Transcript Highlights:

• The state and federal relief assistance rapidly deployed digital devices, online programming to facilitate
• These programs will be funded by the California Career Technical Education program recipients would be
• and put in the extra work and the effort to find the funding to do these programs is something that
• know that it's hard to plan for and sustain programs without funding that you can rely upon.
• Because while it's important for districts that have robust programs to have funding certainty over four

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Equalized levies mean that it's a revenue program funded by some mix of state aid and local property
• They'll always get, like, the per-pupil funding from the formula, but certain programs they might come
• <00:25:13.000> fund and reinvestment act or era Federal fund and reinvestment act or era Federal
• fund revenues a<00:43:17.400> program<00:43:18.200> first<00:43:18.440> enacted
• whole education program that's funded in whole education program that's funded in whole or<01:44

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and in the federal program.
• and in the federal program.
• Women contracting in the state program and in the federal program, where it says disadvantaged business
• enterprise, that is the federally mandated DBE program.
• the state program for all veteran women's business enterprise program with no federal dollars, where

Summary: The committee heard a work session on voting access on tribal lands, beginning with a presentation from Dr. Chelsea Jones of the Brennan Center. She described barriers affecting Native voters and voters on tribal lands, including long travel distances to polling places and drop boxes, nontraditional addresses, unreliable postal service, language access, and limited broadband. Citing research, she said turnout on tribal lands trails turnout off tribal lands by about 10 percentage points nationally and about 10% in Washington, with larger gaps in some convenience voting measures. Members asked about the meaning of “lost votes,” the role of tribal leadership and community trust, and whether outreach by election officials and candidates could help; Dr. Jones emphasized that the study measured missed voting opportunities, not missing ballots, and that partnerships with trusted community leaders are important. The University of Washington Elections Database then presented data on voter registration, turnout, signature challenges, curing, and ballot rejection for voters whose addresses fall within tribal reservation boundaries. The presenters said registration on reservations increased from about 107,000 in 2010 to 137,000 in 2024, turnout on reservations remained about 8 to 9 percentage points lower than outside reservations in recent general elections, and signature-challenge and rejection rates were generally low but somewhat higher in off-year elections. They reported that about 60% to two-thirds of signature-challenged ballots are cured, with cure rates similar inside and outside reservations, and that late return is the most common reason for primary ballot rejection while signature mismatch is the leading cause in general elections. A question was raised about USPS postmarking issues and how those might affect future data; the presenters said they plan to track return method and cure timing more closely. The committee also received an overview of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. Staff reviewed the office’s history, the Centennial Accord, the Millennium Agreement, and related state-tribal frameworks, and GOIA Director Tim Rainan described the office’s role as a bridge between the state and tribal governments, including consultation, policy coordination, training, and convening work groups. He said GOIA now has six positions, is part of the governor’s executive cabinet, and is working on a statewide tribal relations training module and consultation handbook. In response to a question, he said tribal voting is not a major topic at the Centennial Accord but is discussed more extensively through ATNI. The committee then shifted to contracting equity, hearing from WSDOT, DES, OMWBE, and the Office of Equity. WSDOT described its race-neutral small business and veteran goals, mentorship and support programs, and its response to the federal suspension of the DBE program; DES discussed statewide contracting spend, the EDGE pilot for small construction firms, and efforts to improve procurement access; OMWBE reported growth in certified firms and about $371 million in state spend with certified firms in the most recent year, while noting ongoing impacts from federal DBE changes; and the Office of Equity outlined its broader work on agency consultation, dashboards, and systems change. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• and to redistribute unused funds among program administrators.
• program and to redistribute<00:14:56.720> unused<00:14:57.199> funds<00:14:57.680>
• among<00:14:58.240> program redistribute unused funds among program redistribute unused funds
• additional federal subsidies through newer<00:24:58.960> HUD<00:24:59.360> programs.
• > program<00:25:54.240> depends The federal section 18 program depends The federal section

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• in the 287G program. in the 287G program.
• not required to administer federal civil regulatory programs.
• federal civil regulatory programs. programs. programs.
• And I think there's a real concern about taking federal funds to pay for salaries, bonuses, and equipment
• <00:29:29.880> funds real concern about taking federal funds real concern about taking federal

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• $200 million beverage container recycling fund. recycling program.
• So those programs that you mentioned have historically been funded by discretionary funding, so they
• So we'd like to see robust funding for the Wildlife Coexistence Program for the Wolf Program at CDFW,
• , risking funding for community air protection programs.
• The LAO has identified a funding cliff for this program.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the summer of 2026, the state and federal pandemic relief funding that has bridged the shortfall for
• could result in the loss of vital federal funding and even legal action by the U.S.
• complete... ...lose billions and billions of dollars in federal transportation funds if we don't come
• They helped connect several cities, helped fund our sheriff department, and get federal and state funding
• They helped connect several cities, helped fund our sheriff department, and get federal and state funding

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 86, which would extend and expand the CAEATFA sales and use tax exclusion program through 2031, raise the annual cap from $100 million to $200 million, and add fusion energy. Supporters, including the State Treasurer and industry and labor representatives, cited billions in clean-tech investment, job creation, and environmental benefits; county groups opposed the bill over local revenue losses. The committee approved SB 86 on a 12-0 roll, holding the roll open for additional members. The committee then heard SB 545, which would require Go-Biz to study economic development opportunities along the California high-speed rail corridor, including land value, development incentives, and public-private partnerships. Labor, Fresno’s mayor’s office, and other stakeholders supported the bill as a way to spur corridor development and future funding opportunities, while one business group moved from opposition to neutral after amendments. The bill passed on a 9-1 vote, with the roll held open. Members next considered SB 63, a Bay Area transit funding measure authorizing a regional revenue measure to support transit operations amid looming fiscal shortfalls. The author and witnesses described severe service cuts that could follow without new funding, while committee members raised concerns about the bill’s structure, county participation, polling, and whether other revenue options should be considered. The bill advanced on a 9-3 vote, with the roll held open, and the committee also approved SB 263, directing a state study of tariff impacts on California’s economy and supply chains, on an 11-0 vote. Finally, the committee heard SB 661, which would redirect aviation-related tax revenues back to airports for aviation purposes and bring the state into compliance with federal requirements; testimony focused on airport modernization, rural access, and allocation formulas, but no final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• At a time when so much uncertainty looms around all federal anti-poverty programs, there's no guarantee
• PA program, the only public PA program in the Commonwealth.
• John Hoffman for the American Kidney Fund, and then we had a remote... ...Fund.
• This program changes lives; it changed mine, and every student who went through the program will tell
• This program changes lives, it changed mine, and every student who went through the program will tell

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a public hearing focused largely on tax-credit proposals tied to children, families, caregivers, child care, health care workforce development, and public health. A major portion of the hearing concerned bills to expand the state earned income tax credit and child and family tax credit, including H. 3073/S. 1957 and S. 1975. Testimony from advocacy groups, legal services, tax assistance organizations, and health providers supported increasing the EITC match from 40% to 50% of the federal credit, expanding eligibility to immigrant and mixed-status ITIN filers, larger families, younger and older workers, and SSI recipients, and raising the child and family tax credit to $600 per child with inflation adjustments and possible advance payments. Witnesses said these changes would reduce poverty, improve health and educational outcomes, and help families meet basic expenses; committee members asked questions about ITIN filers and expressed support for the policy goals. The committee also heard extensive testimony on S. 1938/H. 3159, An Act Supporting Family Caregivers. Speakers described the scale of unpaid caregiving in Massachusetts and supported a package that would create a refundable tax credit, respite vouchers, workplace and housing protections, unemployment insurance access for those who leave work to care for relatives, a permanent advisory council, and a provision allowing spouses to be paid caregivers under MassHealth. Several witnesses shared personal caregiving experiences, and committee members responded favorably, noting the emotional and financial strain on caregivers and the importance of supporting them as Medicaid and long-term care systems face pressure. Additional bills discussed included H. 3174 on a child and dependent care tax credit, which was presented as a way to offset the high cost of child care; H. 3197/S. 2019 to improve the financial security of family child care providers through a tax credit; H. 3218/S. 1960 to create tax credits for health care preceptors to address workforce shortages; S. 2064 to establish a living organ donor tax credit; S. 2034 to promote healthy alternatives to sugary drinks through a tiered tax; H. 3015 to create a tax-return checkoff for the YMCA Youth and Government Program; and several public testimony ideas including vaccination, literacy, and grade-improvement tax credits. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing, which ended after all testimony was heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• data source for our eligibility federal data source for our eligibility programs<00:03:55.799> that
• Our disability waiver programs are incredibly complex, from their funding to the complex needs of the
• <01:21:20.679> um Federal 340b uh drug pricing program um Federal 340b uh drug pricing program
• c> has disabled funding for these programs has disabled funding for these programs has always<01:
• The housing support program has been a critical source of funding for support of housing programs addressing

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to operate this program through ACHA, and thereby it would become a state-federal program, and we would
• receive federal funds to assist us with these costs.
• program, which is commonly called Obamacare, for the federal program, which is commonly called Obamacare
• They would be in a cost share under the federal program. Additional questions of the sponsor.
• Federal anti-kickback laws pertain only to services that are reimbursable by federal health care programs

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and recognitions, including a resolution honoring Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber then moved through a special-order calendar with multiple bills, many of them paired with House companions and amended before final passage. Early action included adoption of a tax conformity bill tied to federal changes in the Internal Revenue Code, with a 34-0 vote. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758, a Medicaid and SNAP reform bill. The sponsor described provisions to strengthen fraud enforcement, impose work requirements for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid drug purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Democrats offered amendments to delay work requirements until Medicaid expansion and to add protections for SNAP users such as caregivers, seniors, disabled individuals, and domestic violence survivors; both amendments failed. Senators also questioned implementation details, exemptions, and potential effects on vulnerable populations. After debate, the bill was placed on the calendar for third reading. The Senate also passed bills on technology education and AI instruction, a public records exemption and related Parkinson’s Disease Registry measures, designation of the SS American Victory as the state flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the sunset on legal tender recognition for gold and silver, public records protections for financial and digital-asset custodians, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, local government budget transparency, digital voyeurism, insurance customer representative licensing, and a medical freedom bill with amendments on vaccine-related materials and anti-kickback provisions. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition, though the public records bill for gold/silver custodians and the legal tender repeal drew a few dissenting votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• with $12,919,400 in federal funds from the Federal Highway Administration and $80,600 road fund.
• with $12,919,400 in federal funds from the Federal Highway Administration and $80,600 road fund.
• > what federally funded equipment uh for what federally funded equipment uh for what the<00:15
• The city of Mount fund B program.
• program, the city of Eminence has a fund program, the city of Eminence has a fund B<00:30:46.640

Keywords: 00:02 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:45 Approval of Minutes 01:01 Information Items 06:25 Project Rpt from Postsecondary Institutions-KCTCS 10:50 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 18:08 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 27:12 Rpt from OFM – KY Infrastructure Authority 33:56 Rpt from OFM – CED EDF Grants 47:20 Rpt from OFM – Office of Financial Mgmt 56:53 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including approval of the February meeting minutes and several information items. Those items covered university equipment purchases, school district and transportation-related debt issuances, Northern Kentucky University’s planned construction-manager/general-contractor delivery method for the medical examiner/crime lab relocation project, a lease-space advertisement, postsecondary asset preservation allocations, and lease-law compliance reports. Members then discussed the Northern Kentucky crime lab project in more detail; staff explained that the memorandum of agreement would cover the construction portion while the lease would cover operations, and members were told the project should move forward without procurement problems. The committee approved a Kentucky Community and Technical College System project to modify the fire academy maintenance building after the related dormitory project was set aside because of major cost overruns. KCTCS said the dormitory would be about $3 million over budget, so it would not be bid; instead, the maintenance building would be expanded to add showers and restroom/locker facilities, bringing that project from $2 million to about $3.2 million. The committee also approved a Transportation Cabinet project for the Hardin County I-65 southbound commercial motor vehicle station relocation, with members asking about the estimate, the lack of a direct prior example, and the fact that the loadometer equipment itself would be purchased separately and was not included in the construction estimate. Finance and Administration Cabinet lease items were then considered. The committee approved a Department of Public Advocacy lease in Christian County and a Transportation Cabinet vehicle regulation lease in Kenton County, both negotiated down from initial asking prices and both including utilities. Two lease modifications were reported without action: a Department of Revenue fit-up in Jefferson County and an expanded vehicle regulation lease in Adair County. Members also approved a package of Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items, including four loans and six Cleaner Water Program grant reallocations, covering sewer and water projects such as MSD’s Patty’s Run flood pumping station, Paducah-McCracken County’s wastewater treatment plant, Mount Washington’s lift station replacement, and Eminence’s wastewater plant expansion. Finally, the committee heard a batch of Kentucky Product Development Initiative economic development grants and approved the action items in one vote. The projects included due diligence and infrastructure work for industrial and site-development projects in multiple counties, with local match requirements and KEDFA approvals described for each. The committee also received three line-item water grants from House Bill 1 that required no action, and the meeting ended after the grant presentations and approvals.

Transcript Highlights:

• You were able to spend federal funds instead, so that contributed to accumulating unspent state funds
• federal federal funds to finance things that are normally financed with general revenue state general
• items and, um, uh, uh, a decrease in federal funds.
• So, but federal funds are not included in page 5 all state funds, correct?
• budget, if additional federal funds are received, uh, the state is able to utilize those funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• DOE's advanced reactor demonstration program funding can provide up to a 50 percent cost match on the
• The Texas Construction Trust Fund Act should be extended to protect the 10% reserve funds as well.
• It then references those funds in Chapter 162 of the Property Code, also known as the trust funds.
• I'm here in favor of Senate Bill 1612, to include reserve funds in the Trust Fund Act.
• If these project earned reserve funds are classified as trust funds, however, as the other project funds

Bills: SB1468, SB1612, SB1789, SB2530, SB2571, SB2717, SB2967

Keywords: utility systems, Texas A&M, regents authority, construction, improvement, construction contracts, trust funds, property rights, mechanics lien, contractors, trustee liability, mechanic's lien, liability, attorney's fees, windstorm insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, insurance regulation, administrative penalties, coastal counties, catastrophe year

Transcript Highlights:

• not purely state funding or even majority state funding—but the transit investment programs in the Puget
• not purely state funding or even majority state funding, but the transit investment programs in the
• to secure federal funding to deliver the service development plan for the future of the Amtrak Cascades
• Another program we offer, it's called the L. Protector Program.
• Another program we offer is called the L. Protector Program.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from WSDOT on balancing uncertainty in capital program estimates and cash flow management. WSDOT explained the differences between design-bid-build and design-build delivery, its tiered risk-assessment process by project size, and how it uses base estimates, inflation, and risk modeling to set budgets. Staff said design-bid-build estimates are generally accurate within about 1% across the program, while design-build projects carry much wider uncertainty and are better communicated as ranges; they cited a P85 budget approach and noted that large, complex projects can be affected by market competition and long procurement timelines. Members asked about the Columbia River Bridge cost growth and about value engineering, and WSDOT said it uses value engineering but has limited scope to cut costs because of project requirements and policy mandates. Troy Swing also discussed cash flow, noting that a few large projects can significantly affect biennial funding needs, and said a risk pool would not reduce overall program risk but could help manage timing if paired with appropriation and cash-flow controls. The committee then received the final presentation in the WSDOT Project Delivery and Innovative Practices study from HKA Global. The consultant said WSDOT’s estimating practices are generally robust and recommended improving transparency by presenting budget authorizations as ranges or estimate classes, better tracking estimate growth over time, and adjusting advertisement timing to avoid competing lettings. The report also discussed surety bonding, suggesting the legislature consider restoring authority for reduced bonding on select large design-build projects or using phased bonding and alternative securities. On indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracting, the consultant said current job order contract rules are restrictive and recommended legislative changes to make such tools more usable, especially for smaller tasks and to help use unspent funds more flexibly. The committee also heard a follow-up presentation on transit-oriented development policy recommendations tied to HB 1491. The Urban Institute’s Yona Freemark said Washington has been a national leader on TOD but that housing construction, especially in the Puget Sound, has slowed sharply since 2022. He said rising construction costs, high financing costs, and local tax and rent conditions are making many TOD projects infeasible, and recommended that the state fill infrastructure funding gaps around stations, revisit MFTE affordability requirements, consider minimum rather than average density requirements near transit, and create a statewide system to track TOD outcomes such as affordability, gentrification, and transit access. Members questioned the study’s developer interviews, the role of rent control and crime, property tax assumptions, and parking needs; the presenter said the study included five private developers, that rent control was not part of the study scope, and that parking was included in the model assumptions. Finally, the committee began a presentation on regulating emissions from ocean-going vessels at berth. Staff and consultants described California-style at-berth rules, which require shore power or equivalent emissions controls so ships can shut off diesel auxiliary engines while docked. The study is examining vessel traffic, emissions reductions, implementation costs, labor and operational needs, and possible effects on port competitiveness and cargo diversion. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, like if you stop getting the funds from the voucher. I'm assuming, is it a federal program?
• It is a federal program, yeah. That specific program is federal.
• This bill would expand the definition of at-risk to encompass two federal housing programs operated by
• Background, the Section 8 new construction program was a federal low-income housing program that is similar
• A TDHCA housing tax credit program allocates federal tax credits to housing developers.

Bills: HB164, HB164, HB411, HB627, HB 1226, HB1677, HB1865, HB1997, HB2985, HB3462, HB4188, HB4685, HB4840, HB5370, HB5424, HB5466, HB5509, HB5660, HB5673

Keywords: HB 164, HB164, Texas Flood Recovery, Reimbursement, and Reconstruction Program, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, Hill Country floods, July 2025 floods, flood recovery, disaster relief, flood reimbursement, reconstruction grants, resiliency standards, floodplain, base flood elevation, FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, insurance denial, property damage, tenant assistance, rental property

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, we've been talking about the lack of funding, maybe possible federal funding cuts coming up, coming
• <01:03:59.200> to federal workforce PEL grant program to federal workforce PEL grant program
• funds from the workforce telegraph program.
• <01:25:13.679> funds<01:25:14.239> from<01:25:14.480> the these uh federal funds
• from the these uh federal funds from the workforce<01:25:15.040> telegraph<01:25:15.600> program

Bills: SB2198, SB2140, SB3055, SB3090, SB3091, SB3092, SB2761

Keywords: workforce development, craftspersons, skilled trades, artisan, craftsmanship, trade recognition, award program, DLIR, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, vocational education, career pathways, cultural preservation, workforce excellence, apprenticeship, Hawaii trades, economic diversification, public nominations, governor awards, historically significant venue

Transcript Highlights:

• and neuter program.
• Through this program, we have optimized nearly $1.5 billion in federal funding for hospitals since launching
• And due to federal changes, including in HR1, the federal reconciliation bill, states are prohibited
• In this first year, or 18 months, of the program, hospitals have been able to use these funds to partner
• Senate Bill 101 makes this funding mechanism permanent in light of the future significant federal Medicaid

Bills: HB25, SB38, SB101, HB199

Keywords: juvenile delinquency, firearm possession, criminal background checks, state law, gun control, youth offense, conviction, public safety, SB38, pet food, registered pet food, registration fee, fees, sunset repeal, repeal of repeal, revenue, state fee, business regulation, animal feed, pet food registration

Transcript Highlights:

• Act grant from the federal funds to the general funds.
• federal funds general funds and 82,000 federal funds to<00:32:20.799> change<00:32:21.039>
• funds and some federal went from general funds and some federal funds<00:32:40.320> to<00:32:
• from the federal funds to the general<00:32:47.360> funds.
• The other 2% of funds are for administrative support and oversight of the state and federal programs

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this program?
• So that would come from federal funds then, or is that like a grant program, is there enough?
• federal funds to cover all of it?
• funding that's out there.
• While we hope to get our federal money back, you notice how I said federal money back.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and it will only allow programs to be state-funded if they're at 60% full, and then we track their
• So, when we were first doing our budget request, this was a much higher risk of our federal funds being
• We didn't put it and identify it as one of our priorities because the federal funding landscape was so
• I will tell you that the Horizon program without funding this year went from approximately 200 school
• And so we still do need the funding to be able to operate as planned and maintain the quality of programming

Keywords: 914, all