Video & Transcript : 'budget reform' :
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CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Select Committee on Downtown Recovery Mar 2nd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The outcome of this, we hope, will be public policy changes, legislation, introduced budget initiatives
- We hope we plan to do that again this year and pursue some of the legislative and budget changes and
- Certainly additional liquor license reforms, thinking about extended weekend service hours like Chair
- Haney, you have been and always keeping an eye out for other reforms.
- Yeah, absolutely, because we're having this conversation now, as we're reforming the licensing system
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- So imagine you have a budget established for your five years, kind of like the state has a biennium budget
- So imagine you have a budget hold out.
- <00:24:27.200><c> to</c><00:24:27.520><c> accommodate</c> budget to accommodate budget to accommodate
- There's a number of budgeted expenses, capital expenses, and then there's actual.
- </c> up on its feet and some of the reforms up on its feet and some of the reforms that<01:28:01.280>
Summary:
The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational briefing on the Public Utilities Commission’s performance-based regulation (PBR) framework and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ whistleblower complaint process. Chair Jared Kohole opened the meeting, noted it was informational only with no public testimony, and explained that members would hear presentations and then have an opportunity for questions. The committee heard first from Ulupono Initiative, which provided background on why utilities are regulated, how Hawaii’s cost-of-service model and rate cases work, and why PBR was adopted to shift utility incentives away from a capital-investment bias and toward performance, efficiency, cost control, and policy goals such as renewable energy and reliability.
Ulupono described Hawaii’s PBR structure as a five-year multi-year rate plan with annual revenue adjustments, a customer dividend, a Z factor for extraordinary exogenous events, and an exceptional project recovery mechanism for large projects. It also outlined performance incentive mechanisms tied to renewable portfolio standard progress, interconnection speed, reliability, and shared savings. The presentation said the current docket is evaluating a possible hybrid approach that would combine forward-looking forecasting with historical results, and Ulupono advocated for stronger incentives, arguing the current rewards are too small relative to utility revenues and should be more meaningful to better align utility behavior with legislative intent.
The PUC then presented its own overview, emphasizing that the PBR docket is open and active and that the briefing was limited to the record to avoid ex parte concerns. The commission described the development of PBR in Hawaii through multiple phases beginning in 2018: an initial collaborative phase to set goals, a formal contested-case phase that produced the initial framework, later phases adding scorecards, reported metrics, and additional performance incentive mechanisms, and subsequent refinements including sunset of some mechanisms and adjustments after the August 2023 Maui wildfires. The PUC said the framework is intended to be customer-centric, administratively efficient, and protective of utility financial integrity, and that current work includes evaluating how to balance forward-looking and historical test-year approaches within the rebasing process. No votes or formal actions were taken at the briefing.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/18/2026 - Senate Government
Senate Government Committee of Reference
Transcript Highlights:
- So SB 1501 is a simple common-sense reform.
- They set budgets. They definitely have policymaking authority and more.
- That $2 million annual expense represents 0.0211% of the county's budget, right?
- It's 0.082% of their budget. I vote yes.
- It's 0.082% of their budget. I vote yes. Members, my vote, five eyes. of their budget. I vote yes.
Summary:
The committee first considered SB 1825, which would shift the precinct committeeman vacancy application and nomination process from county party chairs to legislative district chairs where established, and require applicants to submit to the authorized chair within five days. Supporters said the change would streamline appointments, reduce bottlenecks in large counties, and strengthen grassroots, bottom-up party organization. County supervisors’ association staff said they had no objection to the district-chair process but raised concern that the five-day deadline for boards to act was too short. The committee adopted a do pass recommendation on SB 1825, with members noting the five-day issue should be worked out later.
The committee then heard SB 1566, as amended, which targets malicious delays by municipalities, counties, the state, or state agencies in licensing and permit decisions, with a civil penalty and Attorney General enforcement. The amendment narrowed the bill to statutory licensing timeframes for single-family residential construction and clarified definitions and certificate-of-occupancy authority. The sponsor and home builders argued the bill would deter intentional delays that add to housing costs, while questions focused on how malice would be proven and whether the language was too broad. The committee adopted the amendment and gave SB 1566 a do pass as amended recommendation.
Next, SB 1571, as amended, would bar monopoly utilities from passing marketing, sponsorship, community relations, and similar costs through to ratepayers, require annual reporting and attestation, and define the covered utilities. Supporters said ratepayers should not fund utility advertising or sponsorships, especially amid rising rates, while opponents from municipal and public-power utilities warned the language could sweep too broadly and interfere with legitimate customer communications, especially for smaller not-for-profit systems. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and gave the bill a do pass as amended recommendation. The committee also advanced SB 1501, expanding Administrative Rules Oversight Committee review to include whether agency actions exceed statutory authority, and SB 1805, requiring county recorders to verify the notary status on quitclaim deeds before recording them; both received do pass recommendations despite some concerns about scope and administrative burden.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- Didn't think you were going to try to, you know, take some money out of the budget for it.
- As a budget member, I do appreciate that.
- There's no budget sheets or profit and loss statements.
- Yeah, we would support any reform that would make the process easier, more clear.
- Yeah, we would support any reform that would make the process easier, more clear.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- So this year, just last week, the Board of Equalization said it's going to be a tough year on our budget
- So it undoes one portion of the budget deal that was thrown together, and I'm afraid that this is the
- That would be $800 million cut out of the local budgets for schools, county roads, county public safety
- And there is some reform in the credit.
- And there is some reform in the credit. Again, if... ...is some reform in the credit.
Committee:
Senate Revenue and Taxation
Summary:
The Revenue and Taxation Committee met and considered several bills. Senate Bill 1776, by Senator Pugh, would create a $10,000 refundable tax credit for teachers with seven consecutive years of service, as part of a teacher retention strategy; after questions about the seven-year threshold, it passed 8-3. Senate Bill 1858, by Senator Frix, would create a new TIF district financing option allowing developers, rather than cities or counties, to borrow against projected TIF revenues; the committee adopted an amendment changing a filing provision from “may” to “shall,” and the bill passed 7-4. Senate Bill 1985, by Senator Guthrie, would let state retirement systems consider limited investments in regulated digital assets, capped at 5% and narrowed to large-market-cap assets; the committee added an amendment inserting “in” to clarify the language, and the bill passed 9-2.
The committee then rejected Senate Bill 1302, by Senator Kirt, which would repeal the “path to zero” trigger tied to future income tax cuts; it failed 2-9 after debate over fiscal stability and tax relief. Senate Bill 1809, by Senator Hamilton, would raise the homestead exemption from $1,000 to $5,000; members debated its impact on local governments and school funding, but it passed 9-2. Senate Bill 1401, by Senator Rader, was amended to adjust the insurance premium tax rate from 1.96% to 2.16% and eliminate the home office premium tax credit; the bill was laid over after concerns about its fiscal impact.
Finally, Senate Bill 2053, also by Senator Rader, would allow cities and counties to impose up to a 10% excise tax on medical marijuana dispensaries by local vote, with OTC handling collections and enforcement; supporters framed it as local control and a way to offset public safety costs, while opponents argued it unfairly targeted dispensaries and consumers. The bill passed 7-3. The committee then adjourned and announced it would meet again the following Monday after floor activity.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/5/25
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Beginning July 1, 2025, budgets will be...
- This slide shows an overview of DCYF's total budget.
- , or just under one-third of that budget.
- licensing reform?
- </c> proposes reasonable Common Sense reforms proposes reasonable Common Sense reforms that<01:15:06.280
Committee:
House Human Services Finance and Policy
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
The Cost of Special Education – Senator Mary Kunesh Feb 17th, 2025
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- What does that mean for that budget?
- What does that mean for that budget?
- What does that mean for that budget?
- Well, it means that that budget is going to be stressed, as most of the budgets are.
- Well, it means that that budget is going to be stressed, as most of the budgets are.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Tuesday, May 6, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- ,</c> to, let's say, reconsider the budget, to, let's say, reconsider the budget, they're<04:48:39.920
- </c><04:58:10.400><c> and</c><04:58:10.718><c> the</c> president's budget and the president's budget
- of Defense budget, Department of Defense budget.<05:23:14.480><c> How</c><05:23:14.718><c> many</c><
- </c> that say, "David, balance the budget that say, "David, balance the budget today.<05:28:03.760><c
- We're trying not to let the budget.
Bills:
HR377
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado House 2026 Legislative Day 120 May 14th, 2026
Colorado House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I didn’t have a goal of reforming the funeral industry.
- This budget has been carefully crafted to achieve the constitutional balance requirement or something
- Even while working on creating our chamber's constitutional obligation of passing a balanced budget,
- I would stroll down and see her reading her giant wine-colored binder with the budget pages that she
- But threats to kill the bill will remind the Senate that they really do need arbitration reform.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
PBS Info Briefing - Mon Oct 6, 2025 @ 10:00 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Today we have a presenter from Families for Justice Reform, Equal Justice Works Fellow Molly Crane, as
- Today we have a presenter from Families for Justice Reform, Equal Justice Works Fellow Molly Crane, as
- We work to elevate the voices of people impacted by the justice system in policy reform.
- </c><00:09:56.160><c> We</c> the justice system in policy reform.
- We the justice system in policy reform.
Summary:
The Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on best practices for medical or compassionate release programs used by correctional systems nationwide and how Hawaii’s current approach compares. Kristen Johnson of the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission introduced Molly Crane of Families for Justice Reform, noting that the commission, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Hawaii Paroling Authority have all been involved in developing proposed legislation, though the bill itself was written by community advocate Bob Merse. Crane described FAM’s work on justice reform and said the group has studied compassionate release programs across the country, including federal reforms, to help Hawaii align with best practices.
Crane argued that compassionate release is intended for people who are too ill or cognitively impaired to pose a public-safety risk and who are often the most expensive and resource-intensive people to incarcerate. She said Hawaii is the only state without a compassionate release statute and currently relies on an agency policy, which she described as complex and slow. She cited examples of severe medical cases in custody, including people with advanced dementia, multiple sclerosis, kidney failure, and hospice needs, and said the burden on correctional medical staff, overtime, off-site transport, and specialized care can consume a disproportionate share of staff time and state resources. She also said the recidivism rate for this population is under 1 percent, citing Vera Institute research.
Members asked about the source of the recidivism figure, how a statute would streamline the process, and why the issue had not advanced in the past. Crane said the proposed bill would reduce layers in the process by moving cases from the medical director to the director and then to the Hawaii Paroling Authority, with a target timeline of about 30 business days from petition to hearing. Johnson said prior efforts failed in part because the agencies most affected were not included early in drafting and revision, and she said one attempt was vetoed, another was removed in conference committee, and another passed one chamber but did not advance. Johnson also explained that incarcerated people’s medical care is paid entirely by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with no private insurance or Medicaid/Medicare coverage while incarcerated, making severe cases a direct burden on state funds. No votes or formal actions were taken because the briefing was informational only.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations.(6-18-26)
Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> and that there is no budget. and that there is no budget.
- It provides some context with other states, as well as some reform recommendations based on our work
- We work with states across the country empowering local barbers to come up with ways to reform those
- </c> barbers to come up with ways to reform barbers to come up with ways to reform those<00:38:41.240
- </c> about uh some of the litigation reform about uh some of the litigation reform because<01:06:25.240
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- So Chairman Walley, who chairs our budget subcommittee in the House, put a rider in our budget that requires
- to access, but we have the budget and we'll just give the water back.
- We applaud the effort with Texas trying to make these reforms.
- and 25% of the county's budget.
- And so our budget is fully approved by the Public Utility Commission.
Committee:
House State Affairs
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 3/18/25
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Nationally and in Minnesota, we have seen that change or reform is expensive, taxing on the workforce
- An aspect is that if that funding is eliminated or repurposed, the reform slowly drifts away.
- An aspect is that if that funding is eliminated or repurposed, the reform slowly drifts away.
- </c><00:48:37.040><c> It's</c><00:48:37.280><c> empowering</c> people how to budget.
- It's empowering people how to budget.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
State Rep. Shaun Scott Press Conference Dec 2nd, 2025 at 01:30 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- Without significant progressive tax reform, our communities will continue to suffer and homelessness
- Microsoft's yearly profit could cover our state's annual operating budget three times over.
- Maybe they should cut back on their avocado toast budget, you know, stretch their budget further.
- Budget further. But we want a fair tax code. What do we want? Fair tax code.
- Our state budget has ballooned 170% accounting for inflation since 1991.
Summary:
State Rep. Shaun Scott and supporters held a press event promoting the proposed Well Washington Fund, a new dedicated account intended to raise about $3 billion annually through a corporate payroll tax on wages above $125,000. Scott said the fund would help Washington respond to federal austerity policies and protect programs at risk from H.R. 1 and related Trump administration cuts, especially in housing, health care, higher education, cash assistance, and wildfire response. He also referenced related revenue ideas, including restoring wildfire mitigation funding by ending a bank tax break and allowing counties to raise corporate taxes.
Several speakers testified in support of the proposal. Michelle Thomas of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance warned that federal housing policy changes could put more than 5,000 people at risk of losing housing and said the state needs progressive revenue to address evictions and homelessness. Christina Savitsky, a disabled veteran, described how Medicaid, food assistance, and housing cuts would affect her family and said recertification and work requirements would be difficult to meet. University of Washington faculty representatives said federal cuts are threatening teaching, research, nursing and public health workforce training, and hospital funding. Fatima Boxwala of Tech for Taxes and Mikey Stramskis of the Washington Federation of State Employees argued that large corporations and wealthy residents should pay more to support public services.
In a question-and-answer session, Scott said the bill’s urgency could justify an emergency clause and argued that voters had already endorsed taxing the wealthy in the 2024 capital gains referendum. He rejected concerns that the tax would drive jobs away, saying corporations already shed jobs and invest in automation, while public services and affordability are what attract residents and businesses. He said he had held encouraging conversations with some lawmakers and a credit union lobbyist, but not with major corporate interests, and urged passage of the bill in the 2026 session.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Civil Rights & Judiciary Jan 30th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- We are signed in other today because of the fiscal note difference within the governor's budget, but
- Well, this is my trailer bill to House Bill 1403, addressing the longstanding need to reform and reduce
- We do see the value in some of the reforms here to probate law, and certainly some of the stories we
- It does some good reforms.
Summary:
The committee first heard House Bill 2640, which would create procedures for dealing with unauthorized UCC financing statement filings. The bill would allow the Department of Licensing to refuse certain filings believed to be intended to harass or defraud, create an affidavit-based process for debtors to seek termination of wrongfully filed records, permit administrative review and court challenges by secured parties, and establish criminal penalties for intentional unauthorized filings. Department of Licensing testimony supported the bill as a narrow remedy for harmful filings that can affect credit, housing, banking, and reputation, while members questioned whether the department should be making legitimacy determinations and whether existing court remedies were sufficient. No vote was taken on HB 2640 during the hearing.
The committee then moved to executive action on several bills. Substitute House Bill 2161, authorizing the Attorney General to issue civil investigative demands in certain civil rights and labor-related investigations, was reported out on a 7-5 vote after debate over due process concerns and the need for stronger enforcement tools. House Bill 2304, extending condominium warranty coverage to four-story buildings, passed unanimously. House Bill 2445, revising probate law and related protections, passed 10-2, with some members supporting the anti-fraud reforms and others worried about added complexity.
House Bill 2590, exempting limited equity cooperatives from the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, was amended with a technical change to the definition of limited equity cooperative and then reported out 8-4. Members described the bill as expanding affordable homeownership opportunities, though some raised broader policy concerns about the model. Finally, House Bill 2412, increasing the number of Superior Court judges in Yakima County from 8 to 9, passed unanimously after members cited access-to-justice needs and support from local funding and space resources.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Working Group on Omnibus Jobs, Labor and Economic Development - 05/22/25
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:08:43.200><c> priorities,</c> several of DI's top budget priorities, several of DI's top budget
- </c><00:10:10.080><c> recommendation</c> governor's full budget recommendation governor's full budget
- pass the budget for this language.
- And and I know budget for this language.
- This would make it $300,000 annual budgeted salary.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- So really kind of divulged myself or indulged myself into the budget process, the legislative process
- My budget in the government was, say, $2 billion plus money for hurricane relief.
- And finally, my main work for the past few years, I’ve been a visiting fellow in higher education reform
- That will impact the academic programs, the accreditation programs, the budget.
- I have watched with great appreciation the reforms and education that Governor DeSantis has made.
Committee:
Senate Ethics and Elections
Summary:
The Committee on Ethics and Elections met to consider a large slate of gubernatorial appointees, with 127 nominees on the agenda. The committee first approved the grouped nominees in Tabs 1 through 54 by unanimous roll call vote after brief public testimony in support of several appointees. The committee then took up individual University of West Florida and Pensacola State College-related nominations, including noting that Dr. Joel Rudman had resigned from the Pensacola State College board before appearing, leaving no action to take on that tab.
Several UWF trustees were confirmed after testimony focused on their qualifications and priorities for the university. Paul Bailey emphasized his local ties, legal background, and interest in UWF’s military connections and pre-law program; Rebecca Matthews highlighted her education and public service background, current role as UWF board chair, enrollment growth, fundraising, and alignment with state directives; Rachel Moyah discussed her education leadership experience, finance role, and positive enrollment and fundraising trends; Ashley Ross described her fundraising and higher education background and stressed workforce, advancement, cyber, and military partnerships; and Christopher Young spoke about his Panhandle roots, business experience, audit and compliance work, and support for military and student opportunity. Each of these nominees was confirmed by roll call and forwarded to the full Senate.
The most contentious nomination was Adam Kissel for the UWF Board of Trustees. Kissel described his background in higher education policy, free speech, philanthropy, and federal education work, and said he would focus on free speech, accreditation, military/veteran support, honors programming, and graduation rates. Committee members questioned him closely about prior writings on privatizing public higher education, his views on free speech versus Senate Bill 266, Project 2025, AI in administration, and his fit for UWF. Public testimony was split, with supporters praising his free-speech credentials and reform views, while opponents, including former UWF leaders, warned he was too ideological and not sufficiently grounded in the university community. After debate, the committee voted 5-4 not to confirm Kissel, so his name will not be forwarded to the full Senate.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate - Health and Public Affairs Feb 9th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- bill will be to reward with grant money cities, counties, and states that adopt impactful zoning reform
- And if New Mexico does choose to allow for impactful zoning reform, as contained in a lot of elements
- I think the state should consider providing those guardrails for local entities around zoning reform
- The City Council of Las Cruces is grappling with these issues, and they passed zoning reform last year
- This has been in the budget before the state thankfully, and the governor has helped us out to cover
Summary:
The committee first heard Senate Bill 211, which would appropriate $5 million for the Las Vegas Rodriguez Park. Senator Campos said the money would help continue upgrades to baseball, softball, and little league fields and address fencing, flooding, and other park improvements as part of a larger regional park plan. There was no public opposition, and the bill received a unanimous do pass recommendation, 7-0.
The committee then took up Senate Bill 131, a broad housing and zoning reform measure sponsored by Senator Maestas. The bill would allow more housing types by right, including accessory dwelling units, duplexes, townhomes, apartments in commercial zones, small-scale commercial uses in neighborhoods, and would eliminate minimum parking mandates; an amendment to remove height restrictions was adopted unanimously. Supporters, including Pew, housing advocates, chambers of commerce, builders, and some local officials, argued the bill would increase supply, lower costs, and modernize outdated zoning. Opponents, including the Realtors, Municipal League, neighborhood representatives, and several senators, argued it would preempt local control, ignore community differences, and could create infrastructure and neighborhood impacts. After extended debate, the committee tabled SB 131 by a recorded vote.
Senate Bill 183 was next, proposing a feasibility study for a regional urgent care or emergency facility in Torrance County. The sponsor and local officials described long ambulance transports, heavy use of I-40, and the need for quicker access to care for rural residents and travelers. The bill drew support from a former hospital administrator and no opposition, and it passed 9-1. The committee then considered Senate Bill 222, which would appropriate $20 million for physician residency programs outside the federal system to help retain doctors in New Mexico. The sponsor and supporters said the state loses many medical graduates because of limited residency slots, while one witness urged accountability for large hospital systems. Some senators questioned the premise and feasibility, but the bill advanced on a 6-4 do pass vote to Finance.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House/Senate DFL Media Availability 4/10/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:02:47.120><c> talking</c><00:02:47.360><c> four</c> budget though, this we're talking four budget
- </c> house um with the advice of the budget house um with the advice of the budget experts<00:04:14.720
- </c> budget, meeting in committee and stuff? budget, meeting in committee and stuff?
- And the best way to do that is to have budget deals and not budget and policy.
- We have not had a ton of budget.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Formal House Session 1 Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Through the budget process, we made school meals free in all public schools.
- The House also championed the most significant gun safety reform bill that Massachusetts has seen in
- So to that end, the House will consider a number of rules reforms next month when we have our rules debate
- The House will consider a number of rules reforms next month when we have our rules debate, from potential
- changes to the legislative calendar to reforms aimed at bolstering public confidence in the legislative
Summary:
The House of Representatives convened on January 1, 2025, for the opening of the 194th General Court. The session began with the call to order, invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and National Anthem, followed by remarks from the Dean of the House, Governor Maura Healey, and Speaker Ron Mariano. Speakers highlighted the historic nature of the new session, the approaching 250th anniversary of American independence, and priorities such as public service, transparency, and continued collaboration between the House, Senate, and administration.
The House received and filed the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s communication transmitting election returns, then adopted a special committee report confirming that the members-elect had been duly elected. The chamber also accepted the resignation/declination of Representative-elect Gerald Paracela, who had been nominated to the District Court. A committee was appointed to notify the Governor that a quorum of members-elect had assembled and were ready to be sworn in, after which the Governor administered the oaths of office to the members.
The House then elected Ronald Mariano of Quincy as Speaker by roll-call vote, with 132 votes; Bradley H. Jones Jr. received 21 votes, Mark T. Lombardo 4, and the total vote count was 157. Timothy Carroll of Hull was elected Clerk by acclamation and sworn in, and he announced the appointment of assistant clerks. The House also adopted temporary rules to continue the prior session’s House rules and temporary joint rules, and agreed to a Senate order scheduling a convention for the following day to administer oaths to the Governor’s Council. The session concluded with a benediction and adjournment until the next day at 11 a.m.