drought response. Rep. Eskamani’s amendment to require the Legislature to backfill public safety funding failed 25-71 after debate over whether the proposal could reduce police and fire budgets and response times. The House then rejected Rep. Woodson’s amendment to require state backfill for senior services, with supporters citing Meals on Wheels, transportation, adult day care, and other aging services, and opponents saying the state already funds senior programs. Finally, Rep. Gant’s amendment to protect veteran services was introduced and debated, with members emphasizing housing, mental health, transition assistance, and homelessness concerns for veterans; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that amendment. Throughout the debate, sponsors and supporters of the main resolution maintained that local governments would retain spending discretion and could use other revenue sources, while critics argued the measure lacked clear backfill provisions and could force cuts or tax shifts at the local level.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to provide just a few comments on the overall budget structure.
• In other words, there is a structural deficit.
• The presence of these structural deficits, despite the robust revenue growth the state has experienced
• And can you elaborate a little more on the structure itself, local level, state level?
• for an IT project, that it varies between monthly and quarterly reporting structures.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But the factory is entirely automated, and our tax structure doesn't really capture it.
• So ag tech and other solutions could change the cost structures and what have you.
• We, so the SBDC and the WFC both are structured that we have a lot of community partners.
• I do appreciate the structure of the program.
• The reason they're sitting unused, we believe, is structural, because these credits are nonrefundable

Summary: The subcommittee heard an informational update from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development on the state’s Jobs First economic development strategy and related budget requests. Go-Biz described its regional planning process, priority sectors such as ag-tech, space defense, life sciences, and semiconductors, and requests including an extension of the CalCompetes tax credit, support for export promotion, additional film commission staff, innovation and emerging technology capacity, and a California brand campaign. Members questioned the campaign’s purpose, with some supporting efforts to counter misinformation about California and others warning it should not obscure regulatory and business-climate concerns. Go-Biz said the campaign would be nationally focused, could include business attraction efforts, and was intended to complement—not replace—policy work on permitting and workforce development. The item was informational only. The committee then heard from the California Office of the Small Business Advocate on the California RISE program, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, and the Technical Assistance Program/Capital Infusion Program. CalOSBA reported that California RISE’s first round awarded $16.9 million to 61 employment social enterprises, which collectively increased revenue, secured contracts, and employed thousands of people facing barriers to work; a second round is being launched with a new administrator and expanded services. For the performing arts payroll fund, the office said all 100 awardees had been paid, but demand far exceeded available funding, and the program was oversubscribed within days. California for the Arts testified that the sector remains fragile after COVID and urged statutory changes to simplify eligibility and stretch dollars further. SBDC representatives described TAP/SIP as a statewide network supporting small businesses, capital access, and disaster recovery, emphasizing their role in underserved communities and the leverage of federal matching funds. Committee members focused on whether these programs produce durable outcomes and reach smaller or disadvantaged businesses. Questions centered on long-term job retention in California RISE, outreach to ethnic and community media in the civic media program, and whether TAP/SIP are accessible to entrepreneurs with limited capital or capacity. CalOSBA and its partners said they rely heavily on local community organizations for outreach, provide one-on-one counseling and training, and are working to collect more longitudinal data. The committee also discussed the film and television tax credit program, for which Go-Biz requested funding for three permanent positions and ongoing program support. Film Commission staff said the expanded program is tracking demographic and career-pathway data, with most productions opting into new diversity provisions, and that a formal report to the Legislature is expected in 2027. The item concluded without a vote, as the hearing was for oversight and budget discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• What makes this amendment different is that it's a long-term structural solution.
• That just wasn't the structure we took with the metro-wide sales tax. Representative Myers.
• That just wasn't the structure we took with the metro-wide sales tax. Representative Myers.
• That just wasn't the structure we took with the metro-wide sales tax. Representative Myers.
• that supports the and fully structure that supports the and fully housing,<00:35:54.280> um,

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 3279, the “Our Future Starts at Home” constitutional amendment, which would ask voters to approve a 3/8 of 1% statewide sales tax increase to create a dedicated housing revenue stream. Chair Howard said the proposal is intended to address Minnesota’s housing shortage through predictable, long-term funding, estimated at about $400 million annually for 25 years, and would be administered through a council that would fund housing vouchers, rental and supportive housing, and affordable homeownership. Supportive testimony came from coalition and nonprofit advocates, including Nelima Sitati Munene, Ben Helvick Anderson, Dakota Morgan, and Chris Berggren. They argued that Minnesota’s housing crisis requires permanent, sustained investment rather than one-time grants, and said the amendment could produce thousands of vouchers, supportive housing units, rental units, and starter homes over time. Testifiers also emphasized the need for community voice and lived-experience representation in how funds are distributed, and described the bill as a way to prevent homelessness and stabilize families statewide. Several members raised concerns that the proposal would add another regressive tax burden on residents already struggling with affordability. Representatives Johnson, Nash, Dotseth, and Myers argued that sales taxes hit lower-income Minnesotans hardest and said the state should focus more on zoning, regulatory reform, and other cost reductions instead of new taxes. Chair Howard responded that housing costs themselves are already highly regressive and that both policy reform and public investment are needed. The bill was laid over and no vote was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill is needed due to a patchwork of fee structures across the state.
• The bill is needed due to a patchwork of fee structures across the state.
• Fee structure is not a new concept.
• <00:51:44.960> Uh<00:51:45.680> fee<00:51:46.000> structure<00:51:46.240>
• Uh fee structure is not a same project. Uh fee structure is not a new<00:51:46.960> concept.

Bills: SB222, HB560, HB475, HB484, HB583, HB542, HB566

Keywords: medical clinic board, clinic board, hospital bankruptcy, Chapter 11, bankruptcy, debt restructuring, municipal indebtedness, municipal bankruptcy, health care provider, acute care hospital, lease property, board immunity, director liability, civil liability, healthcare finance, insolvency, debt readjustment, federal bankruptcy law, Alabama Code 11-58-5.2, library materials

Transcript Highlights:

• He asked whether the deputy could talk about the structure and impacts of the state bond rating in having
• a structural deficit, and, more to the bill, what is the impact of the state's bond rating and reputation
• could you talk, uh, about the structure could you talk, uh, about the structure the<00:21:33.560
• <00:21:36.320> deficit,<00:21:37.280> but<00:21:37.440> then having a structural
• deficit, but then having a structural deficit, but then more<00:21:37.800> to<00:21:38.040>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3683, which would require the state budget forecast to estimate the budgetary impacts of fraud committed against state programs. Chair Nash argued that fraud has real fiscal effects on the state, that those costs should be quantified in the forecast much like inflation was previously incorporated, and that doing so would help lawmakers understand the true cost of money lost to fraud. He also said the bill was intended to give MMB direction to develop a way to forecast fraud’s impact and that the issue should be treated as part of the state’s fiscal outlook. Deputy Commissioner Anna Mingy of Minnesota Management and Budget testified in opposition to the bill’s approach, saying fraud is unacceptable and MMB is committed to combating it, but that the twice-a-year forecast is not the right tool for this analysis. She said forecasts are forward-looking budget tools based on projected revenues and spending, while fraud analysis is retrospective and involves legal definitions and processes. She also warned that requiring MMB to consult with legislative chairs on fraud estimates before public release could politicize the forecast and would be a departure from current practice. Members raised concerns about how fraud would be defined and quantified, whether the bill would cover known or potential fraud, and whether it would duplicate existing budget adjustments. Chair Nash responded that the bill was modeled on prior inflation-forecast language and said fraud’s fiscal impact should be estimated even if the exact number is debated. Other members questioned whether the proposal would add value or create subjective numbers, while supporters said audits and program integrity data provide a basis for estimating a range. Deputy Commissioner Mingy also answered questions about bond ratings, saying Minnesota maintained its AAA rating and that rating agencies focus on governance and long-term obligations, not specific fraud estimates. She later said the administration’s anti-fraud package includes permanent bans on state contracts and grants for individuals convicted of fraud. The discussion ended without a recorded vote or final action in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the experience also demonstrates that our current reserve structure is not sufficient to withstand
• The experience also demonstrates that our current reserve structure is not sufficient to withstand prolonged
• We also have one of the most difficult tax structures to modify of any in the state.
• We rely on citizens to be our partners in trying to come up with the appropriate tax structure that's
• This is a very strategic and very important modification of the tax structure of California.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight heard ACA 20, the Safe for California Futures Act, a constitutional amendment to strengthen the state’s Budget Stabilization Account (rainy day fund). The authors, Assembly Members Gabriel and Valencia, said the measure would raise the reserve cap from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenues, change how reserve deposits are treated under the Gann limit so deposits would not count against the spending cap until withdrawn, and update eligible debt repayments to include items such as budget loans, Proposition 98 settle-up obligations, and unemployment insurance debt. They emphasized that the proposal was intended to protect schools and core public services and to help California better withstand revenue volatility and future downturns. Committee discussion focused heavily on the technical effects of the measure, especially its interaction with Proposition 98 and the Gann limit. LAO and Department of Finance staff explained that Prop. 98 funding would not be changed directly, that the reserve deposits would be treated as exclusions from the appropriations limit, and that withdrawals would count when spent. Members asked about current reserve levels, mandatory deposits, and whether the measure would create more room for discretionary spending; supporters argued it would simply allow the state to save more in good years, while one member expressed concern that it could function as a slush fund and expand spending opportunities. Several members cited recent budget volatility, record revenues, and the need for stronger reserves, while others stressed that the measure should be understood as a future-oriented savings reform rather than a response to this year’s budget choices. Public testimony was uniformly supportive. California Forward, Elevate California, and the California Chamber of Commerce all backed the proposal, with the Chamber noting support for the policy and highlighting the importance of addressing unemployment insurance debt for small businesses. The chair concluded by thanking the authors, staff, and witnesses, and said ACA 20 was expected to move to the Assembly floor the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• emergency, and they'll have a list to select from to choose qualified vendors within a certain pricing structure
• emergency, and they'll have a list to select from to choose qualified vendors within a certain pricing structure
• emergency, and they'll have a list to select from to choose qualified vendors within a certain pricing structure
• various vendors with U of A to provide on-call architect services, engineering, civil engineering, structural
• various vendors with U of A to provide on-call architect services, engineering, civil engineering, structural

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So my experience again, the structure that I have, excuse me, the structure that I've been brought up
• through in my career just kind of gives me a very structured look at each component of the appraisal
• So that's why you have to do things in a very structured manner so that you can express and people understand
• So that's why you have to do things in a very structured manner so that you can express and people understand

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In your opinion, do we have the structure in place to implement pesticides if we need to for a new invasive
• In your opinion, do we have the structure in place to implement pesticides if we need to for a new invasive
• In your opinion, do we have the structure in place to implement pesticides if we need to for a new invasive
• In your opinion, do we have the structure in place to implement pesticides if we need to for a new invasive
• In your opinion, do we have the structure in place to implement pesticides if we need to for a new invasive

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first considered three gubernatorial nominations. GM510, Faith Tui Pulotu to the Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board, received strong support from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, though the nominee was not present online. GM614, Mark Gordon to the Environmental Advisory Council, also drew unanimous support from state and private testifiers; Gordon described his environmental health and safety background and said he could commit the time needed. GM696, James Falconer to the Advisory Board on Pesticides, was supported by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Hawaii Farm Bureau; Falconer discussed his long experience in coffee and sugar, including work responding to coffee leaf rust and the need for timely pesticide tools. All three nominations were recommended for advise and consent and were adopted by four-member votes. The committee then heard several agriculture bills. HB 1603 HD1 would allow the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to extend agricultural park leases without the current county-population restriction; supporters called it an equity measure and asked that it apply to all ag park leases, while the department gave standard testimony. HB 1707 HD1 would create a local agricultural transportation cost reimbursement program; supporters said transportation is a major production cost and suggested amendments to define “necessary supplies” and explicitly include honey. HB 2155 HD1 would establish an agricultural statistics program, with supporters emphasizing the need for better data to guide planning. HB 2594 HD1 would direct a study on insurance coverage for small producers, which supporters linked to recent storm damage and the lack of tailored insurance products. HB 2595 HD1 would create a regional agricultural feasibility and food systems production working group; supporters said it should consider markets as well as crop suitability and regional conditions. Members asked questions about lease competition, transportation reimbursement amounts and anti-double-dipping safeguards, the usefulness of agricultural data, and whether state or federal insurance models could be used as templates. Testifiers generally said the bills would help reduce costs, improve planning, and support small and neighbor-island producers, while noting that implementation details and funding levels would need further work. The committee then voted to pass all five bills with amendments, generally including a deferred effective date of July 1, 2050, and in the case of HB 1707, the committee adopted the suggested amendments to define necessary supplies and add honey to the covered commodities.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are structured as Sid said, it's a little more Complicated, but we are structured very much like the
• penalties, Madam Chair, but it's also a correction in the law that is just not consistent with the structures
• So it's structurally not accurate. And that's what we're trying to fix in this bill.
• It's the way that the statute is structured.

Bills: HB9, HB50

Keywords: Immigrant Safety Act, immigration detention, civil immigration violations, ICE, federal immigration enforcement, sanctuary policy, public bodies, local government, sheriff's department, school district, higher education, deputization, 287(g), 8 U.S.C. 1357(g), 8 C.F.R. 287.7, intergovernmental services agreement, detainer, immigration cooperation, public property, attorney general enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• Government Structure meets today at 4:30 p.m. in Room 216. after recess.
• Government Structure meets today at 4:30 p.m. in Room 216. >> Thank you, Mr. Clerk.
• Government structure<00:30:05.200> meets<00:30:05.520> today<00:30:06.000> 4:30<
• <00:30:07.039> in<00:30:07.279> room structure meets today 4:30 p.m. in room structure

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 29 January, 2026; 9:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a roll call, invocation, and pledge, then quickly dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles. Several guest introductions followed, including members of the Junior League of Jackson, the Mississippi Dental Association and Dental Hygiene Association for oral health day, school counselors and college admission counselors, and other visitors. Senators also recognized individual guests such as a dentist from Newton and a constituent from Senatobia. The chamber then took up two resolutions in block: Senate Bill 2766 designating the Friday before Memorial Day as Buddy Poppy Day in Mississippi, and Senate Resolution 25 commending the Lamar School Raiders football team and Head Coach Jacob Lan for winning the MHSAA 4A Division 3 state championship. The Lamar Raiders were present on the floor, and Coach Lan addressed the Senate after the resolution was read. Both measures were adopted by voice vote, with roll call final passage requested and granted without objection. The Senate also considered House Concurrent Resolution 21, which calls a joint session for the Governor’s State of the State address. A strike-all amendment was adopted to move the event date and location because of weather, shifting it to the second floor rotunda rather than outside or in the House chamber. The Senate then moved through a series of pass-and-retain actions and announcements, including committee meeting notices and cancellations, campaign finance report reminders, and several adjournment-in-memory requests. The body recessed until 5:00 p.m. or until the last committee report was filed, with the journal to reflect adjournment until 9:00 a.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Finance has worked with industry stakeholders to develop a new fee structure.
• The Department of Finance has worked with industry stakeholders to develop a new fee structure that would
• And that funding structure for us is really... ...lenders.
• And that funding structure for us really needs to be updated. It's outdated at this point.
• So this proposal overall solves these issues by establishing a more updated fee structure for single-lender

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our 1972 funding structure mixed together one appropriation, the money for public schools, with the money
• And in this dynamic choice environment, the 1972 funding structure, designed and dependent on high predictability
• And in this dynamic choice environment, the 1972 funding structure, designed and dependent on high predictability
• school choice within that 1972... ...view of how we fund school choice within that 1972 funding structure
• changes on an annual basis to make sure the program is being faithful to the new accounting and structural

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer, pledge, doctor-of-the-day introduction, and several recognitions, including a Founders’ Day tribute to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a welcome to a nationally ranked student debater in the gallery. The chamber then took up a committee report on 52 gubernatorial executive appointments; after explanation by the Ethics and Elections chair, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a vote of 39-0. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad “Rural Renaissance” package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program, housing and transportation investments, education funding, and rural health care improvements. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping health-care provisions in light of new federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding amounts. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing the bill’s focus on rural infrastructure, health care access, and local flexibility. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then considered CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates explained that the bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, tightening enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees, requiring student identification numbers, improving reimbursement processes, and directing the Department of Education to develop a business plan for scholarship funding organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision from the bill, with that issue expected to move elsewhere. Senators discussed transparency, accountability, and protections against overpayments and unverified enrollments, while also noting the need to preserve support for school districts. The bill passed 38-0. After both bills passed, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House. The chamber also heard announcements recognizing Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol and scheduled a group photograph for the following Thursday before adjourning until January 22 or upon the President’s call.

Transcript Highlights:

• are available since there have been some some significant program changes and how our plans are structured
• as well as how are regions are structured.
• The new structure utilizes a layered approach where with each incremental increase or decrease in performance
• This structure eliminates the incentive cliff or a gap that existed in prior contracts where once a certain
• an incentive on getting it more of an incentive back or reaching the next here in that incentive structure

Transcript Highlights:

• The focus, obviously, is not allowing these predatory monsters to hide, with the structure that the church
• I think in other ways the Catholic Church is uniquely positioned because of our hierarchical structure
• Other denominations do not have that structure, and so we can't fault them for being unable to make the
• Because they don't have the hierarchical structure to say all Baptist churches are going to do this now
• We have the structure that allows that.

Bills: HB128, HB34, HB128, HB621, HB748, HB2259, HB2960, HB3113, HB4749, SB835

Keywords: heat illness prevention, workplace safety, administrative penalties, advisory board, employee protection, HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy, local government, state agency, political subdivision, foreign adversary, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Taiwan, major non-NATO ally

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a double-deck structure with a lower or deck for vehicles and light rail trains, and an upper deck
• Million square feet of space, over 843 structures on 54 campuses.
• we've given you the information for the three foundational questions: one, who will pay; two, how to structure
• The next one is how to structure the fees.
• Did you look at more commonly having a different fee structure among more commonly used or more common

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