Transcript Highlights:

• Also on the substantive criminal bills: What happens if you pass a bill to increase penalties?
• areas of focus for the legislature this year, you know, as we talk about competency and increased penalties
• That's going to get you a minimum wage job; that's not necessarily something that's going to keep you

Transcript Highlights:

• When we look at our disciplinary matrix, it's what we use, the statutory guidelines to impose the penalty
• investigation, the OIG monitor can make a recommendation as to what we believe is the appropriate penalty
• And if they are sustained, what penalties should be imposed? And then...
• What we believe is the appropriate penalty.
• It also shows that the state has not reached a constitutional level of minimum care for incarcerated

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing focused on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s handling of mental health care in prisons and allegations of sexual abuse, retaliation, and excessive force in the state’s women’s facilities. CDCR officials described their PREA-based prevention and response efforts, including training, oversight, body-worn cameras, retaliation follow-up, and partnerships with outside groups. The Office of the Inspector General explained its monitoring role, noting increased authority under SB 1069, but also limited staffing and the ability to monitor only a portion of cases. The Legislative Analyst’s Office added that prison population trends could allow the state to close a prison and save over $100 million, with some savings potentially redirected to prevention or response efforts. Advocates and formerly incarcerated witnesses from Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition and the California Coalition of Women Prisoners testified that meaningful systemic change has not occurred and that retaliation, blocked programming, and unsafe reporting conditions remain widespread. They described alleged barriers to community-based services, forced or coercive treatment concerns involving Suboxone, and the need for survivor-centered reentry support, trauma-informed care, and more independent oversight. Sandra DeAnda gave detailed testimony about alleged staff abuse, retaliation, denial of mental health care, and a large use-of-force incident at Central California Women’s Facility, while Amika Mota and April Grayson urged release or resentencing for survivors housed with their abusers and greater investment in outside programs. Members of the committee pressed CDCR and OIG on accountability, use-of-force standards, criminal referrals, disciplinary outcomes, and whether investigations are completed within statutory timelines. CDCR acknowledged cultural problems at both women’s prisons and said it was retraining staff and working on reforms, while OIG said it had monitored 161 investigations and found most grievance routing appropriate, though some cases had lapsed due to time limits. Later exchanges revealed that CDCR has over 13,500 active cases and 109 investigators, and that some cases have exceeded deadlines, prompting concerns from members about whether the current system can adequately investigate misconduct and impose consequences. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• academic requirements for a licensed school counselor and, in connection therewith, establishing a minimum
• Senate Bill 72 by Senators Carson and Snyder, concerning increasing criminal penalties related to assaultive
• > criminal Snyder uh concerning increasing criminal Snyder uh concerning increasing criminal penalties
• related<00:28:49.000> to<00:28:49.080> assaultive<00:28:49.560> conduct penalties
• related to assaultive conduct penalties related to assaultive conduct with<00:28:50.080> a<00

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum, approved the journal, and then proceeded out of order to consider Senate Joint Resolution 20, recognizing April 9, 2026, as Home Education Day in Colorado. Senator Pelton spoke in strong support of home education, describing it as a parent-led choice that benefits students and families. The resolution was adopted on a 30-0 vote, and the current roll was added as co-sponsors. The chamber then took up the consent calendar and passed House Bill 1229, House Bill 1244, and Senate Bill 153. HB 1229, which concerns the human-animal bond as a social determinant of health, drew three no votes from Senators Pelton, Zamora Wilson, and Baeza; the other two measures passed unanimously. The Senate also laid over third reading of bills until Friday, April 10. In Committee of the Whole, senators considered Senate Bill 72, which increases criminal penalties for assaultive conduct involving a motor vehicle and adds causing death with a motor vehicle to criminally negligent homicide. The committee adopted the report and advanced the bill on second reading. Later, the chamber laid over Senate Bill 134 and House Bill 1084 until April 10, and then took up Senate Bill 140, which would exempt certain rare disease and plasma therapies from review by the Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board. Sponsors and supporters argued the bill protects access for patients with rare diseases and prevents harm to treatment development, while opponents said it would weaken the PDAB’s affordability work and was too broad. Senators Weisman and Gonzales spoke against the bill, with Weisman citing concerns about the federal definition used and Gonzales defending the PDAB’s role in lowering drug costs; the debate continued in the transcript without a final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• It lowers the minimum loan amount for the Community Wealth Building program from $50,000 to $10,000.
• This raises the penalty percentage from 50% to 100% of the impacted unemployment benefit amounts overpaid
• industry to commissioner of labor and industry to assess<00:47:49.359> a<00:47:49.520> penalty
• > up<00:47:50.319> to<00:47:50.680> $1,000<00:47:51.680> per assess a penalty
• of up to $1,000 per assess a penalty of up to $1,000 per employee<00:47:52.560> per employee

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We can only do one thing on child support, and that is order child support based upon minimum wage.
• The worst a parent can receive, when we properly call it the death penalty of civil cases, when a levy
• of proof should be elevated to beyond a reasonable doubt. reasonable doubt because it is a death penalty
• I understand that, but what I don't want it to be is a death penalty for a child that goes back into
• And I want to say that I have worked on a death penalty case.

Bills: HCR 16, HB 782, HB 2159, HB 2288, HB 3281, HB 3819, HB 4656, HB 4696, HB 5494

Keywords: fatherhood, family support, fatherlessness, community engagement, youth development, social policy, male role models, child development, policy reform, role models, mental health, parenting, single-parent homes, welfare reform, economic opportunity, mentorship, community initiatives, children, welfare programs, education

Transcript Highlights:

• We can only do one thing on child support, and that is order child support based upon minimum wage.
• The worst a parent can receive, when we properly call it the death penalty of civil cases, is when a
• of proof should be elevated to beyond a reasonable doubt. reasonable doubt because it is a death penalty
• I understand that, but what I don't want it to be is a death penalty for a child that goes back into
• And I want to say that I have worked on a death penalty case.

Bills: HCR16, HB782, HB2159, HB2288, HB3281, HB3819, HB4656, HB4696, HB5494, HCR16

Keywords: fatherhood, family support, fatherlessness, community engagement, youth development, social policy, male role models, child development, policy reform, role models, mental health, parenting, single-parent homes, welfare reform, economic opportunity, mentorship, community initiatives, children, welfare programs, education

Transcript Highlights:

• New requirements are talked about, rights and responsibilities are talked about, upcoming changes, penalties
• Those are sanctions that the courts impose and then they are distributed to us, so they're fines or penalties
• So it's not a kid or family paying fees or penalties for contempt? Not here. No, not in our budget.
• Um, there's $190 million that is set in here for minimum teacher salary and raises.
• Okay, so we then could look at this C and expect that the recommendations at the minimum should be part

Summary: The committee heard a series of Arkansas Department of Human Services budget presentations and questions, beginning with the Secretary’s Office and then the Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services. Staff described the divisions’ appropriations, funding sources, and major programs, including senior centers, Meals on Wheels, mental health grants, substance abuse treatment, community alcohol safety, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, and crisis stabilization units. Members raised concerns about flat or limited funding for senior services, the use and tracing of federal block grants, the lack of a funding source for the veterans’ mental health grant, and the mechanics of the community alcohol safety and treatment programs. The committee also discussed patient benefits funds at state facilities, transportation for senior center clients, and whether some special-language appropriations or fund balances should be revisited. Executive recommendations were adopted for the divisions considered. The committee then reviewed the Division of Children and Family Services and the Division of County Operations. Questions focused on foster care growth, adoption subsidies, professional fees tied to staff training and onboarding, vacancies, the Children’s Trust Fund, and TANF subgrants. Members asked about the reduction or elimination of TANF funding to child advocacy centers and other subgrantees, and DHS explained that prior reserves had been spent down and that the department was now trying to live within the annual TANF block grant and rebuild reserves. County operations questions also covered summer EBT, SNAP employment and training, the farmers’ market program, and the expected impact of a federal SNAP administrative match change, which DHS estimated would increase state costs by about $24 million annually, with roughly $18 million affecting the current year because the change begins October 1. Executive recommendations were again adopted. Finally, the committee heard from the Division of Developmental Disability Services and the Division of Medical Services. DDS testimony covered vacancies, staffing shortages, human development center construction and repairs, the reopening of the Boonville work training program, and funding for infant infirmary and child/family life programs. Medical Services testimony covered the Medicaid program, the current FMAP rate, the Our Kids B CHIP program, Medicaid payments to schools, nursing home distress funding, and large appropriation lines used to provide flexibility for claims and potential facility closures. Members asked for more detail on school Medicaid payments, reserve balances, and why some appropriations were much larger than actual spending. In each division, the committee moved and adopted Executive REC after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• New requirements are talked about, rights and responsibilities are talked about, upcoming changes, penalties
• So there are fines or penalties? Yes, ma'am. Well, are those funds shared with county government?
• So it's not a kid or family paying fees or penalties for contempt? Not here. No, not in our budget.
• C with the breakdown of the various appropriations, there's $190 million that is set in here for minimum
• Look at this C and expect that the recommendations at the minimum should be part of the adequacy that

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and took executive recommendations on several Department of Human Services divisions, including Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services; Children and Family Services; County Operations; Developmental Disability Services; and Medical Services, with most divisions showing little or no significant change in total appropriations. Staff and agency witnesses repeatedly explained that many large appropriations are maintained for flexibility, federal matching requirements, or contingency needs, even when actual spending is much lower than the authorized amount. Members also raised concerns about staffing vacancies, long-vacant budgeted positions, and the use of excess appropriation authority across DHS. In Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health, members questioned federal funding levels for mental health and substance abuse grants, the status of senior centers and Meals on Wheels, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, community alcohol safety grants, and the veterans mental health grant. Agency officials said federal block grants are largely committed, that senior center funding had been delayed by shutdown timing but was now back on track, that the tobacco settlement program had been moved internally within DHS, and that the veterans mental health appropriation remains unfunded. Senators also criticized the adequacy of support for seniors and asked for more detail on how transportation, meal services, and local contributions are funded. In Children and Family Services, members asked about rising appropriation levels, foster care and adoption subsidies, professional fees, the number of children in foster care, and the Children’s Trust Fund. DHS said increases reflect added flexibility for residential treatment, adoption subsidies, and prevention services, while the foster care population has remained fairly steady at about 3,400 children. The Children’s Trust Fund was described as supporting primary prevention programs such as Baby and Me and community schools, and members asked whether it could be administratively combined with other efforts. Questions also covered TANF subgrants, with DHS explaining that it had reduced outside subgrants after discovering over-obligation and was rebuilding reserves. In County Operations, members focused on the summer EBT program, SNAP employment and training, the farmer’s market program, and the state’s TANF reserve position. DHS said summer EBT is still being funded through temporary appropriations because it is a newer program, SNAP employment and training is largely federally funded and may expand under a pending policy change, and TANF reserves were drawn down after prior over-obligation but are now being stabilized. In Developmental Disability Services, members asked about vacancies, human development center staffing, facility construction funds, and the Booneville work program, and DHS said the program has reopened and staffing recruitment continues. In Medical Services, members asked about FMAP, the Our Kids B CHIP program, school-based Medicaid reimbursements, nursing home distress funds, and several large appropriation lines that far exceed actual spending; DHS said these are maintained for claims payment, nursing home receivership contingencies, and other flexibility needs. Each division reviewed was adopted by executive recommendation after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This sentence didn't exist in our law until 2009, when we abolished the death penalty.
• Then the penalties were a little different.
• Wave of so-called reform bills, like the Second Chance Bill, focuses on reducing penalties to offenders
• Her goal was to, I mean, the minimum that she could say was to keep her behind bars.
• should be castrated, and Epstein would have been a perfect example of this—in life in prison or death penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• When we look at our disciplinary matrix, it's what we use, the statutory guidelines to impose the penalty
• investigation, the OIG monitor can make a recommendation as to what we believe is the appropriate penalty
• And if they are sustained, what penalties should be imposed? And then...
• What we believe is the appropriate penalty.
• It shows that the state has not reached a constitutional level of minimum care for incarcerated people

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we need to put together and assign some criminal penalties for somebody who doesn't comply.
• We also discovered that there's no criminal penalties associated with that.
• We need to put together and assign some criminal penalties for somebody who doesn't comply.
• We also discovered that there's no criminal penalties associated with that.
• But it's probably a few hundred million at a minimum, but today there's so many changes in the last 30

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Senate Republican leaders held a press event to roll out a package of anti-fraud proposals focused on state welfare and human services programs. Mark Johnson opened by citing recent fraud scandals, including a shuttered housing program and reports of vulnerable adults being left without care while providers billed for full services, and said Republicans want top-down reform, stronger accountability, new technology, and tighter oversight of taxpayer dollars. Michael Kreun said Republicans support an independent Office of Inspector General and argued the Senate-passed bill should not be weakened in the House; he also said the Senate should restore its role in confirming agency commissioners, especially at DHS, which he described as central to the fraud problem. Jordan Rasmusson outlined a plan to stop “blank checks” for DHS and DCYF services by requiring legislative audit review when a program exceeds budget by 5 percent and legislative approval for additional spending at 10 percent over budget. He also said DHS should adopt basic integrity tools such as electronic visit verification and client sign-off. Steve Drazkowski described two bills: a statewide “do-not-pay” list to block payments to ineligible people or entities, and an “I’m Not a Robot” proposal for Medicaid managed care that would require enrollee verification forms, with a 2 percent payment withhold used to encourage compliance and potentially fund county system upgrades. Mark Krueger said the state should improve technology and data use for eligibility determinations, citing other states’ rapid fraud-fighting systems, and proposed penalties for false reporting to the Legislative Auditor after a DHS audit found falsified site-visit records. Steve Gruenhagen said his bill would require DHS and DCYF to resume annual fraud-prevention and oversight reports to the legislature, which he said had stopped after 2017 despite rising fraud cases. Michael Holmstrom proposed unannounced site visits for all DHS and DCYF providers before enrollment, reenrollment, and revalidation, funded through provider service fees, and cited a recent case involving a woman with autism who was billed for far more care than she received. In the Q&A, Kreun said House Democrats’ delete-everything amendment to the inspector general bill removed the law enforcement division and stripped the bill of its “teeth,” and he suggested the governor’s office may have been involved in efforts to replace the bill with a weaker coordination council model. No votes were taken in the press conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• The, the subcommittee on new, new offenses and, and change penalties.
• I don't believe that the legislation has any, um, penalty provisions.
• we continue to see that this issue persists, then obviously, I think we may have to come with some penalty
• Section 3 and Section 4 of the bill relating to penalties for victims' rights violations and it clarifies
• It's really basic minimum, the right to be notified at least 5 days before a plea deal, before they're

Bills: HB47

Keywords: HB 47, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem taxes, property tax, voter-approval tax rate, tax rate election, taxing unit, injunction, taxpayer rights, property owner, local government finance, tax refund, attorney's fees, court costs, voter-approved tax increase, tax reform, municipal taxes, county taxes, school district taxes, bond election

Transcript Highlights:

• ... charge while also mandating minimum insurance requirements.
• House Bill 525, sexual battery, create a mandatory minimum for penalties.
• So, what this bill does is place a minimum on the crime of sexual battery under section...
• And in that case, currently, there is no minimum. It's just a uh discretion with the court.
• That means that we will have a legislative session and a budget session At a minimum in between, three

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 1 April, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We designate the need as far as we want a fire suppression aircraft with minimum specifications that
• The specs are a minimum, and we expect multiple platforms, multiple vendors, multiple models to meet
• those minimum specifications.
• So the the minimum specifications though are not such that you're going to exclude people.
• There could be penalties for that, and that's the right thing to do for taxpayers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minimum of $100 million a year.
• It is $100 million minimum for any state.
• Regardless of income, with no copay, and it's tied to a $21 an hour minimum wage.
• So we're creating a base minimum wage in this industry.
• Our cost goes up by a minimum of $30 million without making any changes in the budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• testimony, but it basically says that when establishing child support guidelines, states must at a minimum
• testimony, but it basically says that when establishing child support guidelines, states must at a minimum
• guidelines, states must at a minimum provide<00:28:32.720> that<00:28:33.919> child<00
• >> Repeat that. >> So, if somebody can call anonymously knowing there's a criminal penalty for lying
• <03:45:57.279> for knowing there's a criminal penalty for knowing there's a criminal penalty

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Clor continued, saying that when students go into default, if there is a penalty or accruing
• <00:13:47.160> if<00:13:47.279> there's<00:13:47.440> a<00:13:47.600> penalty
• they go in default if there's a penalty they go in default if there's a penalty or<00:13:48.440>
• OHI is required per Minnesota state statute to project State Grant spending at a minimum of twice a year
• at<01:10:27.560> a project State Grant spending at a project State Grant spending at a minimum

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe there are additional about and I believe there are additional possible<00:42:55.599> penalty
• > Provisions<00:42:56.960> um<00:42:57.280> so<00:42:57.559> to possible penalty
• Provisions um so to possible penalty Provisions um so to give<00:42:58.520> um<00:42:59.040><
• proceeds from the conveyance tax to DERF have to be used in county-designated areas that meet the minimum
• <02:20:06.720> standards areas that meet the minimum standards areas that meet the minimum

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Housing held a public hearing and moved quickly through a long agenda, beginning with HB 606 on the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. DHHL and several community testifiers strongly supported the bill, describing it as a way to fulfill long-standing promises to Native Hawaiians, reduce the DHHL waitlist, keep families in Hawaii, and support housing production and the broader economy. Testifiers emphasized the cultural and economic importance of stable housing and noted the large number of people still waiting for DHHL homes. The committee then heard HB 1086, also relating to DHHL, which would allow the department to use a $75 million appropriation from the dwelling unit revolving fund as collateral for loans. DHHL, HHFDC, and other supporters said the measure would help DHHL obtain better loan terms and preserve trust funds for other uses. Members asked detailed questions about how the collateral would work, whether other agencies use similar structures, and what would happen if the collateral were drawn upon; staff explained that the funds would be encumbered for the loan and that a similar model had been used for a HUD-backed project. The committee also heard HB 739, which would create the COM homes program to fund counties to buy voluntary deed restrictions from eligible homeowners or buyers. Supporters said the program could help keep local workers in Hawaii by using existing housing stock and cited examples from places like Aspen and Vail. The Attorney General’s office recommended amendments to remove duration requirements to avoid right-to-travel concerns, and the Tax Foundation suggested clarifying the conveyance tax exemption so it also covers the instrument imposing the restriction. Members asked whether tax dollars would be used to buy homes, who would be eligible, and how enforcement would work; supporters said the program is voluntary and income-blind, with restrictions tied to living and working in the state. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• emergency management office would be the best way to communicate that the camp had Done the bare minimum
• I mean, they can in section B, lines 6 through 9, they can give corrective action plans, civil penalties

Bills: HB2268, HB3000, HB3043, HB3066, HB3078, HB3143, HB3144, HB3244, HB3298, HB3320, HB3467, HB3321, HB3329, HB3431, HB3464, HB3499, HB3500, HB3586, HB3590, HB3650, HB3671, HB3695, HB3700, HB3701, HB3764, HB3767, HB3834, HB3931, HB3934, HB3940, HB3944, HB3979, HB3985, HB4113, HB4294, HB4302, HB4317, HB4324, HB4359, HB4426, HB4427, HB4430, HB4431, HB4434, HJR1077, SR42, SR35, HJR1023, HB1225, HB1374, HB1381, HB1590, HB1675, HB2153

Keywords: HB2268, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, OHCA, appropriation, General Revenue Fund, PACE, Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, elderly care, aging Oklahomans, long-term care, Medicaid, health care funding, provider reimbursement, rate increase, low-income seniors, senior services, integrated care, emergency measure, cosmetology, barbering

Transcript Highlights:

• And then number 10, your right to acquire all the skills needed to maintain quality employment, not minimum
• Statutes say that they have to pay a 300% penalty. But that was never collected.