Transcript Highlights:

• Three of the items could not be physically located, and none of these had been documented as lost, stolen
• One item presented for observation had no identifying tag number and/or serial number documented on the
• Additionally, 10 of the 50 items tested had documented dates at AIS of being last inventoried two or
• The homes or the leadership is required to contact him through the chain of command by phone, get verbal
• pre-approval, and follow up the next workday with the documentation to support that.

Summary: The committee met with prayer and approved the January minutes, then heard a series of Arkansas Legislative Audit reports. Reports with findings were presented for the Department of Human Services, Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, Department of Corrections, and Department of Veterans Affairs, along with a special report on law enforcement racial profiling policy compliance. Several reports without findings were also filed without objection. For DHS, auditors reported apparent thefts involving false benefit claims in disaster nutrition assistance and Medicaid, a nearly $610,000 altered warrant cashed by a California auto body shop, and multiple asset-control issues, including missing equipment, inventory discrepancies, and improper sales tax paid on exempt vehicle purchases. Members questioned DHS about the warrant fraud and whether other agencies or California officials had been notified. For Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, auditors cited missing museum receipts and problems with change funds at Daisy State Park and War Memorial Stadium; department officials said they are considering cashless payment options and provided an update on the museum loss investigation. For Corrections, auditors reported unauthorized personal fuel-card purchases totaling about $4,500 and a delayed disaster recovery test for critical IT systems. Department officials said staffing has been increased for fuel-card oversight and that a full production disaster recovery test is scheduled soon. For Veterans Affairs, auditors found improper pay for employees who were not working, duplicate vendor payment, and numerous overtime approvals that were not properly authorized; the department said it has tightened overtime approval procedures. The special report said only 203 of 383 law enforcement agencies had responded regarding racial profiling policies, and the Attorney General had notified the remaining agencies that they were not in compliance. The committee requested a list of nonresponding agencies and adjourned, with the next meeting scheduled for March 12.

Transcript Highlights:

• the source of funds the requirements the source of funds the requirements that<00:12:27.720>
• <01:34:36.199> and the state compliance requirements and the state compliance requirements
• would be required to report to providers would be required to report to us<02:05:04.920> and<
• <03:05:37.920> to perform certification requirements to perform certification requirements
• Hippa in a bunch of the documents uh but Hippa in a bunch of the documents uh but uh<04:40:48.920>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division III convened a work session on the DHHS budget, with the chair noting there would be no votes and that the committee would spend the day hearing from the commissioner’s office. Nathan White, DHHS Chief Financial Officer, opened with the Division of Finance/Office of Business Operations, explaining that the unit supports the department through daily financial management, AP/AR, audit work, expense projections, transfers, and procurement functions such as contracts, amendments, RFPs/RFAs, and grants management. He also described the division’s revenue and reporting work, including federal draws, CMS-64 reporting, and the public assistance cost allocation plan, and said the department had centralized rate-setting work and a small team handling Medicaid rate analysis and nursing facility rebase work. Members asked about vacancies, turnover, and budget changes. White said the division had 18 positions unfunded in the governor’s budget, reducing personal services from about $10.8 million to $9.9 million, and estimated the division’s vacancy rate at about 11 percent, below the department average. He said turnover was relatively low, with one retirement at the manager level and higher turnover mainly at lower AP-level positions. He also explained that some budget lines reflected reallocations rather than new spending, including fringe benefits centralized elsewhere and an EBT card contract moved into this unit because the staff member overseeing it works in Finance. When asked about a rent/lease increase, he said it was due to higher copier leasing costs under a statewide DAS contract. White highlighted several management and technology improvements. He said a business intelligence tool procured in 2022, using Salesforce and Excel-based data, helped DHHS better track federal revenue and maintenance-of-effort spending, reducing FY24 General Fund lapse by about 70 percent and federal/other revenue lapse by 88 percent compared with FY23; he warned that the tool is not funded in the current budget. He also described Lean Six Sigma efforts in the contracts team, training for vendors and nonprofits on procurement and indirect cost rules, and a Finance Academy to standardize policies and procedures. On the contracts side, he said the department uses Smartsheet for project management and DocuSign for electronic signatures, which cut contract execution time dramatically, but noted DocuSign is also not funded in the governor’s budget. The session ended as the committee prepared to move on to the Employee Assistance Program presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• this requirement of individuals.
• to putting together budget documents to putting together budget documents that<00:58:22.319>
• <00:59:41.599> on requirements on requirements on that<00:59:44.400> Mr<00:59:44.640>
• not re candidates are are not required not re candidates are are not required to<01:02:43.960>
• reporting and transparency requirements reporting and transparency requirements in<01:11:01.719>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• By requiring law enforcement departments to cooperate with ICE and effectively By requiring law enforcement
• My amendment to SB 1213 would have required transparency.
• My amendment to SB 1213 would have required transparency.
• And President Trump has been hiding these documents.
• His Department of Justice has been scrubbing these documents from... These documents.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lots of things happen in medicine that require some report. Senator Garcia: One more question.
• We also don't have an analysis on Medicaid work requirements.
• requirement, the state saw incredible results.
• It includes financial documents such as the 990 and an asset statement.
• They have instituted bylaws; all the requirements they are legislatively required to meet, they are in

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:52.160> are issue is the training requirements are issue is the training requirements
• , required traffic plans, municipal, city, county requirements, and pipeline safety standards.
• required traffic plans DOT requirements required traffic plans municipality<00:19:00.200> city
• ><00:19:00.679> County<00:19:01.559> requirements municipality city County requirements
• <00:19:56.280> to required to required to follow<00:19:58.320> and<00:19:58.720> 20<

Bills: HF47, HF335

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF335, Greater Minnesota, economic development, public infrastructure, grant program, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, business development, infrastructure grants, local government aid, general fund appropriation, rural development, site development, utilities, roads

Transcript Highlights:

• We propose requiring the inmates.
• <00:18:49.760> the Uh these contracts would require the Uh these contracts would require the
• , programming and service requirements, programming and service requirements, the<00:19:36.480>
• . requirement.
• >> the this document. >> the this document.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the October 21 minutes, and then heard a KO presentation focused on county jail funding pressures. KO leaders and county judges said jail costs have become a statewide crisis, noting that county general fund contributions to jail budgets have risen sharply since 2019. They said the organization’s sole legislative priority this session is to “reshape the shared responsibility” for county jails through three main proposals: incentivizing regional jails, clarifying responsibility for pre-trial felony detainees, and changing the model for housing state inmates. On regional jails, KO proposed one-time state construction help for new or expanded regional facilities, allowing former county jails to become 96-hour holdover facilities, changing regional jail authority boards so each participating county jailer can serve, increasing the closed-jail supplement, and offering a one-time payment to counties that close a jail and join a regional plan. On pre-trial felony detainees, Judge Mosley argued counties bear the full cost for people held before trial, sometimes for years, and said counties should be reimbursed for time served credit when those inmates are later sentenced. On state inmates, KO said the current per diem of $35.34 is below the average daily county jail cost of $63.44, and proposed a new contract model requiring the Department of Corrections to pay actual housing costs while counties provide agreed programming such as substance use treatment, cognitive behavioral programming, re-entry services, workforce training, and academic programming. Members asked about the fiscal impact of the package, the feasibility of regional jail population thresholds, and whether the proposal could affect counties’ ability to house federal inmates. KO said regionalization should remain a local decision, that a bill draft and fiscal note were being developed, and that only certain jails are eligible to house federal inmates under existing agreements. Representative Maddox also asked about social media comments by Judge Mosley regarding homeschooling; Mosley said the remarks were unrelated to KO and apologized for any offense. Senator Mills asked what counties would do with savings from jail costs, and judges said the money would likely go to local services such as roads, ambulance service, senior programs, parks, economic development, infrastructure, broadband, and water projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• This amendment also requires the fhs to establish a timeline on when students are required to receive
• This amendment also requires the FSA to develop a standard form to document any ex exception is granted
• the required psychological evaluation. >> They they qm our chair.
• Tuning as far as the locked doors requirement.
• Also focuses state academic standards, documents on standards and benchmarks and requires the cost of

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That approach protects requirements.
• theself from safety requirements. theself from safety requirements.
• . requirement. requirement.
• Uh, what this bill does, it requires us to void documents that are reported...
• required um That is my interpretation. required um That is my interpretation.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on February 3, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, with the chair emphasizing a two-minute limit and noting that bills would die if the hearing ran past noon. For HB 1848, the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development both supported the measure with technical, non-substantive amendments. Testimony focused on requiring early consultation about water availability in district boundary amendment petitions, with water officials explaining that the petitioner should submit a written statement reflecting consultation and that the goal was to identify water constraints earlier in the development process. The Land Use Commission’s representative opposed the bill, arguing that water availability is already addressed through existing environmental review and agency consultation, that the issue had been raised and rejected before, and that the proposal could create unnecessary delay or litigation. The committee then heard HB 1728 on rainwater catchment systems. The Commission on Water Resource Management said it acknowledged the bill’s intent but deferred to counties and other regulatory agencies, including the Department of Health, on regulatory implications. Hawaii Realtors testified in support. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing shown. For HB 1652 on storm water management systems, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association opposed the bill, arguing it would weaken protections created by Act 281 (“Sharkey’s Law”) and increase drowning risk for children by exempting certain water features from safety requirements. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii supported the bill, saying the language clarifies and better balances child safety with practical green stormwater infrastructure, including depth-based limits and exemptions for certain agricultural ponds. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also supported the agricultural pond exemption, saying such ponds are used for irrigation, livestock, and fire control and are generally away from the public. A private testifier, Allison Schaers, opposed the bill and described her daughter’s drowning in a detention basin, arguing that poor maintenance can turn stormwater features into dangerous hazards. The hearing ended without any recorded committee action or vote in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• delinquent private water and sewer audits. 19 entities turned back funds were reinstated after all required
• The committee approved a motion to give town officials 60 days to reach compliance as required under
• Purchases totaling just over $73,000 were made without a documented business purpose for items such as
• Purchases totaling just over $73,000 were made without a documented business purpose for items such as
• Therefore, we relied solely on the documentation provided by UALR and limited knowledge of current employees

Summary: The Legislative Joint Audit Committee met on February 13, 2026, and first adopted the January 9, 2026 minutes. It then received and adopted reports from the Executive Committee, the Standing Committee on Counties and Municipalities, the Standing Committee on Education Institutions, the Standing Committee on State Agencies, and the Medicaid Subcommittee. Those reports covered audit follow-up items, delinquent private water and sewer audits, municipal accounting compliance issues, education audit findings, state agency audit findings, and a Medicaid oversight presentation. Several reports were filed after discussion, and in multiple cases agencies or local officials were present to answer questions about repeat findings or compliance concerns. Among the notable audit matters, the committee reviewed a Cleburne County library audit that found more than $80,000 in unauthorized or questionable disbursements, including purchases that appeared personal in nature and improper fuel expenses. The library director had been placed on leave, later charged with felony theft of property and abuse of office, and the matter was referred to the prosecuting attorney and Attorney General. The committee also heard a special report on the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which found scholarship ineligibility issues and numerous disbursement-processing exceptions, while noting that the program had ended in 2024 and remaining funds were returned to the school districts. During the state agency report, Legislative Audit described findings at DHS, Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, Corrections, and Veterans Affairs, including improper benefit payments, a cashed warrant by someone other than the intended payee, missing receipts, unauthorized fuel card purchases, and payroll and overtime issues. The committee filed that report after agency representatives responded to questions. The meeting ended with the filing of the Cleburne County and Donaldson Scholars Academy reports, and the next committee meeting was announced for March 12-13, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• The company's own documents tell us this.
• The science confirms what the internal documents reveal.
• So this is something that would require public enforcement.
• The limited circumstances, as I mentioned, has the requirements...
• There's a lot of uncertainty under law today about what's required.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. ...documentation from DCC that it was indicating it would follow up with the licensee.
• Canada limits edibles and THC to 10 milligrams per package, and Washington requires a measuring device
• DCC's regulations do not include any specific requirements or prohibitions regarding the use of strain
• I mean, are those issues that do require changes to the statute, or is there something preventive?
• Sadly, since 2017, the legally required balance between eliminating the illicit market and protecting

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard an audit on the Department of Cannabis Control’s oversight of cannabis packaging and labeling, focused on whether products attractive to children are being kept out of the legal market. The auditor said the department’s rules are often vague or subjective, leading to inconsistent enforcement, and that the state relies heavily on licensees to self-police because there is no upfront review before products reach the market. The audit cited examples involving cartoon-like images, bright colors, flavor references, candy-like imagery, strain names, and beverage packaging, and recommended clearer statutory standards, possible pre-approval of packaging, better enforcement tools, and stronger tracking of repeat violators. Assemblymembers and senators largely agreed that child safety is the priority, but differed on the best policy response. Some members argued for clearer legislative limits and even plain packaging, saying products like root beer, cherry pie, and cereal-like designs are plainly appealing to children. Department officials said they had already begun reforms, including a centralized label-review team, a rubric, improved databases, and more attention to repeat violations, while also emphasizing that the illicit and intoxicating hemp markets are major sources of youth exposure and that resource constraints limit inspections. They said they are open to working with the Legislature on more specific standards and additional funding. Public witnesses split between public health and industry perspectives. A pediatrician and public health advocate urged stronger restrictions, including plain packaging, limits on flavors and potency, and a pre-market review system, arguing that vague rules have failed children. Industry representatives said they support youth protections but want bright-line, objective standards so compliant businesses can know what is allowed; they argued that most youth-targeted packaging is in the illicit market and that the legal market needs clearer rules rather than broader bans. No formal vote or committee action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Human Services to make sure that if you owe child support from money you want a casino, which requires
• a tax document, which is almost entirely money won on slot machines of more than $2,000, that money
• of Human Services to make sure that if you owe child support from money you want a casino, which requires
• a tax document, which is almost entirely money won on slot machines of more than $2,000, that money
• If you owe child support from money you win at a casino, which requires a tax document, and which is

Keywords: Gaming - Room 210, 2 February, 2026; 1:30 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 2369, described as a familiar measure that had been introduced in prior years and passed at least once before. The bill would allow the Department of Human Services to intercept certain casino gambling winnings, especially slot machine winnings over $2,000 that generate a tax document, and apply those funds toward unpaid child support obligations. The sponsor emphasized that more than $5 billion in child support remains unpaid and argued the bill would help collect those debts. No substantive questions were raised during the hearing. A motion was made that the title be deemed sufficient and the bill be reported do pass. The motion was opposed, and the committee then moved to rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Caring for these assets requires a systematic and comprehensive approach.
• Stewardship of these assets requires ongoing repair, renovation, and replacement.
• Caring for these assets requires a systematic and comprehensive approach.
• Caring for these assets requires a systematic and comprehensive approach.
• <00:35:17.040> to exploratory boring are required to exploratory boring are required to provide

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• While they are working to meet the requirements on the medical standards, this bill would require them
• We can also share that document with staff to share with this committee.
• It requires the... It shouldn't be proprietary information.
• The last requires DHS to establish requirements for the state Medicaid program that are substantially
• This bill has a pretty good list of requirements that insurers are required to do, but in the end, it's

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the contract requirements. the contract requirements.
• DHS, for instance, staff were ultimately required to review 662,000 documents.
• The Department of Education is required to review 454,000 documents, and even DEED, which had almost
• Education is required to review 454,000 documents<01:30:28.160> and<01:30:28.280> even
• requires you to do it. requires you to do it.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > certain Also, it would require certain Also, it would require certain legislative<00:06:29.840>
• federal requirement to no longer require federal requirement to no longer require informed<00:43
• 227-8 which requires informed consent. 227-8 which requires informed consent.
• we should change the scient requirement. we should change the scient requirement.
• you explain what a science requirement you explain what a science requirement is?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 34, which would require parental consent for each new service provided to a student through the Medicaid to Schools program and require reports to legislative policy committees. Senator Ruth Ward said the bill was intended to increase transparency, protect parental involvement, and ensure continuity of care, especially for students with disabilities. She also noted a proposed amendment she received shortly before the hearing that would change the bill’s focus from a “new service” to a “new care plan.” Representatives from the New Hampshire Primary Care Association and Amoscake Health testified that they opposed the bill as written but would support it with the amendment. They explained that tying consent to individual diagnosis codes or services could be burdensome, could delay care, and could create compliance problems if a diagnosis changes during a visit. They said the amendment would better align consent with the overall care plan and avoid interrupting treatment mid-appointment. Committee members raised questions about how the bill would interact with IEPs, individualized health plans, homebound services, telehealth, billing, and whether the amendment would still require parental involvement after a care plan changes. The deputy Medicaid director from the Department of Health and Human Services testified that the amendment was more operationally feasible because Medicaid billing involves many ICD-10 codes that can change or overlap, and consent should be tied to the care plan rather than to each code. He said the current law already requires parental consent for participation in the Medicaid to Schools program and annual consent for billing, but the bill would make explicit consent for care-plan changes. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided, and the committee appeared to continue discussion with DHHS after the testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Three specific kinds of evaluations are required.
• The three visits are startup care visits, which are required at the start of any new episode of care
• Secondly, the recertification visits are required every 60 days to ensure everything is going well and
• And lastly, resumption of care that's required if there's been an interruption in the plan of care such
• for a limited annual number of required for a limited annual number of required home<00:04:46.000

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There has never been a single documented case of sexual re-offense from this program.
• And I think it just requires balanced government.
• But we know that as the requirements of this job continue to evolve, the standards have not.
• I still think that within the MOU requirements there's a section that requires or limits the sharing
• And then lastly, I still think that some of the reporting requirements and information required to be

Summary: The committee met without a quorum and operated as a subcommittee while hearing several bills, with members repeatedly noting that votes would be taken later once a quorum was established. Early in the meeting, the committee heard SB 1446 on parole en banc review and SB 1278 on elderly parole eligibility for certain sex offenses. SB 1446’s author said the bill would give commissioners more discretion in en banc review, make votes public, and allow referral for sexually violent predator evaluation in certain cases; supporters included the California District Attorneys Association, while opponents from Uncommon Law, the Ella Baker Center, and public defender groups argued it would add confusion, create constitutional and litigation concerns, and duplicate existing safeguards. SB 1278 would exclude certain rape, child sexual abuse, and habitual/serial sex offense convictions from elderly parole eligibility; district attorneys and police chiefs supported it as a victim-safety measure, while civil rights and defense organizations opposed it as unnecessary, costly, and inconsistent with evidence on aging and recidivism. Both bills were discussed but not voted on due to the lack of quorum. The committee then heard SB 1354, which would bar out-of-state military or law enforcement personnel from entering California to perform such functions without the Governor’s permission. The author and supporters framed it as protecting state sovereignty and limiting unauthorized armed incursions; the committee accepted an amendment removing a criminal penalty and leaving enforcement to the Attorney General. No opposition testimony was offered, and members expressed support, but no vote was taken because quorum was still lacking. The committee also heard SB 926, a bill to fund implementation of Proposition 36. Supporters, including sheriffs, district attorneys, probation officials, and the League of California Cities, said local agencies need funding for treatment, supervision, and administration; opponents argued the proposal was fiscally reckless, lacked accountability, and overemphasized incarceration. Amendments removed a specific appropriation and shifted funding decisions to the budget process, but the bill was also held pending quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 874, which would require background checks for unlicensed providers of Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment services, create a stakeholder workgroup, and direct DHCS to issue guidance and report on program integrity. Support came from local health plans and behavior analysis providers, who said the bill would improve safety and consistency; there was no opposition testimony. The committee then heard SB 1210, which would extend CalGang oversight and due process protections to local gang databases as well as shared ones. Supporters described privacy abuses, racial disparities, and personal harm from inaccurate gang labels; law enforcement opposition argued the bill would impose CalGang standards on informal investigative files and would significantly change the gang definition. The author said the bill closes a loophole and preserves prior reforms, but no vote was taken. The committee also began hearing SB 1019 on creating a California Cargo Thief Task Force, with strong support from BNSF, trucking, shipping, port, and supply-chain representatives who described organized, multi-jurisdictional cargo theft and rail sabotage; no opposition was heard, and members indicated support, but action was deferred pending quorum. The meeting then moved to SB 1217 on a non-consensual intimate image clearinghouse, with the chair and author describing privacy-related amendments and the bill’s focus on helping survivors remove exploitative images; the transcript cuts off as that presentation began.

Transcript Highlights:

• next BM budget we proposed um requiring next BM budget we proposed um requiring the<01:48:08.320
• It's already required, yes.
• We have a state requirement for assessment and a federal requirement for assessment.
• We have a state requirement for assessment and a federal requirement for assessment.
• We have a state requirement for assessment and a federal requirement for assessment.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee work session focused primarily on House Bill 115 and a proposed amendment, 114H, which would carry over language from HB 2 into HB 115 and place limits on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). Representative Murray described the amendment as a way to keep the 350% federal poverty eligibility cap, require students to have attended a charter public school in grades K-12 for the preceding year before entering the voucher system, and add guardrails against universal eligibility. She argued the state was facing a severe budget crisis, that expanding EFAs would divert money from other programs, and that public testimony and local votes showed widespread opposition to expansion. She also cited a letter from former Finance chair Neil Kirk opposing expansion. Other members responded that the committee should not revisit policy already decided by the House, though some said the amendment was fair to discuss because of its fiscal implications and supported it on that basis. The discussion then broadened into a debate over the fiscal impact of universal vouchers and the reliability of enrollment and cost estimates. Representative Luno argued that prior EFA projections had relied on assumptions that could badly underestimate state exposure, pointing to Arizona as a cautionary example and saying New Hampshire should not expand the program without better analysis. Representative Papovich similarly warned that universal eligibility could create a large, unexpected cost, estimating a potential exposure of about $285 million based on school-age children not currently in public, charter, or EFA programs. In contrast, Representative Weyler said EFAs can save money because public school spending is already high and parents using EFAs still pay taxes and take on more responsibility for their children’s education. After discussion, Representative Murray moved to accept the amendment, and Representative Bean seconded it. There was some procedural clarification about voting on the original bill and the amendment. The transcript ends before a final recorded vote on the amendment or on HB 115 itself, though the committee had also been told it would likely reconsider several retained bills later in the week, including HB 129, HB 133, HB 671, and HB 781.