Transcript Highlights:

• The program that Rep.
• We also manage a fourth bond program, the Home Modification Loan Program, in collaboration with Mass
• This is where programs like the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, the Alternative Housing Voucher
• primarily in the statewide program.
• The Continuum of Care program is a federal program that serves primarily chronically homeless families

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened its second hearing of the session with remarks from Chairs Haggerty and Cyr emphasizing that the hearing was a broad look at Massachusetts’ housing crisis rather than a single bill. They highlighted topics including zoning, permitting, rental assistance, public housing, homelessness prevention, and housing production. The first witness, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus, reviewed implementation of the Affordable Homes Act and the state’s new housing plan, citing a 1.6% vacancy rate, a projected need for 222,000 new homes over 10 years, and ongoing efforts such as ADUs by right, fair housing enforcement, eviction record sealing, seasonal communities planning, and new funding for affordable housing, public housing, and the Momentum Fund. He also discussed infrastructure support for municipalities, technical assistance for ADUs, and concerns about possible federal funding cuts. Committee members questioned the secretary about ADU financing and technical assistance, the likely unit yield from the Affordable Homes Act, infrastructure barriers in suburban and rural communities, public housing waitlist management, supportive housing, and federal budget risks. MassNAHRO then testified that public housing authorities are facing rising operating and capital costs, a statewide waitlist nearing 300,000, and uncertainty over federal Section 8 and HUD funding. Witnesses described recent state support for operating subsidies, capital improvements, vacancy turnover teams, and resident service coordinators, while warning that proposed federal cuts could sharply affect voucher issuance and agency operations. CDAC’s executive director Roger Herzog described the agency’s role as a quasi-public source of early-stage financing and technical assistance for nonprofit housing developers, noting its loan capital, supportive housing bond programs, home modification loans, and preservation work under Chapter 40T. He said CDAC has helped produce or preserve more than 55,000 units and stressed the importance of patient capital and preservation tools. CHAPA CEO Rachel Heller urged the committee to focus on production, preservation, planning, and political will, supporting goals for affordability, supportive housing, and homeownership, and endorsing policy changes such as YIGBY, clearer site plan review rules, stronger fair housing funding, and more support for vouchers and public housing. MassHousing then outlined its financing role, including mortgage lending, down payment assistance, the Community Climate Bank, and the Momentum Fund, while noting that permitting delays, capital gaps, and possible federal changes could affect production. Members also asked about transparency, prevailing wage compliance, and a recent internal restructuring related to diversity and business engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• This act would establish a $100 million state-funded program administered by the Office of the Small
• While federal disaster assistance programs exist, many small businesses and nonprofits unfortunately
• AB 265 speaks to this concern by establishing a recovery grant program nonprofits can seek funding to
• It will prioritize state access to tax incentives, grants, loan programs, workforce training programs
• Assembly Bill 949 proposes establishing the Small Business Retail Theft Solution Grant Program within

Summary: The Assembly Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact Committee met in person and established quorum after beginning briefly as a subcommittee. The committee adopted its rules and then heard several bills focused on economic recovery, housing, technology, retail theft, and utility infrastructure. AB 265 (Caloza) would create a $100 million state-funded small business and nonprofit recovery program for organizations affected by declared emergencies; it drew broad support from small business, nonprofit, chamber, city, and community groups, with no opposition voiced. AB 797 (Harabedian) proposed a zero-cost state financing structure using CRA-backed securities to help community nonprofits buy wildfire-damaged properties at fair market value and prevent predatory investor purchases; it was presented as a community stabilization tool and received support from the California Community Foundation, with no opposition. AB 940 (Wicks/Ellis) would establish quantum innovation zones to strengthen California’s quantum computing economy, and AB 949 (Shiavo) would create a retail theft grant program for small businesses to fund security improvements and theft prevention measures; both bills were supported by business and university witnesses, though one member said they would not vote for AB 949 due to concerns about broader crime policy. AB 1347 (Carrillo) proposed a pilot program to speed utility interconnections in priority growth regions, including allowing developers to trade expedited connections for upfront infrastructure cost recovery and use microgrids in some cases; it had no opposition in the hearing. Committee members generally expressed support for the bills, especially those aimed at disaster recovery and small business resilience. Questions on AB 940 focused on where quantum innovation zones might be located and how local governments and universities would coordinate; the author and witnesses said the zones should be open statewide and could build on existing research centers such as Berkeley, Stanford, Caltech, UCSB, UCLA, and UCSC. On AB 797, members discussed the need to protect homeowners from below-market offers after wildfires. On AB 949, the author emphasized that modest grants could help small businesses make security upgrades and prevent repeated theft losses. The committee voted to send AB 265, AB 797, AB 940, AB 949, and AB 1347 forward, generally on party-line or near-unanimous votes, with the bills reported out of committee and placed on call as needed. The consent calendar, including AB 254, AB 415, AB 655, AB 1232, AB 1254, AB 1477, and HR 27, was also approved. The hearing adjourned at 10:33 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The JRS2 program is a retirement system for judges.
• We are making great gains in getting people who are eligible for the program to use the program.
• We have some content programs, data content programs.
• We are very proud of this program.
• There are always many programs that can be developed. We're not trying to develop any new programs.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Legislative Budget Board and agency officials on several agencies, starting with the Texas Historical Commission. LBB described a large biennial reduction driven mainly by the removal of one-time funding and discussed capital projects, rider changes, and exceptional items including Presidio La Bahia and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Senators asked about heritage trails, courthouse grants, unexpended balance authority, and the status of historical-site funding. Historical Commission leadership emphasized preservation, courthouse restoration, heritage tourism, coordination with the Alamo and other Texas Revolution sites, and requested additional IT, staffing, and vehicle funding. No votes were taken. The committee then reviewed the Pension Review Board and the Employees Retirement System. The Pension Review Board’s budget was largely unchanged aside from IT maintenance and salary adjustments, with an exceptional item for additional IT enhancements. Members discussed the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System’s funding dispute and the need for a workable restoration plan. ERS presented a much larger budget, including funding for the retirement system, the group benefits plan, and the legacy payment intended to reduce unfunded liability. Senators focused heavily on pension investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health-care costs, especially pharmacy spending driven by GLP-1 drugs; ERS said the plan covers about 540,000 lives and that premiums would rise 8% while benefits remain unchanged. ERS also said it had no exceptional items, and committee members requested more detailed benchmark information. The committee also heard from the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. TESSORS reported an unfunded liability, an infinite amortization period, and requested additional state support, staffing, and IT funding, including a statutory change to allow a higher contribution level; the agency warned that without more funding it may have to cut benefits. CEPRIT’s presentation covered its bond-funded cancer research and prevention portfolio, revenue-sharing from funded projects, and a request to increase salary limits for its CEO and chief scientific officer. Senators questioned CEPRIT’s accomplishments and return on investment, while CEPRIT cited screening, prevention, and research outcomes, including tens of thousands of detected cancers and precursors and hundreds of thousands of first-time screenings. The meeting ended after these presentations and questions, with no recorded committee action or vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because it didn't come over to our side in the Senate, were there any tax incentives for businesses to
• Madam Chair, Senator Block, there were no tax incentives worked into the bill.
• , the Aviation Maintenance Technology program.
• They actually fly real planes in their aeronautics program.
• It's a great program.

Transcript Highlights:

• too's group the division of program too's group the division of program quality<00:07:03.319>
• <00:35:55.200> throughout caregivers Support Program throughout caregivers Support Program
• I can talk from a program standpoint.
• to aggressively manage that program.
• to aggressively manage that incentive to aggressively manage that program<02:00:49.760> so<02

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division of Long-Term Supports and Services presented its budget and program overview as part of the Department of Health and Human Services operating budget review. Leadership described the division’s three bureaus—Aging and Adult Services, Developmental Services, and Family-Centered Services—and explained that the division provides guidance, technical assistance, quality monitoring, and contracted provider oversight across the lifespan. Members also discussed staffing, with reported vacancy rates of 4% in Aging and Adult Services, 15% in Developmental Services, and 6% in Family-Centered Services; the division said the higher BDS vacancy rate is partly due to the small number of authorized positions. The governor’s budget had left eight positions unfunded in the division, including three in Aging and Adult Services and five in BDS. A major topic was the division’s roadmap initiatives, especially building a system of care for healthy aging and strengthening developmental disabilities systems through a new reimbursement rate structure. The division said it contracted with an actuary to study DD service costs and found rates had not been reviewed since 2017 and were significantly below actual costs and other states’ rates, contributing to provider shortages even when services are authorized. Members asked about the impact on service delivery and whether rates would need to rise overall; the division said its strategy is to focus on lower-cost services that help people remain in the community. The division also reported waiver enrollment figures, including about 4,161 people on the Choices for Independence waiver, 3,688 average nursing facility residents, 5,061 people on the DD waiver, 228 on the acquired brain disorder waiver, and 488 children on the in-home support waiver, while noting there is no funding waitlist but provider availability remains a constraint. The division highlighted IT modernization as a major accomplishment, especially moving Adult Protective Services and Developmental Services into the New Heights system. Officials said these changes improve case-note access, data retrieval, service authorization tracking, and transparency for providers, and they asked for future oversight discussion focused on IT leverage. Members noted that New Heights maintenance is budgeted in the Office of the Commissioner under class 27 and suggested better transparency on system costs and benefits. The division also reported that it closed out a long-running CMS corrective action plan for BDS on July 1, 2023, and said it is now focused on strengthening the system rather than compliance alone. Other discussion covered the Aging and Adult Services bureau’s name change from Elderly and Adult Services to Adult and Aging Services, intended to avoid negative connotations and better reflect preventative services. The bureau described Adult Protective Services trends involving scams, financial exploitation, self-neglect, and isolation, and explained that it administers the CFI waiver, determines medical eligibility for nursing facility level of care, and braids funding from Medicaid, state funds, Older Americans Act money, Social Service Block Grants, and other grants. Members asked about waiver growth targets and federal consequences if enrollment remains below projections; the division said it would explain the shortfall in a future waiver amendment and did not anticipate a federal penalty. The meeting ended without any votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when the program changed significantly, did many banks drop out of the program? Senator Girl.
• Did many banks drop out of the program? Senator Grohl. Thank you.
• And that was part of the incentive for them to opt into these programs.
• And that was part of the incentive for them to opt into these programs.
• It requires the department to establish a statewide mapping program.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions and moments of silence recognizing recent tragedies and public figures, including students affected by the FSU shooting, John Thrasher, Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, and conservation and youth groups visiting the chamber. The body also adopted Senate Resolution 1878 honoring Coach Abdur-Rahim and Senate Resolution 1892 recognizing Florida Wildlife Corridor Week. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar, passing several bills with little or no opposition. Measures approved included child care and early learning provider regulation updates (SB 738, 37-0), false reporting/swatting penalties and cost recovery (SB 726, 38-0), health care billing and collection protections/medical debt (SB 656, 38-0), hazardous walking conditions for schoolchildren (SB 650, 38-0), young adult housing support for foster and homeless students (SB 584, 38-0), the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program disclosure bill (SB 508, 37-1), trust fund interest for court-approved purposes after a debated amendment (SB 498, 28-10), transportation and traffic-safety changes including school bus camera hearings and micromobility rules (SB 462, 37-0), public records exemptions for AHCA investigators and JQC/appellate court clerks (SB 342, 34-4; SB 302, 35-3; SB 300, 35-3), municipal water and sewer utility rate fairness for Miami Gardens/North Miami Beach (SB 202/HB 11, 36-2), motor vehicle offenses involving obscured plates and impersonation (SB 44/HB 253, 36-0), trespass at large-scale ticketed events and law-enforcement-controlled sites (SB 1828/HB 1447, 35-1), patient refund of overpayments (SB 1808, 37-0), stem cell therapy standards (SB 1768, 37-0), insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives (SB 1736/HB 1567, 38-0), and pre-arranged transportation services/rideshare impersonation (SB 1696/HB 1525, 37-0). Several bills were temporarily postponed, including cardiac emergencies, chemicals and consumer products, motor vehicle manufacturers and franchise dealers, and education. Debate centered most heavily on the trust fund interest bill, with supporters arguing it would stabilize funding and better reflect market rates, and opponents warning it would sharply reduce legal aid funding and hurt access to justice. The transportation bill also drew extensive questions and amendments, including removal of a speed-limit increase, changes to school bus infraction hearing procedures, micromobility regulation, and flood-wake enforcement. The municipal water bill prompted constitutional and fairness concerns, while the public records bills were defended as necessary to protect investigators and court personnel from doxing and harassment. Most measures ultimately passed with strong bipartisan support, though the scholarship disclosure bill and trust fund interest bill drew the most visible dissent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, I don't know, you know, so those are basically incentives, and they're able to handle them in a
• It's a confusing way that we do incentives in this state, so if there's something to work on, I think
• Generally, but it's another example that they were able to get money quickly through this program.
• What kind of program do you have that goes and visits the elementary and high schools?
• They made the investment there through the acceptance program with CBP to accommodate the wind blades

Transcript Highlights:

• This fortified program, which is a strong program, will help us protect our homes.
• Powell is that the Oklahoma program is early, but it's working well.
• ...harder with the discount program.
• So, since there is an incentive to be a little faster and an incentive to do that, that’s why we're looking
• They're transitioning from the pilot program to being established.

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• The program sunsets after tax year 2029.
• The program sunsets after tax year 2029, giving the General Assembly the opportunity to evaluate results
• base that the state can spend on resources and benefits for health care and for, you know, food programs
• , Resources and benefits for health care and for, you know, food programs and medical care and those
• There are two major things that are happening this year that are incentives for us out of every other

Summary: The House Revenue and Finance Committee met to consider two tax-related measures sponsored by Representative Holofsky. The first was House Substitute 1 for House Bill 386, the Tipped Worker Tax Relief Act of 2026, which would allow a temporary Delaware income tax deduction of up to $15,000 for qualified tips for tax years 2027 through 2029, with phaseouts at higher incomes and a refundable credit for lower-income workers. Committee discussion focused on whether the bill applied to residents and non-residents, whether credit-card tips were included, the need for an updated substitute, and the expected fiscal impact. The Office of the Comptroller General said the bill would likely reduce general revenue and that the fiscal note had not yet been fully reviewed, while Deputy Secretary Goldsmith said the Department of Finance could administer it and that implementation costs would be modest. After public comment, the committee voted on a motion to release the bill, but it did not receive enough votes, so the chair said she would walk it for additional signatures. The committee then heard Senate Bill 219, which would phase in an increase in the military pension income exemption from $12,500 to $25,000 by tax year 2029. Representative Holofsky argued the measure would help attract and retain military retirees, support the economy, and provide a strong return on investment through spending, taxes, and community participation. Members raised concerns about whether the benefit should be income-based, with one member arguing that higher-income retirees may not need the tax break, while supporters emphasized the multiplier effect and the value of veterans to the state. Public testimony from Veterans of Foreign Wars representatives strongly supported the bill and described how the exemption could influence retirement decisions and local economic activity. A motion to release the bill also failed to get enough votes, and the chair said she would walk it for signatures before adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• University of New Mexico and received a teaching certification through the Alternative Teacher Licensure Program
• adding members and duties to the **Fire Planning Task Force**, creating the wildfire... ...Prepared Program
• Federal equitable sharing programs, providing that forfeiture proceeds seized by law enforcement go to
• An act relating to economic development incentives, requiring the Economic Development Department to
• staff of the **Legislative Finance Committee** for purposes of evaluating the Economic Development Incentives

Transcript Highlights:

• The Capital Investment Grant program, or the CIG, is the FTA discretionary grant program which funds
• The Capital Investment Grant program, or the CIG, is the FTA discretionary grant program which funds
• The Capital Investment Grant program, or the CIG, is the FTA discretionary grant program which funds
• The Capital Investment Grant program, or the CIG, is the FTA discretionary grant program which funds
• The Capital Investment Grant program, or the CIG, is the FTA discretionary grant program which funds

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• widespread energy efficiency programs widespread energy efficiency programs like<00:17:46.960>
• <00:17:51.120> like backbone of many Minnesota programs like backbone of many Minnesota programs
• 29.000> million,<00:18:30.000> but the program costs $32 million, but the program costs
• <00:19:18.559> because the continuation of this program because the continuation of this program
• talk about how to align the incentives talk about how to align the incentives of<00:37:58.000>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• As the Air Force looks to the KC-46 and other next generation programs, programs for its air refueling
• Is the KC-46 program exempt from those funding cuts?
• Yes, we don't need to be cutting the KC-46 program.
• GHC ramp-up program.
• First incentive to remain in the legacy program because the rates are higher.

Keywords: Transcom, logistics, military readiness, air refueling, KC-135, KC-46, strategic infrastructure, geopolitical threats, Alaska

Summary: During this meeting, the committee hosted an extensive discussion on the operations and logistical challenges facing the U.S. Transportation Command (Transcom). General Reid provided testimony on key areas including the importance of maintaining robust logistical capabilities in contested environments, particularly in relation to geopolitical threats posed by adversarial nations. Various members emphasized the necessity for modernization of the air refueling fleet, addressing issues such as the readiness of the KC-135 and the procurement of the next-generation KC-46 aircraft, which has experienced delays and technical challenges. The dialogue further extended to the strategic importance of U.S. ports and transportation infrastructure, especially in regions like Alaska which play a crucial role in military logistics and power projection.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state aid grant program is a general fund program, and the wastewater is the largest active program
• The state aid grant program is a general fund program, and the wastewater is the largest active program
• The state aid grant program is a general fund program, and the wastewater is the largest active program
• The state aid grant program is a general fund program, and the wastewater is the largest active program
• <04:58:45.840> um<04:58:46.680> and program is a general fund program um and program

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee reviewed the Department of Corrections budget, with the chair initially noting that the overall numbers looked close to fiscal year 2024 spending, except for federal funds. Department officials explained that prior ARPA expenditures and delayed revenue recognition had distorted the comparison, and that the corrected general fund spend was about $169.7 million. Members then focused on whether the budget’s staffing assumptions were realistic, especially the shift from overtime to full-time lines and the use of vacant positions to offset overtime costs. The department said it is leaning on vacancy savings, but would return for additional appropriations if unforeseen staffing problems arise. A major portion of the discussion centered on recruitment, retention, and staffing levels. Officials reported a 42% vacancy rate in enforcement ranks, down from 51% in January 2023, with 28 new officers headed to the next academy and 33 new hires already tracked. They said overtime is more expensive than regular staffing because of benefits and that it takes about 11 months for a new hire to break even. Members also asked about the split between incarcerated and supervised populations; the department said it oversees about 1,970 inmates in facilities and just over 4,000 people in the community, with 77 positions supervising the community population and the inmate population remaining the most expensive area. The committee also discussed how sentencing and statutory changes affect incarceration levels, including misdemeanor/felony thresholds and theft thresholds, with the department agreeing that such changes can significantly affect prison and jail populations. Members asked about education and recidivism, and the department said base education is the most important foundation, followed by vocational training, while noting that many incarcerated men lack a high school diploma. The department also described a $1.3 million reduction in contracted forensic evaluation services, explaining that these evaluations are court-ordered competency assessments and are not statutorily required to be provided by DOC. Finally, members reviewed victim services funding and staffing, including VOCA-supported positions, and the department explained that a new victim witness specialist would help support survivors at parole hearings and safety planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• trees and shrubs as a program purpose. trees and shrubs as a program purpose.
• If not, the clerk will take the call. enrolled in short-term program that enrolled in short-term program
• on disallowing paid incentive on disallowing paid incentive compensation<00:10:00.000> or
• <00:10:09.240> President, short-term program. Mr. President, short-term program. Mr.
• requiring or authorizing a program requiring or authorizing a program monitor<00:24:15.040> to

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, April 9, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first outlined its plan to clear pending concurrence items, focusing on Senate bills with House amendments and not taking up unamended House bills. Members then approved several motions not to concur with House amendments, including Senate Bills 514, 626, and 866, with the clerk reading the formal Senate messages in each case. The chamber also addressed an excused-vote question, with the presiding officer explaining that excused votes do not count as missed votes. The Senate then concurred in House amendments and passed a series of Senate bills, including SB 11 on campaign finance reporting and the Fair Campaign Financing Fund, SB 164 on the Pamela J. Kelly Tree Maryland program, SB 266 on local regulation of invasive trees, SB 509 on workforce Pell Grant implementation, SB 553 reestablishing the lithium-ion battery safety commission, SB 581 on statewide technology master plan reporting, SB 670 on polling-place authority, SB 848 on municipal election reporting, and SB 940 on water quality testing. Most of these House amendments were described as technical, clarifying, or conforming changes, and each bill received the required constitutional majority on final passage. The chamber also took up House Bill 862, a rail safety bill requiring certain freight trains to have crews of at least two under specified interstate conditions. After questions from the minority leader about the bill’s trigger conditions and effect on an Eastern Shore rail line, a senator explained support for the measure and the bill passed with 33 affirmative votes. Additional special-order House bills passed as well, including HB 497 on protective order durations, HB 552 establishing a commission on the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children, and HB 573 on fair housing and discriminatory effect standards. Later, the Senate continued with more concurrence items from Finance, including SB 22 on Department of Disabilities housing programs, SB 412 on forensic review boards and community forensic aftercare, SB 413 on morticians and funeral directors board operations, SB 496 on Medicaid coverage for obesity treatment, SB 555 on dementia services and brain health resources, and SB 579 on no-cost preventive cancer screening for retired volunteer firefighters. These bills were generally amended in the House with clarifying or conforming changes, and the Senate adopted the amendments and passed the bills by constitutional majority.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another program I’m really proud of is the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund, which in just the first three
• And we set up summer food programs so kids are getting meals even when they're not on campus.
• We've opened 1,500 new beds at existing prison facilities, and we created a recidivism pilot program
• Through that program, Holly was assigned an advocate, Latasha.
• Through that program, Holly was assigned an advocate, Latasha.

Summary: The transcript covers the opening of the Arkansas House and a joint session of the 95th General Assembly’s fiscal session. The House first established a quorum, granted leave for absent members, recognized guests, and adopted House Resolution 1001 to convene a joint session with the Senate for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s address. Several bills and resolutions were read for the record, including House Resolution 1002 and House Bills 1001, 102, and 103, before the House recessed to await the Senate and then the governor. In the joint session, leaders recognized the late Representative Stan Barry with a moment of silence, introduced constitutional officers, judges, and other guests, and appointed committees to escort the governor. Governor Sanders then delivered a lengthy fiscal-session address focused on her budget priorities and policy agenda. She emphasized continued funding for education under LEARNS, teacher pay and literacy gains, public safety and law enforcement funding, government efficiency and tax cuts, and the 1033 initiative aimed at helping vulnerable Arkansans move from crisis to self-sufficiency. She also urged lawmakers to avoid new Medicaid mandates or ongoing spending and said she would call a special session to cut income taxes further if the budget is passed. After the governor’s remarks, the joint session adjourned. The House then reconvened briefly, adopted a motion to adjourn until the next day, and announced that the Joint Budget Committee would meet later that afternoon and again the following morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, it creates clear incentives for businesses to proactively adopt and recognize cybersecurity
• So we're going to flip to tab nine, and it's Senate Bill 1442, Long Range Program Plan.
• Amendment barcode number 368028 clarifies that, in regard to the Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Program
• Directors of the direct support organization that administers the Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Program
• completes an annual audit of the program to be published on their website.

Bills: S7020, S0308, S0692, S0474, S0572, S1106, S1650, S0350, S1442, S7032

Keywords: open government, sunset review, aquaculture, public records, exemption, Florida Museum of Black History, cultural heritage, education, Board of Directors, local governance, cybersecurity, data breach, data privacy, information security, local government, county, municipality, vendor contracts, third-party service provider, liability shield

Summary: The committee heard and voted on several measures. SB 308 on the Florida Museum of Black History was explained as implementing a prior task force recommendation by designating St. Johns County as the museum site, creating a board, and coordinating with a supporting nonprofit; it passed favorably. SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability was amended to bar local governments from imposing cybersecurity requirements on vendors beyond generally accepted best practices, and after testimony both for and against, it was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 572 updated ethics law to include legally recognized foster parents and foster children in the definition of relative; after a technical amendment and support from the Ethics Commission, it passed unanimously. SB 1442 revised the long-range program plan to require more specific performance metrics and agency-specific measures; it also passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 1106, as amended by a strike-all, to require state agencies and certain educational materials to use “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank,” despite opposition arguing it would impose political language and conflict with federal and international terminology. SB 7020 reenacted a public records exemption for certain aquaculture and shellfish production records and passed with support from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. SB 474 expanded military leave and related benefits for public employees and officials, including members of the Coast Guard and Florida State Guard, and added three amendments before being reported favorably. SB 350, dealing with public records protections for crime victims and certain law enforcement victims, was heavily amended to add time-limited confidentiality for an officer’s name in some cases and then passed favorably after discussion about balancing transparency and safety. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7032 as a committee bill to shift more fleet management responsibilities from DMS to individual agencies, while still requiring data reporting to DMS for legislative oversight. SB 1650 by Senator Gates was temporarily postponed. At the end of the meeting, members recorded votes on selected bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• program to the systems.
• That might be another one, but to that point, the non-state program really is a grant program.
• And within the Economic Development Awards Program is... Development Awards Program.
• Program.
• Chaffee Basin Program.

Summary: The committee met for an informational hearing focused largely on the state capital outlay process and House Bill 2. Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration/Facility Planning and Control described how the office prepares and administers the capital outlay bill, said the bill has grown substantially over five years, and argued that recent changes in culture, staffing, project management, cash-flow analysis, and use of third-party support have more than doubled project expenditures and improved delivery. Members asked about the use and cost of third-party project managers, delegation of smaller projects to agencies, hiring difficulties, and whether the changes represented better interpretation of existing law versus statutory changes. Husser said some statutes were amended, some internal customs were removed, and the office would provide a list of those changes. He also explained that the office is trying to move away from overly rigid practices and toward faster project completion while still following public-bid and oversight rules. A major portion of the discussion centered on the size and structure of the capital outlay bill, especially the gap between Priority 1 cash capacity and the much larger Priority 5 backlog. Husser said the current annual Priority 1 limit is tied to construction inflation and is about $574 million, with additional surplus funds also available, but that the bill contains far more Priority 5 funding than can realistically move in a five-year plan. He and members discussed dormant projects, scope creep, legacy projects that have sat in the bill for years, and the problem of false expectations for non-state entities. Proposed solutions included limiting Priority 5 to five times Priority 1, requiring annual re-endorsement by members, setting district or project caps for non-state projects, requiring time limits and reporting for grant-like non-state projects, placing matches in escrow, requiring design readiness before submission, and consolidating the many existing reporting requirements into one clearer report. Members also discussed bundling multiple projects under one agency project, which the House had begun piloting for LSU, UL Lafayette, Southern, and DOTD, and which Husser said could improve flexibility, reduce overappropriation, and better reflect actual spending. Baker then explained cash-flow management and the commitment process, saying FPC now analyzes projects annually to estimate what can actually be spent in the next fiscal year and uses commitments to allow projects to proceed when future-year funding is expected. He said overappropriations can result from poor cash-flow estimates, delays, dormant projects, or projects coming in under budget, and that the office is already reworking cash-flow assumptions and reappropriating savings where possible. Members also raised concerns about change orders and low bids; staff said project managers review change orders closely, require concurrence on non-state projects, and sometimes reduce scope to keep projects within budget. After FPC’s presentation, the committee heard the beginning of Louisiana Economic Development’s capital outlay discussion, where LED explained that its projects generally fall into three categories, including the Economic Development Awards Program and Site Readiness Program, both used to support targeted economic development and job creation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The program is a large federal grant program which states will compete for federal funds for innovative
• The purpose of the rural Health transformation program for purposes of this presentation.
• I'm gonna go ahead and outlined the program.
• Can't replace any existing or programs whether at the state County or federal level.
• There's that we're going to enact grant programs in these areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've always thought, why is this incentive so different?
• This is a rural economic development tool, not a big city program.
• One of those is the program in this bill. It has been a cornerstone of our manufacturing success.
• drawing down the balance of the program.
• Number one is the cap on the whole program.

Bills: HB2091, HB2140, HB2320, HB2384, HB2398, HB2502, HB2780, HB2918, HB2939, HB2950, HB2999, HB4020, HB4026, HB4029

Keywords: insurance, financial surveillance, regulations, assessments, Arizona Revised Statutes, investment, state treasurer, gold bullion, treasury management, financial regulations, school districts, bonds, financial advisors, elections, municipal advisors, cost of borrowing, lease agreements, school property, tax exemptions, impact aid revenue bonds

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee approved the minutes from March 16, 2026, then heard testimony on a series of bills, with the chair noting that testimony and votes would be handled in batches because members were coming and going. HB 2939 would raise the rural qualified facilities tax credit from $20,000 to $25,000 per job for certain projects with initial investment under $2 billion. Lucid Motors supported the change as a tool to attract manufacturing jobs to rural Arizona, while opponents questioned whether the higher credit would actually create new jobs and pointed to a fiscal note that could reach $48 million. The committee later passed the bill 5-2. HB 2950 would authorize municipalities and counties to form tourism improvement areas funded by lodging business assessments for marketing and tourism promotion. The Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association and Visit Phoenix supported the measure, describing TIAs as voluntary, locally controlled tools already used in other states and useful for rural destinations; senators pressed on whether the assessments were truly voluntary and how the districts would be formed and administered. The bill passed 5-2. HB 2780, a technical cleanup bill related to property tax lien foreclosure and excess proceeds sales, was described as conforming changes to a prior law creating a mechanism for delinquent taxpayers to recover equity; it passed 6-1. HB 2502 would allow certain ASRS members who are elected officials to retire at normal retirement age without resigning their elected office, with the employer paying the alternate contribution rate. ASRS said it was neutral, and the sponsor and a lobbyist argued the bill would create parity with non-elected members who can retire and return to work; the committee passed it 5-2. HB 2140, as amended by a striker, would let the state treasurer invest up to 10% of trust and treasury monies in physical gold or silver bullion held in secure U.S. depositories. The sponsor and Sound Money Defense League supported it as a diversification and inflation hedge, while opponents argued gold is volatile, costly to store, and not a better use of taxpayer funds; the committee adopted the striker and passed the bill 4-2. HB 2398 would require commercial liability insurance for watercraft rented or hired in Arizona, including peer-to-peer boat-sharing programs, while not affecting ordinary personal boat ownership. The sponsor, insurers, and rental operators said the bill responds to uninsured boats being rented through apps and to safety and liability problems; some members said training should also be addressed. The committee adopted an amendment and passed the bill 6-1. Finally, HB 2999 would create state affordable infrastructure districts to finance public infrastructure for housing through bonds, taxes, and assessments, with unanimous landowner consent and disclosure requirements. Home builders and contractors said the districts could lower upfront housing costs and improve financing, but contractors sought stronger payment protections and some senators worried the bill could add red tape and costs without guaranteeing savings to homebuyers. After adopting a large amendment, the committee passed HB 2999, though at least one member voted no and another passed on the vote.