Transcript Highlights:

• So looking ahead to this year's request, we are requesting $650,000.
• So looking ahead to this year's request, we are requesting $650,000.
• you tell us just your total budget, real quickly?
• </c><01:21:54.280><c> thank</c> to share more about our request thank to share more about our request
• </c><01:49:32.239><c> because</c> out of our operating budget because out of our operating budget because

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> have as we try to put together a budget have as we try to put together a budget that<00:03:39.360
• budgets.
• </c> budget how many versions of the budget budget how many versions of the budget are<01:16:05.159><
• Districts submit reimbursement requests based on preapproved budget plans, and our team provides ongoing
• I don't believe we had any LEAs request an extension. request for some of the minute projects request

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, the DPI budget is $3 billion plus dollars.
• You know, the DPI budget is $3 billion plus dollars.
• We are not requesting a grant or a gift.
• In this request of the $1.5 million, about $500,000 of this request is to purchase an industry-standard
• So today it's a one-time funding request. So today it's a one-time funding request.

Bills: HB1623

Keywords: HB 1623, North Dakota, rural health, rural health transformation program, medical facility infrastructure loan fund, medical facility infrastructure loan program, rural health loan program, Bank of North Dakota, Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, federal grant, health care infrastructure, rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, nonprofit health care providers, gap financing, loan fund, public health funding, healthcare financing, Medicaid

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1624, the “Universal Lunch Bill,” from Rep. Mike Nathie. He argued the proposal should be placed in Century Code rather than the Constitution so future legislatures can adjust it if state finances tighten, and said the bill would start the program a year earlier with a $65 million appropriation for one school year. DPI testified that the estimate did not include nonpublic schools that do not participate, and members questioned the impact on Title I, free-and-reduced applications, private-school accountability, breakfast mandates for schools that do not currently serve breakfast, and whether the funding could come from the DPI budget or other sources. Supporters, including North Dakota United, the North Dakota Catholic Conference, a pediatrician, and the American Heart Association, said universal meals improve student health and learning, reduce family costs, and are better handled in statute than by constitutional amendment. No opposition testimony was offered, and the chair closed the hearing for later work-session action. The committee then took up House Bill 1627, introduced by Rep. Tye Dressler, which would raise the income threshold for the state-funded school lunch program from 225% to 300% of poverty, with an estimated cost of about $7 million for 2026-27. Dressler said the bill is intended as a targeted, budget-friendly alternative to the ballot measure and emphasized that the state should maximize federal meal dollars while improving participation in the current program. Members questioned whether raising the threshold would actually increase utilization, whether a dollar amount would be clearer than a percentage, and how the change would affect federal reimbursements and application rates. DPI said it could quickly calculate additional percentage levels, and the chair closed the hearing, directing DPI to prepare more numbers for the work session. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 2403, presented by Sen. Schiable, to create a short-term bridge-loan program for financially distressed hospitals, centered on Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. The bill would authorize up to $5 million per loan, with a $10 million appropriation available on a first-come, first-served basis, and would run only through June 30, 2027. Schiable said the hospital’s debt and operating problems threaten local health care, ambulance service, and the community’s economy, and that the proposal was designed narrowly with Bank of North Dakota review to avoid creating a broad precedent. Committee members asked whether the appropriation could be reduced and whether the bank would still apply commercial feasibility and repayment standards; Schiable said yes, the bank would still evaluate the loan and could reject it if it was not sound.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll request for Director Hashimoto.
• </c><00:18:47.760><c> but</c> the subject of a repricing request but the subject of a repricing request
• the form of a request for shortage.
• the form of a request for shortage.
• </c> it comes out of their budget. it comes out of their budget.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Labor and Technology heard testimony on several measures relating to public employment, the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF), retirement benefits, and cafeteria plans. HB 2472 and HB 2276, both concerning EUTF staff and investment office staff salaries, drew support from the trust fund and labor groups, and no opposition was heard in person. HB 2272 and HB 2273, emergency appropriations for public employment cost items, were supported by the administration and labor representatives; members briefly clarified which bargaining units were covered. A longer discussion centered on HB 1664, which would address a dispute mechanism for EUTF-related negotiations. HGEA said the current process lacks a dispute resolution path and that the bill would allow interest arbitration when the state and union disagree. The Department of Human Resources Development and the Budget and Finance director raised concerns about consistency across bargaining units and the role of an arbitrator unfamiliar with the complexities of the system. Senator Moriwaki questioned whether another dispute forum might be more appropriate, but no alternative resolution was settled. The committee also heard HB 1655, which would make retirement benefits negotiable, and HB 1658, concerning collective bargaining repricing. ERS opposed HB 1655, saying it could create administrative and tax problems if retirement benefits were negotiated separately across many bargaining units, while UPW, HGEA, HSTA, and UPA supported it as a bargaining issue. On HB 1658, DHRD explained that repricing is an internal classification tool meant to preserve equal pay for equal work, not to address market pay, and said a single arbitrator or the Merit Appeals Board could handle disputes; HGEA preferred a neutral arbitrator and opposed the Merit Appeals Board as too employer-controlled. The final measure, HB 1661 on cafeteria plans, was supported by UPW and HGEA. DHRD said it planned to raise the maximum contribution through rulemaking but needed to manage plan solvency and timing because IRS limits change on a calendar-year basis while the state plan runs on a fiscal year. The committee then moved into decision-making and adopted recommendations to pass HB 2472 and HB 2276 as amended/unamended after a brief correction to the vote language.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is this is where we see the similarities between our state budget and certainly with the budgets
• We will roll the House budget out. I would like the resources We will roll the House budget out.
• So what you'll notice when you look at our legislative budget requests is that we include a lot of budget
• So you see about 1.6 million dollars of shift in our budget request to allow us to what we think we need
• One position has already been filled for positions up and submitted in our legislative budget request

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll now move into an overview of the DOC's budget request for the upcoming biennium and how these align
• I'll now move into an overview of the DOC's budget request for the upcoming biennium and how these align
• I'll now move into an overview of the DOC's budget request for the upcoming biennium and how these align
• The DOC did not request a supplemental budget last year, as we have traditionally done in many of the
• request is the bed see in our budget request is the bed cost<00:46:14.480><c> associated</c><00:46:15.040

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you know, for those that weren't with Chair Cleborne and I as we built the budget from last year,
• </c><00:03:21.000><c> Thank</c> A roll call has been requested. Thank you, Chair Cleborne.
• I'm Anna Mingy, Deputy Commissioner with Minnesota Management and Budget.
• be referred to the general register, and I believe a roll call was requested.
• </c> and I believe a roll call was requested. and I believe a roll call was requested.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That's just where we are with our current budget. Mr.
• budget.
• budget.
• We went through the budget on personal service and contracts, reduced the budget by $3 million.
• Yeah, you're requesting a cake, right? Yes. So this is your...

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm happy to share the details of admin's capital budget requests, and as I mentioned, I brought Assistant
• requests.
• </c> details of admin's capital budget details of admin's capital budget requests<00:01:54.280><c> and
• Thank you for the opportunity to present Admin's capital budget requests this morning, and thank you
• > and</c><00:10:14.040><c> thank</c> budget requests this morning and thank budget requests this morning

Bills: HF919, HF1192, HF212, HF214

Keywords: wastewater, infrastructure, funding, Litchfield, economic development, environmental compliance, Hastings, water treatment, PFAS, nitrates, bonds, capital investment, public health, HF212, Round Lake-Brewster, Independent School District No. 2907, school construction, school building, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• At the request of Ms. Badger of Plymouth and Mrs.
• Wang Osagas asked unanimous consent to draw his request for a roll call.
• And now it is a bedrock of our budgeting every single year.
• The fact that there's no new taxes in this budget, I think, is very, very important.
• I think overall this is a good budget and one that deserves your approval.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> find the money in our next budget cycle. find the money in our next budget cycle.
• </c> budget um and debated the school budget budget um and debated the school budget and<03:39:49.520
• budget.
• hole in our future budgets.
• hole in our future budgets.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, on this measure, you know, the House moved out some of the budget as requested from OHA.
• This is the judiciary budget.
• We have requested Finn release. We request you do the same with Ways and Means.
• This is the judiciary budget.
• It would be in the state budget. Yeah, it would be in the overall state budget in DLIR.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that this budget reflects a decrease in funding to the soldiers' homes and the House 1 budget.
• We have to balance a budget.
• Unable to present at a hearing last year, but I did provide a letter requesting our budget needs, and
• our current budget of $2 million.
• Specific budget items that speak to our budget. thousand four hundred individuals specific budget items

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from Senate Chair Robyn Kennedy and House Chair Chynah Tyler, who emphasized that the fiscal year 2026 hearing was focused on the Health and Human Services budget, asked members to keep questions budget-related, and noted that no public testimony would be taken. They also highlighted the choice of Doherty Memorial High School as the venue to showcase Worcester’s investment in career and technical education. Committee members then introduced themselves before the first panel, the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the state veterans homes, began testimony. Secretary John Santiago said the governor’s FY26 proposal would support implementation of the HERO Act, which he said is now about 95% implemented, including higher disabled veteran annuities, expanded behavioral health benefits, and other service expansions. He described efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, including nearly $20 million in ARPA-funded housing and outreach initiatives, and said the agency has delivered more than 100,000 supportive services to nearly 8,500 veterans. Leaders from the Chelsea and Holyoke veterans homes reported on staffing, quality measures, electronic medical records, and major construction projects at both facilities, including a new Chelsea campus and the new Holyoke home. Members asked about funding transfers, geographic equity in access to the homes, outreach to women veterans and veterans of color, suicide prevention, Gold Star family support, and the impact of federal uncertainty; Santiago said the homes are now licensed and certified, that the current budget is sufficient, and that the agency is expanding engagement and data collection. The second panel, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, testified that its FY26 request is about $3.3 million, up from the current $2 million, to cover staffing, a larger office, and higher technology costs. Veteran Advocate Bob Notch said the office is a new independent oversight agency created in 2022 to examine systems, coordinate with local veteran service officers, and investigate fatalities or serious harm involving veterans in state care. He said the office’s work depends on research, data, and collaboration with other agencies, and that current funding is only enough for minimum operations. In response to questions, Notch and Deputy Commissioner David O’Callaghan discussed the difficulty of tracking veteran suicides, the need for better data across agencies, and the office’s role as an oversight body rather than a direct service provider. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, who requested it? Well, that's my problem.
• Was there one time in another spot because we had requested? I had requested Is it?
• Was there one time in another spot because we had requested?
• I believe that was Representative Schwartz's request.
• And I believe this was initially requested in the governor's recommended budget, but when there were

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So much of our budget does go to education.
• So much of our budget does go to education.
• We have five budget committees in the Assembly. We go through every line of the budget.
• And these budgets, these numbers are very static.
• The California state budget is in a crisis.

Summary: The committee heard several tax and revenue measures. SB 1277, by Senator Grove, proposed a California Cost of Living Tax Credit modeled on the 2022 middle-class tax refund to provide direct relief to low- and middle-income Californians facing high housing, gas, energy, and general living costs. Supporters said it would help working families, farmworkers, teachers, and others; opponents, including the California Tax Reform Association and the California Teachers Association, argued California already has a progressive tax system, that refundable credits are costly and can be difficult to administer, and that the bill would reduce General Fund revenues and Proposition 98 funding. The bill was held on call after extensive debate and no motion was made at that time. The committee then heard SB 1287, which would create a targeted tax credit to encourage private investment in short-line railroad infrastructure. The author and rail industry witnesses said the credit would support safety, bridge and track upgrades, emissions reductions, freight efficiency, and rural and agricultural supply chains, while opponents argued a direct grant program would be preferable to a tax credit. The bill was accepted with committee amendments and placed on call after a motion to move it forward. SB 1407 would exempt military retirement pay and surviving spouse benefits from state income tax, with the author, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and veterans’ groups arguing it would help retain veterans in California, support second careers, and keep federal retirement dollars in the state. The California Teachers Association and California Tax Reform Association opposed it as another tax expenditure that would reduce General Fund revenue. The committee approved the bill on a due pass as amended vote to the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, with several members voting aye and others not voting, and the bill was placed on call. The committee also heard SB 1349, which directs the Legislative Analyst’s Office to review major tax expenditures and evaluate their costs, beneficiaries, and effectiveness. Supporters, including CTA, AFSCME, cities, counties, and many teachers, said the state needs more accountability for roughly $94 billion in annual tax expenditures and their impact on schools and the budget. The bill was moved with committee amendments and placed on call. Additional measures discussed included SB 1078, authorizing Santa Cruz County to seek voter approval for a temporary local sales tax increase to fund health care and safety-net services; SB 1120, extending the California Competes Tax Credit through 2035 and making it refundable for certain strategic industries; and SB 1275, which would convert the state sales tax on vehicle purchases into a deductible vehicle license fee to reduce Californians’ federal tax burden. SB 1120 and SB 1275 both received support from business and industry witnesses, with no opposition testimony noted, and were moved on call or with a due pass as amended vote as the committee continued through the file.

Transcript Highlights:

• stability of our budget.
• . budget.
• You've grown the budget 61% before you adopt a budget this session.
• Based budget 5.7%.
• In that particular issue, in that particular area, agency budget requests came in, in the fall at 18%

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:30.680><c> or</c> Whenever I get a request or Whenever I get a request or from<00:21:31.840
• </c> in the budget. in the budget.
• . budget. budget.
• </c> budget in the fall of 2023. Yes. budget in the fall of 2023. Yes.
• requests awarded for the 24-26 biennial budget.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:01 SERVS Informational Update- 00:01:22 Child Removal and Reunification Update: Department for Community Based Services Financials- 00:03:00 Small Business Sales Tax Websites: Department of Revenue-00:28:05 Senior Citizen Meal Programs: Department for Aging and Independent Living-00:35:50 Adjournment-01:41:57, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the September 11 meeting by motion and voice vote. It then received a brief update on the statewide emergency responder voice system, but no presenter was present. The chair said he expected a more substantive update in November and warned that if there is not real progress on acquiring needed private properties, the committee may consider further action, including possibly freezing funding. The main discussion centered on the Department for Community Based Services’ child removal and reunification work and its structured decision-making tools. Commissioner Lisa Dennis and General Counsel Wesley Duke explained that the intake, safety, and risk assessment tools are being used at very high rates and that the department is still implementing and evaluating the system. Dennis said the tools are meant to inform, not replace, professional judgment; when staff disagree with a recommendation, the worker and first-line supervisor consult and decide together. Members questioned whether the system favors keeping children in the home, whether the department has studied safety outcomes for in-home cases versus removals, and whether foster home shortages affect removal decisions. Dennis said child safety remains the top priority, that the practice has not changed, and that the department would provide additional data on outcomes later. Members also asked about permanency timelines and delays in termination of parental rights cases; Dennis said federal timelines are difficult to meet because of family progress, substance use recovery, and court delays, and she confirmed foster parent shortages were not the reason for those delays. The committee then heard a presentation from the Department of Revenue on the new My Taxes portal. Staff said the portal, launched in March, replaced DOR’s portion of the old Kentucky One Stop Business Portal and now allows businesses to file and pay multiple taxes, update account information, and receive official notices. They reported the system is available 24/7 except for scheduled maintenance every other Thursday evening, has maintained over 99% availability since launch, and now has a dedicated contact center with 50 agents plus a public help line and email. In response to questions, the department said early downtime was caused by unexpectedly high traffic, but server capacity was increased and in the last three months there had been only one day of unexpected downtime.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, we have the one last bill, 1015, the OMB budget before us.
• And I got a request from Senator Mathern.
• We write out a check for the budget. We write out a check for the budget.
• We are establishing a fund as in this budget now.
• And I'll carry this budget. So thank you guys.

Bills: SB2012

Keywords: transportation, funding, infrastructure, grants, municipal, 908, all

Summary: The Government Operations division met to consider House Bill 1015, the OMB budget, with several amendments already in hand. A major portion of the discussion centered on Senator Mathern’s concerns about the proposed new state hospital in Jamestown. He argued the project is outdated, too expensive, and should be delayed or reduced in favor of local behavioral health services and deferred maintenance at the existing LaHogue facility. Other members questioned him about staffing, capacity, constitutional issues, and the relationship between the hospital proposal and broader mental health investments in other bills. The committee also reviewed budget mechanics, including the transfer of up to $240 million from the Social Services Fund to the Human Services Finance Fund, a $40 million deferred maintenance fund, a $3 million deficiency appropriation for the new and vacant FTE pool, and other OMB-related items. Members discussed whether OMB should have managerial control over the Jamestown project and generally agreed that OMB oversight could help manage costs, though concerns about the hospital remained. The committee then considered two funding items that drew the most debate: guardianship grants and a pro-life education campaign. After testimony from a representative supporting the campaign, members agreed to reduce that item by $500,000 and add $1 million for guardianship grants, while leaving the overall bill to be finalized in conference. The committee adopted Amendment Version 2006 with those changes and then passed HB 1015 as amended on a roll call vote, with all members voting aye except Senator Burckhard on the amendment vote; he later voted aye on the bill itself. The chair indicated the bill would move to conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> review</c><00:02:51.120><c> funding,</c> EARS requested that OEA review funding, EARS requested that
• </c> budgets, goals, and deliverables. budgets, goals, and deliverables.
• </c><00:04:14.080><c> These</c> quarterly project budget reports.
• These quarterly project budget reports.
• </c><00:32:07.360><c> After</c> to request topic proposals. After to request topic proposals.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 00:22 Office of Education Accountability Report: Early Childhood Regional Training Centers (RTCs): 01:22 Approval of July 14, 2025 Minutes 31:21 Office of Education Accountability: 2025 Study Agenda 32:35 Adjournment: 39:12, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard an Office of Education Accountability report on Kentucky’s early childhood regional training centers (RTCs). OEA said the centers provide valuable training, consultation, technical assistance, and materials for preschool personnel, especially for children with disabilities and at-risk students, and that the services align with state and federal requirements. However, the report found uneven student and teacher populations across regions, wide variation in per-student funding, some staffing data inaccuracies, and several fiscal oversight concerns, including inconsistent indirect cost rates, a building rental charge that may have been duplicative, and host districts recording RTC expenditures in a way that could blur them with district finances. OEA also said some documentation of progress toward goals was incomplete and that the technology lending library appeared underused. The report recommended stronger KDE oversight, uniform coding and accounting practices, review of budgets and expenditures, and an evaluation of whether the current five-center model remains the most efficient structure; OEA also suggested the General Assembly may wish to revisit KRS 157.318. Members asked about KDE’s response, whether the centers are required by federal law, how the centers operate, and whether changing the model would affect federal funding. OEA said KDE had only discussed the findings informally and had not issued a formal response, the centers are required by state law but not federal law, and changing the model would not jeopardize IDEA preschool funds. The committee accepted the report by motion. The subcommittee then approved the minutes from its July 14, 2025 meeting after initially delaying action because quorum was not yet present. After that, members turned to the Office of Education Accountability’s proposed 2026 study agenda. OEA said the three proposed topics are the annual district data profiles, facilities funding, and implementation of early literacy statutes. The district profiles would add an appendix showing the number and percentage of students moving to private school or homeschool by district and another appendix noting data-quality issues that affect comparability. OEA explained that district staffing data can undercount contract staff because those employees are not always entered into the system, and members expressed interest in tracking whether prior recommendations were implemented. One senator also raised a separate interest in reviewing whether KDE created and implemented regulations related to KFIX. The discussion remained informational, with no final vote on the study agenda shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This chart illustrates a type of navigation request we've supported.
• HIRs can only be requested by legislators and the governor and can be requested on a proposal related
• HIRs requested this interim that are relevant to the committee.
• I want to say I know this is a tough budget year. I get that.
• A fiscal note was requested January 2 and has not yet been received.

Bills: SB5911, SB5940, SB5942, SB5957

Keywords: children, youth, financial stability, care services, department of children and families, housing assistance, foster care, pilot program, social services, accountability, family services, state department, child welfare, homeless youth, youth homelessness, runaway youth, young adult homelessness, housing instability, family reunification, family stability