Transcript Highlights:

• for students in elementary schools compared to secondary schools and larger impacts for students in small
• Even as a small, small district and small schools, we have that small-town feel and that community pride
• It's a small understanding of community schools, but they come in with the commitment that otherwise
• Caitlin Zhang, on behalf of the Small School District Association... Thank you.
• from the county superintendents, particularly around small and rural participation in the program.

Summary: The joint informational and oversight hearing focused on community schools in California, with members emphasizing that the purpose was to examine effectiveness, implementation, and sustainability rather than the Governor’s budget proposal. The California Department of Education described the California Community Schools Partnership Program, created in 2021 and funded with more than $4 billion, including planning, implementation, extension, and county coordination grants. Officials said nearly 2,500 schools are participating and highlighted the statewide technical assistance structure, including the State Transformational Assistance Center, eight regional centers, county offices, and CDE support. Researchers from the Learning Policy Institute and UCLA presented early findings and implementation data. LPI reported reductions in chronic absenteeism and suspensions, along with gains in math and English language arts, with especially large benefits for Black students and other historically underserved groups. UCLA described the Annual Progress Report as a statewide improvement tool showing growth in capacity-building, shared decision-making, whole-child supports, and continuous improvement. Members asked about how the reports measure outcomes, how to interpret outliers, and how to distinguish community schools effects from other concurrent initiatives; presenters said matched comparison methods and deeper case-study work are being used, with additional statewide findings expected in June. Panelists from Oakland Unified, LAUSD/UTLA, San Diego Unified, and advocacy organizations described key elements of success: integrated student supports, strong family and student engagement, collaborative leadership, community partnerships, and school-site decision-making. They gave examples such as wellness centers, dual enrollment, student senates, parent leadership, and community campaigns that built trust and increased participation. Members also raised concerns about sustainability, implementation fidelity, and whether community schools improve participation in LCAP processes. Presenters said major barriers include unclear early guidance, the need for a mindset shift away from top-down models, and uncertainty about long-term funding for coordinators and other staff. The panel’s recommendations centered on stable ongoing funding, stronger technical assistance, shared governance, and embedding community schools practices into district and county systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• difficult to reach the kind of targets that they've got and that you'll see later with all of these small
• public safety off the table, you, you realize that general government programs are actually pretty small
• A small amount of money in the grand scheme of things, but for us it's a huge amount of money.
• For the remaining portion of that appropriation, we decided to go out to an RFP as opposed to small.
• The others were small contracts. Thank you. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Executive Director of Origins Council, representing 400 small, independent, licensed cannabis
• businesses in Oregon. and rural regions of the state, predominantly licensed, small-scale legacy farmers
• This is not a small issue for us, and we don't believe it should be for anyone else here.
• From Sacramento City small owned small business dispensary, sorry, a therapeutic alternative in support
• We are a small women owned woman run brand and we definitely support. Thank you.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All I'm suggesting with this is that we also have a small surcharge on delivery, app-based deliveries
• The goal really is to simply say, we're going to add a small surcharge.
• Yet these are small, locally owned, family-owned local businesses that support us.
• Yet these are small, locally owned, family-owned, local businesses that support us.
• It's a small, family-owned business. This is who we should be supporting.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Financial Services Committee heard testimony on several insurance, transportation, and labor-related bills. Senator Edwards supported bills addressing app-based delivery workers, arguing that food-delivery drivers should be treated as employees with protections and mileage reimbursement, and that a small surcharge on app-based deliveries could raise revenue for the Commonwealth and localities. Kevin Brousseau of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO also backed the delivery-worker bill, saying it would preserve employee status, add data transparency, and create a process for challenging deactivations. MAPC supported a bill to change transportation network company fees from a flat per-ride charge to a percentage-based assessment, saying the current fee is outdated and that a higher fee could raise more transportation revenue and help address congestion and emissions. A large portion of the hearing focused on auto insurance and collision repair issues. Insurance industry witnesses supported a bill to limit attorney’s fees in PIP cases by giving insurers 30 days after a complaint is served to pay amounts due without fee exposure, arguing that PIP litigation has surged, is clogging courts, and is being driven by out-of-state firms. They also opposed auto body labor-rate bills, saying the market is already adjusting and that a statutory floor is unnecessary. In contrast, auto body shop representatives and the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts urged favorable action on bills to raise and regularly update collision repair labor rates, saying current reimbursement levels are far below market, have not kept pace with inflation or vehicle technology, and are making it hard to retain workers and keep small shops open. One witness also supported a bill to limit insurance surcharge points for low-damage accidents or minor moving violations. Committee members asked questions about deactivation rights for delivery workers, the mechanics of the PIP litigation issue, and the gap between body-shop and mechanical labor rates. Testimony emphasized that current auto body reimbursement rates are around the mid-$40s per hour, while mechanical work can be reimbursed at much higher rates, and that advisory-board discussions have produced only limited progress. At the end of the hearing, the chairs asked if anyone else wished to testify, then moved to close the hearing; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• would still be awarded and provided whether or not it was just a minority business or Florida Bay small
• Abbott: Small businesses, whether minority or not, can still be a consideration for the contract. >>
• Abbott: SMALL BUSINESSES WHETHER  MINORITY OR NOT CAN STILL BE A CONSIDERATION   344 FOR
• But the truth is we want to start small and minority- and female-owned businesses still competing.
•   522 BUT THE TRUTH IS WE WANT TO  START SMALL AND MINORITY AND   523 FEMALE OWNED

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met to consider four conforming committee bills tied to the proposed 2026-27 House General Appropriations Act. Rep. Maggard presented PCB SAB 26-04, the annual retirement bill, which updates Florida Retirement System contribution rates based on the annual actuarial study and was said to produce a $31.7 million state savings. He also presented PCB SAB 26-02, which addresses collective bargaining impasses for state employees by tying resolution to spending decisions in the appropriations act or implementing legislation. Both bills drew brief questions, mainly from Rep. Gantt, and both passed favorably on roll call. Rep. Miller presented PCB SAB 26-03, which reorganizes state audit functions and creates the Florida Accountability Office, consolidating legislative audit work into four divisions and adding whistleblower protections and reporting requirements. Rep. Gantt asked whether the bill changed the use of outside auditors and whether it had a fiscal impact; Miller said the work would be absorbed within existing resources and that the Legislature would retain responsibility. A taxpayer witness supported the bill and urged stronger local-government audit standards and broader whistleblower coverage. The bill passed favorably. Rep. Abbott presented PCB SAB 26-01, a broader appropriations conforming bill focused on the State Employee Health Insurance Trust Fund, prescription drug formulary changes, a health insurance assessment on agencies and vacant positions, the $3 traffic violation surcharge for the State Law Enforcement Radio System, Capitol complex space management, and changes to the Office of Supplier Diversity. Much of the discussion centered on whether a closed formulary would make medications harder to obtain, with Abbott saying prior authorization would still allow access and that the change was needed to control costs and protect the trust fund. Rep. Gantt and Rep. Robinson raised concerns about employee health benefits and the repeal of supplier diversity provisions, arguing the committee lacked data on the impact to minority- and women-owned businesses; Abbott said the changes would still allow small businesses to compete and that the bill was intended to save money and modernize procurement. PCB SAB 26-01 also passed favorably, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were reported out.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of these are small projects, $50,000, $100,000. I think $50 was $20,000.
• Thank you, Representative Small, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee.
• Chairman Small, what, is this only Chairman Small, is this only under the definition here of storage?
• Chair, Chairman Small.
• So we're starting small.

Bills: HB248, HB309, HB332, SB48

Keywords: general obligation bonds, GO bonds, capital projects, bond election, property tax levy, state debt, state finance, capital outlay, senior centers, senior citizen facilities, aging services, long-term services, libraries, library acquisitions, broadband for libraries, higher education, university capital projects, community colleges, tribal schools, special schools

Transcript Highlights:

• Theresa King: That land is all across small business owners.
• It appears that it can be retroactive, which is really devastating to a small business.
• I'm the daughter of a small contractor.
• I do have concerns as the daughter of a small contractor.
• I know the types of resources that my father needs in order to keep his small business going.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those barrels are a very small percentage overall.
• Still a small, small fraction of reinvestment into the things that help us.
• Because to the big guys, small wells are a liability.
• Small operators, those are the opportunity and the future. It's a small farm, big farm deal.
• It's a big business, small business deal.

Summary: The committee met to receive updates from the Tax Commissioner’s office on property tax relief programs and related compliance work. Commissioner Brian Croshys reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting that the Homestead program expanded significantly after HB 1158, that some households are “adjusting out” of eligibility as incomes rise, and that the committee may want to consider indexing income thresholds. Members asked for additional data on bracket breakdowns, possible costs of eliminating income limits for seniors, and how many households are zeroed out by the combined programs. Croshys also discussed the simpler administration of the disabled veteran credit, the growth in participation, and the heavy workload and auditing safeguards built into the new primary residence credit system. He said the department found no material compliance findings and that the program is designed to be digital-first, with county auditors and the Tax Commissioner’s office both involved in review and notification. The committee recessed for lunch and later reconvened, with the chair noting that more detailed PRC information would likely be available at a September meeting. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase, or “zero growth,” report and the 2025 statistical report. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and which jurisdictions showed the largest percentage changes in countywide, citywide, school district, and park district levies. In the statistical report, she summarized recent trends in assessed values: agricultural values remained relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed property values increased over the past five years. She also reviewed statewide tax levies by property class and clarified that centrally assessed growth figures were annual averages. Members discussed how shifts in land use and annexation can make it appear that tax burdens are moving from ag to residential/commercial property. Myers then summarized the interim study on the 3% levy limitation under HB 1176, saying most counties complied without budget changes, while some used hiring freezes, deferred purchases, or reserve funds; 23% of counties had to reduce levies, and the affected funds were mainly general, road and bridge, and weed control. She said 12 counties reported zero new growth in the data and that 35 counties reported not using all of their cap. The committee also received an oil tax presentation from Croshys on the stripper well extraction tax exemption. He outlined the number of active stripper wells, the production and revenue implications of the exemption, and projections for future biennia under different tax scenarios. He said the exemption represents substantial savings to operators but also corresponds to production tax revenue that would otherwise be collected, and he emphasized that future outcomes depend on oil prices, well counts, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly answered a question about why Red River wells have a different production threshold than Bakken wells, explaining it was tied to completion costs and lateral length. The committee then heard from Charlie Gorecki of the EERC, who presented an analysis of typical Bakken well decline curves and argued that most oil is produced before a well reaches stripper status, but that keeping wells open and investing in refracturing or other interventions can recover additional production. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting; the main actions were receiving reports, asking for follow-up data, and scheduling further discussion for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I mean, would we talk about small ones, large ones?
• It's very small physically, creates some challenges with storage and transport.
• So it started with a relatively small CERC project.
• So it started with a relatively small CERC project. That project was successful.
• So it started with a relatively small CERC project.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Respectfully submitted, Nathan Small, Chair.
• Respectfully submitted, Nathan Small, Chair. Mr. Speaker, I move adoption.
• Respectfully submitted, Nathan Small, Chair. Mr. Speaker, I move adoption.
• Respectfully submitted, Nathan Small, Chair. Mr. Speaker, I move adoption.
• Respectfully submitted, Nathan Small, Chair. Mr. Speaker, I move adoption.

Bills: HB145, HB164, HR1, HB20, HB65, HB66, HB80, HB306, SB29, SB37, HB99, HB206, HB213, HB270, SB104, SB193, HB38, HB254, HB256, SB58, SB64, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM39, HM29, HM43, HM59, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB253

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, lobbying, transparency, public records, government oversight, accountability, House Resolution 1, HR1, House investigatory subcommittee, special committee, legislative investigation, subpoena power, public corruption, criminal activity, Zorro ranch, Santa Fe County

Transcript Highlights:

• businesses, small agriculture, and of course our Indian tribes and pueblos.
• So this can be a really good thing, even if you have a small ad for small businesses.
• It's always had small agriculture.
• There are a number of small businesses in the pet food industry.
• So the benefits here are a very small amount of money.

Bills: SB97, SB55, SB40, SB38, SB120, SB113, SB116, SB117, SB118

Keywords: tax credits, municipality, county property, industrial revenue bonds, economic development, qualified expenditures, solar energy, tax credit, renewable energy, photovoltaic, solar thermal, New Mexico, economic incentive, energy independence, SB40, Driver Privacy and Safety Act, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate reader, vehicle surveillance

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a small business owner from Fulton, Missouri.
• So I came today to testify from the perspective of a small business. ...small business e-commerce clients
• I'm a small business owner in St.
• I'm a small business owner in St.
• This is impacting our small businesses. I appreciate the support for our small businesses.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• farmers. to support farmland access, as well as emergency relief for small-scale farmers.
• So we're really close to getting solutions in place and clean water delivered for a lot of those small
• So one of the key things we're looking to do is to consolidate small water systems because even those
• A small group of people's fire service costs.
• There is, as I understand, quite a bit of—again, it was a small portion.

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee No. 4 hearing focused on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) and cap-and-trade reauthorization, with members and panelists discussing how to balance climate goals, affordability, and legislative oversight. The chair emphasized the hearing as a broad review of past GGRF spending and future options, while the LAO outlined how GGRF revenues are generated, how variable they have been, and the tradeoffs between continuous appropriations and annual budget control. Two academic panelists, Dr. Kyle Meng and Danny Cullen Ward, argued that cap-and-trade remains an effective climate policy, but stressed that future revenue will depend heavily on market design, allowance allocation, and price levels. They also raised the idea that GGRF could be used more directly for affordability, especially by lowering electricity costs, and for targeted investments in technologies that the market would not otherwise support. Committee members pressed the panelists on where revenues come from, how much has actually been spent, and whether continuous appropriations reduce oversight. CARB staff said more than $33 billion has been generated to date and a little over $11–12 billion has been spent, with the rest committed or in process, and noted that project timelines can be lengthy. Members also asked about ways to lower electricity rates, reduce wildfire-related utility liabilities, and support electrification. The panelists said transportation fuels are the largest source of GGRF revenue, that industrial emitters receive a smaller share of free allowances, and that reducing wildfire liability and investing in grid-scale batteries could help lower costs and speed decarbonization. Public commenters largely urged the Legislature to preserve or expand continuous appropriations for specific climate programs. Speakers supported funding for nature-based solutions, natural and working lands, urban greening, agricultural climate solutions, waste and composting programs, clean transportation, AB 617 community air protection, clean cars, transit, affordable housing near transit, and dairy digesters. Several groups argued these programs are cost-effective, provide public health and affordability benefits, and should receive dedicated shares of GGRF. Others urged reducing free allowances and using more GGRF revenue to directly lower energy costs for households. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, in a precinct chair race, it's a small, small little race here that we're taking.
• If you're really small, you could start it earlier.
• But currently, small counties can combine up to 5,000 voters into a precinct.
• Small precincts. That's only less than 1% of the population that actually has that issue.
• That's kind of, I mean, it's not just the small county, small precincts that actually you can identify

Bills: HB569, HB766, HB1638, HB2316, HB2773, HB2785, HB3113, HB3709, HB3775, HB4275

Keywords: early voting, ballot correction, voting rights, election integrity, mail-in voting, voter notification, HB 766, precinct chair, precinct chair candidate, ballot application, Texas Election Code, Section 172.021, election administration, candidate filing, party precinct chair, county party, political party office, email address, telephone number, confidential candidate information

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Small. Here. Vice Chair Sariñana. Here. Chair McQueen. Here. We have quorum.
• Here is Small. Will you, Chair? Chairman Small, are you ready for me? Ready. Mr.
• Representative Small? Yes. Vice Chair Serrano? Chair McQueen? No.
• Once again, thank you to Chairman Small for chairing.
• I just want to make a small point.

Transcript Highlights:

• Small group.
• Small group. Um, a lot of hats. Small group.
• It's not small and right? This is huge.
• <05:26:16.878> In<05:26:17.120> any ...how big or small it is, right?
• are some operations that are so small are some operations that are so small that<05:39:53.760>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that we define small manufacturers as 25 people or less.
• So thinking about grant writing, a lot of times when you're a small organization, small manufacturer,
• I think that we define small manufacturers of 25 people or less.
• So thinking about grant writing, a lot of times when you're a small organization, small manufacturer,
• Would there be a cap dollar amount for these small manufacturers?

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including remarks from Senator Berman outlining Democratic priorities such as education, health care, environmental protection, and opposition to rollbacks on child labor, book access, and gun safety. The chamber also recognized military guests and an intern before moving to the special order calendar. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, Medicaid oversight at one point in the flow, and mammogram coverage, though the Medicaid oversight bill was later taken up and passed. The Senate passed a series of bills, often after substituting House companions and adopting technical amendments. Among the major measures approved were the dangerous dogs bill (the Pam Rock Act), which tightened penalties and procedures after fatal attacks; a local government land regulation bill that streamlined comp plan review and defined impact-fee circumstances, though members raised concerns about quasi-judicial hearing limits and local costs; a vessel-related bill combining boating safety and voter-freedom provisions; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act; fleeing and eluding penalties; concealed carry and firearm possession rules for certain officers and service members; timeshare management reforms; and public education on background screening requirements. The chamber also approved bills on disability history and awareness instruction, manufacturing and a related fee bill, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds. The disability instruction bill drew extended debate about the use of the term “disability,” inclusion, and whether the measure was consistent with broader DEI debates; it passed unanimously after emotional testimony from the sponsor and families. The manufacturing and utility bills focused on statewide economic policy and preemption of local restrictions, while the military children bill was presented as a student-driven proposal. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to 33-3 on the firearm bill and 26-8 on the land regulation bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• But it's going to be a struggle for those small builders, small developers, and small counties to accommodate
• those small those small builders,<01:03:30.280> small<01:03:30.560> developers,<01
• :03:31.240> and<01:03:31.360> small builders, small developers, and small builders, small
• contractor<02:08:29.320> and small, very small general contractor and small, very small general
• Small farms will be lost. Small farms will be lost.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and then spent much of the early portion of the meeting on recognitions and announcements. Members welcomed the Sikh community of Colorado for Baisakhi and Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month, noted a langar lunch at the Capitol, and announced a governor’s proclamation later in the day. Other tributes highlighted Jackie Robinson Day, Golf Day at the Capitol, an upcoming Colorado Religious Freedom Day event, and an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority legislative day and youth leadership program. After announcements, the chamber moved to business and adopted a motion making Senate Bill 109, Senate Bill 104, House Bill 1245, and Senate Bill 121 special orders for April 15. The House then began consideration of Senate Bill 109, concerning building code standards for accessible housing supported by public money. The committee report was adopted, and debate focused on an amendment offered by Representative Soper to exempt counties that have not adopted international building codes. Supporters argued the amendment would protect rural counties, preserve local control, and avoid higher housing costs and budget strain; opponents said it would undermine uniformity. Several members spoke in favor, and the amendment was still under discussion when the transcript ended. Committee announcements also noted that Judiciary would hear Senate Bill 1283 and Senate Bill 85, Education would hear Senate Bill 153, and Health and Human Services would hear Senate Bill 60, House Bill 1347, and House Bill 1314 for action only. The House also heard that House Bill 1250 would be pushed to the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• Would small municipal electrics have to have this, sir?
• I have some small villages that may have just a few hundred users.
• I think without a carve-out for them, rather than having them— and we're talking about really small villages
• and small systems in a lot of these cases— without having a carve-out for them, I'm not going to support
• A lot of small towns and villages with the electrics or with municipal water, especially small ones,

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, chaired by Senator Kevin Parker, met to consider a series of energy, utility, housing, and labor-related bills. The committee discussed Senator Parker’s clean hydrogen bill authorizing NYSERDA to administer programs to fund clean hydrogen projects, with members debating how it would be financed through NYSERDA’s system benefit charge and RGGI funds and whether there should be a fiscal estimate. Despite concerns from some members about cost transparency and the use of ratepayer-supported funds, the bill advanced to the Finance Committee with three without-recommendation votes. The committee also advanced Senator Parker’s bill directing NYSERDA to study hydrogen feasibility, Senator Gonzalez’s Green Affordable Pre-Electrification Program bill, Senator Hinchey’s natural carbon sequestration research program bill, Senator Gineris’s bill increasing penalties for utility annual report failures, Senator Comrie’s EV charging fee transparency bill, and Senator Parker’s battery energy storage workforce and labor standards bill. Senator Comrie’s outage hotline bill moved to third reading, while Senator Parker’s renewable hydrogen center program bill advanced despite a technical objection that a deadline in the bill had already passed, and the battery storage bill was referred to the Labor Committee. Several bills drew specific concerns. On the outage hotline bill, members questioned whether small municipal electric and water systems should be exempted rather than required to petition for an exemption, and one member said they would not support the bill without a carve-out. On the annual report penalty bill, members asked about the lack of documentation for the penalty increase and whether municipal utilities would be affected; the sponsor explained the penalty was updated from a 1900-era statute to reflect inflation and that municipal utilities file with the PSC. On the EV charging transparency bill, a member suggested the bill should also require credit card payment options, not just prohibit mobile-device-only payment. On the battery storage labor bill, members asked whether remote operations would count as on-site work and whether out-of-state remote monitoring would be covered; the sponsor said that was the intent and would follow up with labor counsel on residency questions. The committee concluded by adjourning after moving the listed bills forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• the community of Proctor, um a small the community of Proctor, um a small city<00:19:28.160>
• What this change matters because it's fairness for small cities.
• It has relevance for small communities. It does not increase taxes.
• <00:24:54.280> You it's fairness for small cities. You it's fairness for small cities.
• Um it has relevance on small state.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all