Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:47:20.160><c> to</c> state who are federally authorized to state who are federally authorized
• </c><01:37:09.119><c> is</c> HHS services now that the governor is HHS services now that the governor
• The governor and lieutenant governor are making some very difficult decisions, not easily made and not
• The governor and lieutenant governor are making some very difficult decisions, not easily made and not
• The governor and lieutenant governor are making some very difficult decisions, not easily made and not

Bills: HF1698 , HF632 , HF1352 , HF2197 , HF618 , HF1248 , HF1697

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: property tax, exemption, leased land, public use, commercial property, HF632, Minnesota property tax, conservation easement, conservation restriction, assessed value, property valuation, tax assessment, real property, land conservation, farmland preservation, natural areas, riparian buffer, water quality, water quantity, county assessor

Transcript Highlights:

• Third reading of the bill: An act authorizing the city known as the town of North Attleboro to establish
• The House bill, relative to authorize the conveyance of certain parcels of land in the city of Fall River
• The House bill authorizing municipalities to opt in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor
• Third reading of the bill: An act authorizing municipalities to opt in to a temporary pilot to extend
• And the bill will be signed by the President and laid before the Governor for her approbation.

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and adopted a resolution congratulating Douglas Fire Chief John J. Perna on his retirement. It then took up several local and personnel-related bills on third reading, including sick leave banks for Shannon Manning of the Trial Court and Stephanie Rivera of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office; both were amended to add emergency preambles and passed to be engrossed. The Senate also passed to be engrossed bills concerning special meetings of the Holyoke City Council, the Reading town charter, and a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption for North Attleboro, and ordered a Fall River land conveyance bill to third reading. The chamber also paused for a personal privilege recognition honoring Canton High School’s state champion teams. Senators and guests celebrated the school’s 2025 Division II golf champions, Division II boys hockey champions, and Division III girls track and field champions, along with coaches and school officials, with remarks praising their accomplishments and community support. Later, the Senate considered a House bill creating a temporary summer 2026 pilot allowing municipalities to extend liquor license hours and permit public consumption in designated districts. A reporting requirement amendment offered by Senator Tarr was adopted, the bill was ordered to third reading, and it was passed to be engrossed. The House then returned the bill with a further amendment, which the Senate concurred in. The Senate also suspended rules and referred a Newton pension obligation bonds bill to the committees on municipalities and regional government. Finally, the Senate adopted the emergency preamble for the liquor-license pilot bill, passed it to be enacted, and adjourned to meet again on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor opposed it.
• There are 56 co-authors added.
• This is for co-authors, members. Mr. Schultz has asked the roll to be open for co-authors.
• This is for co-authors. All members vote who desire to vote. This is for co-authors.
• This is for co-authors. All members vote who desire to vote. This is for co-authors.

Transcript Highlights:

• The measure passes without objection, immediate transmittal to the Governor.
• Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Governor.
• The authority many believe that the universities in California already have.
• It bolsters that authority by making it very clear that the state Legislature and the Governor also believe
• that this is the authority of the universities.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum, and opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine procedural motions. Members then moved through a long agenda of Senate and Assembly bills, including several concurrence votes on budget trailer bills and policy measures. Early actions included defeating a motion to send AB 1207 to the inactive file, then passing SB 855 on armory property transfers, SB 57 on data centers and ratepayer impacts, and SB 614 on carbon capture pipeline transport, with SB 614 transmitted immediately to the Senate. The house also approved AB 144 and AB 149, the health and resources budget trailer bills, and later took up a large concurrence file with many mostly bipartisan measures. Among the major policy items, the Assembly concurred in AB 7 on consideration of descendants of enslaved people in higher education admissions, AB 1400 on community college nursing/bachelor’s degree pilots, AB 56 on social media warning labels for children, AB 253 on housing plan-check timelines, AB 265 on disaster recovery support for small businesses, AB 301 on housing reconstruction timelines after fires, AB 325 on antitrust and pricing algorithms, AB 478 on emergency planning for pets, AB 670 on renter stability, AB 841 on the State Fire Marshal, AB 979 on AI cybersecurity, AB 1007 on faster housing permitting, AB 1032 on mental health care for wildfire victims, AB 1181 on firefighter cancer protections, and AB 1264 on ultra-processed foods in school meals. Several bills drew brief opposition or questions, including AB 149, where Assembly Member Dixon criticized omnibus budget drafting and fee increases, and AB 1264, where members discussed agriculture concerns and school nutrition. Most measures passed with strong margins, many unanimously. Later in the day, the Assembly also considered a separate set of Senate bills, including SB 760 on behest reporting for charitable appeals, SB 271 on student parents’ access to child care and financial aid services, SB 613 on methane emissions from imported fossil fuels, SB 744 on postsecondary accreditation, SB 461 on a facility transfer for police services in Imperial, SB 487 on compensation for injured firefighters and peace officers, SB 635 on street vendor protections, SB 641 on licensing relief after disasters, SB 720 on red-light camera programs, SB 763 on Cartwright Act penalties, and SB 274 on limits for automated license plate reader data retention. SB 274 drew the most extended debate, with supporters emphasizing privacy, civil liberties, and misuse of data, and opponents arguing the bill would hamper law enforcement and crime-solving tools. The transcript ends during that debate, with no final vote shown for SB 274 in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank the author, author staff, committee staff, and the sponsors for the many, many, many
• I'd like to apologize to the author for our late opposition, but look forward to working with the author
• I'd like to apologize to the author for our late opposition, but look forward to working with the author
• The proposed new enforcement authority is redundant of both the existing authority of the Attorney General
• same way that UDAP authority does.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met to hear several bills focused on consumer and small business financial protections. SB 97, by Senator Grayson, would update and clarify California’s digital financial assets law; supporters from the blockchain industry and consumer groups said it would improve compliance clarity while preserving room to align with possible federal action. The committee passed SB 97 on a due-pass motion to the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee also heard SB 362, which would strengthen disclosure rules for small business financing by requiring clearer pricing information throughout the marketing process. Supporters said the bill would help small businesses compare offers and avoid harmful financing, while some industry groups objected to the bill’s treatment of communications and APR disclosures during negotiations. After discussion, the committee passed SB 362 to the Judiciary Committee, with several members voting aye and the roll left open. SB 784, a bill addressing predatory home-improvement and solar financing practices, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters described scams targeting seniors, low-income homeowners, and non-English speakers, and said the bill would add safeguards such as confirmation calls, document access, fee transparency, and longer cancellation periods. Solar industry groups moved to neutral after amendments, while banks and other lenders raised concerns about overbreadth and impacts on legitimate lending. The committee passed SB 784 to Judiciary, with some members not voting or changing votes during the roll call. Finally, SB 825 sought to give the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation clearer authority to enforce existing consumer financial protection laws against its licensees, especially in light of reduced federal CFPB enforcement. Supporters argued California needs independent state enforcement tools, while banking and mortgage groups opposed the bill as duplicative and unnecessary, urging coordination with federal regulators and proposing narrower amendments. The committee passed SB 825 to Appropriations on a due-pass vote, and then adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> a</c> usually we authorize a 100,000 or a usually we authorize a 100,000 or a million<00:05:17.479
• He was appointed by past Governor Dayton.
• I will tell you, I said I was a governor appointee.
• Representative Kran was my author.
• </c> who are appointed by the governor who are appointed by the governor attorney<01:25:15.040><c> general

Bills: HF747 , HF360

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: corporate governance, shareholder rights, beneficial ownership, defective corporate acts, Minnesota Business Corporation Act, trusts, Uniform Trust Code, probate, estate planning, trust protector, directed trust, investment trust advisor, distribution trust advisor, excluded fiduciary, decanting, power of appointment, revocable trust, irrevocable trust, uneconomic trust, rule against perpetuities

Transcript Highlights:

• And under the bill, we authorize, we don't mandate, but we authorize the Department of Management Services
• Joe Port Authority, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, and Liberty Counties.
• Joe Port Authority, Franklin, Gazden, Gulf, and Liberty Counties.
• It is a Board of Governors regulation.
• So the question is not whether courts lack the authority.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former member Chester Clem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum confirmation. Members then adopted the special order report and a rules report amending House Rule 15.3 to allow fundraising under certain circumstances during extended or special sessions. The chamber also heard several recognitions and a farewell speech from Representative Nixon, who reflected on constituent service and her legislative priorities. On the floor, HB 1405, relating to a statewide project for missing persons with special needs, passed unanimously. The House then took up CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill, which drew questions about the handling of surplus conservation lands and agricultural uses; it passed 94-10. CS/CS/CS/HB 905, the “Fire Act” on foreign influence, was explained as a broad package restricting foreign-country influence in government, procurement, gifts, cultural agreements, and related areas. An amendment adding restrictions on surrogacy and adoption involving citizens or residents of foreign countries of concern was adopted after debate over possible impacts on families and adoption practices, and the bill then passed 80-20. The House also passed CS/CS/HB 1197, a bill to modernize state information technology procurement and contracting, unanimously after debate about improving oversight of large IT projects. HB 1103, allowing local governments to fast-track action on derelict vessels, also passed unanimously. The chamber then considered CS/CS/CS/HB 399 on land use development and development regulations, including limits on development fees, changes to local voting thresholds for comprehensive plan and boundary actions, manufactured homes in RV parks, and resort-related provisions. Several amendments were debated, including one on local control and rural boundaries that failed and another strike-all amendment ruled out of order; the bill ultimately passed 71-38. The final item reached before the transcript ended was a local bill for the Pace Fire Rescue District in Santa Rosa County, described as adjusting its assessment formula to provide tax relief.

Transcript Highlights:

• not an invasive thing, but the issue is the word shall is saying the state has this assertion of authority
• Today, Idaho uses a system of direct accountability where the governor appoints a director.
• Today, Idaho uses a system of direct accountability where the governor appoints a director.
• If you look at the structure of the org chart for the department, you have the governor, you have the
• It also eliminates the Board of Health and Welfare and transfers its rulemaking and oversight authority

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• Defend our liberties and give those entrusted with authority the spirit of wisdom, that there might be
• Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read.
• We have Governor Newsom's diaper access initiative that will cost $20 million, but when you allocate
• So we fought to ensure that we kept IHSS in the budget because the Governor wanted to make sure that
• The Governor proposed it.

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor felt it was too much.
• The governor felt it was too much.
• <c> may</c> why Governor former Governor eay may why Governor former Governor eay may have<01:24:11.360
• </c> that I don't believe that the governor that I don't believe that the governor and<01:32:47.960><
• , continuing to have more authority, and asserting more authority over the State Fire Council. of the

Committee: House Public Safety

Summary: The Public Safety Committee held a hearing on House Bill 433, which would appropriate $4 million for Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation re-entry services to connect offenders with community-based services. Director Tommy Johnson said the department supports the bill’s intent but noted the governor’s executive budget already includes $4 million for the same purpose and asked that the measure defer to that budget. Supporters, including the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the ACLU, backed the funding but urged that it be tied to a clear re-entry plan, performance measures, transparency, and regular reporting to the legislature. They emphasized that re-entry should begin at intake and involve community partnerships, housing, treatment, employment, and family reunification services. Committee members questioned the department about current re-entry services, pre-trial detainees, and how the new funds would be used. Johnson said the department’s current statewide re-entry budget is about $1.5 million to $1.7 million, separate from the larger Corrections Program Services Division budget for in-facility programs. He described the proposed $4 million as supporting a mix of services, including a pilot apprenticeship program, substance abuse treatment, navigator or warm-handoff services, and short-term transitional housing. He also said the department already tracks performance outcomes in its annual report and can provide a matrix showing the intake-to-discharge process, program contracts, and volunteer organizations. The discussion also covered pre-trial detainees, electronic monitoring, and mental health services. Johnson said the department has limited jurisdiction over pre-trial detainees but works with courts to seek supervised release when possible; he noted that many requests are denied, though electronic monitoring has improved release rates somewhat. On mental health, he said the jail is not an ideal therapeutic setting for people found unfit to proceed and suggested a secure community-based step-down facility run by the Department of Health for those needing care above what the jail can provide but below forensic-level treatment. No vote or final action on the bill was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The study's lead author, Dr.
• Look no our Republican governors.
• </c> So, let me talk about the governors So, let me talk about the governors because<04:01:09.120><c>
• :04:27.680><c> bill</c><04:04:28.000><c> seeks</c> Governor Cenounu wrote, "This bill seeks Governor
• Governor Ayotte signed it on May 23rd of 2025. here. Governor Aayat signed it on May here.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:22.880><c> of</c> to give credit to the chief author of to give credit to the chief author
• It's a great amendment and it will help your communities. the author has the numbers, but it's the author
• The governor slashed those two programs, as does the Senate, I believe so.
• I recognize the author of the amendment, Representative Coulter. the aisle.
• cut it completely the that the governor cut it completely the governor<01:11:48.800><c> slashed</c><

Transcript Highlights:

• It authorized certain projects... For that biennium.
• The governor requested a 3% reduction from this number.
• Work with the governor and all that kind of stuff.
• capital projects that are specifically authorized.
• Extraordinary repairs or legislatively authorized capital projects that are specifically authorized to

Committee: Joint Higher Education Funding Review Committee

Summary: The Higher Education Funding Review Committee met to continue work on a draft higher education funding formula and related capital building fund changes. Lisa Johnson of the North Dakota University System updated the committee on the board’s developing policy for low-producing academic programs. She said the board is using a five-year rolling window, with thresholds of fewer than 10 undergraduate graduates or fewer than 5 graduate graduates, and that programs flagged in three consecutive review cycles would go to the board for review. Possible outcomes include continuation, continuation with modifications, inactivation, or termination. Members asked about how the policy would account for enrollment, program costs, workforce need, and programs that serve students outside their major. Johnson said the board would likely use an accompanying procedure to consider those factors. She also reported that about 200 programs could potentially be reviewed under current guidance, with 135 inactivated and 112 terminated, and said the process is intended to support quality and stewardship rather than simply cut programs. Jamie Wilkie then reported on the Capital Building Fund. He reviewed the fund’s history, matching requirements, and use for extraordinary repairs, deferred maintenance, and some legislatively authorized projects. He said about $334 million in state and matching dollars has been invested overall, with roughly 78.7% going to deferred maintenance and extraordinary repairs. Committee members pressed for updated information on how much deferred maintenance has actually been reduced, and several members said they wanted clearer reporting on the return on investment from new buildings versus repairs. NDSU representatives said the tier funding has helped significantly reduce deferred maintenance and allowed demolition and renovation work on campus. The committee also discussed the need for updated five-year facility plans and space-utilization information from the institutions. The committee then began a section-by-section review of a draft bill that would replace the current higher education funding formula with an FTE-based model and restructure the capital building fund. The draft would fund UND and NDSU differently from the other nine institutions, use fall enrollment rather than completed credits, add performance funding for completions in in-demand fields, create research incentives for UND and NDSU, and combine capital building fund tiers while changing matching requirements and eligible uses. Members raised concerns about the treatment of professional students, the use of CIP codes, incentives for waivers, and whether the formula should rely on more current data. The committee did not take final action on the draft during this meeting, but it continued detailed discussion and indicated more review would follow.

Transcript Highlights:

• The vice chair let out on behalf of the author, and the author is with us this morning.
• If there are no other questions for the author, we'll begin with testimony.
• And it says, uh, it authorized low...
• Senate Bill 6, and recognizes Senator Hughes, the author, to explain the bill.
• for the author. So you discussed the first bill and the second bill.

Bills: SB10 , SB16 , SB6 , SB 6 , SB 10 , SB 16

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Doing so would leave the fund with a minimum fund balance equivalent to that proposed by the Governor
• did sign SB 75, which authorizes additional judgeships, but that is subject to appropriation.
• and 4.1 million False Claims Act Fund Authority, which is required for the state match for the grant
• However, DOJ currently lacks appropriation authority to distribute these funds to victims.
• To address this, you could approve provisional language that would allow the appropriation authority

Summary: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 heard the Governor’s May Revision proposals for the judicial branch, the Board of State and Community Corrections, the Department of Justice, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Legislative Analyst’s Office opened with a warning that the state budget remains structurally imbalanced and urged the Legislature to avoid new ongoing spending unless offset by reductions elsewhere. In the judicial branch discussion, the Judicial Council highlighted language access funding, appellate court security, a backfill for the state court facilities construction fund, and an extension of the lactation room mandate; Finance supported most items but suggested reporting language on interpreter costs and reducing the General Fund backfill. Members raised concerns about judicial vacancies, long-term salary freezes, remote hearings, and the lack of progress on court staffing in some counties. For the Board of State and Community Corrections, the administration proposed $10 million one-time each for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People grant program and a human trafficking vertical prosecution grant program. The LAO said both should be weighed against other priorities and suggested the Legislature consider whether the Tribal Nations Grant Fund could support MMIP work, while Finance said it preferred General Fund support and wanted more review before any fund swap. Members strongly supported MMIP funding and asked whether ongoing support would be considered. On the human trafficking grant, Finance said BSC was a good fit because of its grant administration experience and prior vertical prosecution work, while legislators asked why the program was not placed with the Office of Emergency Services as originally contemplated in prior legislation. The Department of Justice presented antitrust litigation funding, Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse staffing, completion of organized retail criminal enterprise cases, and trailer bill language for a continuous appropriation from the Victims of Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund. The LAO supported the antitrust account use but questioned the Unfair Competition Law Fund’s ability to cover the full request without General Fund repayment, and recommended against a continuous appropriation for the restitution fund in favor of a more limited mechanism with legislative oversight. Finance said the fund would remain solvent and defended the continuous appropriation as necessary to pay victims promptly. In the CDCR portion, the largest discussion centered on the Boston Consulting Group efficiency review and sharply reduced savings estimates; LAO said the department had not fully explained the proposed position eliminations or future $100 million savings target, while Finance said the work reflected deeper analysis and ongoing efforts to find savings. Members repeatedly pressed CDCR and Finance on the gap between earlier promised savings and the revised figures. CDCR also outlined population projections showing continued declines in prison and parole populations, while LAO again urged the state to close an additional prison to save ongoing costs. The department then walked through several May Revision items, including workers’ compensation funding, a Corcoran honor housing dorm, incarcerated firefighter pay implementation, an incarcerated menopause program, mental health receiver staffing, mental health resource teams and crisis intervention teams, medical classification staffing changes, and AI note-taking for the electronic health record. LAO generally recommended limiting-term funding and more reporting for many of these proposals, while Finance defended them as necessary ongoing investments or court-ordered obligations. Members questioned the cost of workers’ compensation, the need for more prison closures, the lack of funding for women’s facility violence prevention, and the timing and transparency of the BCG savings process. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So last year's energy chair, Senator Becker [member_1309], ran SB 254, which authorized an extension
• We've asked the California Earthquake Authority to spend focused time on those.
• I want to just highlight a brief note about the California Earthquake Authority.
• The California Earthquake Authority is a lean, efficient operation. I have 120 employees.
• And I really think we, as the Senate, as the Assembly, and the governor, need to be...

Summary: The hearing focused on the SB 254 Natural Catastrophe Resiliency Study and its recommendations for addressing California’s wildfire risk, utility liability, and the financing of catastrophic losses. Committee members and presenters discussed the history of the wildfire fund created after the 2018 fire crisis and PG&E bankruptcy, the role of the California Earthquake Authority as fund administrator, and the report’s three broad policy pathways: continuing mitigation investments, more equitably allocating catastrophe costs, and considering expanded state involvement in catastrophe financing. Presenters emphasized that the report was intended as a neutral, stakeholder-informed analysis rather than an advocacy document, and that the status quo is not working well for survivors, ratepayers, insurers, or utilities. CEA, CPUC, and the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety each described their contributions and recommendations. CEA outlined options such as risk-tolerance standards for utilities, preserving safety certificate accountability, tying executive compensation more directly to safety, confidential near-miss reporting, liability reforms, and a fast-pay facility for survivors. CPUC stressed that wildfire mitigation and liability costs are a major driver of electricity affordability problems, and said the state should broaden how wildfire recovery and mitigation are funded beyond ratepayers alone. Energy Safety highlighted its wildfire mitigation plan oversight and recommended stronger safety reporting and stronger safety weighting in utility executive compensation. The modeling portion of the report estimated that a more durable wildfire fund could require about $36 billion in capitalization, with lower initial capital needs if risk transfer or liability reforms are used, but potentially higher ongoing premium or assessment costs. The report also examined state-backed insurer or backstop models, post-event funding mechanisms, and targeted community wildfire mitigation, which could reduce overall funding needs. Members raised concerns about the cost burden on ratepayers, the financial stability of utilities, the fairness of asking communities outside high-risk areas to pay, the role of local governments and home hardening, and whether broader climate-related liability or insurance reforms should be considered. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further committee hearings and stakeholder discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's certainly not unique to any governor.
• Under the administration of former Governor Deval Patrick.
• I mean— Have you had conversations with the governor about what happened previously?
• Have you had communications with the governor, the lieutenant governor, on any of these things about
• Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll's housing and executive development.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight

Summary: The committee met to review MassDOT’s failed service plaza procurement and the Inspector General’s findings. Chair Montigny opened with a broad critique of procurement culture, conflict-of-interest risks, and the need for stronger oversight, saying the committee’s role is bipartisan and investigative and that subpoenas would be used if necessary. Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro then summarized his investigatory letter, saying MassDOT had created procedures that could have supported a fair process but did not follow them. He identified eight major problems, including inadequate conflict-of-interest disclosures, undisclosed relationships and communications with Applegreen and Suffolk Construction, violations of contact rules, inconsistent weighting of evaluation subfactors, weak documentation of scoring, unclear information-sharing with subject matter experts, live roll-call scoring that increased perceived bias, and insufficient board/committee review before approval. He recommended clearer disclosure forms, stronger training, better documentation, sealed scoring, clearer rules for internal communications, and more public board involvement. Committee members pressed the Inspector General on whether the conduct violated law, how to define and police “appearance” of conflicts, whether employees should be held accountable, and whether prior evaluators should be excluded from the new process. Shapiro said his report did not conclude that laws were violated, but that the process was seriously flawed and that accountability should be handled within agencies. He also said he would provide additional written recommendations on broader procurement standards and noted that some oversight functions may need clearer definitions and better recordkeeping across agencies and quasi-public entities. The chair and members emphasized that the problems appeared systemic rather than limited to one administration or one contract. MassDOT Interim Secretary Phil Ting and Undersecretary Jonathan Gulliver then described the new procurement approach. They said the prior process had been a failure, but that the new effort is a complete reset with no one from the prior evaluation participating. MassDOT plans to split the plazas into three geographic packages, use a design-build/public-private partnership framework, and create a P3 Commission with appointments from the governor, legislative leaders, and treasurer, plus review by the Inspector General and Attorney General. They said the new scoring will be more objective, with financial scoring set at 60% and based on a guaranteed maximum price and other mathematical measures rather than projected revenues, and that technical and financial evaluations will be separated in a double-blind process. Members signaled cautious support for the changes but continued to question whether the new structure and oversight will be enough to prevent a repeat of the earlier procurement failures.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill outlines the contents of the study and requires the Commerce Authority to submit a report of
• its findings to the governor and legislature.
• We just had a conversation today about the fiscal responsibility of the Arizona Commerce Authority.
• I just wish the governor agreed to that principle as well.
• and that is something that would be outside the authority of the ESA program.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2584, which would prohibit public monies from being used for genetic sequencing procedures involving devices made by companies owned or substantially controlled by entities domiciled in a foreign adversary. The sponsor said the bill is intended to protect genetic data from being sold or used against the United States. There was no public testimony, and the committee approved the bill on a 13-5 vote for a do pass recommendation. The committee then took up HB 2804, which creates a rural development and housing tax credit capped at $2 million per year and tied to federal low-income housing tax credit projects in counties under 800,000 population. Supporters, including the sponsor, the Flagstaff mayor, and housing investors/developers, argued it would leverage private capital to address rural affordable housing shortages, especially for seniors, veterans, and low-income residents. Opponents, including the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, argued state LIHTC programs are inefficient, costly, hard to oversee, and can add complexity and higher per-unit costs. The bill passed 13-4 with one not voting. HB 2388, as amended, appropriates $100,000 for the Arizona Commerce Authority to study the economic benefits of small modular reactors and data centers, with a report due June 30, 2027. Supporters said the study would help Arizona plan for energy demand and data center growth, while opponents argued the agency should use existing funds instead of a new appropriation. The committee adopted the amendment and then approved the bill 10-7 with one not voting. The committee also received a presentation from the Auditor General on county treasurer procedural reviews, including the response to the Santa Cruz County treasurer embezzlement case and the office’s ramp-up plan for reviews and staffing. Later, the committee approved HB 2352, which appropriates $2,385,900 in FY2029 to make the Auditor General’s county treasurer review funding ongoing. Members supporting the bill said the office needs certainty to plan audits and retain staff, while opponents objected to funding it so far in advance during budget uncertainty. The bill passed 11-7. The committee also approved HB 2418, as amended, which directs $600,000 to be evenly distributed among five county sheriff task forces in Cochise, Coconino, Navajo, Pinal, and Yuma counties; supporters said it codifies the long-standing distribution practice, and it passed 17-1. Finally, the committee heard HB 2499, which would provide $2.6 million and 12 FTEs to the Department of Education for ESA administration; supporters argued the program’s rapid growth requires more staff for enrollment, reviews, and accountability, while members questioned the lack of standardized testing data and how to measure student outcomes. The transcript ends during that discussion, before a final vote on HB 2499.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the bill before you, the governor must appoint a tribal representative to serve on the board, with
• The governor would appoint based on consulting with the statewide tribal organizations.
• would be appointed by the governor.
• Perce, Umatilla, in order for the governor to consider an appointment.
• I could speak with authority that land trust, cities, and all types of community groups.

Bills: SB5838 , SB5960 , SB6097

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: tribal representation, natural resources, board of natural resources, environmental policy, community involvement, ungulate populations, wildlife management, habitat restoration, conservation, sustainability, Indian tribes, conservation futures program, federal recognition, environmental protection

Transcript Highlights:

• In the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, we increase federal fund spending authority by $38.3 million
• <00:07:21.640><c> $318</c> authorize capital projects totaling $318 authorize capital projects totaling
• </c><00:08:54.920><c> capital</c> In the Treasury, we authorize capital In the Treasury, we authorize
• We<00:24:46.600><c> authorize</c><00:24:47.240><c> authorize</c><00:24:47.760><c> asset</c> We authorize
• authorize asset We authorize authorize asset preservation<00:24:48.640><c> pools</c><00:24:48.920><c

Summary: The Kentucky Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 503, the legislative branch budget, adopting a committee substitute and reporting it favorably. The chair said the Senate version fully funds defined calculations, provides 2% raises in each fiscal year for legislative employees, removes a paragraph on operating expense reductions, and includes $1 million in the first year for a judicial branch salary study. House Bill 504, the judicial branch budget, was then amended and reported favorably; changes included 2% annual raises for judicial employees, revised operating expense language, $1 million each year for county current services, retention of Boyle County fit-up language, reporting requirements for smaller capital projects, full funding for nine judges added in 2022, and removal of furlough prohibitions and certain budget implementation language. Both bills passed the committee unanimously with favorable expressions to the floor. The committee then considered House Bill 500, the executive branch budget, adopting a committee substitute before hearing a lengthy summary of major spending and policy changes. The chair described statewide 2% annual employee raises, agency base reductions with many exemptions, increased school safety and 911 funding, veterans and military funding, local government and severance-related changes, attorney general and auditor funding, pension and retirement system support, education funding changes including SEEK, postsecondary and scholarship provisions, public safety and corrections funding, and multiple capital projects. The chair also highlighted Medicaid-related provisions, including added waiver slots, increased state-directed payments, a 2.5% reduction in managed care vendor payments for plan years 2027 and 2028 with savings redirected to fee-for-service rates, and additional funding for behavioral health and public health programs. The bill was reported favorably after members explained their votes, with several noting they had only recently received the full 228-page bill and wanted more time for detailed review. Finally, the committee adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 900, an appropriation measure for government agencies, and reported it favorably. The chair said the bill remains a work in progress and that one-time funding requests from across the Commonwealth and across party lines would continue to be addressed as the process moves forward. All measures considered during the meeting passed the committee with unanimous or near-unanimous favorable votes, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.