Transcript Highlights:

• We had some surplus, and so you guys funded it out of the surplus funds.
• Again, I imagine we'll be going through this and we go through the line by line, but just in general
• And then we're happy to do the line by line, and I've got a crack team behind me who's just itching to
• <01:26:14.880> within that was moved to its own line within that was moved to its own line
• You deal with surplus statements; you deal with the highway fund surplus, the fishing and game surplus

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II committee heard a Department of Education budget presentation from Commissioner Frank Edelblut and CFO Tammy Valen-cour. The department outlined its organizational structure and emphasized that it functions largely as a flow-through agency for school funding. The commissioner reviewed general fund and Education Trust Fund items, including state aid, dropout prevention, special education, building aid, lease aid, charter schools, Education Freedom Accounts, and the district adequacy calculation. He also highlighted the public school infrastructure fund, saying the state has invested well over $50 million in school safety since 2018 for measures such as access controls, locks, and window film, and argued that safety spending should be ongoing rather than reactive. Members asked about the variability in the school infrastructure line, special education aid, and the Discovery Education learning platform. Edelblut explained that some safety funding had come from one-time surplus appropriations rather than the agency line, and said special education aid was underappropriated because districts submitted more invoices than expected; he said the governor added $16 million to address the shortfall. He also described CTE renovation funding, noting four projects were initially proposed but only Jaffrey and Milford were still moving forward, with local votes required and the state covering 75% of costs. He said Milford’s project was omitted from the governor’s budget by oversight. The department also reviewed enrollment trends, noting public school enrollment has fallen from about 230,000 students in 2002 to about 185,000 today. Edelblut clarified that charter students are not eligible for Education Freedom Accounts, while EFA students attending non-public schools are counted as EFA students. He described several one-time surplus-funded initiatives, including Student Clearinghouse, MTSSB work, civics curriculum development, computer science education, and adult education. He also discussed a $4 million CTE tuition and transportation grant, saying it was kept as a competitive grant rather than a formula grant to avoid creating an ongoing maintenance-of-effort commitment that could jeopardize federal Perkins funding. In the final portion, Edelblut identified prioritized needs in the department’s budget, especially funding for a state administrator for assessment to support the legislatively required civics assessment, and additional support for the Discovery Education platform. He said every school in the state is using the platform and cited more than 1.5 million educator engagements, while a member raised concerns about mixed reviews and uneven district awareness of the program. No votes or formal actions were taken during the presentation and question period.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay so we're really chipping away at that so-called surplus.
• So, part of this surplus...
• So effectively a surplus.
• I know the surplus number.
• Went line by line, and we've reduced from 332 rules to 56 rules, so pretty.

Keywords: budget, House Bill 1, public education, healthcare, border security, federal funding, spending limits

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on reviewing the proposed budget for the upcoming biennium, with substantial discussions around House Bill 1 and its implications for public education, healthcare, and border security. The Comptroller presented a revenue overview indicating a total of $194.6 billion available for general purpose spending, which reflects a slight decrease compared to previous years due to fluctuating economic conditions. Members raised questions regarding spending limits and the impact of federal funding on state programs, highlighting concerns about the sustainability of funding in light of potential changes at the federal level.

Transcript Highlights:

• From the 23 to 25, we still have a surplus but part of it is it safe to say that part of that surplus
• So, part of this surplus, vast majority of the surplus, The majority of the surplus for this buy-in is
• So effectively a surplus.
• I know the surplus number.
• And so in the process of review, we'll. went line by line, and we've reduced from 332 rules to 56 rules

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't represent communities with the Orange Line and the Red Line, the Green Line, the Blue Line.
• I don't represent communities with the orange line and the red line, the green line, the blue line.
• red line at Ashland.
• Line trolley service.
• and the Mattapan line.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up Senate House No. 4010, a fiscal year 2025 supplemental appropriations bill funded largely by surplus Fair Share revenues. The Ways and Means chair described the bill as a $1.28 billion package, with major investments in education and transportation, including special education circuit breaker aid, higher education deferred maintenance, career technical education capital grants, school construction relief, high-dosage tutoring, English language learning grants, MBTA reserve replenishment and safety training, commuter rail maintenance, Chapter 90 local road aid, regional transit authority support, ferry and micro-transit funding, and a small World Cup transportation appropriation. Members from both parties generally praised the bill’s one-time, regionally balanced approach while emphasizing fiscal discipline and the limited, surplus-based funding source. The minority leader and others questioned the fund balances and the use of the education and transportation innovation and capital fund, the Student Opportunity Act trust fund, and the transitional escrow account; the chair said the bill would zero out the innovation and capital fund, leave about $430 million in the SOA trust, and about $200 million in the escrow account. Several members highlighted specific priorities. Senator Cronin and Senator Feeney strongly supported the $100 million career technical education investment, arguing it would expand vocational opportunities in comprehensive high schools and help meet workforce needs. Senator Feeney also emphasized MBTA funding, special education, local road repairs, English language learning tied to workforce needs, and World Cup preparations in Foxborough. Senator Comerford praised the bill’s regional equity, higher education maintenance funding, special education support, and transportation investments, while also noting the need for broader future work on Chapter 70 and school finance. Senator Tarr supported the bill but repeatedly stressed that the spending was a unique one-time opportunity and that the Commonwealth should preserve fiscal reserves and continue to address school funding inequities and MBTA finances more broadly. The chamber then considered numerous amendments. Amendment 1 on tariff pricing transparency was withdrawn after brief remarks, and Amendment 14, proposing a DESE study on educational outcomes for young men and boys, was rejected. Amendment 182, funding Worcester Regional Transit Authority capital expenses, was adopted. Amendment 228, adding $500,000 for Free Period to expand access to menstrual products in schools, was adopted. Amendment 257, funding Springfield Public Schools communication and safety systems, was also adopted. Other amendments, including Tarr amendments on supplemental district aid, MBTA reporting, and the Foundation Budget Review Commission, were rejected. Amendment 308 concerning MBTA Communities and Milton was withdrawn, after which Senator Driscoll began a presentation arguing Milton was being misclassified under the MBTA Communities Act and should be treated fairly under the law.

Transcript Highlights:

• Surplus lines insurance is a specialized coverage.
• Available from certain insurers, not licensed in Texas, but eligible as surplus lines carriers.
• However, TDI does license and regulate the surplus lines agents.
• A surplus lines agent must make a diligent to obtain the insurance from an insurer authorized to write
• that kind of insurance in Texas before place. placing that coverage with the surplus lines carrier.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's on page 723, line 28.
• And those two lines, line 12 and 13, if you're ultimately going to want to do those or a combination
• are you just reading between the lines are you just reading between the lines there<01:07:50.200
• <01:08:04.839> 26 thank uh next section so 20 lines 26 thank uh next section so 20 lines 26
• statement on line seven.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II work session focused on organizing the committee’s remaining budget work and reviewing a set of recommended changes to House Bills 1 and 2. Mr. Landrian explained the committee’s tracking sheets and draft amendment package, noted that the division was being asked to find roughly $200 million in reductions, and said the governor’s lottery proposal in House Bill 2 could help offset part of that target. Members also discussed how revenue estimates tied to fee changes would be handled, with the chair saying the committee could seek Ways and Means input but would ultimately decide the estimates itself. The committee then considered four mostly technical amendments to House Bill 2. It voted unanimously to delete Section 81, which duplicated CCSNH dual and concurrent enrollment language already moving in House Bill 192; to delete Sections 143 and 144, which duplicated police standards and training extra-duty language already in House Bill 778; to adopt a correction to Section 151 that removed an inadvertently repeated sentence; and to delete Section 178 because the same Lottery Commission language already appears in House Bill 1. The committee also agreed to approve Section 4 of House Bill 1, the Lottery Commission boilerplate language, while deferring action on Section 2 of House Bill 1 until the university and community college budget is settled. A substantial portion of the meeting was spent planning upcoming work sessions and discussing possible revenue measures. The committee planned to invite Fish and Game on Monday to review a large set of follow-up materials and to discuss a possible amendment requiring hunters and trappers to pay the license fee before taking free training classes, with a second chance to retake the class if needed. Members also discussed possible fee adjustments for Safety and Fish and Game, including using dedicated-fund fees to reduce reliance on general funds and help stabilize the Highway Fund and Fish and Game Fund. The chair emphasized that all actions were recommendations until the committee’s final deadline and encouraged members to review draft language carefully before voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, line 18 is the House moving um up $8 Um, line 18 is the House moving um up $8 million<00:03:19.040
• Line 24 and 25 the house is benium.
• Lines uh 28 through 34 are the M.
• Then moving down to um line transfers.
• <00:13:30.480> un provision um making surplus un provision um making surplus un appropriations

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to collect taxes from the surplus lines producers, and last year that was only about 5% of
• We're going to collect taxes from the surplus lines producers, and last year that was only about 5% of
• We're going to collect taxes from the surplus lines producers, and last year that was only about 5% of
• We're going to collect taxes from the surplus lines producers, and last year that was only about 5% of
• Surplus lines Market which is Surplus lines Market which is significantly<03:54:40.479> more<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting featured presentations from the Department of Administrative Services and the Treasury Department on state revenue reporting and unclaimed property. State Comptroller Dana Call explained DAS’s role in compiling statewide revenue reports, including the annual revenue plan set through the budget process and the monthly revenue focus reports that track cash receipts. She noted that unrestricted general fund revenue is about $2 billion annually, while miscellaneous other revenue is a much smaller and less predictable category, averaging roughly $30 million to $32 million a year. She also described two more material internal revenue lines: statewide indirect cost recoveries and post-retirement benefit recoveries, which are billed to agencies and often tied to federal reimbursement rules. Members asked about the interest line in the revenue charts and about how the figures were presented, and Call clarified that the totals were in millions and that the interest item would be explained by the Treasurer. She also explained that the indirect cost and post-retirement recoveries are internal cost allocations that flow back into the unrestricted revenue pool and are reflected in agency budgets as interagency costs. Treasurer Monica Meissner then outlined Treasury Department functions, including bank deposits, statewide disbursements, banking relationships, investments, debt management, compliance, the FONA College Savings Program, the ABLE Plan, scholarship programs, and the abandoned property program. In discussing unclaimed property, she said holders report property after a five-year dormancy period, the state uses automated systems and outreach to locate owners, and claim activity has increased. In fiscal year 2024, the state returned about $12.2 million to citizens through roughly 12,000 claims; over the last 10 years, about $72.6 million has been returned. She also said the state escheated $19.9 million to the general fund and $1.8 million to counties last year, and explained that securities-related proceeds are harder to estimate because they depend on market conditions. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:20.280> or if a tractor crosses a county line or if a tractor crosses a county line
• Personnel to purchase their Surplus Personnel to purchase their Surplus badges<00:10:19.120>
• Chair and members of the committee, on page one, lines 19 and 20?
• Chair and members of the committee, on page one, lines 19 and 20?
• Chair and members of the committee, on page one, lines 19 and 20?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sylvium, you'd explain line 1.11.
• Opposed, say no. have a explanation on page and line if have a explanation on page and line if you<00
• At line 1.3, it modifies the changes.
• All right, just a a a technical question.<00:02:44.000> Line question. Line question.
• Sylvium you'd explain um line one U Mr. Sylvium you'd explain um line one uh<00:03:39.840> 11.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know acquisition of right-of-way moving digital phone lines, water lines, power lines, whatever may
• I would say last year, the surplus revenue transfer was 194. Yes, sir. 194 million? Yes, sir.
• And then, whatever's remaining is subject to a surplus transfer.
• So how do you have a 200 million dollar surplus but a multi-billion? $15 debt. Yeah.
• Surplus means I don't have debt. I think you all need to re-evaluate that.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, but that return of surplus line, that maximum reserve line, should be somewhere, again, in my opinion
• there would still be a return of surplus there would still be a return of surplus to<01:46:01.440
• Uh but that return of surplus<01:46:57.760> line,<01:46:58.560> that<01:46:58.880> maximum
• <01:46:59.440> reserve<01:46:59.840> line surplus line, that maximum reserve line surplus
• line, that maximum reserve line should<01:47:00.800> be<01:47:00.960> somewhere<01:47:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:46:54.480> No<01:46:54.719> surplus<01:46:55.600> coming surplus.
• No surplus coming surplus. Guess what?
• He had a $4.5 billion surplus. deficit. He had a $4.5 billion surplus.
• <01:54:55.360> $4 Blew through a $4 billion surplus. $4 Blew through a $4 billion surplus.
• Most of which is going to go to fraud. going line by line by that down through going line by line by

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the journal, and then moved out of order to consider Senate Joint Resolution 10, a resolution celebrating Lunar New Year 2026. The resolution highlighted Colorado’s observed Lunar New Year holiday, the cultural significance of the holiday to Asian-American communities, and the contributions of Asian-Americans in Colorado. Several members spoke in support, including remarks about the Far East Center, Asian-American heritage, and the importance of recognizing the holiday statewide. The chamber also welcomed a number of guests and groups for the Lunar New Year observance, including state and international dignitaries, community leaders, and lion dancers. Representative Soer and others introduced guests and offered brief remarks; the House then recessed briefly for the celebration. After returning, the House adopted Senate Joint Resolution 10 by a vote of 60 ayes, with five excused and no no votes. Following the resolution, members made announcements about committee meetings and visiting student groups, including District 6 Day, Disability Rights Advocacy Day, and several school groups at the Capitol. The House then took up third reading of supplemental appropriations bills. House Bill 1150, a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Agriculture, passed on third reading. House Bill 1151, a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Corrections, prompted extended debate over prison funding, inmate care, staffing, and parole-related concerns; members argued both for humane treatment and for fiscal restraint, and discussion was still ongoing in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The surplus is strong and it's growing.
• Don't forget, we have $2 billion in our surplus still, even after this.
• It's time to return the surplus to the taxpayers.
• This is about the surplus, a projected $2.4 billion surplus that this bill only spends $1.8 billion of
• We have a $2.5 billion surplus.

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program<00:05:04.880> and surplus land revitalization program and surplus land revitalization
• <00:05:16.720> and they consider the property surplus and they consider the property surplus
• It's also designed to make surplus land.
• DOT and the Business surplus DOT land.
• Um I would say designate it as surplus.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I have to thank the surplus that we gathered, you know, several years ago, and uh our amenity here
• <00:03:23.200> that<00:03:23.440> we have to thank the the surplus that we have to
• uh in the environment committee surplus uh in the environment committee that<00:03:58.400> we
• So, if it didn't make it into this bill, there's still hope that it can cross that finish line, right
• And we did that finish line, right?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• over the surplus statement really quick. over the surplus statement really quick. uh<00:05:23.680
• surplus beginning into the next bianium. surplus beginning into the next bianium.
• Thank you, Senator<00:16:58.240> Line.
• Senator Line. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Senator Line. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• While I don't like the finish line.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• it was determined that those surplus it was determined that those surplus funds<00:18:30.159>
• <00:54:54.720> 21<00:54:55.119> to<00:54:55.319> 24 um lines the Bold in lines
• 21 to 24 um lines the Bold in lines 21 to 24 so<00:54:58.160> um<00:54:58.440> I<00:54
• the pool just disappears and that line the pool just disappears and that line and<01:03:43.760><
• question so we are for most of the lines question so we are for most of the lines of<01:34:38.280

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 33, the Senate accepts the Act.
• On line 34, the Senate accepts program.
• menstrual products access as a separate line item rider.
• This on line 57, the Senate back.
• So in the case of a surplus uh now350.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Every one of our budget bills passed on essentially a party-line vote.
• See, we have a $3 billion surplus."
• <00:08:21.360> And<00:08:21.520> what have a $3 billion surplus."
• And what have a $3 billion surplus."
• I've been telling motans is that surplus I've been telling motans is that surplus is<00:08:23.960

Keywords: 1187, senate, all