Transcript Highlights:

• programs, and would allow... ...farmers and ranchers in the application process for the grant programs
• grant programs, many farmers do not have the labor... ...private grant writers who can help them access
• grant programs.
• Last year, some researchers from Cal Poly SLO did an independent program evaluation of CDFA's programs
• We are accepting our committee amendments to the completion date of the Farm Research Grant Program to

Summary: The Assembly Agriculture Committee met as a subcommittee at first because a quorum was not yet present, then adopted its committee rules for the 2025-2026 legislative session by a 5-0 vote. The committee heard a series of agriculture-related bills, with most measures receiving broad support and moving forward. AB 1142 by Assemblymember Hoover would raise the fee thresholds for small public horse events that are exempt from equine medication monitoring rules; supporters said the current limits are outdated and hurt small riding clubs, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 411 by Assemblymember Papin would allow ranchers to compost livestock carcasses on-farm; supporters cited cost, environmental, and predator-control benefits, while rendering industry representatives asked for amendments to protect existing services and limit the bill’s scope. The bill passed to Natural Resources. AB 482 by Assemblymember Solache would modernize the California Table Grape Commission law and raise assessment caps without increasing assessments themselves; it passed to Appropriations. AB 312 by Vice Chair Alanis would shorten the holding period for ag theft property from six months to three months; it also passed to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 937 and AB 947 by Assemblymember Connolly. AB 937 would make technical changes to the Organic Transition Pilot Program to improve access to organic transition support, with testimony from a farmer who said the program helped him pursue organic certification; the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 947 would expand and refine technical assistance under the Healthy Soils/Climate Smart Agriculture programs, including training, grant writing, matching funds coordination, equipment sharing, and outcome monitoring; supporters said the changes would help small and organic producers access state climate programs, and it also passed to Appropriations. AB 1486, presented by the chair, would use Proposition 4 funding to start grants for public postsecondary agricultural research farms focused on climate resiliency; members praised the role of CSU and UC research farms, and the bill passed to Natural Resources as amended. The most extensive discussion centered on AB 928 by Assemblymember Rogers, the California Cockfighting Cruelty Act. Supporters argued the bill would help law enforcement target cockfighting and rooster trafficking, reduce avian disease risks, and protect public health and animal welfare; opponents, including poultry hobbyists, breeders, and 4-H-related participants, said it would overreach into lawful poultry keeping and harm heritage-breed and youth programs, urging instead that cockfighting penalties be increased to a felony. Committee members echoed concerns about unintended impacts on legitimate poultry owners and requested continued work on exemptions and language. The bill passed to Judiciary on a 5-2-1 vote, with one no vote and one abstention, and the chair noted that further committee review would continue as the bill advances.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program.
• General Funded Program, the Clean California Program.
• The grant program will leverage local funding to support litter.
• The new grant program would provide not only employment opportunities for clean-up efforts, but also
• People are becoming unemployed, and so we believe that the grant program proposed today is a great idea

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for all the way, but they are the grant lead.
• At Hualapai Indian Village, I am the director of our program, the Acorns to Oaks program, which focuses
• You know, our program is really unique.
• and for programming in each community.
• So here, follow this program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, you know, there is I was happy to read the inclusion about the recent grant program.
• You know, Grant and Socorro were listed.
• Hands-on programs for the youth.
• We need to partner up with the state and any other program that can help us get that program off and
• It is a competitive grant.

Transcript Highlights:

• what's called a CCDF grant.
• It's a federal grant. We pull down $127 million from that grant.
• program.
• Or you have school programs who might apply for a grant with us, You have school programs who might apply
• for a grant with us, or summer programming, and we're pulling that funding out of a different fund,

Summary: The Early Childhood Committee met for an update from the Office of Early Childhood within the Department of Education. Members heard that the office’s goals under the LEARNS Act are to improve kindergarten readiness, support families, ensure quality providers, and expand affordable, accessible child care. Staff reviewed the local lead system, licensing, quality efforts such as CLASS and QRIS, and the two main funding streams: School Readiness Assistance (SRA), a federal CCDF-funded voucher program serving about 14,600 children with a wait list of a little over 3,000, and Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), a state-funded program serving about 21,000 children with authority recently increased to 24,000 slots. A major topic was the difference between market rate surveys and cost analysis studies. Officials said the department is procuring both through an RFP, hoping to begin by August and have results by late in the year. Members pressed for current reimbursement levels, the gap between ABC and SRA funding, and whether ABC funding should be increased to better match costs. Staff explained that SRA rates are set at 75% of the market rate, while ABC per-child funding is much lower, and that ABC slots are limited by the overall allocation. They also explained that some ABC slots were increased by moving children from a discontinued federal pre-K arrangement into ABC to preserve continuity of care. Committee members raised concerns about rural access, infant and toddler shortages, provider stability, workforce pay, and communication with families and providers. Officials said local leads are now helping identify underserved areas, that no county with absolutely no care is known, and that the department is trying to get a truer statewide count of children and providers. They also described efforts to improve communication through monthly provider calls, website postings, and direct case contacts with families. Members discussed possible funding increases, including ideas to reduce the SRA wait list and raise ABC funding, but no formal vote or action was taken beyond approving prior meeting minutes and receiving the update.

Transcript Highlights:

• or the 21st Century program.
• or the 21st century program.
• Infrastructure Grant Program.
• Now I will turn to the Kitchen Infrastructure Grant Program.
• to expand the kitchen infrastructure and training grant program to more schools and help schools provide

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three education budget items: the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), differentiated assistance/statewide system of support, and universal school meals plus kitchen infrastructure grants. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to provide $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding and $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended instead fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579, and committee members questioned how the rate was determined, how much funding is actually spent, and whether overlapping funding from ELOP, ACEs, and 21st Century programs is being tracked. CDE said ELOP is showing positive attendance and math outcomes, but some requested data will not be available until mid-2027; members also raised concerns about double-funding, transparency, and whether middle and high school students are being equitably served. On differentiated assistance, CCEE outlined the statewide system of support and the various tiers of universal, targeted, supplemental, and intensive assistance. Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to replace the current DA structure with a more stable universal and targeted assistance model, funded at $131.9 million ongoing, with a three-year support cycle aligned to LCAP and ESSA timelines and broader State Board authority to revise eligibility criteria. The LAO objected to considering the proposal before the State Board finalizes the new performance criteria, and committee members expressed concern that moving to a three-year cycle could delay support for LEAs that newly fall into need mid-cycle. There was also discussion about whether the proposal would weaken subgroup-based equity guardrails or give the State Board too much discretion over who qualifies for support. For school meals and kitchen infrastructure, Finance proposed $1.8 billion ongoing for universal meals and an additional $100 million ongoing plus $100 million one-time for a fourth round of kitchen infrastructure and training grants. The LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the unmet need is not yet clear. CDE said prior investments have improved meal participation, efficiency, and menu variety, but many schools still lack the facilities for scratch cooking and face construction, electrical, and procurement barriers. Members asked for more data on how prior grants were used, which schools are benefiting, and whether funds could also support lower-cost food access strategies such as pantries, while noting federal restrictions on some meal-service innovations.

Transcript Highlights:

• It removes sunset on aggregate supply chain Grant program.
• Is there a current program 100 commerce that gives grants for this?
• So we don't have a program that gives grants currently under the program Ridge.
• Partnership program must include a strategy for providing program funds to mobile home owners including
• programs.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AT CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAMS SHOW SUCCESS FOR THAT PROGRAM.
• I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO GRANT PROGRAM. IS THAT FINE?
• THE NEXT PROGRAM THEY HAD WAS HERNANDO COUNTY SEPTIC TANK PROGRAM.
• THEY HAVE A SEPARATE PROGRAM AND THEY ALSO USE STATE PROGRAMS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR FOLKS.
• THERE ARE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE. PART OF THE CHALLENGE WITH THOSE IS THEY ARE NEWER.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It removes the sunset on the aggregate supply chain grant program.
• detailing program details for interested businesses.
• Is there a current program under Commerce that gives grants for this?
• So we don't have a program that gives grants currently under the program.
• programs.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development considered a full agenda of transportation, economic development, housing, emergency services, and specialty license plate bills. Several measures were explained and advanced without opposition, including the Department of Transportation agency bill (CS/CS/SB 1662), a Purple Heart toll exemption bill (CS/SB 574), a Florida Highway Patrol specialty plate bill (CS/SB 824), a construction disruption assistance loan program for small businesses (CS/CS/SB 324), a manufactured housing assistance bill for local housing plans (CS/SB 1714), a foreign agents registration bill (CS/CS/SB 766), military academy specialty plates (CS/SB 1024), a Safe Coastal Wildlife specialty plate (CS/SB 1246), an emergency services warning-light bill (CS/SB 1644), the Florida Wildflower specialty plate (SB 1152), and a toll exemption bill for 100% disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients (CS/SB 532). The committee adopted amendments on several bills. On CS/CS/SB 1662, Senator Collins’ strike-all amendment made a range of DOT-related changes, including the Florida Transportation Academy, seaport and airport accountability provisions, and allowing cranes to move under special blanket permits at night. On CS/CS/SB 324, the committee adopted a delete-everything amendment and a further amendment removing liability language; the bill would create a revolving loan program for small businesses harmed by public works construction, with members raising concerns about eligibility, verification of losses, and public records issues for financial documents. On CS/SB 766, an amendment clarified definitions and aligned the bill with federal FARA standards, including a 20% beneficial ownership threshold. On CS/SB 532, an amendment added Purple Heart recipients to the toll exemption. Testimony and debate were generally supportive, with several outside witnesses appearing in favor of the bills, including Florida PBA, the Florida Manufactured Homeowners Federation, the Florida Manufactured Housing Association, the Center for Security Policy, and the Florida Wildflower Foundation. Members highlighted constituent impacts and policy concerns on a few measures, especially the construction disruption loan bill and the disabled veteran toll exemption, where some senators suggested narrowing the scope or adding protections. All bills considered were reported favorably, and senators later requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on selected tabs before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• through grant programs administered by DOT.
• Program.
• The first one is grant agreements. Getting out grant Agreements to local communities.
• programs.
• Those and some of our other food programs are NIH and diversity programs.

Bills: HB1

Keywords: feed bill, legislative appropriations, legislative branch, New Mexico Legislature, general fund, legislative council service, legislative finance committee, legislative education study committee, house chief clerk, senate chief clerk, per diem, mileage, session expenses, interim committees, district staff, capitol complex, capital outlay data system, legislative processing system, redistricting, census redistricting

Transcript Highlights:

• The DAG grants? No, no, not the DAG grant. That's the one at Eagle Pass. Correct.
• Moving to the trustee programs, one of my favorites is the music incubator program.
• There is the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program, and you stated that we have had an
• federal grant opportunities.
• our child care programs.

Bills: SB 1

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

Summary: The committee began with Article I budget items for the Secretary of State. LBB staff outlined recommendations that would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million, including changes to HAVA funding, removal of one-time business system replacement money, and a rider directing the agency to use Fund 5095 first. Secretary Jane Nelson and staff then defended several exceptional items, especially additional staffing for elections and business filings, a new website, digitization of records, cybersecurity tools, and renovation of the James Earl Rudder Building. Members focused heavily on election administration, cross-checking voter rolls, Harris County complaints, call-center response times, and whether online voter registration should be expanded. No votes were taken; the discussion was informational and budget-focused. The committee then heard the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB presented a recommended $2.4 million decrease for the governor’s office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs driven by one-time funding and unexpended balances, while still preserving major border security funding and victim assistance funding. Governor’s staff emphasized Texas’ economic growth, the importance of border security, and efforts to seek federal reimbursement for the roughly $11 billion Texas has spent on border operations. Members discussed whether shifting National Guard deployment to federal control could reduce state costs, and they also reviewed the music incubator program, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and the semiconductor innovation consortium. Staff highlighted a $5 million late-added request for grants to protect nonprofits from violence and terrorism. Again, the exchange was largely explanatory, with no formal action. Finally, the committee took up the Texas Facilities Commission and lease payments for revenue bonds. LBB recommended major reductions overall, including removal of border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, but added money for higher utility costs, renovation of the Rudder Building, and additional facilities staff. George Purcell also noted stable maintenance-and-renewal funding and new riders related to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building, tenant communications, and space utilization. For lease payments, LBB recommended a smaller appropriation tied to revenue-bond costs allocated across agencies. The discussion was informational, with members asking about the Rudder Building renovation, border wall progress, and capital complex construction timelines; no votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an amended grant, a federal grant, for targeted youth advocacy initiatives for the Southwest
• these grants.
• It helps develop program initiatives or change program initiatives.
• program.
• This program works and we need to utilize it.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Item 24, Amend Writer 54 Mobile STEM Lab Grant Program, adopted.
• Item 25, Amend Writer 55, Blended Learning Grant Program, adopted as amended.
• Amend Writer 61 Strong Foundations Grant Program, adopted. 29.
• Item number 13, Rural Economic Development Grant, Texas Rural Business Fund Program.
• Grant Program, adopted at $5 million. Turning to page 8.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Need to connect to our programs.
• another program.
• programs such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Community Services Block Grant,
• The federal program CSD...
• and programs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in 2019 the legislature established a grant program to provide individual student loan debt repayment
• Since then, this grant program has been successful in bringing student loan repayments current and preventing
• 2019 the legislature established a grant 2019 the legislature established a grant program<00:01:
• <00:02:12.160> program process since then this grant program process since then this grant
• <00:04:13.239> we've we began the work on this grant we've we began the work on this grant

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Title VI of the Indian Education Formula Grants Program at DOE represents a significant federal investment
• Programs like the Native American Language Grants or the Alaska Native Education Program, which we call
• , programs, programs with tribal set-asides, and broader programs that tribal nations are eligible for
• Native entities began to receive education grants to develop and implement culture-based programming
• Education Grant Program, too, how we're, we are... addressing that achievement gap between native and

Keywords: Native education, Department of Education, federal funding, testimony, treaty obligations, public schools, educational policies, Indigenous students

Summary: The meeting focused on the responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Education towards Native students, highlighting the importance of federal education programs that satisfy treaty obligations to Native communities. Various witnesses testified about the impact of educational policies designed to support Native students who primarily attend public schools. Concerns were voiced over recent proposals that could potentially undermine these programs, citing the role of federal funding in ensuring successful educational outcomes for Native youth. The chair of the committee emphasized the need for continued federal support and attention to the unique educational challenges faced by Indigenous populations.

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• Preservation or KSLIP grant program. Preservation or KSLIP grant program.
• Now, to shift to the second rail grant program, House Bill 1 allocated $7.5 million each fiscal year
• Now, to shift to the second rail grant Now, to shift to the second rail grant program,<00:51:30.079
• Information about each rail grant program, including the applications and the guidance documents

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:20 Road Projects 46:30 Approval of Minutes 46:50 Railroads 57:26 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum, so it could not approve the minutes. The chair announced an Eastern Kentucky University health forum later that day and then proceeded with testimony on alternative delivery methods for road projects. Jason Sawala of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Chad Laroo of the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors were sworn in and introduced themselves. Sawala explained KYTC’s use of alternative delivery tools, including design-build, construction manager/general contractor (CMGC), and public-private partnerships (P3s). He said the cabinet’s goal is to deliver the best value to taxpayers in terms of quality, cost, and time, and emphasized that alternative delivery is most useful on projects with special circumstances such as innovation needs, specialized technology, complex constructibility, schedule pressure, or early contractor input. He cited the cabinet’s wrong-way driving prevention project as an example where design-build helped evaluate technologies and coordinate with stakeholders such as EMS and first responders. He also outlined the main tradeoffs: alternative delivery can improve collaboration and sometimes accelerate schedules, but it also brings risks related to right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, changing scope, and the need for dedicated staff and compressed decision-making. He stressed that these methods are not a cure-all and are not appropriate for every project, while noting that traditional design-bid-build remains effective for most of KYTC’s work. Representative Branscum responded favorably, saying early contractor involvement is valuable and consistent with his experience in the vertical construction world. No votes or formal actions were taken because the committee lacked a quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Accelerator Grant Program. Accelerator Grant Program.
• particularly time grant programs uh but particularly time grant programs uh but particularly focuses
• contained this particular grant program. contained this particular grant program.
• <04:32:48.800> because grant program is being defunded because grant program is being defunded
• health disparities and community grant health disparities and community grant program. program.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This stands up the Grant Ready Kentucky program. And, uh, we've been doing this at $200 million.
• So, the grant program takes care of a massive portion of that match required by federal grant, but we
• <00:03:24.880> So,<00:03:25.080> the<00:03:25.160> grant<00:03:25.480> program
• So, the grant program takes local match.
• So, the grant program takes care<00:03:26.800> of<00:03:27.120> a<00:03:27.160> massive

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:007 HB 647 Discussion 00:00:40 HB 647 Vote 00:04:38 HB 651 Discussion 00:05:52 HB 651 Vote 00:06:45 HB 816 Discussion 00:07:03 HB 816 Vote 00:08:12, 958, all

Summary: The Appropriations and Revenue Committee met with a quorum and considered three House bills. House Bill 647, sponsored by Rep. Shawn McPherson, would continue the Grant Ready Kentucky program. Testimony described it as a successful third iteration that leverages state funds to attract federal and other project dollars, with examples cited from Jefferson County and Perry County. Members asked about county participation and the local match structure; the witness explained that the bill doubles the prior match scale based on population density, from 1-5% to 2-10%, to require more local contribution in more populous counties. House Bill 651, sponsored by Rep. Josh Bray, was presented as a cleanup measure for the Waters program, which targets the state’s most distressed water districts and provides financial incentives for system improvements and best management practices. The committee adopted a committee substitute before approving the bill. House Bill 816, the annual claims bill, was described by the chair as covering audited claims against the state that were not previously paid because of lapsed or insufficient appropriations or missing procurement documents; the claims ranged from small amounts to tens of thousands of dollars. All three measures received favorable expression by unanimous roll call votes, with 12 ayes and no nays each time. After each vote, the committee also moved the bills onto consent, and those motions were approved as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our block grant is only 59 program.
• programs. Certainly that's applauded. programs. Certainly that's applauded.
• overall health of your program. overall health of your program.
• EGI program equated close to 23%. EGI program equated close to 23%.
• is tied to health insurance program. is tied to health insurance program.

Keywords: 916, all