Transcript Highlights:

• It's the geologist board and they have a shall and we actually have been spending uh apparently a decent
• It's the geologist board and they have a shall and we actually have been spending uh apparently a decent
• It's the geologist board and they have a shall and we actually have been spending uh apparently a decent
• It's the geologist board and they have a shall and we actually have been spending uh apparently a decent
• It's the geologist board and they have a shall and we actually have been spending uh apparently a decent

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But the question is whether or not it is new spending or not, though. Yeah.
• it to the taxpayer, that's still considered spending.
• I'm completing my 28th year of teaching after spending 10 years on active duty in the Army.
• The additional clinical programs spend 14 weeks in the classroom.
• It's difficult to spend all day in a classroom. Of course, a lot of them do it voluntarily.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That way, if they're performing well regardless of how they spend money, and they're doing great on their
• It's a huge amount of money that we're spending, and we should make sure that it's going where it needs
• I tried to register and tell them how they should spend that money, how they should allocate between
• People who make the decisions on how to spend the money that's allocated to them under these programs
• And so it's anyway, I'm happy to spend time with y'all to understand because it is pretty significant

Bills: HB660, HB4845, HB3902, HB5396, HB4615, HB1825, HB1403, HB4336, HB4585, HB4371, HB863, SB1589, HB5223, HB3195, HB2734

Keywords: child protective services, adult protective services, caseload limits, call processing goals, child-care licensing, employee workload, reporting requirements, employee caseload limits, protective services, workload management, accountability, Department of Family and Protective Services, employee goals, call processing, child care, human resources, government accountability, Medicaid, provider enrollment, revalidation

Transcript Highlights:

• So this allows the employees to spend more time supplying services to patients while still maintaining
• which is not offered today, but will be offered eventually. will end discrimination against high spending
• a part of an arena in in health care that we really have to rein in as it's become over 20% of the spend
• You're going to exceed your out-of-pocket maximum in the year, so you know how much you're going to spend
• Y'all have heard me repetitively say, we spend $4.2, $4.3 trillion annually on healthcare.

Bills: SB437, SB528, SB626, SB636, SB884, SB968, SB1044, SB1608, SB2336

Keywords: healthcare, training, abuse, neglect, penalties, chemical dependency, safety, regulation, inpatient competency restoration, competency restoration, forensic mental health, mental health law, criminal competency, incompetent to stand trial, Chapter 46B, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission, state hospital, behavioral health, local mental health authority

Transcript Highlights:

• funding inequities that they were seeing with this with this model does is it addresses deficit spending
• So the $800 isn't to say that you only have $800 to spend on this child.
• But in terms of they can spend beyond that, I guess I'm I'm confused in this space many years because
• How do you deficit spends like that in reality that it's just a practical question?
• And and that's how you office said what we're spending, right.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And how much will we need to spend? And you put that all on a sheet.
• But I'm going to spend most of the time on oil and gas. I presented this...
• But I'm going to spend most of the time on oil and gas.
• Also probably spend some time discussing data centers as well.
• Are we missing anything that we need to spend some time talking about?

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to report our spending. We have to report the outcomes.
• They are in some control of the manner in which we spend our money. That's another level.
• So we are doing a lot, we are spending a lot.
• will be taking a good, hard look at, but we've been spending a...
• I'm not going to spend a whole lot of... That we are on relative to this topic. So thank you, Ms.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What was the benefit of those to the citizens, not just the spending of the funds?
• If we're going to spend state money on it, there has to be a benefit.'
• So is it better to spend some money and train farmers, educate farmers and ranchers, get landowners to
• How much money does Oklahoma spend on workforce development?
• Direct spending for workforce development that we are trying to track.

Summary: The meeting began with a budget presentation from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. Secretary Blaine Arthur and Deputy Commissioner Jan Lee described the agency’s divisions and recent efforts to improve efficiency, including expanded online licensing, electronic veterinary inspection certificates, and a new laboratory information system. They highlighted youth and workforce programs, local food initiatives for schools, market development efforts, and ongoing animal health concerns such as avian influenza, equine herpesvirus, and the threat of New World screwworm. They also discussed staffing, turnover, and uncertainty around federal cooperative agreement funding, while noting they were not requesting new or additional appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year. Members asked about meat inspection staffing, the use of one-time forestry firefighting funds, biosecurity and national security coordination, and agency staffing levels. The department said meat inspection was currently in good shape but dependent on federal funding stability, and explained that prior firefighting dollars had been used for equipment purchases. They also said they work with state and federal partners, including DHS and FBI, on threat preparedness and have reduced turnover by adjusting salaries and maintaining staffing at or below prior levels. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission then presented its budget and program overview. Staff described the agency’s long history and current work in water quality, flood control, soil health, unpaved roads, wetlands, and woody species control, especially eastern red cedar removal. They emphasized data-driven, voluntary conservation practices, citing stream cleanups, flood-control dam benefits, pond cleanouts during drought, and the Cherry-Peach watershed project as examples of programs that improve water resources and reduce wildfire risk. The agency said its workload has grown significantly and requested funding for critical dam repairs, local conservation district staffing, continued unpaved roads work, and expansion of woody species control statewide. Members asked about county matching for road and dam projects, who to contact about flooding roads, sediment removal from pond cleanouts, and the effectiveness of county training programs. Commission staff explained that county in-kind work can count as match, local conservation districts are the first point of contact, and the road training has produced measurable savings and better maintenance practices. They also clarified that “high hazard” dams are those where failure could threaten people or infrastructure downstream, not necessarily dams that are structurally failing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The primary economic benefits of New Mexico State Parks that we analyzed are visitor spending and the
• We also came up with a conservative estimate on daily visitor spending at $60 per day.
• We get from there to visitor spending by multiplying the number of visitors by visitor days.
• So, considering all economic activity, this would be the expenditures and visitor spending.
• Big question we could spend all week talking about it.

Transcript Highlights:

• That’s a total of $192,000, even after trying to fight it and already spending thousands of dollars.
• I already know that we didn’t spend them all.
• <00:30:55.200> them already know that we didn't spend them already know that we didn't spend
• Yeah, just a percent, because I thought we gave you guys like $10 million and you guys don’t even spend
• like a three pennies on don't even spend like a three pennies on the<00:31:46.960> project<00

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 1232, which would create a three-year wastewater technology testing pilot program at the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center and coordinate testing with state and county agencies. The Department of Health, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and University of Hawaiʻi representatives supported the bill, saying it would help certify new wastewater technologies, lower costs for cesspool conversions, and provide data to the Department of Health. Testifiers said the prior testing effort ended after the departure of Dr. Roger Babcock, and that the new program would use National Sanitation Foundation standards, graduate students, and local wastewater facilities such as Wahiawa. Committee members asked about the $750,000 total cost, the scope of existing research, prior test sites, and whether the program would be tied to individuals or a permanent program. One member raised concerns about the fairness and data basis for sewer conversion decisions in local communities, and the University said it would follow national standards and share results openly. The committee then took up Senate Bill 686, relating to a short-term management initiative for coconut rhinoceros beetle response and related appropriations. The Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawaiʻi testified in support, while a county representative and other advocates urged broader statewide coverage, including Kauaʻi, and asked that appropriated funds be usable on any island. Testimony emphasized the need for immediate action, outreach, tree-trimmer training, canopy treatments, K-9 inspections, container fumigation, and biocontrol research. A member summarized the bill’s funding components, including amounts for training, residential palm treatments, response teams, inspections, fumigation, and research, and noted the importance of directing money toward on-the-ground response. Committee questions focused on how much funding remained available, how the agencies would coordinate with DOA, whether the department was prepared to manage all the bill’s functions, and how infestations were being communicated to the public. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 657, which would appropriate funds for the University of Hawaiʻi School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology’s Center for Climate Resilient Development. The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in strong support, and the Department of Health also supported the measure, noting that it relies on the center’s data to inform decisions and recommendations on projects. The discussion on this item was brief in the portion provided, with no vote or final action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, transportation is the second-largest category of household spending behind housing.
• It doesn't mean that they're going to spend it all in the next six months, but it does mean that we need
• , 100% of the spending, even though we know we will claim federal reimbursement for the federal share
• So we're seeking authorization to spend the full amount, but we do fully expect that we will be getting
• DOT that's looking at trying to extend the life of these improvements that we're making each time we spend

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets held a public hearing on H. 5279, a bill financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges. MassDOT and A&F testified in support, describing the bill as a more than $5 billion transportation bond package centered on a four-year, $1.2 billion Chapter 90 authorization, plus funding for MBTA rail reliability and modernization, housing-related transportation improvements, a new DCR/MassDOT PRISM program for parkways and other DCR assets, and reauthorizations of the Municipal Pavement Program, Shared Streets and Spaces, and highway programs. They said the bill would support safety, resilience, housing production, and multimodal transportation, and noted that some bonds could be issued as special obligation bonds backed by the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and Fair Share revenues. Committee members asked about the size and structure of the authorizations, the federal match for highway projects, the source of MBTA vehicle procurement, bridge repair needs, and whether the housing-related funds could be used flexibly for items like sidewalks, bike lanes, bus stops, and other local transportation improvements. Administration witnesses said the bill is intended as a temporary refill of existing programs until a larger transportation bond bill is filed next session, that the federal-aid line includes the full spending authority while the state only borrows the 20% match, and that the housing-related program is deliberately broad and not limited to MBTA communities. They also said Chapter 90 includes a road-mile component that especially helps rural communities and that preservation and safety are built into the programs. The Massachusetts Municipal Association also testified in strong support, emphasizing that Chapter 90 is the most important tool municipalities have to maintain the roughly 30,000 miles of local roads and bridges they are responsible for. MMA urged timely passage before construction season and praised the continued $300 million Chapter 90 level, especially the $100 million road-mile distribution that helps communities with large road networks and smaller populations. No votes were taken on the bill, and the hearing concluded with adjournment after testimony ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• choose between paying medical bills and other life expenses, and they were also no longer have to spend
• How many hours in the month do you spend with your insurance company getting all your anti-rejection
• that comes out of my check, I have secondary coverage off of that as well, so yeah, I don't have to spend
• Without it, patients often spend down their life savings just to qualify for Medicaid or even consider
• Families experience disruptions when technicians change frequently, and clinicians must spend additional

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on several health care bills focused primarily on autism services and kidney disease coverage. Committee chairs John Lawn and Cindy Friedman opened by outlining hearing procedures, testimony rules, and filing deadlines, and noted the hearing would be recorded and written testimony accepted. They said the day’s topics included affordability and access to behavioral health services, provider reimbursement, Medicare coverage for vulnerable populations, and MassHealth eligibility asset exemptions. A major portion of the hearing concerned House Bill 4623, which would add board-certified assistant behavior analysts (BCABAs) as a recognized mid-level supervisory role in the MassHealth reimbursement framework to help address long wait lists for autism spectrum disorder services. Representative Lisa Field, actuaries, clinicians, and autism service providers testified that the current two-tier model limits workforce capacity, contributes to long delays, and leaves families waiting months for care. Supporters said the bill could expand access, improve retention, and potentially reduce MassHealth costs, while also helping providers meet growing demand and new administrative requirements. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 4425 and Senate Bill 2737, which would allow Massachusetts residents under 65 with end-stage renal disease to purchase Medigap coverage. Legislators, dialysis advocates, and patients described high out-of-pocket costs under Medicare, barriers to kidney transplant eligibility without secondary insurance, and the financial strain on patients and families. Testifiers said the change would affect about 846 residents, could modestly increase premiums, and might reduce Medicaid spending by preventing asset spend-downs. Senator Gomez and others spoke from personal experience with dialysis and transplant care. Finally, the committee heard testimony on House Bill 4353 and Senate Bill 2587, which would require regular data-driven review of MassHealth ABA reimbursement rates. Providers and association representatives argued that reimbursement has not kept pace with inflation, workforce shortages, accreditation costs, and new 2026 MassHealth policy requirements, and said the bills would improve transparency and ensure rates reflect the true cost of care. No votes were taken; the hearing concluded with the chairs thanking participants, inviting additional written testimony, and adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It contains $482 million in new spending, which brings us to a total of $20.3 billion on all of these
• It contains $482 million in new spending, which brings us to a total of $20.3 billion on all of these
• Senator, what tax increases or revenue raisers are in this Proposal to get us up to an increased spending
• But it is certainly a concerning amount, with increasing spending by $15 billion from year to year, and
• Any funding for — addressed the rural healthcare transformation funding that, if we don't spend it by

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on May 6, 2026, approved the prior journal, and accepted a Rules Committee report advancing the government appropriations bill to third reading. The chamber then took up the tenth budget extender, which sponsor Senator Serrano said would keep state government operating through Monday, May 11 and contained $482 million in new spending, bringing the total across extenders to $20.3 billion. In questioning, Senator O’Mara and Senator Helming pressed Serrano for details on the reported $268 billion budget deal, policy outcomes, revenue raisers, and whether local governments, schools, and rural health programs would receive certainty; Serrano said final budget bills were not yet in print and declined to speculate on unresolved issues. The extender passed 60-1, with Senator Weik voting no. The Senate also adopted several previously adopted resolutions honoring the North Tonawanda High School girls varsity basketball team, the Tappan Zee High School girls basketball team, and SUNY student Chriss-Ann Pryce. Members praised the teams’ state championships and Pryce’s academic and leadership achievements through the Educational Opportunity Program. The chamber then returned to legislation and passed a bill designating May 9 as Overdose Awareness Day in New York; Senator Fernandez said it recognized the harm of overdose and the need to continue funding harm reduction and recovery services. Additional bills passed included a statewide domestic violence lethality assessment measure, with Senators Murray, Rolison, Webb, and Ramos describing it as a tool to identify dangerous situations and prevent fatalities; a mental health insurance bill limiting step therapy/prior authorization for serious mental health medications, supported by Senator Fahy; and measures on education, real property tax, election law, general business law, kitchen incubator economic impacts, public buildings, state finance, and mental hygiene. Several bills drew recorded opposition, including the real property tax bill and the election law and general business law measures. The Senate concluded by adjourning until Monday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days designated legislative.

Transcript Highlights:

• this, because what really happened when we got this budget sent across is the House added a lot of spending
• And that put us in a tough spot because we had decisions to make on that, on the spending that was added
• If we get our long sheets back and we have gotten spending to a point where it's more in line with the
• So when we talked about it here, the discussion was why would we spend that much on a study when we could
• If they were to spend an hour with the department, might the department see benefit or not, then bring

Bills: SB2399

Keywords: mental health, psychiatric treatment, reimbursement, medical assistance, legislative report, 908, all

Summary: The committee reconvened and first reconsidered House Bill 1612, the aerospace medical and mental health support center bill. Senator Cleary offered an amendment to reduce the general fund appropriation from $500,000 to $250,000 and require the university or project sponsors to find the remaining funding from other sources. The amendment passed, and the bill was then recommended do pass as amended, with members citing concerns about university funding, but others supporting the project as a one-time seed investment. The committee also discussed a possible future FMAP increase beginning October 1, 2026, which could reduce general fund costs by roughly $9 million, though members noted the figures were still preliminary and could be addressed later if needed. The committee then returned to Human Services budget items, including early childhood and child care funding, a community cultural center grant, and several other adjustments. Members discussed reducing the “best in class” amount, changes to child care grants and quality/infrastructure funding, and clarifying that prior child care assistance appropriations were in fact being spent. They also agreed to reduce the 1915(i) Medicaid waiver line by $2 million, with the understanding that the entitlement would still be funded as needed. The committee also considered taking guardianship funding out of House Bill 1012 because a separate bill, Senate Bill 2029, would move that funding elsewhere; members agreed that removing it from the budget could help the overall bill and could be restored if the separate bill failed. Several study amendments were discussed. Senator Cleary proposed adding a maternal health study related to prenatal services, doulas, midwives, and Medicaid, and members expressed support. The committee also discussed a software/case-management study proposal, but the department said it had not requested it and would not support it as presented, so members leaned against advancing it unless the department first evaluated it. Another amendment would authorize the department to work with the city of Grafton on a long-term plan for the LSTC campus and require a report back to the legislature; members supported that as legislative intent. The committee also agreed to remove a truancy study section for later conference discussion, and it reviewed other possible study ideas, including assistive technology, before adjourning to await updated long sheets and bill text.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, House Bill 2 came back over with 6% spending like we agreed to, 30% reserves.
• This is a total spend of $33 billion when we include.
• So thank you so much, and I'm, I'm gonna spend some more time with us, obviously.
• Chair and Representative, we'll get a total once that bill passes the floor for early childhood spending
• It is opportunity for our families and our communities to spend time together and we'll address this.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, if I if<00:13:17.920> I<00:13:18.079> could<00:13:18.240> spend<00:13:
• The legislature then said, "However, before you spend those funds, you need to go out and do a safety
• Some still have some left to spend.
• Some still have some<00:23:19.039> left<00:23:19.280> to<00:23:19.520> spend.
• Uh, then that was uh some left to spend.

Bills: HB0105, HB0107, SF0002

Keywords: K-12 education, school facilities, security improvements, public funding, state appropriations, school construction, local government funding, sales tax distribution, municipal funding, economic equity, state revenue, Wyoming Legislature, legislative appropriations, Legislative Service Office, LSO budget, general fund, biennial budget, legislative branch, legislator travel, per diem

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, most of you spend a portion of your week living here in Senate District 8 with us.
• Instead, it rejected the grand jury's recommendations regarding discretionary spending.
• But if you spend time in Altadena today, you'll hear something remarkable.
• But if you spend time in Althena today, you'll hear something remarkable.
• And that's also time they can't spend on other actual approving plans.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of local government and housing-related bills, with testimony often centered on regional coordination, permitting reform, and local control. SB 802 by Senator Ashby would require Sacramento-area jurisdictions to form a joint powers authority to coordinate homelessness and housing response; supporters argued the region has long lacked accountability and coordination, while Sacramento County, Folsom, and others opposed the mandate as an unprecedented state-imposed JPA. The bill drew extensive support from local officials, business groups, service providers, and advocates, and opposition from county, city, and nonprofit representatives who said a local process was already underway. Committee members expressed support for the concept, but the bill was held pending a quorum and later discussed again with strong encouragement for regional collaboration. The committee also heard SB 222, SB 677, SB 908, SB 226, SB 828, and SB 1193. SB 222 would streamline permitting for residential heat pump and water heater installations; supporters said it would lower costs and speed clean-energy adoption, while local government groups argued the main barrier is upfront cost, not permits. SB 677 would curb what the author described as abusive appeals and delays in affordable housing approvals, with developers testifying about frivolous subdivision map appeals and TEFRA hearing delays; the California Native Plant Society sought an amendment to preserve appeals on habitat lands. SB 908 would simplify permits for energy-code-compliant window replacements, and SB 226 would clarify financing authority for a West Sacramento baseball stadium proposal; both passed unanimously. SB 828, prompted by the Esparto fireworks warehouse explosion, would tighten fireworks storage and licensing rules, expand inspection and seizure authority, and increase fines; it also passed unanimously after testimony from fire officials and a pyrotechnic operator who opposed it unless amended. SB 1193, a county-specific Alameda County transparency bill, generated the sharpest debate. The author argued it would prevent waste, favoritism, and conflicts of interest in discretionary spending by requiring board approval, a public spending log, and clearer whistleblower procedures. Alameda County and county associations opposed it as overly broad and burdensome, saying existing processes already provide transparency and that the bill would reduce flexibility during fiscal stress. After committee questions about the bill’s purpose and the county’s current practices, the measure passed 7-0, with the author indicating willingness to accept an amendment restoring a four-fifths vote threshold. The committee then moved out of order to SB 1090, which would impose a temporary moratorium on state housing density laws in Altadena through 2030 in response to post-fire displacement concerns. The author said the bill is intended to protect long-term residents from investor-driven redevelopment after the Eaton Fire, while acknowledging amendments to align the moratorium with affordable housing development timelines. The transcript cuts off during the presentation of this bill, so no final action is shown for SB 1090 in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• allocated in budget period one and spend allocated in budget period one and spend it<00:41:09.200
• <00:41:16.880> or contingent on us uh spending or contingent on us uh spending or obligating
• It could be that you're reducing your overall spend in that area so that your health care spend could
• It could be that you're reducing your overall spend in that area so that your health care spend could
• Be that you're reducing your overall spend in that area so that your health care spend could be more

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:20 CRISP Shared Services 00:01:39 Rural Health Transformation Plan 00:30:55, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services opened its first meeting of the 2026 interim session, took roll, and moved directly into presentations. The main presentation was from Ryan Bramble of Crisp Shared Services, who described the organization’s health information exchange and health data utility model in Kentucky and other states. He emphasized that Crisp is a nonprofit, that data ownership remains with providers, and that governance is local. He also outlined the technical infrastructure, including a master patient index, cloud-based data lake, support for modern standards like FHIR and USCDI as well as older formats, and data quality tools used to normalize and standardize information. Bramble said the model is intended to reduce duplication, lower costs, and support rural providers and future use cases such as reporting, analytics, and AI-enabled decision support. Members asked how the state can ensure the data is actually used and who should drive priorities for health care improvement. Bramble said Crisp can provide tools, expertise, and examples from other states, but local teams such as KHI and state stakeholders must tailor and lead utilization efforts. In response to questions about ownership and coordination, he stressed that successful HIE governance requires a multistakeholder body that includes hospitals, health plans, government, and other interests, with a unified approach rather than multiple competing directives. He also said the Commonwealth has an opportunity to convene those stakeholders and set clear priorities. A senator raised concerns that responsibility for Medicaid and broader health policy has become fragmented and suggested a stronger central role for the state, possibly through the Department of Public Health, to coordinate health priorities. Bramble agreed that a single convening authority and multistakeholder governance are important, and noted that local governance should determine what data is shared and how it is used. No votes or formal actions were taken during this portion of the meeting. After Bramble’s presentation and questions, the committee was told that Secretary Stack from the cabinet would testify next on the rural health transformation plan.

Transcript Highlights:

• don't like spending it. So. don't like spending it. So.
• I wouldn't put my grown adult son on a methy table. and spend as a business $10 to $30,000 and spend
• They have to spend the money.
• <01:01:54.200> is I think the purpose of spending is I think the purpose of spending is taxation
• Why do we have to spend more paperwork? Why do we have to spend more<01:21:57.560> money?

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I spend a little bit of time looking at this stuff on a pretty regular basis.
• Chair, I spend a little bit of time looking at this stuff on a pretty regular basis.
• Chair, I spend a little bit of time looking at this stuff on a pretty regular basis.
• Chair, I spend a little bit of time looking at this stuff on a pretty regular basis.
• Chair, I spend a little bit of time looking at this stuff on a pretty regular basis.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all