Transcript Highlights:

• So the bill, the reconciliation bill, did not touch the funding—the federal funding for research.
• But girls continue to use. continue to vape more and just have higher tobacco use rates in general.
• funds.
• we can continue getting insights and data to continuously inform our approach.
• the exit of the CDC funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• is an increase of $24 million; an additional $20 million in continued funding for the Pathways to Careers
• First, $100 million for the Pipeline Fund will continue to reward high-performing programs at our colleges
• First, $100 million for the Pipeline Fund will continue to reward high-performing programs at our colleges
• To continue that momentum, the budget provides targeted incentive and performance funds to expand opportunities
• The funds are dispersed to the universities.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education heard a presentation from the Governor’s Office on the proposed education budget, which totals $32.5 billion overall and includes no tuition or fee increases for Florida residents. Officials highlighted major funding for financial aid and scholarships, including Bright Futures, Benacquisto, veteran-related scholarships, EASE, Open Door, law enforcement/first responder programs, and workforce initiatives. They also emphasized increases for workforce education, Florida College System operations, nursing pipeline and line funds, and university operations, performance funding, and faculty recruitment and retention. Committee members asked questions about the Ocoee Scholarship, the proposed post-secondary Guardian program, and how university recruitment and retention funds would be used; officials said the Ocoee Scholarship remains funded at current levels, the Guardian program would offer flexible campus safety options, and the university funds would be distributed to institutions for faculty recruitment and retention without additional directives. The committee then heard from a series of appointees and reappointees to boards of trustees for state colleges and universities, who described their backgrounds and priorities. Testimony consistently focused on affordability, workforce alignment, nursing and allied health programs, dual enrollment, adult learners, and local economic needs. Several trustees highlighted strong nursing NCLEX pass rates, expansion of campuses or programs, and efforts to tailor education to regional workforce demands such as health care, construction, law enforcement, aviation, and hospitality. One appointee from Miami-Dade College emphasized helping adult students return and complete degrees by easing credit transfer and admissions barriers. After hearing from the appointees, the committee took up the full slate of confirmations as a block. A motion was made and the roll was called; the confirmations were approved favorably, with members voting yes and no opposition recorded. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• funding mechanisms including funding funding mechanisms including direct<00:30:39.200> pay<00:
• were ever out of funds to pay the debt service or if the general fund were ever out of funds to pay
• Highway fund is kind of a discreete fund Highway fund is kind of a discreete fund that's<00:57:51.119
• <00:59:38.319> to Highway fund were ever out of funds to Highway fund were ever out of funds
• Legacy fund was allocated which funds Legacy fund was allocated which funds clean<01:42:56.599><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Capital Investment held its first meeting of the 2025 session with members and staff introducing themselves and describing their priorities. Senators from both parties repeatedly emphasized the goal of passing a strong bipartisan bonding bill this year, with several members noting that local projects were delayed after no bonding bill passed the previous year. Chair Housley also said the committee would not meet later that week and previewed an upcoming presentation from MMB on federal funds. The committee then heard a presentation from MMB’s Leah Corey and Anna Ming on Minnesota’s federal funding efforts. Corey explained that MMB’s federal funds team coordinates state efforts to maximize funding from IIJA, IRA, CHIPS, and related federal programs. She said Minnesota has secured about $12.3 billion in federal funding so far, including roughly $3 billion more since the last presentation, supporting about 1,800 projects statewide. Most of the funding is going to transportation, roads, and bridges, with other major areas including clean energy and weatherization. She also highlighted an interactive public dashboard showing projects by region and noted that much of the data reflects funds flowing through the state enterprise. Corey also discussed state match programs that helped unlock federal dollars, including the IIJA discretionary match fund, the State Competitiveness Fund, and the Forward Fund. She said $180 million in state match has unlocked about $1 billion in federal investment through the IIJA discretionary match fund, nearly $17 million in state investment has unlocked nearly $90 million in federal funding through the State Competitiveness Fund, and $124 million for the Forward Fund has unlocked nearly $1 billion in federal and private investment. Members asked whether more state dollars could have brought in more federal funds; Corey said she was not sure, but noted the IIJA match fund is expected to run out in the coming months. The presentation also focused on direct pay tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, which allow tax-exempt entities such as governments, nonprofits, school districts, and tribal nations to receive payments for eligible clean energy projects after they are completed. Corey said the state is building awareness and technical assistance around direct pay, including educational sessions and a tax expert resource. She also described Minnesota’s Green Bank, the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority, which is beginning to issue loans for projects such as community energy, nonprofit geothermal systems, and solar-plus-battery installations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Whether you want to continue funding or not.
• to be funded.
• Fund?
• settlement funds.
• Something like this, and starting to separate out and phase funding for projects, you know, we'd be continuing

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, please continue.
• funding so we're we're shifting funding funding so we're we're shifting funding between<01:15:11.000
• that funding available.
• that funding available.
• that funding available.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities presented an overview of the system and several budget riders. Board Chair George Soul described the system’s structure, noting 26 colleges and seven universities governed by a 15-member board, and emphasized that Minnesota State serves about 270,000 students annually, including many students of color, adult learners, Pell-eligible students, first-generation students, and veterans. He highlighted the system’s workforce role, saying it offers more than 4,000 programs, extensive employer partnerships, and that 86% of graduates find jobs in their field or a related field. He then turned the presentation over to system staff to discuss specific funding requests. Associate Vice Chancellor Kim Lynch focused on the Z-degree textbook program, which supports zero-textbook-cost courses and degrees. She said prior legislative support has produced about $3.1 million in savings in academic year 2024 and more than $12.6 million in aggregate savings, with 10 colleges now offering Z degrees and 12 more on track or exploring implementation. She described the program’s use of open educational resources, instructional design support, and library resources to fill gaps where free materials are not available, and said students save roughly $7 to $10 for every $1 invested. Members praised the program and asked about its expansion. Associate Vice Chancellor Paul Shepard discussed student support funding, including a centralized basic needs resource hub, the Mantra Health mental health platform, and the emergency grant program. He said student surveys showed significant food, housing, and homelessness insecurity, and that the basic needs hub has served over 2,400 students with a 97% positive response rate. He said Mantra provides telecounseling, peer support, self-paced courses, and crisis support, and clarified in response to questions that it is not AI-driven and does not sell student data; general usage data is collected, and follow-up with campus counselors occurs only at the student’s request. He also said the emergency grant program has distributed over $3 million to more than 4,800 students, with grants averaging just under $700, and that campuses use application review and recordkeeping to manage repeat requests. Members asked about counselor staffing, data privacy, and grant safeguards. The final item addressed sexual assault reporting and prevention funding. System staff said the appropriation supports technology infrastructure for statutory reporting, case management for investigations, campus prevention training, and professional development for Title IX coordinators and related staff. They noted that the statutory student training requirement is funded by individual colleges and universities, not by this appropriation. No formal votes were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• funds.
• fund which is used as a revolving fund fund which is used as a revolving fund<01:26:56.920> that<
• <03:06:18.200> in funding will help um will help Fund in funding will help um will help Fund
• There are some residual funds that we will seek to bring forward to continue to work and address these
• fund uh funding uh $3 million fund fund uh funding request<03:19:52.199> uh<03:19:52.279>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a Department of Corrections capital budget presentation on HB 25, focused largely on urgent maintenance and security needs at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men and other DOC facilities. DOC officials described the governor’s proposed priorities: boiler surge and radiator tank replacements, electronic controls and camera upgrades, and replacement of HVAC units using R22 refrigerant. They also outlined additional requested projects totaling $15.4 million, including a body alarm/man-down system at Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility, steam line and trap repairs, fire alarm replacements, and removal of an underground diesel tank in favor of above-ground storage. DOC testified that many systems are well beyond their expected service life, including 40-year-old boilers, outdated analog cameras, and HVAC equipment using discontinued R22 refrigerant. They said the men’s prison is relying on a leased temporary boiler, has significant steam leaks causing major water loss and reduced boiler efficiency, and is dealing with frequent fire alarm faults and deteriorating wiring. On the body alarm system, they said the vendor no longer supports the equipment and replacement parts are no longer available. On the diesel tank, members questioned whether it could be abandoned in place or whether fuel could be reused; DOC said it had not explored all alternatives and would follow up, while noting the tank is underground and tied into the warehouse system. Members also asked whether some current investments could be reused in the planned new men’s prison. DOC said some items, such as air handlers, might potentially be moved, but most projects are needed to keep the current facility operational and would not be practical to transfer. Questions were also raised about the leased boiler arrangement, the use of the man-down system by staff and visitors, and whether the kitchen project could be converted to a modular unit. DOC said the modular kitchen approach is necessary because the existing kitchen cannot remain fully operational during repairs. The committee then moved to lapse extensions, and DOC identified several projects no longer needing extensions, including items numbered 64, 65, and 66 in HB 25, with the chair noting those balances would be deleted and that the lapse amount was $550,500.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's really imperative that we continue to secure steady funding for these projects.
• So it's really imperative that we continue to secure steady funding for these projects.
• that we continue to secure steady<01:06:36.480> funding<01:06:36.839> for<01:06:37.039
• funding available for it in that fund funding available for it in that fund but<01:13:36.080>
• fund there's other pots of federal fund fund there's other pots of federal fund and<01:16:16.000

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Governor's budget does propose funding to support the continued focus on dual enrollment.
• We'll continue with the panelists.
• We'll continue with the panelists.
• Funding that's proposed.
• Based on data for the last five funding rounds, other costs— Based on data for the last five funding

Summary: The committee heard an update on the administration’s Career Education Master Plan and the new California Education Interagency Council. Administration and agency staff described efforts to better connect K-12, higher education, workforce, and data systems, including the California Cradle to Career Data System, e-Transcript California, and a proposed career passport. They emphasized regional coordination with workforce boards and community colleges, and said the new council’s immediate tasks are to hold its first meeting by the end of June, enter into a data-sharing MOU, and complete a strategic plan by the end of November. Members asked about the council’s authority, reporting requirements, and how it would relate to the broader Master Plan for Higher Education; staff said the council will make recommendations but does not have implementation authority. The committee then took up the Governor’s proposed $100 million one-time expansion of dual enrollment grants and related changes to instructional minute requirements. Finance and the Department of Education said the proposal would support middle college, early college, and CCAP programs, add technical assistance, prioritize high-need LEAs, and reduce the minimum instructional day for certain dual enrollment students from 240 to 180 minutes to ease scheduling barriers. The Chancellor’s Office strongly supported the investment, citing access, acceleration, and equity benefits, while the LAO recommended rejecting the funding, arguing the state already provides ongoing support and that the proposal does not address major barriers. Members raised questions about adult learners, A-G alignment, reporting on outcomes and expenditures, rural access, transportation, staffing, and whether the funding would create lasting program capacity. The item was left open after discussion. The committee also considered trailer bill language to align the definition of long-term English learners across data systems. Finance and CDE said the change would simplify identification by defining LTELs as students who have not attained English proficiency within seven years and RTELs as students not proficient within six years, matching the dashboard and research-based timelines. CDE said the current mismatch between dashboard and assessment definitions creates confusion and delays, while some members and advocates worried the change could reduce earlier intervention or should be handled through policy committees rather than the budget process. The committee voted to reject the proposal and refer it to policy, though the administration said it still supports the budget language. Finally, the committee heard a proposal to extend the Supporting Inclusive Practices project by one year, through June 30, 2027. CDE said the project is promising but raised concerns about the contract structure and fiscal management, while Marysville Joint Unified School District testified that SIP had helped expand inclusive preschool and district-wide practices and reduce reliance on more restrictive placements. Members questioned why funds had not been fully encumbered and whether the remaining money should be redirected to areas with greater implementation need. The item was discussed but no final action was described in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Have you had any issues getting your funding here? Have you lost any funding?
• With that funding from the EDA, we were able to fund five tribal liaisons who were all entrepreneurs
• So, you said you were funded, so we're out of funding? This specific program is no longer funded.
• Establish the Extreme Weather Resilience Fund, or fund those projects through other possible means.
• There are people that are trying to get funding, but they don't have backing or funding sources.

Transcript Highlights:

• decision on continuing to fund for increased administrative costs to administer the new work requirements
• fund portion of the Land Grant Permanent Fund, whereas the Severance Tax Permanent Fund distributes
• It will continue to act as a drag on the performance of the Severance Tax Permanent Fund for the next
• Are they general fund funded or independent? Mr. Chair, they are not general fund funded.
• fund as well. retirement funds, and there's an Arizona retirement fund as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• We urge continued advocacy at the federal level to protect and expand funding streams that benefit Tribal
• not funded?
• We continue to work with our Navajo Nation chapters in regards to the ARPA funding being utilized for
• To find private funding and see if they can get a match to continue to have that protein source provided
• But again, working in partnership with you all and your continued support to fund these, Senator Woods

Transcript Highlights:

• rate of pay and the access to funding.
• continued funding and support for the program as we continue to serve more individuals.
• But what I really want to emphasize here is that funding for services and funding for staff to help carry
• going to need continue funding and support for the program as we continue to, you know, serve more individuals
• But what I really want to emphasize here is that funding for services and funding for staff to help carry

Summary: The work session began with a discussion of expanding opportunities in the legal profession, especially in response to shortages of lawyers in rural Washington and in public service roles. Washington State Bar Executive Director Tara Nevitt described a slowly growing but aging attorney population, noted that younger attorneys have declined, and outlined efforts such as supervised practice pathways to bar admission, reduced admission-by-motion experience requirements, expanded law clerk capacity, rural job fairs and grants, and a pilot program allowing innovative legal service delivery models. Members asked about bar passage score changes, loan repayment assistance, and the former Limited License Legal Technician program; Nevitt said the bar is monitoring other states and remains in dialogue with the court about paraprofessional licensing. Law school representatives from UW, Seattle University, and Gonzaga emphasized public service pipelines, financial barriers, and rural legal deserts, citing LRAPs, scholarships, stipends, clinics, and hybrid or regional programs designed to recruit and retain students in Washington. Seattle U highlighted its FlexJD and hybrid hub partnerships in underserved areas, while Gonzaga and UW reported substantial shares of graduates entering public service, though most still cluster in urban regions. The committee also heard from the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the Office of Public Defense, both of which described severe recruitment and retention problems in rural counties, with vacancies, low applicant pools, and the need for higher salaries, housing help, internships, and loan support. The Office of Public Defense said its internship and fellowship program, created by SB 5780, has already placed interns in rural counties and produced some commitments to return after graduation. The Washington State Bar’s law clerk program was also presented as a pathway that helps people train locally and remain in their communities, including by supporting succession for aging solo practitioners. The committee then shifted to family law and guardianship issues. On Title 26 guardian ad litem practice, presenters from Northwest Justice Project and private family law practice said GALs can play an important role but that training, oversight, and consistency remain major concerns, especially in domestic violence cases. They described problems such as inadequate training, bias, inconsistent recommendations, high fees, and lack of accountability, and suggested stronger, standardized training, more use of mental health professionals for custody evaluations, and better oversight mechanisms. Members asked about county practices, including rotation systems for GAL appointments and whether King County’s family court assessors provide a useful model. The discussion then moved to minor guardianships under the Uniform Guardianship Act. A Superior Court judge said the 2021 changes increased the need for court visitors and appointed counsel, but courts are struggling to find qualified attorneys and visitors, especially in rural areas. A former commissioner said most of the bill under discussion was technical cleanup to align prior amendments, though it would add some fiscal burdens. Administrative Office of the Courts staff reported that the statewide reimbursement program for UGA implementation has repeatedly run out of money earlier each year, with minor guardianship costs making up most of the expense. The Office of Public Guardianship then described rapid growth in demand for adult guardianship and less restrictive alternatives, noting that referrals and caseloads have risen sharply, but that the office is constrained by a shortage of certified professional guardians and low compensation levels. Finally, the committee began an update on Blake implementation from the Office of Civil Legal Aid, which funds civil legal services related to the decision, before the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not the entire funding.
• I said, okay, well, we have a housing fund. The campus has a general fund.
• , how much cash is in the fund.
• , how much cash is in the fund.
• Chairman, we'll continue. Thank you.

Bills: HB2056, HB2202, HB2207, HB2224, HB2303, HB2344, HB2532, HB2759, HB2798

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, dementia care, telementoring, healthcare education, rural communities, grant funding, braille, disability access, education funding, state corrections, inclusion, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding

Transcript Highlights:

• funding towards prevention. funding towards prevention.
• for being able to continue to build. for being able to continue to build.
• And that's where the funding should come from rather than just additional funding.
• And that's where the funding should come from rather than just additional funding.
• I mean additional funding for funding.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:19 DCBS 00:01:58, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:23.200> we in addition to the one-time funds we in addition to the one-time funds we
• programs and the availability of funding programs and the availability of funding as<00:04:12.000
• replacement reserves recognize and fund replacement reserves recognize and fund the<00:10:23.200
• Adequate service funding to be paired with capital funding for PSH units to help ensure full funding
• <00:15:28.720> for most vulnerable in losing funds for most vulnerable in losing funds for

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The end date for those funds, to put those funds to use is July 31st of 2029.
• But it's predominantly oil overcharge funds. Those are the Exxon funds. Okay.
• The federal funds were reduced since... Most of our staff is federally funded.
• You'll continue to see that.
• We continue. We continue to be the safest way to transport.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• create this new fund.
• create a $100 million fund.
• The funding mechanism and the desire not to impact that corpus is something we continue to talk about
• So continue to dialogue on this really dedicated funding for the center, and then the corpus continuing
• or understanding of how it's going to be funded and what the details are of that funding.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• continues to be uncertain.
• We can't continue to wait.
• We can't continue to wait.
• We can't continue to wait.
• We have a fund.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• general fund. Thank you. general fund. Thank you.
• This fund ensures that Maui's communities continue to have access to reliable emergency medical services
• Representative Capella continued: This measure fully funds the State Foundation's positions, the museum
• In support. funds um bond funds um and it also funds um bond funds um and it also introduces<04:52:36.638
• > do funding besides their own funds, they do funding besides their own funds, they do not<05:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• use goes back to the fund.
• I do hope that as the retirement fund conversations continue and that continues to evolve, that there
• I do hope that as the retirement fund conversations continue and that continues to evolve, that there
• Chair, I'd be happy to go to testifiers or take any questions. uh fund uh as as conversations continue
• uh fund uh as as conversations continue and<01:28:01.679> and<01:28:01.920> that<01:28

Keywords: 1187, senate, all