Transcript Highlights:

• Badger for legislation to establish a sick leave bank for Marie Mantendre, an employee of the Department
• Badger for legislation to establish a sick leave bank for Marie Mantendre, an employee of the Department
• Pike, an employee of the Department of Developmental Services, House No. 4514.
• Pike, an employee of the Department of Developmental Services. House No. 4514.
• Pike, an employee of the Department of Developmental Services, House No. 4514.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several committee reports and local bills. Members adopted a resolution recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Children’s Clinic of the Cutchins Program for Children and Families. The House also suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow consideration of petitions including a sick leave bank for Marie Mantendre and a proposal concerning golf carts in certain rural communities, sending those matters to the Public Service and Transportation committees, respectively. The chamber advanced a number of local and private bills through suspension of rules and second or third reading. These included a Middleton charter amendment, sick leave bank bills for Candy J. Pike and Kathleen Roderick, and a senior tax deferral income-limit increase for Ipswich, which was enacted. The House also passed to be engrossed several other local measures, including bills affecting Weston, Richmond, Watertown, Malden, Medford, and Lynn. One bill concerning Lynn received an amendment from Mr. Walsh of Peabody before being ordered to engrossment. No recorded roll-call votes were taken; actions were by voice vote, with the chair repeatedly announcing that the ayes had it. The House then adopted an order to meet again Thursday at 11 a.m. and adjourned to that time in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• exemption of the president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority from the State Employees
• Hawaii tourism Authority from<00:10:27.279><c> the</c><00:10:27.399><c> state</c><00:10:27.640><c> employees
• </c><00:10:28.279><c> retirement</c> From the State Employees' Retirement System.
• /c><00:16:16.040><c> state</c> tourism Authority from the state tourism Authority from the state employees
• <00:16:16.959><c> retirement</c> employees retirement employees retirement system Um, appreciate the

Committee: House Tourism

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> help the Departments to help employees help the Departments to help employees do<00:29:58.039><c
• </c> Labor Relations was part of our employee Labor Relations was part of our employee Relations<00:46
• </c> positions whereby entry level employees positions whereby entry level employees May<01:24:03.760
• </c> make sure that if there's any employee make sure that if there's any employee with<02:34:34.760>
• They're employees... they are not employees of the state, and they get to keep the profit.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's helped us maintain employees, but if we do not receive reimbursement for that summer unemployment
• </c> health insurance to all of our employees health insurance to all of our employees and<00:24:35.960
• We want to pay our employees as well as we can and do it within the budget that we have.
• We have 18 employee groups ready to come back to the table.
• </c> that we are able to offer our employees that we are able to offer our employees but<01:39:11.560

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> actuarial costs uh for these employees actuarial costs uh for these employees as<01:33:16.239><c
• We're not paying you as a Group Two employee.
• And if paid him as a group two employee.
• But paying you as a group two employee.
• </c> chartered public school, or any employee chartered public school, or any employee official<02:08

Keywords: 9:00am HB 155 9:30am HB 1102 10:30am HB 1109 11:00am HB 1356 11:30am HB 1469 1:00pm HB 1323 2:00pm HB 1376, 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with unanimous committee approval of amendment 2026-2021S to HB 2. Senator Lang explained the amendment corrected a drafting error so that $2.5 million in state funds, matched with federal money for a total of $5 million, could be spent during the biennium rather than lapse at the end of the fiscal year. The money is intended to stabilize Medicaid per diem rates for county nursing homes, and members agreed without objection to adopt the amendment and continue working from the bill as amended by the Senate. The committee then discussed HB 155 and a proposed amendment, 2026-201H, dealing with the business enterprise tax. The House side described the proposal as a compromise that would raise the filing threshold from $250,000 to $375,000 and create a trigger that would reduce the BET rate by 0.05% for each $100 million in combined business tax surplus, down to a floor of 0.25%. Senate members opposed lowering the rate at this time, arguing that tax relief should focus on the filing threshold, which they said would remove filing burdens for about 3,500 small businesses, and that rate cuts should be considered in a budget cycle rather than an off-year. Concerns were raised that one-time revenues, such as tax amnesty receipts or federal repatriation-related surpluses, could unintentionally trigger reductions. Representative Sweeney later offered a revised approach by moving the effective date of the trigger mechanism to January 1, 2028, and said he was also willing to carve out tax amnesty revenues or adjust the effective date to avoid using one-time funds. The Senate remained unwilling to agree to a rate reduction, though it expressed openness to raising the filing threshold further. The committee ultimately did not resolve the business tax issue and recessed to continue discussions at a later time. The final item discussed was HB 1102, concerning an increase in the research and development tax credit paired with changes to state park fees. House members supported the R&D credit increase but opposed tying it to higher park fees, citing concerns about tourism, especially at border parks, and noting that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources had said it did not need the increase. Senate members defended the park fee changes as a fairness issue, arguing that New Hampshire residents should pay less than out-of-state visitors and that the department had not raised rates in many years. No vote was taken on this item during the discussion captured here.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:40.160><c> The</c> supervisory employee, favorable. The supervisory employee, favorable.
• </c><01:25:55.760><c> retention</c> about is in skilled employee retention about is in skilled employee
• </c><01:36:45.560><c> and</c> burden of proof is on the employee and burden of proof is on the employee
• :38:42.320><c> labor</c> relations and state employee labor relations and state employee labor standards
• Relations Board to cover Public Employee Relations Board to cover private<01:40:46.800><c> employees

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, March 20, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I full-time employee in the city.
• Chair, as has been employees. Mr.
• 58:56.240><c> rate</c><00:58:56.480><c> for</c> 2015, the employee contribution rate for 2015, the employee
• When a governmental entity loses its status as such, its employees also lose their status as public employees
• </c> a big hospital who used to be employees a big hospital who used to be employees of<01:16:04.000>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to be charged to nursing home employees. to be charged to nursing home employees.
• Um, so just wanted education employees.
• The districts were saying 100% of our employees will take this.
• They wanted to fund this to take care of the employees.
• I I believe that what the employees.

Bills: HF2433 , HF2434

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation, healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There's state employee parking. I can...
• There's state employee parking. I can...
• There's state employee parking. I can...
• There's state employee parking. I can...
• </c> manage building with state employees manage building with state employees here<01:05:48.960><c>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several water, land, and conservation measures. HB 86, which would fund a permanent DLNR Makai Watch coordinator position, drew strong support from DLNR and community advocates. Testifiers said the coordinator is needed to connect community-based nearshore monitoring groups with government, support training and reporting, and provide stable civil-service funding instead of relying on grants and philanthropy. The committee discussed the position’s duties and cost, estimated at about $110,000 with fringe benefits, and noted broad support from organizations including Kuaʻulu, The Nature Conservancy, OHA, and others. HB 36, relating to state water code penalties, was also supported in principle by DLNR, but the agency proposed amendments to create two tiers of violations, distinguish first-time/non-harmful violations from repeat or harmful ones, and give the commission discretion on whether each day counts as a continuing violation. DLNR said the bill is intended to address egregious cases such as Red Hill while avoiding undue impact on small farmers and others without malicious intent. Testifiers from the Board of Water Supply, Lono Initiative, and others supported stronger penalties and transparency, while Earthjustice raised concerns about broader structural issues and the risk of penalties being applied unfairly. The committee then heard HB 316, which appropriates funds to continue the Green Jobs Youth Corps program. DLNR, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Kōkua, The Nature Conservancy, and other groups testified in support, describing the program as a workforce pipeline that places young professionals in communities, builds trust, and helps recruit future state employees. Supporters said the program has expanded capacity in watershed and reef management and has drawn extensive public backing. Finally, HB 506, funding equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, received support from DLNR and others. DOCARE said recent recruit classes are moving through training, that the new positions will expand patrol capacity, including nighttime enforcement, and that the Oʻahu-specific funding is tied to priorities such as the Māʻili Bay herbivore rules. The committee also began hearing HB 510 on water shortage and emergency declarations. DLNR proposed limiting shortage declarations to 90 days unless extended, capping groundwater reductions at 20% for lower-priority permits, removing climate-crisis language as a standalone criterion, and moving the process into rulemaking for more public input. The Board of Water Supply supported the bill and the proposed changes, while Earthjustice urged deferral absent broader Water Commission reforms. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would be decision-making after the hearing on items on the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you are a government employee in your line of duty, it's then you got to...
• </c><00:37:13.200><c> of</c><00:37:13.359><c> duty,</c> employee in your line of duty, employee in your
• </c><01:16:46.080><c> and</c> have over 105 full-time employees and have over 105 full-time employees
• ,</c> well as key training for our employees, well as key training for our employees, excuse<01:20:09.280
• All<01:20:14.400><c> employees</c><01:20:14.880><c> at</c><01:20:15.120><c> heart</c> All employees at

Keywords: Discussion of BR 25 (2026 RS) 04:15 Presentation on voting systems by ES&S 48:14 Presentation on voting systems by Hart InterCivic and Harp Enterprises 01:13:07, 958, all

Summary: The committee met, approved the October 21 minutes, and then took up BR 25 for the 2026 regular session, a proposal to prohibit the use of tax dollars and public resources to advocate for or against ballot questions, including constitutional amendments. Senator Rawlings and the other presenters argued the current law already bars such advocacy but lacks meaningful enforcement, citing the 2024 school choice amendment campaign and other examples where public officials and school systems allegedly used taxpayer-funded resources to influence voters. They said the bill would add civil and criminal penalties, while preserving First Amendment rights for public employees acting in their personal capacities. Much of the discussion focused on whether the bill should be limited to school districts or broadened to cover other public entities, and on how to define terms such as “advocating in impartial terms.” Members raised concerns about possible effects on county and city lobbying through groups like KLC and KCO, on legitimate factual explanations by public officials, and on whether the bill could unintentionally restrict needed representation for local governments. The sponsors said the measure was intended to be narrow, would be vetted further, and would not bar individuals from speaking on their own behalf. Several members suggested revisions. Representative Lockett asked that schools and school employees be specifically named, and suggested separating the lobbying restrictions from the ballot-measure provisions into different bills. Representative Layman questioned the meaning of the bill’s language and whether it would cover factual testimony by officials. Representative Heen asked about a Jefferson County example involving legal fees used to challenge petition signatures; counsel said that situation would likely be allowable under the bill as drafted, though some members thought it should be covered. No final vote was taken on BR 25 during this discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• for Louis Cabral; House Bill 4888, establishing a sick leave bank for Marnie Jean Goldstein, an employee
• An act establishing a sick leave bank for Marnie Jean Goldstein, an employee of the Department of Children
• And an act establishing a sick leave bank for William Blaylock, an employee of the Suffolk County Sheriff's
• An act establishing a sick leave bank for Marnie Jean Goldstein, an employee of the Department of Children
• And an act establishing a sick leave bank for William Blaylock, an employee of the Suffolk County Sheriff's

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Wellesley High School girls’ swim team leading the Pledge of Allegiance and being formally recognized for winning its sixth Division Two State Swim and Diving Championship. The chamber also received a resignation letter from Representative Natalie M. Blais of the First Franklin District, effective January 19, 2026, which was placed on file. The House then acted on several procedural and local matters. It adopted committee reports extending reporting deadlines for the Education and Public Service committees to March 18, 2026, and advanced three bills to third reading: a Boston Police age-waiver bill for Louis Cabral and sick leave bank bills for Marnie Jean Goldstein and William Blaylock. The House also passed to enactment charter amendments for Provincetown and Greenfield, concurred in a Senate amendment to a Wellesley land-conveyance bill, and engrossed bills concerning the Dalton Fire District Board of Water Commissioners and Milton alcohol licensing. On House No. 4717, relating to the annual town meeting for Orange, the House adopted an amendment offered by Representative Walsh and then passed the bill as amended. Later, on House No. 1110 concerning subprime loans, the House adopted an amendment discharging the bill from the Bills in the Third Reading committee and referred it to the Committee on Ways and Means. The House also adopted a special adjournment in memory of former Representative Salvatore Semino and adjourned to meet Tuesday at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• During that transition, there was movement amongst the employees.
• During that transition, there was movement amongst the employees.
• </c><00:05:28.639><c> And</c> movement amongst the employees. And movement amongst the employees.
• </c> there were approximately four employees there were approximately four employees who<00:05:34.240
• So So you're referring those employees.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 118, as amended, which contains several unrelated provisions with a modest fiscal note. Nathan White of the Department of Health and Human Services explained that section 1 would change the personal needs allowance for Medicaid-eligible residents of private and county nursing homes from an adjustment every five years to an annual adjustment, increasing the state cost by about $50,000 per year. He also described section 2, a one-time appropriation of about $160,000 to make certain Hampstead employees whole for missed bonuses and lost leave during the state’s transition of the facility to Dartmouth management. White then outlined sections 3 through 5, which would create a dedicated fund for Hampstead lease revenue to cover the state’s contractual obligation to match Dartmouth capital improvements dollar-for-dollar up to $3 million. He said the state receives about $1.141 million in lease revenue in the first year, with a 3% annual escalator, and that the fund would hold lease revenue until needed for reimbursement. Members questioned how the matching arrangement would work, what happens if Dartmouth spends before the fund has enough money, and whether the state could refuse to match certain improvements. White said Dartmouth has final determination under the agreement if disputes arise, and that if the bill does not pass the state could face difficulty meeting the obligation without cutting services or finding other general funds. Several members also raised policy concerns about the personal needs allowance becoming an automatic cost driver. Brian Clark, attorney for the Bureau of Adult and Aging Services, clarified that current law requires the allowance to be updated at least every five years, but the legislature could change it in an off year if it chose. He also explained that the allowance is money residents retain from their own income, such as Social Security, as part of Medicaid cost-of-care calculations, and that the department does not regulate how residents keep those funds. No vote was taken during the discussion, and the committee paused to correct the bill copy before continuing testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• So our employees really are.
• The state might actually help pay for some of my employees in that program.
• 19,000 full-time employees. employees in one of the fastest-growing regions of Texas and Workforce development
• Families need help now and businesses need employees now.
• Requests has to do with employee turnover as well as attracting and retaining new employees.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that by extending the requirement of qualified visit to increase its annual number of full-time employees
• So when you give your annual report to us each year, we want to see two employees.
• each year we want to see two employees each year we want to see two employees on<00:06:37.360><c> there
• We do have a lot of larger companies, though, and that 10% may mean like 20 employees or something.
• so the legislature had employees so the legislature had approved<00:15:11.040><c> increase</c><00:15

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard testimony on several bills, with much of the discussion focused on Enterprise Zones and related economic development measures. On SB 125, the committee heard support from DBEDT, the Department of Taxation, the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, and the Farmers Union. Members questioned how the bill would affect job-creation requirements and learned that existing companies and new companies are treated differently under the program, with existing companies generally subject to a 15% annual employment increase and new companies to a 10% increase, while the bill would extend the program period from seven to nine years. DBEDT also said the program has been effective, citing 1,162 jobs created or maintained at a cost of about $1.2 million, and noted that agriculture, manufacturing, and wholesaling are the main sectors involved. The committee then took up SB 729, also relating to Enterprise Zones, which would expand eligibility to better accommodate local manufacturers and value-added businesses that sell directly to retail rather than only wholesale. Testifiers from the Holua Collaborative and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau supported the measure, saying it would help small manufacturers and agricultural producers add value and adapt to internet-era sales patterns. A committee discussion clarified that the bill would add value-added processing as an allowable activity within the zones, and DBEDT explained that the current rules were written for a wholesale-dominated market. The Attorney General’s office also testified, raising a supremacy clause concern and recommending language changes to avoid conflict with federal law. On SB 129, relating to labeling requirements for fish, the Attorney General and the Department of Agriculture both raised concerns about federal preemption and enforcement. The AG explained that federal law governs fish labeling but includes an exception for processed fish, and recommended narrowing the bill to processed fish and defining that term to fit the federal carve-out. The Hawaii Longline Association supported the bill but suggested excluding canned tuna while including products such as poke, sashimi, and sushi. The Department of Agriculture said it does not currently enforce this kind of labeling requirement and would need to determine whether another agency should handle enforcement. The committee also heard SB 581, which would establish an aerospace and aeronautics development program within DBEDT. Testimony was generally supportive, but members pressed for a fiscal estimate, and the bill’s sponsor said a prior version of the office had operated on about $400,000 annually with a small staff. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• employee.
• So another payment we process is for employee travel reimbursements.
• We can deny that travel reimbursement back to the employee.
• They do the recruiting and hiring of employees.
• It challenges every employee to focus on solutions and opportunities.

Keywords: 977, all

Summary: The committee met to receive a detailed financial operations presentation from the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, with staff walking members through funding sources, budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and grants management. Sabrina Walker explained VR’s blended funding structure, including federal grants, state appropriations, program income, and interagency contracts, and emphasized that state funds are essential to meeting the federal match and maintenance-of-effort requirements. Members asked repeatedly about transparency, audit controls, and the risk that state cuts could reduce federal drawdowns; staff responded that all reports reconcile back to the SCEIS accounting system, are subject to state audits and internal reviews, and that even modest state reductions could significantly reduce total available funding. The committee also discussed pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, with staff confirming services are offered through school districts, charters, and private schools, and that contracts are monitored for performance and compliance. The presentation then shifted to budgeting and internal controls. Walker described a zero-based departmental budgeting process, monthly monitoring reports, contingency reserves for unexpected expenses, and a formal annual cycle that culminates in board approval. Members asked about facilities tracking, culture, and how the agency maintains accountability; staff said facilities staff inspect buildings and equipment, supervisors justify line-item requests, and the process has become smoother over time as departments learned the system. Cynthia Johnson followed with an accounts receivable overview, describing invoicing, receipting, aging, customer verification, year-end reporting, and the use of cross-training, shared email inboxes, and spreadsheets as checks and balances. She also explained work training center billing, interdepartmental transfers, and the revolving fund used to issue consumer checks more quickly than standard vendor payments. Olivia Perez presented accounts payable operations, including invoice processing through SCEIS and OnBase, the three-way match, travel reimbursements, revolving fund checks, State Treasury Office interactions, and handling of reversals, rejections, and levy notices. She reported that AP processed 67,723 SCEIS payments, 13,670 case management system invoices, 3,379 travel reimbursements, and 15,693 revolving fund checks in fiscal year 2025, with only 70 payment rejections. The final portion of the meeting covered Grants and Funds Management, where Walker explained federal reporting, drawdowns, payroll allocation, asset tracking, lease and IT contract reviews, cost allocation, and closing packages. She noted upcoming system changes such as S/4HANA, Workiva, and SC Pro, but said the agency is receiving training and feedback opportunities. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the presentation portion beyond approval of the prior minutes and a brief recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, ma'am, we are not filling them with contract employees.
• We're about to onboard two new employees, actually. So we're not using contract employees.
• We're doing it to reduce health care costs for the employees.
• They required all employees over two years to be listed.
• You hire a new employee into the department who is an atheist.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee heard a series of Arkansas Department of Human Services budget presentations and questions, beginning with the Secretary’s Office and then the Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services. Staff described the divisions’ appropriations, funding sources, and major programs, including senior centers, Meals on Wheels, mental health grants, substance abuse treatment, community alcohol safety, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, and crisis stabilization units. Members raised concerns about flat or limited funding for senior services, the use and tracing of federal block grants, the lack of a funding source for the veterans’ mental health grant, and the mechanics of the community alcohol safety and treatment programs. The committee also discussed patient benefits funds at state facilities, transportation for senior center clients, and whether some special-language appropriations or fund balances should be revisited. Executive recommendations were adopted for the divisions considered. The committee then reviewed the Division of Children and Family Services and the Division of County Operations. Questions focused on foster care growth, adoption subsidies, professional fees tied to staff training and onboarding, vacancies, the Children’s Trust Fund, and TANF subgrants. Members asked about the reduction or elimination of TANF funding to child advocacy centers and other subgrantees, and DHS explained that prior reserves had been spent down and that the department was now trying to live within the annual TANF block grant and rebuild reserves. County operations questions also covered summer EBT, SNAP employment and training, the farmers’ market program, and the expected impact of a federal SNAP administrative match change, which DHS estimated would increase state costs by about $24 million annually, with roughly $18 million affecting the current year because the change begins October 1. Executive recommendations were again adopted. Finally, the committee heard from the Division of Developmental Disability Services and the Division of Medical Services. DDS testimony covered vacancies, staffing shortages, human development center construction and repairs, the reopening of the Boonville work training program, and funding for infant infirmary and child/family life programs. Medical Services testimony covered the Medicaid program, the current FMAP rate, the Our Kids B CHIP program, Medicaid payments to schools, nursing home distress funding, and large appropriation lines used to provide flexibility for claims and potential facility closures. Members asked for more detail on school Medicaid payments, reserve balances, and why some appropriations were much larger than actual spending. In each division, the committee moved and adopted Executive REC after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor also recommends requiring state employees to report violations of grant laws or rules.
• are now going to be required employees are now going to be required to<00:25:48.559><c> to</c><00:25
• </c> chair um in the grant space employees chair um in the grant space employees have<00:28:40.480><c
• He said that if employees are aware of instances that have been brought to them, they need to follow
• identifying concerns there's employees identifying concerns there's always<00:53:44.160><c> more</c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We are not filling them with contract employees.
• We're about to onboard two new employees, actually.
• How many employees total are in your agency?
• We're doing it to reduce health care costs for the employees.
• They required all employees over two years to be listed.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• McQueen, I won Employee of the month. Vicky was in her 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
• SB 51 obligates employers to pay the health insurance premium premiums of their employees through the
• The employer notifies the health insurer of the employees' separation.
• I mean how if someone is a they're an employee, they would they, how, how does this process work?
• We know that there's a huge number of just like 10 or less, you know, employee companies.

Committee: House Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• They can't find employees.
• employee.
• You're going to keep all the centers open, you're going to keep all the employees.
• Well, we're not keeping all the employees, right?
• Through their own funds that go to employees.

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The meeting focused on Arkansas’s workforce development reorganization and a set of federal waiver requests intended to consolidate and streamline the state’s WIOA system. Commerce officials said the department has already centralized shared services, split the old workforce agency into reemployment and Arkansas Workforce Connections, and submitted a combined WIOA/Perkins state plan. They described nine waiver requests, including replacing local workforce boards with a single statewide board, creating one planning and accountability structure, allowing more flexible movement of funds across regions, easing the “last-dollar” requirement for training and supportive services, reducing required youth program elements, and allowing affiliate sites instead of mandatory comprehensive centers. Officials said the goal is to reduce administrative costs and redirect more money to training, supportive services, and employer-driven programs. Legislators raised concerns about rural representation, local employer relationships, and whether local offices would close. Commerce officials said local offices would remain open, some current staff could be rehired, and regional business councils would preserve local employer input. They said the current system is fragmented and expensive, with roughly $14 million in federal workforce funds flowing through local boards but only about $1.9 million spent on training and supportive services last year; they argued the reorganization could raise training spending to about $6 million to $7 million annually. Questions also addressed board composition, performance accountability, and how funds could be shifted between regions when needs change. The State Board of Workforce Development had approved the waiver package 11-3 before it was submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor. Members also discussed workforce access for people with disabilities, child care and transportation supports, and the role of Arkansas Launch, apprenticeships, and career and technical education. Officials said vocational rehabilitation now has better access to the state job board and that referrals and data-sharing with DHS and other partners still need improvement. Several legislators emphasized the need for training to align more closely with employer demand, especially in manufacturing, technology, health care, and rural areas. The committee also heard a brief overview of Workforce Pell, with staff explaining that the new federal short-term Pell option has narrow eligibility rules and may not fit many existing programs, including some CDL and CNA programs.