Transcript Highlights:

• everybody will have to be checked and everybody will need, I mean, it changes the whole concept in the financing
• everybody will have to be checked and everybody will need—I mean, it changes the whole concept in the financing
• everybody will have to be checked and everybody will need—I mean, it changes the whole concept in the financing

Bills: HB155, HB155

Keywords: homestead exemption, disabled veterans, tax relief, annual verification, property tax, state holidays, federal holidays, public holidays, legal holidays, office closures, state employees, personal leave, compensatory leave, bank closures, school closures, Mardi Gras, Mobile County, Baldwin County, Rosa Parks Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Transcript Highlights:

• Scenario two, to the point of preferred financing... property to to finance over 25 years the property
• That was three minutes. of 1% improvement in financing of 1% improvement in financing associated<00:59
• > are And the finance organizations are And the finance organizations are beginning<01:07:05.359
• <01:07:12.319> organizations pocket. that the finance organizations pocket. that the finance
• ,<01:53:13.679> interconnection overhead, financing, interconnection overhead, financing,

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the public hearing on the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.
• Hearings will be recorded and posted publicly, archived on the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing
• Chair Lawn, Chair Friedman, and members of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, thank you for
• Chair Lawn, Chair Friedman, and members of the Joint Committee on health care financing, thank you for
• The council respectfully requests the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing report favorably on S.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing focused on two broad sets of issues: home- and community-based care, and school-based Medicaid reimbursement. In the morning session, legislators and advocates testified on bills affecting children and disabled enrollees, including proposals to clarify rate-setting for home health and home care services (H. 767/S. 870), allow family members and spouses to be paid caregivers under MassHealth (H. 1394/S. 886 and related bills), extend MassHealth coverage for applied behavior analysis and other therapies beyond age 21 for adults with autism and developmental disabilities (H. 1351/S. 871), and protect medically fragile children by improving access to continuous skilled nursing. In the later portion of the hearing, testimony shifted to a bill to improve MassHealth reimbursement for schools (S. 862), with speakers describing the school mental health crisis and the need to reinvest Medicaid funds directly into school health services. Witnesses on the home care rate-setting bill said current reimbursement methods are opaque and outdated, contributing to workforce shortages, unfilled shifts, long waitlists, and patients remaining in hospitals longer than necessary. Home care providers and trade groups argued the bill would not set rates directly but would require more transparent methodology and fuller consideration of real costs such as wages, benefits, taxes, training, and technology. On caregiver bills, many family members and provider organizations described the financial and emotional strain of caring for disabled or medically fragile relatives, especially when parents, spouses, or guardians are barred from being paid caregivers. They argued the bills would recognize existing unpaid care, help families remain at home, and reduce reliance on more expensive institutional care. Advocates for adult ABA coverage said services remain medically necessary after age 21 and that ending coverage at that age creates an inequitable “cliff” for MassHealth members compared with those with private insurance. For the PACE/community care bill, elder law attorneys and PACE advocates said current MassHealth income rules force some older adults with modestly higher incomes to spend down to $542 per month, making community living unrealistic and pushing people toward nursing homes. They supported changing the eligibility structure to a premium-based approach that would allow more people to remain in the community. On the school Medicaid bill, advocates said schools are providing effective, preventive mental health care, but reimbursement currently flows to municipalities rather than directly back to school health budgets, limiting districts’ ability to hire and retain staff. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and several witnesses requested favorable reports on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome, everybody, to our Government Finance Transportation Study Subcommittee meeting.
• At the end here to request for the subcommittee's activities to be included in the full Government Finance
• summary of this subcommittee's activities for the 2025-26 interim for inclusion in the Government Finance
• to all the testimony and got that information, we can give a recommendation to the full Government Finance
• Subcommittee does recommend to the full Finance Committee that we do recommend that there should be some

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Government Finance Transportation Study Subcommittee met to review fixed-route transit systems and related funding needs. After approving the prior meeting minutes, the committee heard presentations from Cities Area Transit in Grand Forks/East Grand Forks, Bisman Transit in Bismarck-Mandan, and MATBUS/Fargo, along with comments from North Dakota Protection & Advocacy. The transit agencies described their routes, paratransit services, ridership trends, fare structures, fleet replacement needs, and rising operating costs, emphasizing that transit supports access to work, school, medical care, and other essential services. Testimony also noted that ridership fell during the pandemic and has been recovering, while vehicle and maintenance costs have risen sharply. Grand Forks transit reported 17 routes, a recent fare increase, and operating costs that exceed fare revenue, with paratransit service extending beyond the federal minimum service area. Bisman Transit outlined its fixed-route and paratransit operations, recent service expansions, local mill levies, sales tax support, and federal grant structure, and said it is seeking more stable funding and flexibility beyond paratransit-only support. Minot’s transit superintendent explained the state’s existing transit aid formula, the use of refurbished buses, and the challenges of driver recruitment and electric bus infrastructure. Fargo asked for additional state support for fixed-route urban transit. Committee members discussed whether ride-share services could replace transit, the cost per trip, local match requirements, and whether a separate state funding source should be recommended for the four urban fixed-route systems. The subcommittee ultimately approved a motion to have Legislative Council prepare a summary of its activities for inclusion in the full Government Finance Committee report, and members indicated they would seek more detailed funding figures from the transit agencies before making any specific recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:14.200> Committee<00:30:14.480> on<00:30:14.600> Finance consent calendar
• Committee on Finance consent calendar.
• Committee on Finance after<00:30:15.240> consideration<00:30:15.840> of<00:30:15.880>
• President, Committee on Finance has Mr.
• President, Committee on Finance has had<00:30:25.440> under<00:30:25.640> consideration

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill creates consumer protection for pet sales and financing agreements.
• When financing, the financing agreements must be terminated without penalty if the animal is returned
• The financing terms must be disclosed to the consumer before the sale, and all animal records must be
• There must be a mandatory three-day waiting period before signing financing agreements.
• Violations of the financing terms are a first-degree misdemeanor and are considered unfair trade practices

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1236, which would condition state economic development incentives on employers at subsidized companies using secret-ballot union elections and prohibiting neutrality agreements. The sponsor said the bill is meant to protect workers and taxpayer dollars, and he noted he would amend the Attorney General enforcement language to allow appeals. Supporters argued it protects secret ballots and transparency, while opponents said it is a form of union-busting, could conflict with federal labor law, and would burden contractors and workers. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably on a roll call vote, with Senators Bracey Davis, Smith, and Errington voting no and the remaining recorded votes in favor. The committee then heard CS/SB 198, which regulates cryptocurrency kiosks to combat fraud, especially against seniors. The bill requires kiosk registration, fraud warnings, blockchain analytics, transaction limits, receipts, and refund protections for certain first-time transactions involving non-U.S. wallets. Supporters from consumer and senior advocacy groups said the bill would help stop widespread scams, while one industry witness praised the bill’s fraud protections but suggested narrowing the daily limits and new-customer period. The committee reported the bill favorably by roll call vote. Next, the committee considered CS/SB 1356 on dog breeding, pet sales, and breeder registration. The sponsor described it as a work in progress aimed at ending inhumane breeding conditions, improving consumer disclosures, and creating breeder standards and penalties; an amendment removed state oversight of local animal shelters. Pet store representatives supported many animal welfare provisions but objected to the three-day financing waiting period, shelter-space requirements, expanded reimbursement, and litigation exposure. Animal welfare supporters backed the bill, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee also heard SB 1722 on app stores and minors’ access to apps. The bill requires age verification, parental consent for minors, notice of app changes, and enforcement by the Department of Legal Affairs. Supporters said it would better protect children online and help enforce existing age-based restrictions, while opponents warned it could require overcollection of personal data, create privacy and constitutional problems, and duplicate tools parents already have. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee took up CS/SB 422, which would bar use of ADS-B aviation data to calculate or collect certain airport fees, with an amendment adding departures to the covered activities. A pilot supported the bill as a safety and privacy measure, while airport advocates opposed it, saying it would undermine airport finances and force less efficient fee collection methods. The transcript ends during testimony on this bill, before final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm with the Legislative Finance Committee.
• And we also have from the Department of Finance and Administration, Mr. Eric Vasquez.
• Again, members of the subcommittee, my name is Ruby Ann Esquivel with the Legislative Finance Committee
• And then again, we also have with the Department of Finance and Administration, State Budget Division
• We will be discussing the Legislative Finance Committee and Executive Recommendations.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To my left is Shawna Murphy, she is our finance manager.
• And then OSBI says you know we'd really I'd like to hire your finance director.
• I said, well, let's make a deal: you hire my finance director, and we'll share HR and finance.
• What we were financing our personnel out of a fund that was Unpredictable.
• They don't have the ability or the finances to receive training.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As the conference committee continues discussions of the state government policy and finance bill, we
• state government policy and finance state government policy and finance bill,<00:26:46.320> we
• > government Jeang, members of the state government Jeang, members of the state government finance
• or<00:32:36.159> state<00:32:36.480> government<00:32:36.960> conference finance
• or state government conference finance or state government conference committee.<00:32:37.919> My

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Next we're going to move to the Department of Finance.
• We will next go to the Department of Finance. Thank you, members, chair, Alexander Bentz, LAO.
• We will then go to our Department of Finance and our LAO after that.
• How many staff does the Department of Finance have working on the budget?
• Ryan Bender, Department of Finance. We have nothing to add. Mr.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This further burden on our finances comes at a time when we know that Clay County's budget is hurting
• to Clay County resulting<00:03:19.159> in<00:03:19.400> significant<00:03:20.000> Finance
• resulting in significant Finance resulting in significant Finance Financial<00:03:21.360> pressure
• :44.040> time<00:03:44.280> when<00:03:44.439> we<00:03:44.560> know finances
• comes at a time when we know finances comes at a time when we know that<00:03:45.000> Klay<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the Fed's involvement in the Network for Greening the Financial System, a group dedicated to green financing
• Afford a home, and for small businesses to be able to finance their operations.
• And given that cost, I'd like to ask you about the national debt and the cost of financing it.
• Treasuries needed to finance the debt to skyrocket.
• Here's what we do with the companies that can't get any financing.

Bills: SB257

Keywords: supply chain resilience, critical supply chains, critical goods, manufacturing, domestic manufacturing, reshoring, nearshoring, supply chain security, supply chain shock, supply chain disruption, critical infrastructure, emerging technologies, semiconductors, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, advanced manufacturing, blockchain, cybersecurity

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a public financing issue.
• This is a public financing complicated.
• This is a public financing uh<00:16:03.120> uh<00:16:03.279> issue.
• It's a longstanding financing bonds are.
• <00:41:19.440> Agency's Minnesota Housing Finance Agency's Minnesota Housing Finance Agency's

Bills: HF3217, HF2252

Keywords: bioindustrial facilities, economic development, renewable energy, advanced biofuels, state funding, HF2252, Minnesota bonding, volume cap, private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, public facility bonds, public facilities pool, unified pool, bond allocation, municipal finance, bond cap, housing bonds, residential rental projects, manufacturing bonds, enterprise zone bonds

Summary: The committee first approved the prior day’s minutes as amended, correcting the meeting number from the 46th to the 45th meeting. It then took up House File 3217, which would restore funding for the Minnesota Bioincentive Program. Representative Kisha argued the state should honor commitments made to companies that met program requirements and had not received full reimbursement. Testifiers from the Great Plains Institute and Minnesota Biofuels Association said the program has supported bioeconomy investment, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and generated strong economic returns, but has been underfunded, leaving unpaid claims. Members raised questions about whether the bill was retrospective and whether it should be reviewed by another committee; the bill was laid over for further consideration without a vote. The committee then heard House File 2252, a proposal to modernize Minnesota’s private activity bond volume cap by shifting unused allocation from the small issuer/manufacturing bucket to the public facilities bucket while leaving the overall cap unchanged. The bill’s public finance testifier said the current allocation formula is outdated, housing would remain the top priority, and the change would be budget neutral. Testifiers from the Minnesota Milk Producers Association and Minnesota Biofuels Association supported the bill, saying it would better align financing with rural infrastructure, clean water, manure management, renewable natural gas, dairy processing, and low-carbon fuel projects, and could lower borrowing costs for those sectors. Members questioned whether the bill fit the committee’s jurisdiction and noted it might be more appropriate for another committee; the bill was also laid over for further consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 25 tackled zoning flexibility and innovative financing.
• <01:14:28.480> to costs of everything from financing to costs of everything from financing
• In particular, the cost of financing.
• On the right-hand side, you usually finance it with debt and equity.
• And then finally, I financing off of it.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:07 Roll Call 00:00:14 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:01 Discussion of Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit 01:11:13 Adjournment 01:40:27, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Housing Task Force met and heard first from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which presented findings from a housing study done with the Home Builders Association. The chamber said housing is now a major economic-development issue, citing survey results that 90% of community leaders said their region could not absorb a major job announcement and 66% said housing is holding back Kentucky’s economy. The chamber described Kentucky’s housing shortage, rising home prices, declining permits since 2008, and the need for more production to support growth. It urged policy changes including zoning and land-use reform, tax incentives, regional approaches, and especially a residential infrastructure fund modeled on Indiana’s low-interest loan program to help communities finance roads and other infrastructure needed for new housing. Members asked about the severity of the problem, workforce shortages in permitting and construction, the loan interest rate, repayment, and whether Kentucky could replicate Indiana’s results; the witness said the issue is a crisis and that the program would be a revolving public-private partnership, likely around 3% interest, with implementation details still to be worked out. The Kentucky Bankers Association then testified that the housing gap is especially acute for households at 80% of area median income and below, which it said represents about 70% of Kentucky’s housing need. It emphasized that the shortage affects both urban and rural counties and pointed to examples such as Rowan County, where workers at major employers must commute long distances because local housing is unavailable or unaffordable. The bankers said high interest rates remain a major barrier and proposed a $20 million bank commitment for a revolving fund tied to tax credits to finance new housing, not refinances. They cited Hope of the Midwest as an example of a successful tax-credit housing model with a long track record and no defaults, and said the proposal would leverage public-private partnerships to create new units. Committee members questioned how the proposed fund would compare with industrial revenue bonds and whether it could be structured like Kentucky’s tobacco settlement fund, with seed money, a review board, scoring criteria, and possible population thresholds to ensure smaller communities benefit. The bankers said the proposal would be another tool for cities and counties, specifically tied to residential infrastructure, and that larger cities should not be able to capture all of the resources. No formal votes or actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Witness: So that yesterday finance passed those fees.
• Representative Weyler: You mean Senate Finance? So we are not meeting your projections. 1.5. 1.5.
• > passed<00:37:06.720> those so that yesterday finance passed those so that yesterday finance
• Um you mean senate finance? So we know. Um you mean senate finance?
• Hi, Danielle Chandonet, Director of Finance for DOT. Great. Thank you.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Dedicated Funds met to review the House budget provision that would impose a 5% administrative charge on a broad list of dedicated funds, with some exemptions. Members discussed the House approach versus the Senate’s more general approach of leaving the governor discretion over which funds could be charged. The chair explained the committee was hearing from agencies about any legal, contractual, or practical reasons their funds should be exempt, and the agenda was expanded to include several departments and written submissions from others. The Department of Education testified first, identifying several funds it said should be exempt: a printing revolving fund that is funded by transfers rather than fees; teacher certification, which is self-funded by educator licensing fees and would require an immediate fee increase if charged; a vending stand set-aside tied to the federal Randolph-Sheppard program and subject to federal approval and vendor committee procedures; and a public school infrastructure/safety account, where most revenue is transferred from the education trust fund or general fund rather than generated by fees. Members questioned the department about the effect on school safety projects and whether the fee would simply reduce the number of projects completed each year. The Veterans Home asked for exemptions for three funds: a donation benefit account used for recreational activities and quality-of-life expenses for residents, a small memorial trust fund whose interest supports veteran activities, and a resident member account that holds veterans’ personal income such as Social Security and pensions. The department argued the charge would reduce donations, cut services, and effectively function like an income tax on vulnerable veterans. The Banking Department also requested exemption for its consumer credit administration license fund, saying it is used to keep exam fees low and is expressly intended by statute to reduce costs on regulated businesses; it said the 5% charge would undermine that framework and could eventually force higher fees. The Department of Justice began testimony on its dedicated funds, starting with the medical legal investigative fund, which pays for death investigations and related services under statute and without general fund support. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the committee mainly heard testimony and asked questions about the practical and legal effects of applying the administrative charge.

Transcript Highlights:

• It proposes to make use of the metro-wide sales tax that was enacted in the 2023 Transportation Finance
• And so we’ll bring it back and probably incorporate it into the finance bill, if that’s all right.”
• <01:14:15.159> bill for consideration in our finance bill for consideration in our finance
• And does it usually come out of the trunk highway fund, or where are planes financed out of what part
• Does it usually come out of the trunk highway fund, or where are planes financed out of what part of

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:01:22.799> the<00:01:22.960> Department<00:01:23.320> of<00:01:23.520> Finance
• the merger of the Department of Finance the merger of the Department of Finance the<00:01:24.320
• but as it relates to campaign finance but as it relates to campaign finance and<01:09:42.279>
• > I'm<01:09:43.799> sorry and all campaigns Finance or I'm sorry and all campaigns Finance
• <01:09:45.839> protection the the the Consumer Finance protection the the the Consumer Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• here that are not here, seeing they're on dual committees, and they may be over at Ways and Means or Finance
• Representative from where the pseudo chair on Division Two Finance? Yes, just go around please.
• <00:29:55.039> and with the person down in finance and with the person down in finance and
• It's the technology that runs HR and finance.
• <01:25:53.960> we're technology that runs HR Finance we're technology that runs HR Finance

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was the first session of a newly created House Education Funding Committee, which also handles career technical education and higher education legislation. The chair explained that the committee was split off from the larger education committee because of the high volume of bills in the prior biennium, and said its focus would be on education funding policy and related fiscal issues. He noted that the committee had already reviewed major topics with the Department of Education, including the foundation formula, building aid, career technical education, special education aid, catastrophic aid, and higher education funding, and that chancellors from the university and community college systems were scheduled to appear later that morning. The bulk of the meeting was an orientation on committee procedures and decorum. The chair reviewed attendance and replacement rules, hearing procedures, time limits for testimony, and how the committee would handle crowded hearings, early bills, and fiscal notes. He emphasized that hearings are not debates, that sponsors and co-sponsors may present but should not use their position to dominate questioning, and that the chair controls whether additional technical questions are asked of witnesses. He also stressed neutrality, saying members should not display buttons or placards or engage in running debates with testifiers, and that the committee should treat all testimony respectfully regardless of party or viewpoint. Additional housekeeping guidance covered security procedures, use of cell phones and computers during hearings, breaks and hydration in the dry hearing rooms, and courtesy toward the clerk and other staff. The chair also asked members to notify leadership in advance of absences and explained that some bills may require larger rooms or overflow arrangements. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have guys that are experts in other industries, like finance or whatever else.
• However, the financing is much different—it's 30 years at $300 a month.
• I really feel like the financing company, which all three women are financed through, says, 'We never
• But you did issue a 30-year financing agreement to a 90-year-old woman.
• So I cannot believe in good conscience that a financing company would want to do that.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is expected to go to finance. Seeing none, Senator, any final comments to the bill?
• This bill is expected to go to finance. This bill is expected to go to finance.
• and we'll do this us off to finance and we'll do this again. again. again.
• The motion is to re-refer the bill to the Committee on Finance. All in favor say aye. >> Aye.
• The motion prevails, and the bill is on its way to Finance. Thank you, Senator. Thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all