Transcript Highlights:

• require immense amount of preparation. require immense amount of preparation. others<00:10:14.720
• immense amount of love and compassion. immense amount of love and compassion.
• is no amendment um being distributed is no amendment um being distributed with<01:55:50.480>
• Members, this is being distributed.
• So members that is being distributed. So members that is being distributed.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the signing page is being distributed. So we're not taking any testimony.
• I would now, before you go on, and that amount is 125 million, and that's what brought the percentage
• <00:07:17.320> of school districts based on the amount of school districts based on the amount
• to certain cities and distributions to certain cities and school<00:08:26.960> districts.
• eligible uses, and maximum distributions eligible uses, and maximum distributions of<00:08:33.719

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh section two brings forward amounts.
• distributed by the uh section 276575. distributed by the uh section 276575.
• <00:10:55.600> So,<00:10:56.000> one you can distribute that money.
• So, one you can distribute that money.
• can draw the amount they're entitled to. can draw the amount they're entitled to.

Keywords: Finance - Room 216, 2 February, 2026; 3:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first heard a bill concerning tax increment financing (TIFs). The sponsor explained that the measure would not change the existing financing structure, but would add an optional arrangement cities could negotiate with developers: a revenue bond guaranteed by taxes generated from the development. The goal was to let developers guarantee the bond and access funds sooner on the front end of a project rather than waiting to see whether tax revenues meet projections. After no questions, the committee adopted a motion that the title was sufficient and reported the bill out do pass as a committee substitute. The next bill, Senate Bill 2873, came from the Department of Revenue and dealt with enforcement of the state’s vape registry law. The sponsor said the bill fills a gap left by prior legislation by creating a statutory forfeiture process for seized products valued at $20,000 or less, including notice, a right to contest, and rules for disposition of forfeited property. The committee then moved the bill title sufficient and do pass, and it was reported out. Senate Bill 2894 addressed local improvement projects funded in 2021 through 2024 that had not been executed or had unspent money remaining. The bill would require return of certain funds after a memorandum of understanding was not signed or after three years with unspent balances, require remittance of unspent interest, allow withholding of some city diversion or state aid road funds for noncompliance, and require periodic status reports to the Legislative Budget Office. The sponsor also offered an amendment giving entities 60 days from the bill’s effective date to request a one-time six-month extension; the amendment and the bill both received favorable votes and were reported out. Senate Bill 2910 would require employers in the PERS system to settle the books if a unit of government or other employer terminates participation. Senate Bill 2911 proposed a new return-to-work option for PERS retirees, shortening the separation period from 90 days to 30 days and allowing certain retirees to return to public employment at up to 80% of the stated salary, with employer-paid retirement contributions and possible health insurance support. The sponsor said the bill would exclude elected officials, K-12 superintendents, and IHL/community college administrators, and he discussed the bill’s expected effect on PERS funding with questions from members about actuarial impact and whether the proposal would affect existing retirement rules. Both bills were discussed but the transcript excerpt does not show final committee action on Senate Bill 2911.

Transcript Highlights:

• ...can cure over the next X amount of months leading into January?
• of money that will then need to be allocated back. ...enormous amounts of money that will then need
• What happens if the facility does not produce or procure the agreed upon amount of energy?
• What happens if the facility does not produce or procure the agreed upon amount of energy?
• If large-scale data centers require massive amounts of electricity, then providing...

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on energy, public safety, and environmental cleanup. House Bill 455 would create a historic preservation license plate to raise funds and awareness for Delaware preservation efforts, and House Bill 471 would tighten rules and penalties for off-highway vehicles on shared private roads, with golf carts excluded. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 439, the Truth in E-Bike Marketing Act, would require clearer disclosures when selling electric mopeds and electric motorcycles so consumers understand classification, power, and licensing/insurance requirements. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 407, related to the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act and brownfields, would shift funding for brownfield cleanup from the original realty transfer tax approach to a dedicated share of the hazardous substance cleanup fund and raise civil penalties for fraudulent acts. The committee also approved the June 18, 2026 minutes once quorum was reached. Most of the meeting centered on House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 233, as amended, a large-load/data center bill intended to protect ratepayers from costs tied to massive new electricity users. The sponsor and Public Advocate said PJM’s warnings about a coming reliability backstop auction made it urgent to establish a Delaware framework now, requiring large energy users to sign utility agreements, cover their share of transmission, distribution, and capacity costs, and comply with curtailment and other protections. Supporters from environmental groups and some labor and business voices said the bill was needed to prevent cost shifts to households and small businesses, while opponents argued it was being rushed, could deter investment, and might unintentionally affect other industries; several asked for more time and clearer definitions. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee also took up House Bill 470, which would authorize Delmarva Power, with PSC approval, to build and operate utility-owned battery storage and spread costs across the customer base. The sponsor and Delmarva said the bill would improve reliability quickly and help avoid outages, while the chair expressed concern that the state had not yet fully studied whether utility-owned or competitively procured storage is the best model, noting a recent SEU storage study and broader policy questions. Supporters said utility storage could be deployed faster and help with peak shaving, while others urged a competitive process; the transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 470.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:48.240> systems farmers and of distribution systems farmers and of distribution systems
• <00:09:13.200> that two also increased the amount that two also increased the amount that
• The article modified the distribution formula for town aid to ensure that the full amount of the town
• <00:10:25.279> for modified the distribution formula for modified the distribution formula
• town aid to ensure that the full amount town aid to ensure that the full amount of<00:10:27.760>

Bills: HF9

Keywords: energy policy, renewable energy standard, carbon-free standard, solar standard, hydroelectric, hydropower, electric utility, Public Utilities Commission, PUC, renewable portfolio standard, carbon capture and sequestration, CCS, greenhouse gas emissions, climate policy, nuclear power plant, certificate of need, fossil fuel plant demolition, utility compliance delay, beneficial electrification, sales tax exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• It increases the prize amount used to calculate price fees and it allows the creation of a nonprofit
• One, self-distributed brew pub with a wine and beer retailer's permit. can create an invoice and sell
• And only require them, it would count against their self-distribution cap.
• Um, and what that does is it does impact the amount of, uh, product that they are allowed to sell.
• And the, but that does go against the cap on the amount that they're that they're able to sell.

Transcript Highlights:

• supplies, an amount of money.
• There's no dollar amount. And, Bill, as... An hour. There's no dollar amount.
• So the amount of money has increased dramatically.
• Number two, it removes politics from the distribution of surplus revenues, requiring they be distributed
• Substantial amount of money by any measurement. Thank you.

Bills: SB39, SB2129, SB2141, SB2246, SB2323, SB2439, SB2722

Keywords: commercial motor vehicle, truck liability, motor carrier, trucking, civil liability, respondeat superior, negligent entrustment, negligent maintenance, negligent loading, negligent repair, bifurcated trial, exemplary damages, punitive damages, personal injury, collision, employer liability, vicarious liability, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Texas tort reform, commercial truck accident

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee reconvened on SB 2722, as substituted by Senator Bettencourt, which would redirect a portion of Harris County Toll Road Authority surplus revenues to the City of Houston and impose audit and tax-rate penalty provisions. Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz and Fire Chief Thomas Munoz testified in support, arguing that Houston bears a large share of toll-road public safety burdens, citing thousands of police and fire responses on toll-road property and the need for compensation for emergency services. Bill King, testifying neutrally, said the toll authority generates large excess revenues and urged stronger oversight and clearer controls on how the money is spent. Opponents, including Harris County officials, business and neighborhood representatives, and toll-road critics, argued the bill would divert transportation dollars, create a precedent for taking toll revenues for general municipal use, and could worsen project delivery and incentives; several also questioned the accuracy and interpretation of the revenue figures and the lack of comparable audit requirements for the city. The committee took extensive testimony but left SB 2722 pending without a vote. The committee then heard SB 2129, which would increase fines for motorists who disregard railroad crossing gates or flaggers, and SB 2323, which would redact railroad crew members’ personal information from public accident reports. Both bills were presented as safety measures, with railroad labor testimony in support, and both were left pending after brief public testimony. The committee also heard SB 2141, a Zaffirini bill concerning specialty license plates for judges, with the substitute aimed at reducing security risks by changing how judges are identified on plates; it too was left pending. Finally, the committee heard SB 2439, another Zaffirini bill, described as a TDLR cleanup measure related to ATV and off-highway vehicle safety certification. The bill would abolish the current training and certification program, which supporters said was burdensome and underused given the small number of approved instructors statewide. With no significant opposition on the record, the committee closed testimony and left SB 2439 pending as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, that's a very big amount.
• So this can determine a credit amount.
• are interconnected to a distribution are interconnected to a distribution system,<00:54:11.760><
• <00:59:10.559> energy report interconnected distributed energy report interconnected distributed
• However, the at a certain dollar amount.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :49.359> amount<01:02:49.599> that<01:02:49.760> is amount uh represents the amount
• those amounts would cancel otherwise. those amounts would cancel otherwise.
• That would be a temporary reduction to the highway user tax distribution amounts from 43.5% currently
• <01:43:37.280> amounts<01:43:38.080> um<01:43:38.239> from distribution amounts
• um from distribution amounts um from 43.5%<01:43:40.239> currently<01:43:40.719> to<01:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• compute the amount of net taxes owed. compute the amount of net taxes owed.
• <00:58:32.799> Uh the amount that is appropriated. Uh the amount that is appropriated.
• distributions exceeds the amount appropriated for the aid.
• aid distributions exceeds the amount<00:59:53.040> appropriated<00:59:53.599> for<00:59
• <00:59:54.640> So, amount appropriated for the aid. So, amount appropriated for the aid.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, the minutes for the previous meeting were distributed to the committee.
• It's a good amount, and I can provide that to the committee. Continue.
• allowable amount.
• So the money is being distributed.
• And that unreimbursed amount, or under-reimbursement amount, represents $2.7 million in unpaid ambulance

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee was called to order, a quorum was established, and the minutes from the prior meeting were approved. The first major presentation came from Montana Public Employees Retirement System executive director William Hollahan, who gave an overview of Montana’s Volunteer Firefighters’ Compensation Act plan. He explained that the plan covers volunteer firefighters in unincorporated areas, is funded by 5% of state fire insurance premium taxes, and currently serves 228 departments with about 2,936 active members and 1,242 retirees. He described eligibility rules, annual training and reporting requirements, benefit levels for partial and full pensions, disability, death, medical, and funeral benefits, and said the plan is actuarially sound with roughly $60 million in assets and a funded ratio slightly above 100%. Committee members asked about prior-service credit, whether EMS personnel are included, the effect on recruitment and retention, and whether expanding coverage would require a funding analysis; Hollahan said prior service is not credited, EMS is not currently included, and any expansion would need financial review. Tim Walleen of Workforce Safety and Insurance then presented a draft North Dakota workers’ compensation solution for volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMS personnel. He explained that volunteer responders are already covered by workers’ comp for medical and wage-loss benefits, but the proposal would set a minimum annual wage of $30,000 for calculating wage-loss benefits for qualifying volunteers, with the benefit paid at two-thirds of that amount. Representative Porter suggested tying the volunteer definition to existing code rather than a fixed dollar amount, and Walleen agreed. Questions focused on whether search and rescue or other volunteer emergency services could be included, whether departments would face new paperwork, and whether volunteer organizations can already elect coverage; Walleen said there would be no additional paperwork and that volunteer coverage is already available. The committee also heard from volunteer fire service representatives and the state fire marshal. An Oakes-area firefighter, Mr. Olson, testified that small departments are struggling with retention, communication, and administrative burdens, especially around separate bookkeeping and funding rules for donated or fundraising money, and he said departments need clearer guidance from the state. State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark introduced himself and outlined a broader effort to improve education, support, and coordination for fire departments, including a planned 10% audit of certificates of existence beginning in 2027, more outreach through his office, and better assistance with training, reporting, and grant access. He said his office is authorized under current law to provide these services, but the role has been vague and underused. Finally, Arnagard Rural Fire District Chief Rick Schreiber testified in favor of new recruitment and retention ideas, including retirement-style benefits, health insurance, tax incentives, scholarships, grants, and more remote or regional training. He said volunteer departments are losing members, that local tax and donation funds are already stretched, and that any new retirement or incentive program should be sustainable and likely involve a mix of state and local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• This academic year, the award amount decreased by 35%.
• What deters people from practicing in underserved areas is the amount of school debt.
• There is a fair amount of discretion among hospitals, providers, and health plans about how to reach
• This would also utilize an existing distribution model that already exists.
• Including the small amount going to the health care for striking workers and zero premium programs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Compensation leave, removing inconsistencies relating to survivor pensions, clarifying the amount of
• House Bill 4, An Act Relating to Health Care Affordability, Adjusting the Distributions to the Health
• of the tax imposed pursuant to the Oil and Gas Conservation Tax Act distributed to the fund, amending
• an act relating to health care, amending definitions in the Medical Malpractice Act, limiting the amount
• of time that money in the fund will revert by one year, reducing the amount of time that unreserved

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:

• It's going to be an equal distribution, whether you live in the Berkshires or you're in Boston, from
• the North Shore to Cape Cod, that distribution will go back to entities in this budget.
• Unfortunately, when it comes to the distribution of supplemental Fair Share money, we're following a
• program distribution formula of 60% road mileage, 20% population, and 20% employment.
• to all municipalities based on their proportional amount of local road mileage.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and received a resignation letter from Rep. Fana Howard of Lowell, effective March 17, 2026, as she transitioned to the Senate. The chamber then took up several procedural orders, including multiple unanimous or voice-vote suspensions of rules and concurrence with Senate petitions, such as referrals on housing and student transportation matters, and a suspension of Joint Rule 12 for a petition involving children served by DCF. The main substantive item was House No. 5264, a fiscal year 2026 supplemental appropriations bill totaling about $1.8 billion. Members discussed its use of Fair Share surtax surplus funds for transportation and education, including major support for the MBTA, special education circuit breaker costs, early education and child care, snow and ice costs, regional transit authorities, and other deficiencies such as GIC and sheriff costs. Members also explained the bill’s tax conformity provisions responding to recent federal tax changes, with debate over whether to delay conformity to limit state revenue exposure. The House adopted a consolidated amendment to the bill and then passed it to be engrossed by roll call vote, 150-3. The House also adopted a resolution commending the Admetek Foundation on Prostate Cancer Awareness Day. Several local bills were advanced, including a sick leave bank for a Department of Corrections employee, a bill waiving the minimum age requirement for a Boston police officer, a Nantucket charter bill, a Stoneham public safety bill, and a Malden special police officers bill, the last of which was amended before being engrossed. The chamber also considered Amendment 43 to redistribute $100 million of Fair Share revenue more evenly to municipalities for roads and education; supporters argued the current distribution favored statewide priorities over local aid, while opponents said the formula would not adequately address rural road needs. That amendment was rejected 128-25. The House then recessed several times, observed moments of silence for local public servants, welcomed visiting youth sports teams, and finally ordered adjournment to meet the next day at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• They have a tremendous amount of expertise.
• Two, it removes politics from the distribution of surplus revenues, requiring they be appropriately distributed
• And you had the ability to for a tremendous amount of money. This is not a small amount of money.
• So, in number one, it says 30% of that remaining amount shall be distributed...
• I have distributed that letter to the committee for the record.

Bills: HB2065, HB2462, HB2621, HB3187, HB3539, HB3563, HB3726, HB4164, HB4207, HB4368, HB4706, HB4916, HB4950, HB4967, HB5177, HB4429, HB5597

Keywords: commercial vehicles, parking regulations, residential areas, local governance, land use, traffic safety, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, regional transportation, mobility program, sales tax, public infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• You all have not decreased that amount or set that amount based on what's going into the EFA program.
• You all go through the adequacy process and set that amount.
• You all go through the adequacy process and set that amount.
• The EFA amount is about 90% of foundation funding.
• I'm not sure that amount. Do you have the numbers?

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation would allow Massachusetts brew pubs to self-distribute a limited amount of beer.
• My question is: you guys were talking about limited distribution.
• What would limited distribution mean?
• Are you referring to Caleb Heliotis's group, the pub bill for limited distribution? Yes, yes.
• . ...but we are willing to work with the wholesalers on negotiating a different amount.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a public hearing on a wide range of alcohol, liquor licensing, and hemp-derived beverage bills. Early in the hearing, there was a procedural dispute when Senator Jacob Oliveira attempted to testify virtually on S. 279; the House chairs declined to recognize virtual testimony from a committee member, and Senator Pavel Payano instead read prepared remarks supporting the bill to return liquor license authority to municipalities. The committee then heard testimony on H. 437/S. 279 from the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Cohasset Town Manager Christopher Senior, both of whom argued that local control would streamline licensing, better match modern community needs, and support downtown economic development. A Lexington business owner also supported local licensing flexibility for a paint-and-sip business seeking a beer and wine license. The committee also heard extensive testimony on hemp-derived beverage regulation, including H. 357 and S. 222. Supporters from the Commonwealth Beverage Coalition and Theory Wellness said the products are already widely available in unregulated settings, including gas stations and smoke shops, and argued for a regulated framework with age limits, testing, labeling, and local public health funding. The Massachusetts Brewers Guild supported regulation of low-dose hemp beverages but asked that breweries be allowed to participate using their existing retail and distribution rights. The Guild also supported H. 478, which would allow limited self-distribution by pub breweries, saying it would reduce inefficiency and help small breweries grow. Several bills modernizing alcohol licensing laws were also discussed. Representative Ruel supported H. 477, describing it as a cleanup measure that would remove the contiguous-premises requirement, add a character standard for applicants, and extend public notice periods. Representative Sangiolo testified in support of H. 3893, a local liquor-license bill tied to economic development and new businesses in Lexington, including a movie theater, coffee shop, and paint studio. Fable Brewing Company also supported the local license bill, saying the licenses are needed before they can finalize leases and open. The committee then heard opposition from the Massachusetts Package Stores Association and several retailers, who warned that the retail tier is under pressure from oversaturation, declining revenues, and expanded competition, and opposed a long list of bills they said would further weaken existing stores or the three-tier system. At the end of the hearing, Representative McKenna testified in support of H. 437 and S. 279, emphasizing municipal autonomy and the importance of on-premises licenses for restaurants and other economic-development projects. The chairs noted that additional written testimony could still be submitted on bills that did not receive in-person testimony. The hearing concluded with a motion by Representative Sangiolo, seconded by Representative LeBoeuf, to close the hearing, which passed by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislature then appropriates educational funding and informs OSPI of the biennium amount related
• After OSPI determined and informs OSPI of the biannium amount related to the budget, and the budget is
• I think that that's the amount per biennium, but let's find out.
• Why don't you describe what that... ...amounts to? Sure.
• didn’t hear that it was distributed to the school districts, which I thought it was.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The committee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on OSPI’s school apportionment system, which distributes K-12 funding to districts. Auditors said the system and its underlying 2008-era infrastructure are outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of errors or failure. They also found weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and monitoring, with heavy reliance on a small number of staff and vendor knowledge. In limited testing of three districts, the system calculated 2023–24 funding correctly, but auditors identified small discrepancies between state budget inputs and underlying statutory language and said broader system risks remain unresolved. JLARC members asked about the scope of the district testing, whether smaller districts face greater risk, the meaning of the funding discrepancies, and whether the system could support a future change to a simpler per-student funding formula. Auditors said the discrepancies were small but could compound into millions statewide, and that the audit did not evaluate broader policy questions or alternative system owners. They recommended OSPI modernize or replace the system and address current control weaknesses while the new platform is developed. OSPI officials largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said a feasibility study completed in 2024 found the system at catastrophic risk of failure. They clarified that the Legislature had approved up to $16 million in the state IT pool for the project, but that funding is released through gated oversight and not all of it had yet been appropriated for the current biennium. OSPI disputed the auditor’s characterization of some rounding and budget-law issues, saying the calculations were consistent with agency rules and legislative inputs, and explained that some manual workarounds are used to handle newer statutory requirements. One member of the public testified in support of modernizing the system and strengthening controls. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Back in 2017, our distribution to the Water Trust Board was zero.
• We receive an 8.1 net distribution.
• So the Water Trust Fund distribution, the severance tax distribution, Madam Chair, all come at the end
• That's our goal here: to reduce the amount of time. To apply for the funding.
• You all already give us that severance tax distribution.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other two individuals submitted their comments to me, and Paul will distribute them to the members
• The more money there is, the more benefits can be distributed to various beneficiaries.
• You can find our app at my address online, and we're happy to distribute those to you.
• So we cut benefits, reduced the amount of money going out, and increased the amount of money coming in
• On the next slide, slide 11, I mentioned I would come back to the power law distribution.