Transcript Highlights:

• County commissioners' path to develop budgets.
• We do MSTU, that's ad valorem, community development, what are you going to do about that?
• To make a change in 350-year program that has been pretty successful developing our cities and towns
• I'm an economic development freak. In my city, I created a medical district to create new jobs.
• Alvarez: Economic development airports to attract aviation schools, aviation companies.

Transcript Highlights:

• So EDGE is really about economic development, and then CORE is really about maintaining the base of economic
• In fact, we have community development efforts that involve us managing federal— funds and distributing
• We know, for example, that we need to increase our number of recruiters in our economic development area
• For a project at the Port of Muskogee, which had originally been awarded out of APA, but we found it
• , and the Small Business Development Center, and again the Murray State grant.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce on its FY26 priorities, recent performance, and budget requests. Commerce said it had helped announce about 8,000 direct jobs and nearly $14 billion in investment year-to-date, while noting challenges such as tariffs, workforce recruitment, staffing/FTE management, and the condition of its 100-year-old office building. The agency highlighted projects and initiatives including a new Taiwan trade office, Route 66 Centennial planning, the National Main Street conference in Tulsa, Olympic-related coordination, census outreach, and continued improvements to its grants and CRM systems. Requested funding included $8.3 million for building repairs or relocation planning, census support, $300,000 for EDGE, $135,000 for IT/cybersecurity upgrades, $250,000 for the Taiwan office, and additional support for Head Start, senior nutrition, and the Strategic Air and Space Commission. Members asked about the meaning of the investment totals, the building condition, delays in senior nutrition distributions, and staffing vacancies; Commerce said the investment figures reflected formal company capital announcements, the building had significant facade and roof damage, delays were due to multiple contracting layers, and several open positions were expected to be filled soon. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department then presented its FY26 budget and goals. New director Amy Blackburn and special advisor Sterling Zearley said the department oversees 38 state parks, six lodges, seven golf courses, and nine travel information centers, and emphasized tourism’s economic importance. They reported savings from bringing marketing and tracking functions in-house and from shared services, but said the department faces more than $271 million in deferred maintenance needs, staffing shortages, and connectivity problems at parks. Their goals include increasing park visitation to 10.2 million, raising occupancy to 36%, and growing travel to Oklahoma, with major marketing tied to the Route 66 Centennial, America 250, the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics, and other events. The department also discussed a request to raise its purchasing exemption cap from $25,000 to $75,000, a possible TravelOK.com redesign, and efforts to improve restaurant operations at lodges through a new RFP structure. Members questioned the apportionment cap, the size and timing of deferred maintenance requests, park revenue, and the use of parking pass funds; tourism said annual park-related revenue is about $32 million to $34 million and parking pass revenue is about $2.5 million. Finally, the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority presented its budget request and program updates. The authority said it supports the veterinary teaching hospital and related student training, and that its FY26 budget is entirely state-appropriated. It requested continued support for hospital operations, the large animal scholarship program, and a new $12.5 million annual payment tied to the $250 million Legacy Capital Fund authorization for the veterinary teaching hospital, along with additional funding to expand in-state enrollment. Officials said in-state enrollment had increased from 58 to 69 students after prior funding, with a goal of reaching 90 of 106 total seats, and that there were 195 in-state applicants this year. Members asked whether standards would be lowered; the authority said academic standards would not change and noted strong board-pass rates and retention outcomes. It also said accreditation concerns tied to faculty shortages and off-site teaching had been addressed by bringing students back to the main campus and improving staffing. The committee ended by thanking the presenters and announcing its next meeting date.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will help develop design guidelines for integrating green infrastructure to address sea level rise
• I can't imagine the most famous developer in the world would have traffic congestion issues that would
• Senator Simon: Senate Bill 110 diversifies our view of Senator Simon: what economic development looks
• Rural roads are vital whether it is moving goods to Senator Simon: a port for international shipping
• We talk about what we are going to do with housing, there's discussion about small business development

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent House District 34, which includes the historic New Mexico 28 and the Santa Teresa Port of
• It's economic development for one thing, but it's also public safety. Comments, Mr. Chair? So Mr.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• similar to Ormond House, as well as protect, protecting and serving archaeological sites within State Ports
• We've also developed prioritization plan specific to wildlife and aquatic habitat restoration that God's

Transcript Highlights:

• ENERGY, CHEMICAL, FINANCIAL, CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING, TEXTILE, IDOLS, SHIPPING, SHIPBUILDING IN THE PORT
• NUMBER HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 30 COMPANIES TOTALING 63.$9 MILLION PER THE LEGISLATION REQUIRED TO DEVELOPMENT

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• funding was passed on a bipartisan basis to make long-overdue investments in roads, bridges, transit ports
• The Office of Air and Radiation develops policies and oversees the implementation of core environmental
• resolve these issues and to do so in a way that protects our air and also protects the economic development
• Yet any new development in the region needs to identify offsets to get their permit.
• Act and a goal that I share is to find a pathway to improve air quality without stifling economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• Workforce development and building our skilled and trained workforce.
• Buett is really just closing a loophole that was developed years ago.
• House Bill 19 is a Trade Ports Development Act.
• One is workforce development.
• with economic development and the creation of jobs in New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're going to redescribe it to a port operations specialist.
• <00:18:21.360> operations redescribe it to a port operations redescribe it to a port operations
• Next, we have written testimony and support from Partners in Development Foundation.
• Development Foundation. Development Foundation.
• <00:51:32.960> Um, develop. We see that in practice. Um, develop.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard House Bill 2095, which would provide supplemental appropriations for the Judiciary for the 2025-2027 biennium. Judiciary Administrative Director Brandon Kimura testified in strong support and outlined a request for about $6.4 million in supplemental operating funds, plus four permanent full-time position conversions. He grouped the request into security, services to court users, and staffing needs, including $3.25 million for supplemental armed private security at judiciary facilities statewide, nearly $200,000 for cybersecurity staffing and support, restoration of funding for substance use treatment purchase-of-service contracts, restoration of funding for the Office of Public Guardian on Kauaʻi, salary commission funding, a Kona court operations position, and two Court-Appointed Special Advocates positions converted from temporary to permanent. He also described five capital improvement requests totaling $55.4 million, led by $30 million for construction of a new South Kohala courthouse, $1.2 million each for air conditioning upgrades in Hilo and Kauaʻi, $15 million for elevator upgrades at Kahumanu Hale, and $8 million in lump-sum bond funds for emerging projects. Several organizations testified in support, including Parents and Children Together and the True Cost Coalition. Supporters emphasized the importance of the purchase-of-service funding for domestic violence and substance use treatment services and said the restoration would return funding to pre-COVID levels and help providers maintain capacity. Kimura explained that the Judiciary often shifts funds among contracts during the year to avoid service interruptions, but that the reduced funding has caused delays and operational problems for providers and probationers. Members asked detailed questions about the capital projects and operating requests. Representative Shimizu asked for more information on the lump-sum bond funds and the elevator project, and Kimura explained that the Kahumanu Hale request covers four remaining elevator shafts after earlier funding addressed the first five elevators. Representative Cochran asked about the absence of Maui County projects, and Kimura said the Judiciary is still planning for its older Maui facilities with DAGS. Chair Tarnas questioned the need for armed private guards and discussed whether court security should be prioritized within the Department of Law Enforcement; Kimura said the Judiciary needs additional personnel now and has not asked DLE to deprioritize other missions, though the chair suggested further coordination between the agencies. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• These had been under the Economic Development and Tourism goal, and so these have now been broken into
• There's intellectual property that's being developed - patents.
• We have 40 historic sites from El Paso to Port Arthur, from the Panhandle to Port Isabel.
• I've been doing cancer drug development for a long time.
• An economic development money, I can attest to, is absolutely essential.

Transcript Highlights:

• recommendations for legislation that addresses artificial intelligence, development, deployment, and
• We think that we should take our time and develop a good statute for the state of New Mexico.
• May issue bonds under the Spaceport Development Act for the purpose of. financing.
• But how was the original agreement developed?
• That's the Spaceport Authority under the Spaceport Development Act.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kennedy in 1961, the United States Agency for International Development USAID has had as its mission
• A strategic position allow us to enjoy some detachment from problems in the developing world and thus
• Agency for International Development, Paul Martin, has submitted a report.
• drive economic developments, including cheap energy, infrastructure, manufacturing.
• The ways that all poor countries rise out of poverty and develop.

Keywords: fiscal responsibility, government waste, foreign aid, funding resolution, legislative oversight

Summary: The committee meeting addressed government spending and foreign aid, with a particular emphasis on perceived wasteful expenditures. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing a funding resolution for the committee, which received unanimous support from the members present. The chair noted a quorum at the beginning of the meeting, signaling that the committee was ready to conduct its business. Discussions highlighted ongoing debates concerning fiscal responsibility and the necessity of legislative oversight, notably regarding foreign aid allocations and their implications for domestic fiscal health.

Transcript Highlights:

• Know that we appreciate this opportunity to be considered partners in developing the newest, greatest
• I'm the development director with CPT, Counties Providing Technology.
• Are you in any way using AI to help with the software development? We are not.
• So I don't like to be unique when it comes to software development.
• But yeah, still under active development. You're right.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met with a quorum to begin its study of whether the content of North Dakota real estate tax statements should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the background for the study, including House Bill 1176, current statutory requirements for tax statements, and recent changes such as separate line items for bonded debt, primary residence credit, and legacy fund-related amounts. The Tax Department then explained the current statement format and noted that the form is prescribed and approved by the tax commissioner, with changes typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual process for preparing budgets, setting levies, calculating taxable values, and issuing notices and tax statements. They said counties spend significant time coordinating with taxing districts, neighboring counties, and software vendors, and that the new budget hearing notices and valuation notices have not generated much public response. Members raised concerns about the usefulness and clarity of certain line items, especially the legislative tax relief calculation and the primary residence credit, and discussed whether the current statement creates confusion rather than transparency. Testimony also addressed the 3% cap, mill levy worksheets, assessment cycles, and the role of county auditors and tax directors in maintaining accurate values. The committee also heard from software vendors CPT and Tyler Technologies about how legislative changes are programmed into tax systems and how online taxpayer portals can provide more detailed breakdowns of tax bills. Vendors said changes required by law are generally absorbed in contracts rather than billed directly to counties, and they demonstrated web tools and pie-chart style breakdowns that show where tax dollars go. NDACO presented a survey of eight counties estimating tax statement preparation and mailing costs, concluding that outsourced printing tends to be cheaper on average and that total statewide tax statement costs may be roughly $600,000, though the estimate was based on limited data. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ports and Harbors will meet at 3:30 in Room 103.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 30 January, 2026; 9:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, with the prayer focusing on support for linemen, first responders, and families affected by severe weather in Mississippi. A quorum was established, the journal reading was dispensed with, and there were no select committee reports or resolutions/petitions/memorials presented. Standing committee reports were noted as being on the counter, and introductions of constitutional amendment bills and other introductions were handled by unanimous consent without reading. During introductions of guests, Representative McMillan recognized Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker in the North Gallery. The clerk then announced several committee meetings scheduled for Monday, including Corrections, Judd B., Wildlife, Ports and Harbors, Youth and Family, and Gaming, with times and rooms specified. No legislation was debated or voted on beyond routine procedural motions. The House adopted the motion to adjourn and stood adjourned until 2 p.m. Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Article 18 is the campaign finance article from Senator Ports 4196.
• I don't renewable development finance.
• Renewable development finance. Any amendments there?
• Renewable development finance. Any amendments there?
• article 10 jobs and economic development article 10 jobs and economic development appropriations

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CFO for Louisiana Economic Development.
• The main projects that we have in there is our Economic Development Awards Program.
• And within the Economic Development Awards Program is... Development Awards Program.
• And within the Economic Development Awards Program, it's also our Economic Development Site Readiness
• Within our Economic Development Awards Program, an LED certified site program was developed as a development-ready

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held an informational hearing on the state capital outlay process, with Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration’s Office of Facilities Planning and Control (FPNC) presenting a detailed review of House Bill 2 and proposed improvements. They said FPNC administers about 54% of the bill, while other agencies administer the rest, and emphasized that the capital outlay program has improved significantly over the last few years, with project expenditures more than doubling due to better cash-flow management, staffing changes, and more efficient project administration. They also explained how the bill is structured by priorities, how the priority-one cash line of credit is capped and adjusted for construction inflation, and how the bill has grown into a much larger, longer-range plan than a true five-year program, especially on the non-state side. A major theme was that the bill contains too many dormant, legacy, and low-priority projects, which creates false expectations and ties up funding. Committee members pressed the presenters on culture change, third-party project management, staffing shortages, and the use of technology and statutory interpretation to speed projects without sacrificing compliance. Husser and Baker said they had reduced internal bureaucracy, used staff augmentation because of hiring difficulties, delegated smaller projects to agencies when appropriate, and improved cash-flow analysis so projects can move forward with less money up front. They also discussed overappropriations, dormant projects, and the need to reappropriate unused funds to projects that can actually spend them. The presenters offered several recommendations and considerations: limit the number and size of new projects, reduce scope creep, require more regular endorsement of long-running projects, consider caps on priority-five funding, impose time limits and reporting requirements on non-state grant projects, and possibly require non-state entities to escrow or otherwise demonstrate their match earlier. They also suggested bundling related projects together, expanding that approach beyond the current pilot, and improving transparency by showing full project funding history and the first year each project appeared in the bill. No votes were taken, and the meeting remained informational, with members generally supportive of the efficiency reforms while also raising concerns about false hope, dormant projects, and the need for clearer expectations and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Senator Gayle Harrell representing District 31 which incorporates parts of Port St.
• Our our New Jersey Economic Development Authority was there as well.
• We're focused on policy research thought leadership, workforce development.
• And I'll talk a little bit about workforce development as well.
• And and they develop recommendations to submit to the me aboard.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• presentation is intended as an educational briefing to help us better understand how local governments develop
• And you'll see in terms of our budget, when we get to the budget development guidelines and the laws,
• in terms of our budget, when we get to the budget development guidelines and the laws, it all stems
• There's local option sales tax, tourist development tax.
• If you think Miami-Dade has a big international airport, you have ports, you have solid waste systems

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs convened with a quorum and took up SB 308, a bill related to the Florida Museum of Black History. The bill would establish a Florida Museum of Black History Board of Directors and direct it to work with a supporting nonprofit foundation, while also requiring the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners to provide administrative assistance and staffing until planning, design, and engineering are complete. With no appearance forms or debate, the committee voted the bill favorably. The remainder of the meeting was an informational briefing from the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities on local government budgeting practices. Presenters explained how counties and cities develop budgets, the legal framework governing property taxes and other revenues, the distinction between restricted and unrestricted funds, and the role of constitutional officers, public safety, debt, pensions, and capital planning. They emphasized that most local revenues are restricted by law, that general funds are the main discretionary source, and that local governments must balance annual budgets while meeting mandated service levels. The presenters also discussed how property taxes, fees, local option taxes, and state-shared revenues support local services, and they highlighted the fiscal pressures created by public safety, emergency management, infrastructure, and retirement costs. Members asked questions about the share of local revenue that is unrestricted and the implications for any proposal to eliminate property taxes. The presenters responded that only a portion of county and municipal revenue is flexible, with much of it dedicated to specific purposes by law.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 342 solves this issue by creating a rigorous framework for the development of those hospitality zones
• original fee, and that this will drive job growth, generate tax revenue, and encourage continued development
• These grants would allow tribal governments to fund effective self-governance, economic development,
• This bill will offer much-needed relief to restaurants, support economic development, and provide small
• growth that will help revitalize areas like our downtown, Chinatown, Koreatown, Filipinotown, and port

Summary: The Governmental Organization Committee heard a series of bills focused largely on alcohol licensing, nonprofit funding, tribal grants, public transparency, and tobacco policy. AB 342 (Haney) would allow local governments to create hospitality zones with extended last-call hours on certain days; supporters argued it would boost tourism, nightlife, and major-event readiness, while opponents warned of alcohol-related harms and public safety risks. AB 684 (Patel) would subject the UC Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools to open-meeting requirements, with supporters saying admissions-related changes should be more transparent and allow schools time to adjust. AB 1008 (Addis) would authorize up to 10 new on-sale general licenses in San Luis Obispo County to meet tourism demand, and AB 1039 (Hart) would require state agencies to offer advance payments on new nonprofit grants and contracts, which supporters said would help cash-strapped nonprofits deliver services. AB 221 (Ramos) would revise the Tribal Nation Grant Fund to provide more predictable annual distributions to eligible non-gaming and limited-gaming tribes, and it drew broad support from tribal representatives and others. AB 795 (Jeff Gonzalez) would create a California commission for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, with supporters describing it as a privately funded, nonpartisan planning body. AB 828/AB 28 (Mark Gonzalez, as referenced in the transcript) would expand neighborhood-restricted liquor licenses in Los Angeles County to reduce costs and support restaurant recovery, and AB 1246 (Hoover) would increase craft distillers’ direct sales limits and address barrel-storage rules; both were supported as small-business measures. AB 1428 (Ta) would require reporting of all surplus and underutilized state land, and AB 957 (Ortega) would prohibit tobacco sales in pharmacies, with strong public health support. Several bills were voted out on motions to Appropriations, some with amendments, while others were held or left on call until quorum was established; the committee also adopted a consent calendar and left rolls open for absent members on multiple measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's Federal Highway developed. It's public domain.
• I'm also on an NCHRP panel for developing speed reduction factors.
• <01:18:34.600> speed an NCHRP panel for developing speed an NCHRP panel for developing speed
• That would be like the developed areas within the town.
• That would be like the developed areas within the town.

Keywords: 1189, house, all