Transcript Highlights:

• I am definitely voting for this budget. I am definitely voting for this budget.
• It's not my budget, it's not Representative Harrison's budget, it's not even Chair Bonham's budget.
• I would suggest this is not a liberal budget. It's not even a conservative budget necessarily.
• What it is is a responsible budget. It's not even a conservative budget necessarily.
• I'm going to vote for this budget because Representative Howard said, a responsible budget for the needs

Summary: The House met in a late-session floor session that began with prayer, pledges, quorum, and a series of excused absences and Senate messages reporting action on numerous bills, conference committee appointments, and conference reports. Members also adopted a memorial resolution honoring Mark James Hanna, a Capitol lobbyist and advocate for nurses, and a congratulatory resolution for Rishi Tarumalasetti, an eighth-grade civics bee winner from Katy. The chamber also received and recorded a parliamentary colloquy about an unusual Senate request on SB 293, with the Chair stating the House could not recede from only part of its amendments and could not suspend the rules because the bill had not been returned from the Senate. The bulk of the session was devoted to taking up conference committee reports and related procedural resolutions, especially the state budget. The House adopted a resolution allowing the SB 1 conferees to go outside the normal bounds, then adopted the SB 1 conference report on a 107-21 vote. Debate on the budget centered on public education funding, tax relief, health care, corrections pay, and judicial compensation, with supporters calling it a responsible compromise and opponents arguing it was overly expansive and insufficient on property tax relief. The House also adopted a technical correction resolution tying judicial pay increases in SB 1 to the House version of SB 293, and members discussed at length the relationship between judicial salaries and legislative pensions. The chamber then adopted a long series of conference reports on measures covering topics such as school library review and book challenges (SB 13), SNAP restrictions on sweetened drinks and candy (SB 379), hospital price transparency (SB 331), nursing home accountability (SB 457), school district personnel compensation conflicts (HB 3372), property notice rules (HB 2011), research and development tax credits (SB 2018), and several other bills affecting elections, permits, education, and criminal justice. Most reports passed by wide margins, though some drew significant opposition, especially SB 13 and SB 379. The House also granted several Senate requests for conference committees and introduced additional resolutions to suspend conferee limits on various bills as the session moved toward adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• :38:10.079> and<00:38:10.320> my processing, my writing, and my processing, my writing,
• county, and control your local budgets. county, and control your local budgets.
• The town budget cap language is exactly the same language currently in the school district budget cap
• Budget caps are currently manner.
• A town to override the budget cap.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• necessary for due process in 2026. necessary for due process in 2026.
• our budget. our budget.
• Is that how the<01:18:14.719> process? the process? the process?
• process.
• Chair, um I had a question about process. process. process.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• budget in our budget as we speak today. budget in our budget as we speak today.
• and that's during the bienial budget and that's during the bienial budget process<00:55:10.559><
• > budget<01:06:21.280> conversation, through that budget conversation, through that budget
• in your uh budget bill. in your uh budget bill.
• Haven't looked at it, but I like this<03:57:39.199> process this process this process and<03:57

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On slide nine, you see 3% budget growth.
• The scenario of a 3% budget growth versus a 14% budget growth is concerning.
• an FY30 budget impact.
• process versus trying to set aside money.
• That should raise questions as we get into the budget development process this fall of whether the eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• um uh C the 7,648 it's the same process um uh C the 7,648 it's the same process it<00:17:56.559>
• policy uh we all saw that this process policy uh we all saw that this process needs<00:21:36.960
• Does the appeal process or the dispute process add to cost? As I think...
• <01:12:40.520> on quarter uh of their entire Budget on quarter uh of their entire Budget on
• The school budgets work the same way as what I just described as the town budget.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on HB 563, which would revise the education funding formula for pupils receiving special education services by replacing the current single special education amount with three differentiated categories. Representative Rick Ladd, the prime sponsor, said the bill largely tracks a House-passed version from the prior session with minor figure adjustments, and explained that the proposal uses projected FY26 amounts for three categories based on time in general education versus more intensive placements. He also noted that the bill does not address catastrophic aid directly, but that special education aid, CAT aid, and proration all remain issues for later work sessions. Ladd and supporters argued that weighted categories better reflect actual costs and are more sustainable than treating all IEPs the same. Representative Margaret Drye said the approach was one of the best ideas from the education funding subcommittee and urged the committee to support differentiated aid. Representative Ames asked how the category amounts were derived, and Ladd said Category A follows the FY26 base, Category B is a higher weight, and Category C is a still higher weight for more intensive services, though he acknowledged the exact multipliers were developed earlier and could be revisited. He also said the committee would continue discussing whether the weights are appropriate and how they interact with CAT aid. Testimony from Bonnie Dunham strongly opposed the bill. She argued that funding based on placement rather than actual service need would create incentives to move students into more restrictive settings, could stigmatize children with labels such as "Category C," and would undermine the least restrictive environment requirements under federal special education law. She described her son’s experience in inclusive settings as beneficial and said the bill would have penalized the district for serving him there. In response to questions, she said schools and parents should base funding on the child’s actual needs and costs, not on placement, and urged the committee to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate.

Transcript Highlights:

• what contributes to an IEP the process what contributes to an IEP the process and<00:22:02.640><
• , you know, in the detail of our budget, you know, in the detail of our budget, for<00:28:29.440>
• section of our budget for as an example. section of our budget for as an example.
• in the IEP process in the in the process in the IEP process in the in the public<00:49:34.480> school
• You're really trying to think far ahead, and I think that is why sometimes during the budget process

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to continue its study of the cost of special education, with the chair emphasizing that the group needs to narrow its focus over the coming year toward specific cost drivers, including the IEP process, Medicaid, charter schools, and EFAs. Members reviewed a draft first report due November 1 and agreed it would be a brief synopsis of prior meetings, with minutes attached. The September 30, 2025 minutes were amended to correct the number of federally funded department staff from 234 to 23, and to revise language about Senator Sullivan’s comments so they reflected concerns about IEP advocates and fees charged to families rather than support for the concept. The amended minutes were then approved unanimously, with abstentions noted for members who were absent. The main presentation focused on how special education costs are handled for students attending charter schools. The DOE representative said there are 804 students with disabilities in charter schools across 88 of the state’s 176 districts, and that the district of residence remains responsible for all services and costs. She explained that students must meet IDEA criteria through district evaluation and parent consent, and that services are determined through individual IEP meetings rather than by a blanket charter-school decision. Members asked how those costs are tracked, whether any students are merely “monitored,” and whether districts separately identify charter-school special education expenses; the answer was that most districts fold those costs into their overall special education budget, though some may break them out as a line item. The discussion then turned to transportation and mileage costs for staff providing services at charter schools. Testimony indicated that districts may use their own staff, contract staff, or contract with a charter school for certified services, and that travel costs are often either built into contracts or absorbed as part of staff time rather than separately reimbursed. Members questioned whether mileage is reimbursed when staff travel to distant charter schools and whether those costs can be isolated in district budgets; the response was that practices vary by district and are not usually broken out by special education function. Several members argued this makes it difficult to determine the true cost of delivering special education, especially given New Hampshire’s model in which the district of residence pays regardless of where the charter school is located. The chair noted the complexity of the system and compared it to the state’s separate tuition and transportation approach for career and technical education centers.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Ansel um budget staff member.
• The budget for the judiciary, and as your chair of judiciary and Hawaiian affairs, this is the big budget
• Similar to last year, the CIP budget Similar to last year, the CIP budget contains<00:51:47.440>
• The state budget is where policy budget.
• try to achieve a balanced budget try to achieve a balanced budget and<01:08:34.680> and<01

Bills: HR203, SB2802, SB3081, SB2902, SB2005, SB3252, SB2096, SB2095, SB2046, SB2999, SB3103, SB83, SB2041, SB3234, SB3156, SB3154, SB2146, SB2053, SB2010, SB2009, SB2667, SB3215, SB2698, SB2363, SB2372, SB2673, SB2948, SB2277, SB2057, SB3085, SB3025, SB2761

Keywords: H.R. 203, House Resolution, Hawaii education, teacher of the year, educator recognition, Jessica Canyon, Natsumi Yamasato, Jodi Kadoyama, Mānana Elementary School, National Blue Ribbon School, Teach For America Hawaiʻi, public education, K-12, elementary school, STEM education, literacy, teacher appreciation, school excellence, Hawaiʻi Legislature, keiki

Transcript Highlights:

• It interacts in the state budget.
• I'm the Budget Director at the California Budget and Policy Center based here in Sacramento.
• through the budget.
• What are the budget subcommittees looking at every year, the spending side of the budget?
• . general fund budget.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• your support in this bianual budget your support in this bianual budget around<00:14:58.959>
• ledgers and you know monthly budget ledgers and you know monthly budget tracking,<01:00:55.359><
• The budget actually budgeted in fiscal year 25 close to 900,000, but that number as the end of May is
• The budget actually budgeted in number.
• <01:46:45.840> million<01:46:46.560> because budget we budgeted uh 5 million because budget

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a full quorum and approved the prior minutes. Members offered introductions of guests and family members, then heard a presentation from University of Louisville President Thomas Jared Bradley, who was sworn in before testifying. He described his background and outlined U of L’s strategic priorities: student success, access and affordability, workforce development, community engagement, and research. Bradley highlighted enrollment growth, increases in first-generation and Pell-eligible students, strong transfer pathways with KCTCS, and support programs such as the Cardinal Commitment Grant, 15-to-Finish, Comeback Cards, tutoring, mentoring, and mental health services. Bradley also emphasized U of L’s statewide and regional impact through UofL Health, rural outreach, the Bullitt County rural cancer education and research center, nursing expansion, and the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. He noted major institutional distinctions, including R1 status, a new Carnegie Opportunity College and University designation, and community-engaged classification. He said the university is one of only 10 public universities nationwide with all three designations and reported record enrollment, improved retention, and strong research expenditures. He also thanked lawmakers for significant capital and operating support, including funding for the simulation center, health science center, asset preservation, and the MEP program. During questions, members praised the university’s public service role and asked about first-generation enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and post-graduation outcomes. Bradley said the university is working to improve completion by expanding academic support, early alerts, incentives for tutoring, and faculty/advisor mentoring, especially for first-generation and high-need students. He acknowledged that post-graduation employment data is difficult to collect but said the new Carnegie classification reflects positive outcomes. No votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and no formal actions were taken on legislation in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Current budget has $1.4 billion...
• So what does that do to those budgets?
• But to tell them that, I'm sorry, your budget lid is But to tell them that, I'm sorry, your budget lid
• I am so thankful that we have that process, that we don't rush through things, that we have that process
• But first, of course, was the budget and related revenue bills necessary to balance the budget.

Bills: LR509, LR510, LR511

Keywords: congratulations, Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame, Deloris Marshall Adamson, recognition, achievement, service, retirement, Nebraska Legislature, public service, legislature, Nebraska, 956, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, of course, set up that we have a base budget review process that we do and go over that and
• The total budget for education, and this is different than the base budget that we'll talk about later
• The total budget for education, and this is different than the base budget that we'll talk about later
• which i don't believe you see in a lot of the other budgets that you have Our budget, which I don't
• It's your base budget, so it's really your recurring part of your budget.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting of the session and received an overview of the Higher Education Appropriations budget from staff director Tim Elwell. He explained the committee’s broad jurisdiction over universities, state colleges, district workforce programs, vocational rehabilitation, blind services, student financial aid, private colleges, and the Board of Governors, and reviewed key budget concepts such as local funds, funds per FTE, performance funding, and the distinction between the total appropriation and the recurring base budget. He noted that higher education is funded largely through state and local sources, with substantial flexibility compared with other state budgets, and that the base budget is heavily weighted toward lump-sum allocations to the public systems. The committee then heard a presentation from the University of South Florida’s Florida Center for Cybersecurity (Cyber Florida), led by retired Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie and USF representative Mark Walsh. They described Cyber Florida as a statewide cybersecurity platform created by the Legislature in 2014 to support education, research, workforce development, public policy, and community engagement. McKenzie emphasized the growing cyber threat environment, Florida’s leadership role, and several funded initiatives, including K-12 outreach, workforce training, a cyber range for county governments, critical infrastructure assessments, grant development, and public conferences and outreach. Members asked about public cyber awareness, the lack of a national cyber defense strategy, school district participation in Cyber Launch, and which counties are most at risk; McKenzie said smaller counties with limited cybersecurity staffing are generally more vulnerable and offered to provide follow-up information. Finally, the committee heard from the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities at the University of Central Florida, led by Dr. Drew Andrews, along with program and parent representatives from participating institutions. Andrews explained the center’s role in coordinating Florida’s postsecondary comprehensive transition programs for students with intellectual disabilities, supporting program development, distributing grants and scholarships, and monitoring outcomes. He reported that the state now has 33 approved programs at 35 institutions, including universities, state colleges, and technical colleges, and that scholarship and grant funding has grown significantly. He said student retention is about 88 percent, many graduates are employed, and median hourly earnings have increased over time. A representative from Southeastern University described how the center’s support helped build and sustain SEU Link, including a new third-year employment-focused option for students.

Transcript Highlights:

• On the executive budget.
• This budget keeps the system standing. It doesn't grow it. This budget keeps the system standing.
• The money's in the budget right now.
• Half a million in the budget. Half a million in the budget? Yes, sir. Is it in the budget already?
• It's in the budget. $1.5 million is in the budget.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:15.400> H of legislation including the budget H of legislation including the budget
• I think we briefly mentioned that this morning, and then the governor’s budget, the agency budgets are
• of looking at a 4% budget cut, so if you want to get a heads up on the budget you can actually start
• s actual expenditures, this current... started their process of you looking at started their process
• the agency budget the agency budget requests<00:13:05.600> those<00:13:05.959> also

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was an introductory House Finance Division Two session focused on committee procedures, staffing, and the upcoming budget process. Mickey Landrian, the division analyst, introduced himself and explained that the subcommittee operates more informally than the full committee, does not hold executive sessions or public hearings itself, and makes recommendations back to House Finance. Members were told that public hearings on legislation occur in the full committee, while Division Two will hold work sessions and vote on recommendations such as ought to pass, retain, or ITL. The chair also welcomed new members and a new clerk, and noted that meetings will be recorded and streamed, with microphones required for audio capture. A substantial portion of the meeting covered the division’s workload and schedule. Landrian outlined the agencies assigned to Division Two, including Safety, Fish and Game, Transportation, Education, the Lottery Commission, Police Standards and Training, the University System, and the Community College System. He explained the different fund types the division will handle, especially Education Trust Fund, Highway Fund, and Fish and Game Fund, and reviewed reference materials distributed to members, including agency budget requests, prior recommendation tracking sheets, and surplus statements. He emphasized that the agency budget requests and related handouts are available online and useful for members to review before budget work begins. Members discussed the compressed timeline for the session, with a target date of March 26 for completing Division Two recommendations. Landrian said only a few bills had been referred to Finance so far, none yet to Division Two, but that more bills and amendments were expected, including many amendments to House Bill 2. He noted that the committee would need to move efficiently and frontload meetings. Representative Papich added that Fish and Game may require closer scrutiny than in prior years because of its push for direct general fund appropriations, and members also discussed the importance of getting preliminary budget documents before the governor’s budget is finalized. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond the procedural overview and distribution of materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• Board on budget recommendations.
• My name is Amit Patel with the legislative budget board.
• It just hasn't been included in the final budget.
• We'd like to present our budget.
• On the next slide you see our baseline budget.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, some projects come in under budget, some projects come in over budget.
• The third type was projects that bid under the budget. Those are the ones we like to see the most.
• Essentially, those projects share their own budgets between each other.
• Essentially, those projects share their own, share budgets between each other.
• Last year they had a project that came in $10 million under budget, right?

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on May 26 and first took up Senate Bill 406, which authorizes the city of Slidell to seek voter approval for a local hotel and motel occupancy tax. The bill was described as a local measure giving the city council authority to place the tax on the ballot, with members noting that similar taxing authority exists in many other municipalities. Representative Wiley moved favorable passage, there was no objection, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then received an update from the Division of Administration’s Office of Facility Planning and Control on capital outlay savings identified through cash-flow review and project “scrubbing.” Officials said they found about $50 million in savings from updated cash flows, over-appropriations, projects bid under budget, and reduced appropriations in bundled projects. They explained that bundling projects, including some LED-related projects, allows agencies to shift savings within a bundle and manage overruns or underruns more flexibly. Members praised the savings work but asked whether the process could be moved earlier so the House could benefit sooner, and whether similar reviews could be expanded to other administering agencies and non-state projects. One member raised concerns about whether some projects, including schools and certain NGO-related items, should qualify for capital outlay funding at all, and urged a review of the statutory definition and project approval criteria. Staff said they would look at the definition, review recommendations from prior discussions, and consider ways to tighten the process. The committee then adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• This non-binding process helps improve retention recruitment.
• Right now they can amend a budget without any of that stuff.
• So they'll have to post a budget in advance.
• Use payment if there were issues with the procurement process.
• budget cycle, and we weren't, uh, we were able to increase by only 3% at that time.

Transcript Highlights:

• Inclines may go to the pilot and returned to the I budget waiver program if they choose.
• that are not standard on the I budget?
• that they would the I budget then would have to provide those services.
• for an individual to receive I budget waiver services.
• But that money that was identified in the budget for the Senate, the 15 million azure.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so It seems to me that tax policy is being done in the budget, in the budget process, as opposed
• So we do understand the process in this committee.
• Certainly everyone has to work with MNERG to have a process to get approval.
• Chairman, I believe it's really MNERD that follows that process.
• Chair, my issue is there's a permitting of installation—that's one process.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know if you remember back to last year's budget.
• for the Read Vermont program, and that is now in the budget.
• There is the um There is the merger process, the voluntary merger process.
• Excess spending school budgets.
• The locally voted school budget.

Keywords: 926, house, all