Transcript Highlights:

• And if the cities have no budget money, you can't hire anybody.
• It has to be in their budget to give you that person.
• And if the cities have no budget money, you can't hire anybody.
• It has to be in their budget to give you that person.
• And so your budget, you have a budget that the city council has approved, and that's what you go by,

Bills: HB343, HB378, HB394, HB396, HB426, HB439, HB491, HB523, HB622, HB676, HB772, HB1025, HB1038

Keywords: parole eligibility, juvenile offenders, rehabilitation, first-time offenders, reentry programs, substance abuse treatment, education programs, emergency responders, law enforcement, obstructing traffic, public safety, penalties, parole, criminal justice, release extension, prison reform, autopsy, criminal evidence, photographs, court proceedings

Transcript Highlights:

• We will also be doing the presentation of our budget.
• And as you look at the budget, the total budget for higher education, including the local funds, is $11.5
• So not only something that I value personally, but also, again, it’s in our budget request for this year
• I’m here today at the request of the governor.
• Any member who requests that, we will do so.

Summary: The committee first took up a confirmation for UCF trustee reappointment candidate Mr. Christie, who described his long service on the board, his UCF business-school background, and his focus on strengthening UCF’s financial foundation, workforce alignment, and engineering and technology programs. Members praised his service and asked about UCF’s future direction, including its role in Florida’s space and engineering sectors. He was allowed to leave early for a meeting with the governor. The committee then heard the Higher Education Appropriations budget presentation for fiscal year 2025-26. The chair outlined a proposed $11.5 billion higher education budget emphasizing workforce education, Florida College System operations, career and technical education, the GATE program, nursing education through the Florida Center for Nursing, UF/IFAS agriculture technology, tutoring, autism and neurodevelopment services, student financial aid, and $250 million for state universities through the Board of Governors. Senator Davis asked about line grant flexibility, and the chair said a conforming bill would address details. The committee adopted a motion allowing technical corrections and then adopted the budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Appropriations Committee. The remainder of the meeting focused on confirmations for university boards, especially the University of West Florida, where several nominees were questioned about Title IX compliance, free speech, workforce readiness, military/veteran ties, and prior statements about privatization and higher education. Rebecca Matthews, Rachel Moyah, Ashley Ross, and Adam Kessel each described their backgrounds and goals for UWF; Kessel faced extensive questioning about his past writings on privatization, the GI Bill, and speech suppression, and said he would not recommend privatizing Florida universities and supported veterans’ education benefits. Public testimony on UWF was largely opposed, with speakers arguing the nominees lacked local ties and warning the slate would harm the university and community. The committee also heard from FAMU reappointment nominee Judge Belvin Perry, who emphasized student success, workforce quality, and FAMU’s continued rise, and from UCF nominee Mark Philburn and FSU nominee Peter Jones, both of whom highlighted their professional experience and commitment to student success and prudent stewardship. The meeting extended its time to 6:30 p.m. to continue hearing nominees and public testimony.

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:

• This is a biennial budget.
• So again, this is the biennial budget.
• Regarding the state DOT budgets, this information...
• The debt service, which is not part of the WSDOT budget, but it’s part of the transportation budget,
• with a significant budget meetings in the summer where we come up with a suggestion of a budget for the

Bills: HB2109, HB2139, HB2192

Keywords: vehicle loads, public highways, transportation, road safety, infrastructure, HB2139, snowmobile registration, snowmobile fee, vehicle license fee, registration fee, Department of Licensing, RCW, vehicle registration, winter recreation, off-road vehicle, moped, motorcycle, trailer, recreational vehicle, vintage snowmobile

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the request, and actually a few years ago, this was put in the budget for the software for this
• And they can get it just by a sunshine request.
• And that was the goal of the request.
• And so it's come at the request of a nonprofit.
• And so that's the reason for this request.

Summary: The Committee on Government Efficiency held a public hearing on House Bill 1817, which would require the Department of Social Services to publish monthly public-assistance data at the municipal level for places with populations of 1,000 or more. The sponsor said the bill was intended to give local nonprofits, churches, and community leaders better information to target aid, measure whether their efforts are reducing dependency, and identify underserved areas, while avoiding identification of individuals in very small communities. Supporters echoed the transparency and planning benefits, saying the data could help nonprofits allocate resources, spot gaps, and coordinate more effectively. Several members questioned whether the bill was necessary, whether the data was already available through public records or existing reports, and whether it would create busy work or divert staff time. Others raised concerns about the 1,000-person threshold as arbitrary, the possibility of discouraging assistance applications, and whether the bill would really improve outcomes or reduce fraud. The sponsor responded that the data is already being collected, that the software had already been funded, and that the bill would simply make the information publicly available in a more useful format. Testimony in opposition was not presented, and the public hearing on HB 1817 was then closed. The committee then moved into executive session and took up House Bill 1641. A House Committee Substitute was offered and adopted after brief discussion. The substitute bill was then voted do pass by a roll call vote of 12 ayes, 1 no, and 4 present. Representative Burton stated a present vote was appropriate because of concerns with some language in the bill, while other members supported the measure’s intent.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:11:29.200><c> that</c> the things that are in your budget that the things that are in your budget
• </c><00:18:10.320><c> is</c> you do when your your state budget is you do when your your state budget
• </c><00:31:52.640><c> Representative</c> request. That's all. Representative request. That's all.
• As far as advancing our technology, I did have a request in for an IT request for additional funding,
• in to uh for an IT um do have a request in to uh for an IT um request<01:15:37.920><c> for</c><01:15

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the March 21 minutes and then took up a consent calendar, withdrawing several items before adopting the remainder. It also moved item FIS 25103 to the table by a 6-4 vote after Senator Gray argued the Executive Council had not yet acted on a prior $5 million approval and that the committee should avoid adding to the rainy day fund draw. The committee then approved item 25106 for the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources/State Library after hearing that the department expected about a $400,000 lapse to return to the state. A major discussion centered on New Hampshire Police Standards and Training (item 2577). Senator Gray questioned whether a proposed equipment purchase could be delayed to the next biennium in light of the state’s deficit and rainy day fund use. The agency said the equipment was needed now for scenario training, vendors had already been identified, and delaying would likely increase costs and force continued reliance on unpaid volunteer help. The committee ultimately approved the item. The committee also approved Department of Energy item 2587 after hearing that federal weatherization funds are drawn down on a reimbursement basis, and item 2588 after similar testimony that weatherization work must be completed and inspected before reimbursement, limiting how quickly funds can be expended. Item 250094 had been withdrawn. Later, the committee discussed Senator Carson’s request for an LBA review of the YDC claims settlement fund, with members expressing concern about administrative costs, attorney fees, settlement-loan payoffs, and the need for more detailed reporting. The committee voted to direct LBA to conduct the audit described in Senator Carson’s memo, with the additional request that the review include the term over which attorney fees are paid. The meeting then moved on to an HHS staff item, where members began questioning the timing of dashboard data and reporting delays.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next is the FY27 proposed budget grant allocations.
• Next is the FY27 proposed budget grant applicant Next is the FY27 proposed budget grant allocations.
• grant allocation budget.
• That was actually $14.1 million total requested.
• The proposed budget passes. Okay. All right, before we break... Proposed budget passes. Okay.

Keywords: Virginia Commission for the Arts Board Meeting, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Budget growth was capped at 5%. It's just a flat 5.
• It's the budget. If the budget goes up, they're collecting more taxes, you're paying more.
• The value of that pot gets bigger when you divide it by that budget, even if the budget goes up.
• Budget through a voter initiative.
• We have budget hearings and so forth.

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee heard House Bill 842, sponsored by Speaker Moyle, as a follow-up to House Bill 389 and its effects on property tax growth, foregone amounts, and new construction. Moyle said the bill is intended as a compromise to reduce shifting of tax burdens to existing homeowners while giving taxing districts more flexibility: it would raise the cap for smaller communities and certain fire/EMS districts to 15%, eliminate adding to foregone balances going forward while allowing districts to use existing foregone at a higher rate, revert to the previous year’s mill levy rate, and allow local voters to use the initiative process to lower city or county budgets/taxes. He argued the measure would help districts with growth and give taxpayers more direct control. Public testimony was split. The Idaho Association of Counties supported the mill levy change but opposed the initiative language, warning it could be challenged under existing case law and constitutional limits on initiatives for administrative acts. The Idaho Fire Chiefs Association supported the bill, saying fast-growing districts like Star Fire District have lost budget authority and cannot keep up with growth. The Association of Idaho Cities opposed the bill, saying the 15% cap would still leave many cities unable to fund new homes or commercial growth, that foregone is an important fiscal tool, and that the initiative provisions and reduced flexibility would create problems for local governments. The Idaho Farm Bureau supported the bill, especially the initiative provision, arguing voters should have a way to lower local taxes if they can vote to raise them. After testimony, the committee debated a motion to hold the bill for one day, but a substitute motion was offered to send it directly to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Members discussed the urgency of the bill, the recent death of Nampa’s mayor, and the initiative-process concerns. The substitute motion passed on an 8-6-1 roll call vote, and House Bill 842 was sent to the House floor with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• they have to deal with data requests they have to deal with data practices<00:15:44.480><c> requests
• to deal with any data practice budget to deal with any data practice requests<00:16:31.040><c> in</c
• </c> future financial obligation budget future financial obligation budget policy<00:22:45.760><c> or
• It went from a $52 billion budget to almost a $72.3 billion budget.
• It went from a $52 billion budget to almost a $72.3 billion budget.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This budget request is a modest 1% reduction from FY26.
• With this in mind, the OVA requests a budget to maintain its capacity, a modest increase of $87,000 above
• We request that this committee report favorably on our FY27 budget request of $2.127 million.
• Beyond our own budget request for the Office of the Veteran Advocate, I am happy to see that the governor's
• budget proposed budget request for the Office of the Veteran Advocate, I am happy to see that the governor's

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was a FY27 budget session on Health and Human Services held in Mattapan, hosted by the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Opening remarks from Senator Lydia Edwards, Representative Brandy Fluker-Reed, Representative Russell Holmes, and Boston Public Library President David Leonard emphasized the significance of holding the first Ways and Means hearing in Mattapan, the importance of community access, and the role of libraries as human services institutions. Committee members and attendees introduced themselves before agency testimony began. MassAbility testified first, describing its mission to support people with disabilities through employment, independent living, and disability determination services. The agency highlighted federal funding uncertainty, a modest FY27 budget reduction, and a proposed reworking of its home care program, which it said is outdated and should better target those most in need. Members questioned the home care cut, staffing reductions, and federal coordination. MassAbility also shared a participant story about recovery and community support to illustrate the impact of its services. The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing then presented its FY27 request, focusing on interpreter and captioning access, workforce development, emergency communication, aging-related hearing loss, and transition services for deaf and hard-of-hearing youth. Members asked about interpreter shortages, after-hours emergency coverage, ASL education, and community training; the commission said it is expanding mentorship and referral systems but still faces staffing and vendor challenges. The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind followed with a $30.8 million request, describing services for nearly 9,000 consumers, peer support groups, vocational rehabilitation, and Turning 22 services, while noting federal funding uncertainty and a 7% budget cut. Members raised concerns about maintaining services with fewer resources, and the commissioner said the agency had trimmed overhead and could manage the proposal. The Office for Refugees and Immigrants closed the segment, outlining expanded legal, housing, workforce, citizenship, and financial literacy supports for immigrants and refugees, including Know Your Rights trainings, legal defense initiatives, and the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative. Members discussed the effects of federal policy changes, the loss of refugee resettlement funding, and the need for state support to fill gaps. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the hearing consisted of agency presentations and committee questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sweeny's requested a roll. Sweeny's requested a roll.
• <03:38:46.960><c> is</c> budget is budget is passed.<03:38:48.800><c> Mr.
• Who requested the roll call? Representative Damon requested a roll call.
• Speaker, I request a roll 2550. And Mr. Speaker, I request a roll call.
• Request a roll call. Representative Lane has requested a roll call vote.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An oral roll call has been requested. Of Amendment 2549. An oral roll call has been requested.
• I'm going to request a no vote.
• Our state budget, our supplemental budget, that was passed earlier, is a $250 million cut to K-12.
• An oral roll call had been requested. Amendment number 2588. An oral roll call had been requested.
• A roll call, though, has been requested. An oral roll call, though, has been requested.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's about a third of their budget.
• requests, we're aligning our policy requests and policy developments and things that we can do with
• We use the data and information to help inform our budget requests and the policy proposals that we bring
• It may not come out of your budget, but it's coming out of somebody's budget in the state, usually the
• mental health budget.

Summary: The committee met to hear an overview of the Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice budget area and then received performance-measure presentations from the Department of Corrections, the Commission on Offender Review, and the Department of Juvenile Justice. Staff reviewed the roughly $7.4 billion criminal justice and judiciary budget, noting major funding areas such as corrections, law enforcement, victim services, courts, and due process, along with recent investments in prison health care, security equipment, fentanyl enforcement, court staffing, and juvenile justice salaries and education programs. Secretary Dixon of the Department of Corrections described staffing and population pressures, including growth in inmate population, overtime-driven deficits, and the opening of additional housing units. He emphasized the department’s use of performance measures and highlighted reforms such as incentivized prisons, administrative management units, reentry planning, faith-based programs, and expanded education and vocational training. Members asked about teacher hiring, public defender pay parity, fentanyl funding, staffing capacity, and the role of the National Guard; Dixon said teacher vacancies had improved, public defenders had received comparable pay increases, fentanyl funding would be addressed further by FDLE, and the Guard had helped stabilize staffing. The Commission on Offender Review reported on parole, conditional release, addiction recovery supervision, and revocations, saying its recidivism/success rates had improved over a three-year measurement period. Senator Rouson pressed the commission on clemency and pardons, saying that work was omitted from the presentation and asking for backlog and case data; the commission said it did not have those figures on hand and would follow up. The committee also discussed a conditional medical release pilot study, and members questioned the report’s conclusion that no suitable elderly inmate population could be identified, asking what criteria were used and whether stakeholders were consulted. Secretary Hall of the Department of Juvenile Justice outlined the agency’s prevention-to-residential continuum and its emphasis on education, data-driven decision-making, and evidence-based programming. He said salary increases had reduced vacancies, juvenile arrests and residential commitments had fallen sharply over time, and tools such as civil citations, risk assessments, and quality-improvement reviews were being used to guide placements and services. Hall also described the department’s use of dashboards, monthly data check-ins, and the dispositional matrix to improve outcomes and reduce recidivism.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget.
• But the request in the letter is for the executive. To include full funding in their budget.
• Chair, we typically select the budget prepared by the legislature.
• Request, then a land grant can submit a Notice of Obligation.
• The request was to make an addition to the letter.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do think the budget year assumptions are optimistic.
• to inform the May Revision to the governor's budget and the final budget act.
• The Governor's proposed 2025-26 budget includes two...
• The Governor's proposed 2025-26 budget includes two budget change proposals for the Department of Social
• The first one requests a technical increase to the CDSS budget by $34.4 million federal funds to support

Summary: The joint hearing focused on California’s child care, preschool, and transitional kindergarten oversight, with chairs emphasizing the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and the need to break down silos between programs. CDSS and CDE reported progress toward the plan’s goals, including universal access to TK for all four-year-olds next school year, expanded access for low-income three-year-olds, and more children with disabilities being served in state preschool. They also noted ongoing work on quality rating/review reform, funding structure changes, and the need to address rates, workforce shortages, and federal uncertainty around Head Start. Testimony from advocacy groups and providers largely supported expanding access while simplifying the system. Children Now, Every Child California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that California still has uneven access, especially for infants, toddlers, and three-year-olds, and urged investments in mixed delivery, inclusion, full-day options, and a cost-of-care rate methodology. Every Child California recommended consolidating part-day and full-day contracts, streamlining eligibility priorities, making the two-year-old option permanent, and funding staffing incentives. Parent testimony highlighted how child care gaps and county-to-county transfer delays can disrupt work, safety, and children’s stability, and providers described low reimbursement rates, the need for health and retirement benefits, and support for delinking subsidy rates from private pay. The second panel addressed universal transitional kindergarten. The Learning Policy Institute reported rapid TK expansion, with most districts now offering TK, but said access still depends on facilities, staffing, and whether programs are available at all school sites. The Department of Finance said the governor’s budget would fully implement TK by adding funding for all eligible four-year-olds and lowering the adult-to-child ratio from 12:1 to 10:1. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the administration’s enrollment and cost assumptions were optimistic and estimated lower TK enrollment growth and lower costs for the ratio change. CDE supported the expansion and urged continued funding for UPK coordinators, teacher development, and mixed-delivery planning grants. Members questioned facilities shortages, staffing competition, and how to ensure TK expansion does not displace CSPP or Head Start classrooms. No formal votes or actions were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> actually using our 2425 base budget actually using our 2425 base budget numbers<00:02:42.560><c>
• And just a reme reminder of uh budget.
• That's a lot of 13% of our budget.
• ><c> incre</c><00:26:09.760><c> increased</c> but loan requests have incre increased but loan requests
• Uh, I do have one request.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services.
• This is made possible due to Efforts from legislative action that happened in the last budget cycle,
• In operational budgets to state agencies and departments in 2024-25.
• Regarding the federal budget next year, we have not seen any official budget proposals for our programs
• what impact the federal budget for 2026 will have on our programs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Respectfully, I request a do-pass memory. Yields for questions.
• And so, is there money built into the budget for this?
• There has been a request.
• We have seen a budget passed so soon, where we didn't have much engagement on that budget, and then we
• Like the budget and even inmate deaths.

Bills: HB1002, HB1250, HB2710, HB3008, HB3045, HB3086, HB3595, HB3678, HB3695, HB3831, HB4107, HB4408

Keywords: stalking, victim notification, law enforcement, harassment, penalties, criminal justice, protection orders, local law enforcement, Public Safety Technology Revolving Fund, grants, state funding, law enforcement technology, Oklahoma Emergency Communications Act, emergency communications, public safety radio, statewide radio systems, land mobile radio, interoperability, Project 25, P25

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the 2024 Budget Bill Jr., budget bill number nine.
• and this final budget.
• It's also our budget subchairs and our budget chair for the able leadership.
• It's also our budget subchairs and our budget chair for the able leadership.
• requests.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee held an informational hearing on the final three-party budget agreement and related trailer bills, with the Department of Finance outlining the major budget bill and omnibus measures. Finance described a package built around balancing the state budget amid economic uncertainty, preserving core health and safety-net programs, and making significant ongoing reductions in some state programs. The budget bill included major items such as shifting $1 billion from the General Fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for Cal Fire, funding universal transitional kindergarten, deferring some UC and CSU funding, supporting foster care and homelessness programs, providing Proposition 36 implementation funding, and achieving Medi-Cal savings through changes to benefits and eligibility. The committee also heard that votes on the budget bills were expected later in the week and the following Monday. Finance then walked through the trailer bills, including health, human services, early learning, education, resources, energy, transportation, labor, housing, tax, public safety, courts, general government, cannabis, and energy-related measures. Notable provisions included a Medi-Cal enrollment freeze for certain adults, new premiums and benefit changes for some immigrants, child care COLA changes, education funding for literacy, teacher support, universal meals, and community college student support, as well as resource and climate measures affecting Cal Fire staffing and energy permitting. The housing trailer bill drew the most discussion, with provisions on CEQA streamlining, a vehicle miles traveled mitigation banking program, a renters’ credit trigger, and a six-year moratorium on new residential building standards. Members also discussed a film tax credit expansion, cannabis enforcement funding, a tribal police pilot program, and changes to tax policy, including military retirement income exclusions and wildfire settlement payment exclusions. Committee members largely praised the staff and the budget process, but several raised concerns and asked detailed questions, especially about the housing trailer bill’s new wage standards, tribal consultation provisions, and possible effects on prevailing wage protections. Finance explained that the housing language was intended to set wage floors for market-rate projects receiving CEQA streamlining, with different county-based tiers and a notwithstanding clause preserving existing prevailing wage laws. Members also questioned the size and timing of funding for the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, Clean Cars for All, Proposition 36, and the film tax credit expansion. Other members highlighted support for public safety, veterans’ tax relief, child care providers, housing production, and higher education, while some expressed concern that the budget’s policy changes were being negotiated too quickly or without enough stakeholder input.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know why you have a budget.
• And again, I think a budget is a budget, and I mean, I don't always like the budget I'm on.
• I couldn't do it because it wasn't in the budget. So that's what I'm trying to say.
• It is a cleanup bill requested by TDLR.
• The committee substitute incorporates two changes that SECO requested.

Bills: SB483, SB522, SB783, SB1239, SB1254, SB1255, SB1259, SB1341, SB1664, SB1762, SB1856, SB1877, SB1977

Keywords: utility, proprietary information, customer data, data protection, electric service, customer information, emergency communication, electric utility, privacy, certification, public accountants, interstate licensing, accounting, regulatory amendment, energy efficiency, construction regulations, building codes, Texas, sustainability, cost-effectiveness