Transcript Highlights:

• We have a fiscal note of $2.6 million that would come into the next legislative session.
• We have a fiscal note of $2.6 million that would come into the next legislative session.
• After the amendment, we don't have the fiscal note until it's adopted, but the current fiscal note with
• Senator Dwyer has a question: The fiscal note has both general fund and other funds.
• So the fiscal note is the increased dollars to replace that. Further discussion.

Bills: HB1603

Keywords: Native American, grave protection, repatriation, cultural heritage, tribal compliance, 908, all

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met with a quorum and announced it would begin meeting at 8 a.m. for the rest of the week to work through a growing bill list. The committee first approved House Bill 1603, a companion to the Historical Society budget dealing with NAGPRA, including a $500,000 matching grant to be divided among North Dakota’s five tribes and a committee to address repatriation of human remains and cultural items. The vote was unanimous, 15-0. The committee then considered House Bill 1225, which would increase penalties for reckless endangerment involving a firearm and create a mandatory prison term. After debate over public safety concerns versus the bill’s fiscal note and prison costs, the committee adopted a do not pass recommendation by a 9-6-1 vote. Members also discussed House Bill 1018, the State Historical Society budget, and approved an amendment that adjusted one-time funding items, including NAGPRA compliance, museum exhibits, military gallery funding, local historic grants, and line-of-credit repayment. The amended bill then received a due pass recommendation by a 14-2 vote. The committee next approved House Bill 1468, a behavioral health facility grant for St. Hayes, which supporters said would expand in-state access to acute and adolescent behavioral health care and reduce the need to send patients out of state. The bill passed 14-1. It then amended and passed House Bill 1485, increasing the personal needs allowance for certain Medicaid recipients by $15 and indexing it to inflation; the amendment and the bill as amended both passed 14-2. Finally, the committee approved House Bill 1016, the Adjutant General/National Guard budget, after adopting an amendment that funded disaster relief, response equipment, IT and website costs, and staffing changes for the watch center; the amended bill passed 14-2. The committee adjourned after completing six bills and planned to resume the next morning at 8 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, the bill creates a new sales tax distribution that has a $50 million fiscal cap each fiscal
• The collections were $28.5 billion in fiscal year 2018-2019 to $41.1 billion in fiscal year 2024-2025
• The commitment to rural Florida is longstanding and fiscally constrained.
• You've laid out a program, and I want to talk about the fiscally constrained.
• Khan, it's my understanding that you have not been able to do a fiscal impact analysis of this amendment

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met with a quorum and considered two Senate proposed bills. The first, SPB 7046, was the Senate tax package. It included changes to Live Local property tax exemptions, charter school distributions from voter-approved property tax levies, limits on special assessments for RV parks, revisions to fiscally constrained county funding and eligibility, a permanent sales tax exemption for small propane tanks, a hunting/fishing/camping sales tax holiday, restrictions on governmental net zero policies, and new voting thresholds for certain local millage actions. Staff estimated the bill would reduce general revenue by about $77 million in FY 2026-27 and about $50 million recurring. An amendment making the charter-school distribution change prospective starting July 1, 2026, was adopted. A late-filed amendment by Senator Gaetz on disability tax exemptions was withdrawn for lack of a fiscal analysis. The charter school provision drew the most debate. Senator Jones and Senator Bernard raised concerns that expanding eligibility to charter schools authorized through alternate authorizers could reduce funding available to traditional neighborhood public schools and that the effective date did not give districts enough time to plan. Senator Avila argued the change corrected an omission from earlier legislation and ensured public schools, including charter schools, were treated equally. Several speakers supported the fiscally constrained county provisions, while the Florida Association of Counties urged grandfathering for counties that could currently opt out of the Live Local exemption and asked the committee to review language on millage thresholds and net zero provisions. SPB 7046 was ultimately reported favorably as a committee bill by a roll call vote. The committee then took up SPB 7048, which updates Florida’s conformity to the Internal Revenue Code as of January 1, 2026, and partially decouples from federal changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The bill addresses federal changes to bonus depreciation, Section 179 expensing, research and experimental expenses, business meals, and business interest deductions, with some provisions phased in or adjusted over time. The Florida Chamber testified in support of continued conformity but expressed concerns about administrative burdens and the bill’s partial decoupling structure. After brief debate, the bill was reported favorably as a committee bill by roll call vote, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 569 is expected to have an indeterminate positive fiscal impact on APD, and that is the bill.
• In federal fiscal year 2025, Florida issued more than $6.7 billion in SNAP benefits.
• As outlined in **H.R. 1**, states can choose to use the Federal Fiscal Year 2025 or Federal Fiscal Year
• We will provide states with the payment error rate in June, following the federal fiscal year, which
• In fiscal year 2024, the error rate was 15.13%.

Transcript Highlights:

• run, in one specific venue, which the Governor, in his signing message, which is reflected in your analysis
• , asked the CHP to do an analysis of the impact of that later closing hour.
• I will be supporting your bill today with the inclusion of the amendments detailed in the analysis and
• recommendation of the State Treasurer's Office, AB 795 was recently amended to provide even greater fiscal
• I want to thank committee staff for their thorough analysis, Madam Chair, for your continued support

Summary: The Governmental Organization Committee heard a series of bills focused largely on alcohol licensing, nonprofit funding, tribal grants, public transparency, and tobacco policy. AB 342 (Haney) would allow local governments to create hospitality zones with extended last-call hours on certain days; supporters argued it would boost tourism, nightlife, and major-event readiness, while opponents warned of alcohol-related harms and public safety risks. AB 684 (Patel) would subject the UC Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools to open-meeting requirements, with supporters saying admissions-related changes should be more transparent and allow schools time to adjust. AB 1008 (Addis) would authorize up to 10 new on-sale general licenses in San Luis Obispo County to meet tourism demand, and AB 1039 (Hart) would require state agencies to offer advance payments on new nonprofit grants and contracts, which supporters said would help cash-strapped nonprofits deliver services. AB 221 (Ramos) would revise the Tribal Nation Grant Fund to provide more predictable annual distributions to eligible non-gaming and limited-gaming tribes, and it drew broad support from tribal representatives and others. AB 795 (Jeff Gonzalez) would create a California commission for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, with supporters describing it as a privately funded, nonpartisan planning body. AB 828/AB 28 (Mark Gonzalez, as referenced in the transcript) would expand neighborhood-restricted liquor licenses in Los Angeles County to reduce costs and support restaurant recovery, and AB 1246 (Hoover) would increase craft distillers’ direct sales limits and address barrel-storage rules; both were supported as small-business measures. AB 1428 (Ta) would require reporting of all surplus and underutilized state land, and AB 957 (Ortega) would prohibit tobacco sales in pharmacies, with strong public health support. Several bills were voted out on motions to Appropriations, some with amendments, while others were held or left on call until quorum was established; the committee also adopted a consent calendar and left rolls open for absent members on multiple measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• public confidence in government fiscal public confidence in government fiscal responsibility<01:
• independent program it is a fiscally independent program it is a fiscally responsible<01:48:59.480
• I urge this committee to do its job and not wave off getting a detailed fiscal analysis of this program
• <02:35:32.040> analysis<02:35:32.840> of getting a detailed fiscal analysis of getting
• a detailed fiscal analysis of this<02:35:33.240> program<02:35:33.920> I<02:35:34.040>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee opened a public hearing on House Bills 1 and 2, which concern the governor’s proposed FY 2026-2027 budget. The chair explained that the committee must fit the budget to House Ways and Means revenue, which is about $800 million below the governor’s estimate in an almost $16 billion budget. He also noted a projected current-budget overspend, the impact of recently passed legislation, possible fee updates, no new tax proposals at that time, and the importance of federal funding and Medicaid stability. Testimony was limited to three minutes, with the chair asking speakers to avoid duplication. Much of the testimony focused on Medicaid, disability services, and home- and community-based care. Speakers urged the committee to restore or protect funding for transportation, Medicaid, day programs, in-home supports, and behavioral health services. Several individuals and providers described how cuts would affect people with disabilities, medically fragile children, and families who rely on services to remain employed and avoid institutional care. A home care provider argued that a proposed 3% Medicaid cut would increase hospitalizations and costs, while a behavioral health representative asked for sustainable Medicaid rates, uncompensated care support, housing resources, and continued funding for community behavioral health clinics. Another major topic was the Group II retirement provisions in HB 2 for public safety workers. Representatives from police, fire, corrections, probation/parole, and related associations testified in support, saying prior pension changes hurt recruitment and retention, pushed experienced workers to neighboring states, and should be reversed to restore promised benefits. They argued the provisions would help keep public safety careers viable and honor commitments made to first responders. An executive counselor also warned that when the state shifts costs away from itself, local property taxpayers bear the burden, and she opposed cost shifts such as Medicaid premiums and universal vouchers. A separate speaker urged funding public schools rather than universal vouchers, arguing vouchers can leave other students behind as resources are diverted.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wasn't aware the fiscal note would make it to today, so I want to prepare a memo to summarize the analysis
• For charter, we had used trends between last fiscal year and this fiscal year.
• For charter, we had used trends between last fiscal year and this fiscal year.
• For charter, we had used trends between last fiscal year and this fiscal year.
• For charter, we had used trends between last fiscal year and this fiscal year.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up HB 651, a school-funding bill that would raise the base cost of an adequate education and increase differentiated aid for students in poverty, English language learners, and special education. The chair opened with housekeeping notices about parking and eating in committee spaces, and noted a revised fiscal note would be distributed. Representative David Luneau presented the bill as part of a broader package of public school funding measures, explaining that HB 651 builds on HB 550 and is intended to respond to court rulings and the ongoing school-funding litigation by adjusting both the base adequacy amount and equity-based funding factors. Luneau said the bill would raise the state’s adequacy grant from about $4,100 to $7,351 per student and increase differentiated aid, while also updating statutory language so future recalculations include the court-identified resource elements. He argued the measure is about fairness and shifting more of the burden from local property taxpayers to the state, not about increasing overall education spending. He reviewed fiscal-note figures indicating the bill would add roughly $576 million to the state share of school funding, bringing the total state share to about $1.65 billion, and said the note also mentions possible effects on charter schools and vouchers. Committee members asked about the evidence supporting higher costs for low-income and English learner students, how long ESL funding should continue, why free-and-reduced-lunch aid remains higher than special education aid, whether the formula is based on enrollment or average daily membership, and whether the bill is truly equitable across districts of different sizes and needs. Luneau and later witness Zach Shen of the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project said the bill is supported by research and court findings, that the current formula relies heavily on local property taxes, and that shifting more funding to the state would reduce property-tax pressure and help address disparities among districts. Shen also cited broad public support for the related HB 550 testimony and said HB 651 is intended as a step toward a more equitable funding system. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• agreement with an organization or a division that's willing to be the source of collection, do the analysis
• with an organization that or a division that's willing to to be the source of collection do the analysis
• Chairman, because of timing and the complexity of what, excuse me, is in front of us and the fiscal implications

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The subcommittee met on SB 2370 with a quorum present and focused on how to handle proposed 340B-related reporting language. Members discussed three main paths: adopt the LC draft with reporting requirements for covered entities, PBMs, insurers, and manufacturers; convert only the PBM/insurer/manufacturer portions into a study; or turn the entire proposal into a study. Representative Dobervich explained that the study version would keep the same subject areas but delay initial reporting so the data could be analyzed more thoughtfully, and she noted gaps in the original amendments, including federally qualified health centers participating in 340B, 340B contract pharmacies, and a clearer plan for data analysis and administration. Testimony from HHS and the Insurance Department emphasized that collecting data is different from analyzing it and that any version would need clear authority, confidentiality protections, and a designated agency willing to collect, analyze, and publish the information. The Insurance Department said it could potentially collect data but would likely need additional budget resources for analysis, and it noted that the pending PBM bill, SB 1584, could affect what information is already available through regulation. A representative of the North Dakota Pharmacists Association said SB 1584 contains some reporting but is not as comprehensive as the proposal under discussion. Members also discussed whether the proposal belonged in an insulin bill at all, with concerns raised about germaneness and the possibility of sending the matter to the Delayed Bills Committee or placing study language elsewhere. No vote was taken. The subcommittee adjourned after members agreed to continue refining the language over the weekend and bring options back to the full committee, with several members expressing a preference for a combined version that includes both reporting and study elements.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll start with fiscal distress.
• Currently, no districts are in fiscal distress. Looking at our...
• No districts are in fiscal distress.
• This is intended to help districts avoid fiscal distress.
• The fiscal distress statute is monitoring.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and so I think under your analysis, Baker, I think most laws would have to go through almost all
• Um, did you, Representative Grieman, did you say that you did ask for a fiscal note on this?
• This bill does have a fiscal note of $20,000. We have... which was the lowest.
• <00:34:45.119> Um<00:34:45.440> the fiscal note will look different.
• Um the fiscal note will look different.

Transcript Highlights:

• The rate cut is about a $99 million cut in fiscal year 27, that's the first full year of it.
• The rate cut is about a $99 million cut in fiscal year 27, that's the first full year of it.
• The rate cut is about a $99 million cut in fiscal year 27, that's the first full year of it.
• And the analysis says that less than 10% of all the households will use legal services, so let's just
• says that less 90 so and the analysis says that less than<00:33:09.799> 10%<00:33:10.799>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, the current fiscal year, we were funded at 92.9 million in general fund appropriations.
• , the current fiscal year, we were<00:44:14.720> funded<00:44:15.040> at<00:44:15.280><
• fiscal year 27. fiscal year 27.
• year, we uh expended about recent fiscal year, we uh expended about $60<00:52:25.839> million
• We're doing everything we can to do a root cause analysis about every kind of factor that impacts our

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 28 January, 2026; 8:15 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee heard a budget presentation from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), including its consolidated tourism and agency request. MDA said it has had strong recent results, citing about $65 billion in capital investment since 2020, roughly 25,000 jobs, record tourism, clean audits, and oversubscribed incentive programs. For FY27, the agency requested $26.4 million in general funds, level special-fund operating support, restoration of eight pins reduced in the LBR process, and several general-fund increases for a career ladder, a new HR system, training, and operating costs. MDA also discussed a $1.25 million request for America 250 activities, including a Mississippi event and participation in the National Mall “Great America State Fair,” plus an energy accelerator program tied to the governor’s energy initiative and a broader three-tier energy preparedness strategy. MDA also explained its incentive refill requests, saying it was not seeking additional funding for the ACE grant program this year and had shifted that support toward the governor’s port/rail/road investment fund and energy-ready sites. The agency highlighted a renewed request to restart funding for the small municipal and limited population counties grant program, which it said had previously helped smaller communities with water, sewer, downtown, and other projects. On tourism, MDA presented a breakout showing what the budget would look like if tourism were separated into its own department; officials said the current tourism budget within MDA is about $5.7 million in general funds and $7.9 million total, and estimated about $1.3 million in additional cost would be needed to stand up a separate tourism agency. A significant portion of the discussion focused on criticism from Senator Wiggins that MDA has not delivered enough economic development for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He argued that constituents believe MDA does little for the coast and objected to the agency’s role in the GCRF and coastal projects, saying the coast has not seen meaningful results in years. MDA officials responded that complaints about uneven distribution are common across the state, that MDA works with local economic development partners rather than dictating project locations, and that it has helped support major coastal projects such as Relativity Space, Lockheed Martin expansions, PCC Gulf Chem, BWC Terminals, and AWS. The exchange also touched on the Port of Pascagoula and local leadership disputes, with both sides disagreeing over whether the port and the coast have been adequately supported. No votes or formal actions were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also write the safety analysis for NASA nuclear missions, so that the Mars 2020 rover that has
• We wrote the safety analysis for that launch. John talked about this. ...launch.
• Two of those companies, we turned back the preliminary document of safety analysis as inadequate.
• The other thing is, for the preliminary analysis and the final analysis, I gave my staff 45 days to get
• But we will be working on going critical in sometime next calendar, next fiscal year.

Summary: The meeting was an extended briefing from Idaho National Laboratory officials on the lab’s mission, its role in nuclear energy research, and the federal push to accelerate advanced reactor deployment. Speakers described INL’s size and capabilities, including test reactors, fuel and materials facilities, cybersecurity and critical infrastructure work, and partnerships with DOE, the NRC, the Department of Defense, and private companies. They emphasized that the lab is supporting both commercial nuclear development and national security work, while also training a large intern workforce. A major theme was the current federal effort to streamline nuclear regulation and speed up licensing and demonstration. The speakers said recent executive orders and DOE/NRC coordination are reducing redundant requirements, shortening environmental review timelines, and aiming for three new nuclear systems to reach criticality by July 4, 2026. They argued that regulatory uncertainty has been a major driver of nuclear cost and that the administration’s actions, along with DOE’s pilot and demonstration programs, are intended to rebuild the domestic supply chain and industrial base. The discussion also focused on advanced reactor types, including small modular reactors, microreactors, molten salt concepts, and liquid-metal designs. Officials said these technologies are being developed for data centers, military bases, remote communities, industrial heat, hydrogen production, and other nontraditional uses. They highlighted several projects and companies, including Oklo, Aalo, Radiant, X-energy, TerraPower, Kairos, and DOE’s MARVEL and Project Pele efforts, and said some reactors are expected to reach criticality or operation in the next few years. Questions from attendees covered safety, public health impacts, materials and heat management, waste or used fuel handling, costs, and whether nuclear could remain competitive against other energy sources; the speakers responded that advanced reactors are designed with passive safety features, that used fuel should be viewed as a resource, and that cost remains highly design- and supply-chain-dependent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, contingency analysis combines grid modeling with wildfire modeling, along with scenario analysis
• What sort of economic analysis did you do to come up with the 15 and the 25?
• We conduct threat analysis. We also touched on this this morning.
• I'm happy to announce no findings, both on the program side and on the fiscal side.
• Until we do that analysis, we would not...

Transcript Highlights:

• 32.240> to Minnesota, it's a practical solution to ensure accountability, transparency, and fiscal
• We have a fiscal note that is coming.
• But I'll be able to expand on that more once our fiscal note is ready for you. Thank you, Mr.
• Oh, and looks like there's the fiscal note with it.
• Yes, I can briefly walk members through the fiscal note that has been reported for the bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it has grown from a cost of $1.2 billion in state fiscal year 20 to $1.6 billion in fiscal year
• In fiscal year 2024, and is projected to reach $2 billion by 2027.
• And so if you think about the fact that between state fiscal year 2020 and state fiscal year 2024, the
• In state fiscal year 24, MassHealth spent $71 million on overtime.
• In state fiscal year 24, MassHealth spent $71 million on overtime.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with MassHealth LTSS Chief Leslie Darcy to review the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) program and the legislative work group focused on its long-term sustainability and cost containment. Darcy and Charlie described the work group’s five meetings and three consensus recommendations: enforce the 66-hour overtime cap, address fraudulent activity in the PCA program, and eliminate MassHealth handling of PCA paperwork/administrative work for members without a live-in exemption because those members are subject to EVV. They explained EVV as an electronic visit verification system replacing paper timesheets, and noted the rollout is expected to be completed this fall. The group estimated about $7 million in savings from the consensus recommendations and agreed to continue meeting through June to consider additional ideas. Darcy presented data showing the PCA program served about 56,000 members in state fiscal year 2024 and has grown from $1.2 billion in FY20 to $1.6 billion in FY24, with projections near $2 billion by 2027. She said much of the growth is driven by wage increases and older adults using more services, and compared PCA costs with other LTSS programs. The discussion also covered overtime spending, the role of federal financial participation, and how Massachusetts’ PCA program differs from other states because it has no hard caps on hours or activities. Several members emphasized the program’s value for independent living and community participation, while also acknowledging the need to control growth without undermining services. Members asked about undocumented immigrants and MassHealth funding, and Darcy explained that some eligibility categories are state-funded only and do not receive federal matching funds. Another member asked about workforce recruitment and wage pressures; Darcy said recent collective bargaining agreements raised PCA wages, with some workers eventually reaching $25 per hour and the entry wage reaching $20. The group also discussed whether IADL hours are disproportionately high compared with ADL needs, and reviewed data suggesting potential savings if IADL hours were limited relative to ADL hours, though no consensus recommendation was made on that point. The meeting ended with approval of the prior minutes by roll call vote, an update that the next health equity informational hearing is scheduled for May 19, and a motion to adjourn carried unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• Has there been a fiscal note requested on this amendment?
• Has there been a fiscal note requested on this amendment?
• lower than fiscal year 22.
• year 22 levels at 13% lower below fiscal year 22 levels at 13% lower than<01:33:57.280> fiscal
• It's important to than fiscal year 22.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the March 11, 2026 minutes, then heard House File 4048, which would exempt chiropractors from Minnesota’s provider tax if they are no longer eligible to provide chiropractic benefits under Medicaid/MinnesotaCare. Representative Robbins said the bill corrects an unfair situation because chiropractors still pay the tax even though the benefit was eliminated. Testifiers from the Minnesota Chiropractic Association and a longtime chiropractor supported the bill, arguing that most chiropractors are small-business owners and should not pay a tax for services they can no longer provide. Several members said they supported restoring chiropractic coverage instead of changing the tax, and there was discussion about whether the tax applies to all providers and whether it is effectively passed on to patients. The committee adopted a motion to recommend HF 4048 to the Committee on Taxes. The committee then took up House File 3893, as amended, a bill to restrict artificial intelligence from engaging in psychotherapy or counseling with humans. The author and supporters said the bill is intended to prevent AI chatbots from posing as therapists or counseling vulnerable people, citing reports of suicides and other harms linked to chatbot interactions. The A2 amendment was adopted; the author said it reflected stakeholder concerns and added informed-consent language. Testifiers in support, including a psychologist and a suicide-prevention nonprofit leader, urged strong safeguards and said AI should not replace licensed professionals in crisis settings. Other testimony raised concerns about overbreadth and unintended effects. TechNet and a rural mental health provider said the bill should be narrowed so it applies to clinical therapy rather than wellness or educational tools, and should allow supervised AI uses such as transcription and administrative support. Members discussed rural access, existing licensing-board authority, privacy laws, and whether the bill should target AI companies directly rather than licensed clinicians. The transcript ends during continued discussion of HF 3893, with no final committee action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that we're facing a fiscal cliff next year.
• SB 63 since its inception because we are clear-eyed that the Bay Area's transit system is in deep fiscal
• system, SEPTA, has moved forward with large-scale cuts, the first major metro area to head over the fiscal
• Papin and I could not reach agreement and proposed amendments, and they're in the analysis today and
• And they're in the analysis today and they're very reasonable.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard SB 63 by Senator Wiener, as amended and coauthored by Senator Arreguín, a Bay Area transit funding measure intended to avert major service cuts at BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit. The authors said the region faces a fiscal cliff and that without new revenue, BART could collapse and other systems could face severe reductions. They described the bill as the product of extensive negotiations among the five Bay Area counties and transit operators, with San Mateo and Santa Clara counties opting in during the process. Much of the discussion focused on accountability and governance. Supporters said the bill includes some of the strongest oversight provisions in recent memory, including a third-party efficiency review and ad hoc adjudication committees that can withhold a portion of funding if operators fail to correct problems. Assembly Member Papin and Assembly Member Lackey argued the measure amounts to a taxpayer bailout with insufficient representation and too much control left to MTC, while the authors responded that the bill gives affected counties direct complaint and enforcement authority and that MTC must follow the ad hoc committees’ recommendations. Several members asked about complaint procedures, withholding thresholds, opt-in/opt-out issues, and whether the funding would return to the source counties if withheld. Testimony in support came from SPUR, Caltrain, MTC, the Bay Area Council, BART, SamTrans, VTA, San Francisco MTA, transit coalitions, environmental groups, local governments, and labor. Supporters emphasized the risk of severe service cuts, the importance of preserving recent investments such as Caltrain electrification, and the need for regional self-help. There was no registered opposition witness, though some members spoke against the bill. The committee ultimately voted 11-5 to pass SB 63 as amended to the floor, with the committee amendments also removing urgency language.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just have that same question, and I looked at the fiscal note. If I believe, I can't find it.
• I believe what the fiscal note indicates...
• The analysis said there was no fiscal impact because it would be developed by the counties.
• The overall cost-benefit analysis showed that for every dollar invested in Haven, the community saw a

Bills: SB1117, SB1373, SB672, SB1986, SB1098, SB626, SB1784, SB2480, SB2487, SB437, SB660

Keywords: dentistry, botulinum toxin, aesthetic treatments, dental regulation, training, medical staff privileges, hospital administration, healthcare regulation, Texas Health and Safety Code, consistency in privileges, SB 672, Texas hospital emergency operations plan, hospital diversion, emergency department, cyberattack, cyber security, power outage, electrical outage, patient diversion, hospital preparedness

Transcript Highlights:

• decision-making for time-sensitive purchases, like equipment repairs or emergency supplies, without sacrificing fiscal
• Without sacrificing fiscal oversight.
• This approach provides ESDs with the flexibility to adapt to their unique fiscal needs.
• don't think we're trying to construct new buildings and have them exempted from their traffic impact analysis
• don't think we're trying to construct new buildings and have them exempted from their traffic impact analysis

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and limited public testimony to two minutes per person. The committee heard Senate Bill 628 by Senator Zaffirini, which would clarify that counties may enter interlocal agreements with emergency service districts to administer and enforce county fire codes, including for multi-county ESDs in the committee substitute. Witnesses from Travis County ESD-11, the Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office, and a member of the public supported the bill as a way to reduce duplication, costs, and jurisdictional confusion. Public testimony was closed and the committee substitute was left pending. The committee then heard several housing-related bills. Senate Bill 208 by Senator West would create a Workforce Housing Capital Investment Fund to provide zero-interest loans to nonprofit builders for workforce housing; Habitat for Humanity representatives, a Brownsville nonprofit developer, and housing advocates supported it as a way to finance infrastructure and land development for affordable homes. Senate Bill 2835 by Senator Johnson would allow cities to opt into single-stair apartment buildings for small-scale, multi-story housing; supporters said the design is safe and could expand housing supply, while the Texas APA expressed qualified opposition over code-process concerns and fire-safety questions. Both bills were left pending after testimony. Additional bills heard included SB 1042 updating the Kimble County Hospital District’s enabling law; SB 1708, a committee substitute protecting familial property divisions from platting requirements; SB 2778 raising the ESD expenditure threshold requiring board approval from $2,000 to up to $50,000; SB 2608 expanding LIHTC eligibility for certain public housing projects; SB 3044 adding board representation for Marfa and Presidio on the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District and adjusting an exemption; SB 2367 extending park board authority to Waller County; SB 2523 clarifying ETJ reduction procedures and owner opt-out rights; SB 2521 requiring death-certificate reporting to appraisal districts to help address squatting and homestead exemption issues; and SB 2477 easing office-to-residential conversions in larger cities. In each case, the bills were laid out, testimony was taken, and the measures were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until 15 to 30 minutes after adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Justin Howard, I'm the Deputy Secretary of the Fiscal Policy and Administration of the California
• Including the Department of Finance, who is looking at GNAI as it relates to bill analysis.
• As you all know well, we're facing increasing budget uncertainty this fiscal year and are projected to
• We would just note that there is an interagency agreement between CDT and CPPA at the time of our analysis
• On a bigger fiscal issue, CPPA voted to move these regulations forward with the knowledge that they will

Keywords: 988, house, all