Transcript Highlights:

• We have this program, similar program.
• almost 66,000 students through 10 grant and scholarship programs, and you'll hear some of those here
• Again, we're into our smaller programs now. This is a public service officer survivor grant.
• The Bright Flight grant, also known as the Missouri Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program, is
• Movers program.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• “So this program doesn’t. There’s two different programs.
• The CCDF block grant is a 100% federal program.
• So this program doesn't. There's two different programs.
• There's the ABC program that is tax debt. that is. There's two different programs.
• The CCDF block grant is 100% federal program.

Summary: The committee met to adopt prior minutes and reports from its executive and standing committees, including counties and municipalities, educational institutions, and state agencies. Those reports covered routine audit activity, delinquent private water and sewer audits, municipal accounting compliance issues, education audit findings, and several state agency audit items. The committee also reviewed and adopted the State of Arkansas annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2025 and the related single audit report, both presented by Legislative Audit staff. The state financial report showed unmodified opinions on the state’s financial statements and described total assets of about $41.9 billion and liabilities of about $11.1 billion, along with retirement system assets of $39.9 billion and a net pension liability of $9 billion. Two material weaknesses were identified: insufficient internal controls at the Office of State Technology to monitor threats and unauthorized access, and a Division of Workforce Services methodology change for unemployment-related estimates that was not properly documented or approved. The single audit covered $12.4 billion in federal awards across 469 programs, with 16 major programs reviewed; it resulted in 33 findings, 14 with questioned costs totaling $16.6 million, and qualified opinions for the Summer EBT program, the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and the Child Care Development Fund cluster. Members questioned agency officials in detail about the Summer EBT questioned costs, DHS unresolved findings, broadband grant documentation, cyber security controls, workers’ compensation liabilities, and child care funding and reporting. DHS explained that the Summer EBT issue involved drawing federal funds in advance rather than as benefits were redeemed, and said the process has been corrected. Broadband officials said the questioned $6.6 million reflected documentation-detail disagreements across many invoices rather than missing payments. OST officials described new logging, endpoint detection, and phishing-training efforts, and DFA and Education officials addressed specific audit findings and corrective actions. The committee ultimately moved to hold the two large statewide reports over until the August meeting for further review, with discussion continuing on whether to release some agency staff in the meantime.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> programs and services side um programs programs and services side um programs and<01:37:31.840><
• and other grants that the department is responsible for for the program and services and central office
• Commissioner: So far, the VA programs that we get granted funding for, or we get funding for, like per
• So far, the VA programs that we get granted funding for, or we get funding for, like per diems for those
• Commissioner: So far, the VA programs that we get granted funding for, or we get funding for, like per

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• is the grant floor, the grant ceiling, and the maximum grant shall be increased.
• is the grant floor, the grant ceiling, and the maximum grant shall be increased.
• </c> The wording is the grant floor, the grant ceiling, and the maximum grant shall be increased.
• grant average was $524.
• </c> programs to uh open enrollment programs programs to uh open enrollment programs to<03:50:08.960>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session on HB 563, which revises the adequacy education grant formula, including differentiated aid for free and reduced-price meals, English language learners, and special education, and also restores fiscal capacity disparity aid. Members explained that for FY 26 the formula largely stays the same with the usual 2% increases, while FY 27 would raise the base cost and several aid categories, including a substantial increase in special education differentiated aid. Supporters said the bill recognizes higher special education costs and separates fiscal capacity disparity from the extraordinary needs grant, which they argued better targets property-poor communities. A major point of discussion was the fiscal capacity disparity aid component. Some members asked for more detail on how the formula affected individual towns and how much money was being allocated. The sponsors said the spreadsheet showed the impacts and estimated the fiscal capacity disparity portion at about $13.3 million, benefiting roughly 40 communities, with Manchester the only municipality expected to receive less under the new approach. They also said the change partially rebalances money that had shifted heavily toward larger cities under the extraordinary needs grant and that the special education increase is new money, not taken from the hold harmless or extraordinary needs funds. Several members supported the amendment as a good-faith step and a bipartisan compromise, while others expressed frustration that they did not have enough time or information to review the spreadsheets in detail before voting. After extended debate, the committee recessed for lunch to allow the spreadsheet to be distributed and reviewed, with the understanding that the bill would continue later in the day and then move on to the other bills on the docket.

Transcript Highlights:

• from 56 different grant programs and 4,800 individual projects at the local level.
• Part two is FEMA has a program called the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, referred to as HMGP.
• So standing up an interoperability council and a grant program is crucial.
• Under the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program, this is another key flood grant program that
• Grant Program, and that grant was denied.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It sets forth criteria for grant programs of the divisions of arts and culture, historical resources,
• It specifies that the grant funds can be used for activities and programs in support of America 250 and
• programs across the department.
• And it specifies that any grant funds are awarded and expended for activities and programs that are not
• Programs that are not harmful to minors instead of activities and programs that are appropriate for all

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum present and took up a full agenda of bills, many involving public records exemptions and government operations. Several measures were reported favorably, including SB 342 on an Agency for Health Care Administration public records exemption for employees facing threats; SB 7018 preserving a public records exemption tied to parental consent/judicial bypass records for minors seeking abortions; SB 626 lowering quorum requirements and allowing remote participation for the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys; SB 710 protecting personal information of Crime Stoppers employees, board members, volunteers, and their families; SB 300 extending clerk personal-information protections to appellate court clerks; and SB 302 creating a similar exemption for Judicial Qualifications Commission employees. The committee also approved SB 7010 and SB 7008, which preserve and narrow public records exemptions related to the Department of Financial Services as receiver for insolvent insurers and the financial technology sandbox, respectively. The committee also heard and advanced several policy bills. SB 820 codifies the Office of Faith and Community in the Executive Office of the Governor; Senator Polsky questioned whether the office was duplicative of existing services and raised concerns about religion in state governance, while supporters argued it complements existing networks and helps connect Floridians to services. SB 1144 codifies the Hope Florida program, with supporters describing it as a connector to community resources and critics again raising concerns about overlap, private donations, and accountability; both SB 820 and SB 1144 passed on largely party-line votes with Senator Polsky voting no. SB 804 would redesignate the SS American Victory as the state flagship, but Senator Rodriguez opposed giving up the current flagship designation for the Key West schooner, though the bill still passed favorably. SB 214 designates August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day and passed without opposition. SB 1088 requires certain state customer-service phone lines to offer callback features, and SB 576 makes technical fixes to service-of-process law; both were reported favorably. Additional bills included SB 1524, a broad Department of State measure with a strike-all amendment that revises grant-review procedures, adds an America 250 funding focus, and changes commission-fee and oath requirements; Senator Arrington and Senator Polsky expressed concerns about reviewer qualifications, grant criteria, and the impact on arts and cultural programs, and both voted no while the bill still passed. SB 1640, on confidentiality of lethality assessment forms in domestic violence cases, was amended to allow disclosure to domestic violence centers while barring disclosure to state attorneys, and it passed favorably. SB 1160 expands health insurance premium benefits for certain officers catastrophically injured or killed in the line of duty; supporters from the Fraternal Order of Police appeared in support, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee also confirmed eight appointments to the Florida Commission on Community Service, the Investment Advisory Council, the Public Employees Relations Commission, and the State Retirement Commission. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded on specific bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• from other programs to accelerate learning. ...from expanded learning and from other programs to accelerate
• It is not the only program, but it is a great program that creates opportunities because there just aren't
• Can you comment on some of the supplemental grants and grants that the teachers are looking for, the
• program, there is a minimum grant amount, and that was recently increased from 50,000 to 100,000 to
• program and may be relying on that, opposed to implementing this new program.

Summary: The subcommittee opened with remarks on the state budget and K-12 education, noting the large increase in the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee, the use of deferrals and reserves in the prior budget, and the challenge of balancing education funding against other state priorities. Superintendent Tony Thurmond described California education as improving overall, citing gains in test scores, graduation, and college readiness, but said major gaps remain for low-income students, students of color, agricultural communities, English learners, foster youth, and students with disabilities. He praised recent investments in universal meals, transitional kindergarten, community schools, arts, broadband, and special education, while warning that declining enrollment, chronic absenteeism, and the proposed $5.6 billion Prop. 98 settle-up create uncertainty for districts. He also urged a long-term literacy plan, expanded tutoring, universal kindergarten, and continued protections for students and families affected by immigration enforcement, including ICE-related fear and attendance loss. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on Proposition 98 from the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Finance explained that the Governor’s budget projects the minimum guarantee will rise by about $21.7 billion over three years, with a $5.6 billion settle-up obligation in 2025-26 intended to avoid overappropriation if revenues weaken. Finance also described revised reserve deposits and withdrawals, ending with about $4.1 billion in the Public School System Stabilization Account by 2026-27. The LAO said recent revenue collections were stronger than expected in the current year but warned that the outlook for 2026-27 is weaker and that stock-market-driven revenues remain volatile. The LAO supported maintaining reserves and one-time spending buffers, but recommended fully funding the guarantee and using other budget solutions rather than shifting the settle-up into future deficits. Members asked about the settle-up process, certification timeline, the effect of attendance declines tied to immigration enforcement, and wildfire-related impacts, including Pasadena Unified’s $4 million special appropriation. On LCFF and necessary small schools, Finance proposed a 2.41% COLA and about $2.2 billion in additional LCFF funding for districts and charters in 2026-27, plus a $30.7 million ongoing increase to raise the necessary small schools allowance by 20%. The LAO supported funding the COLA but said the small-school increase was not tied to a specific cost study and could be redesigned to better target small districts, noting that only a fraction of very small districts would benefit. Questions focused on how small schools access supplemental and concentration grants and how attendance recovery programs are being implemented. The Department of Education said only 130 LEAs had reported attendance recovery so far, likely because it is a new program with compliance requirements, though interest appears to be growing. FICMAT then reviewed the fiscal health of local districts, reporting an uptick in qualified and negative certifications, though still far below Great Recession levels. It said declining enrollment, rising special education costs, and higher labor and insurance costs are the biggest fiscal pressures, and that some districts are using fiscal stabilization plans and staff reductions ahead of second interim reports. FICMAT also discussed wildfire impacts on Pasadena Unified and Los Angeles Unified, explaining that Pasadena’s $4 million state appropriation was based on an early post-fire assessment and that the district is being monitored with the county office of education. Members raised concerns about Pasadena’s leadership, special education staffing shortages, AB 218 sexual abuse litigation costs, insurance premium increases, and the need for stronger prevention and training measures. FICMAT said SB 848 and related policies address some of those concerns by strengthening standards, training, and reporting requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the state, and SB 520 with Senator Caballero to create a grant program on midwifery workforce education
• That isn't terribly surprising if you consider that the grant programs mostly focus on existing slots
• And so for a lot of residency programs, these grants end up looking like operating funds that they're
• CalMedForce grants tend to be used more for the more indirect costs like wellness programs and outreach
• CalMedForce grants tend to be used more for indirect costs like wellness programs and outreach and other

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the state, and SB 520 with Senator Caballero to create a grant program on midwifery workforce education
• programs.
• That isn’t terribly surprising if you consider that the grant programs mostly focus on existing slots
• And so for a lot of residency programs, these grants end up looking like operating funds that they’re
• CalMedForce grants tend to be used more for kind of the more indirect costs, like sort of wellness programs

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health held a hearing focused first on the impact of H.R. 1 on medical student financing and physician access, then on state residency-support programs. The chair framed the discussion around expected federal Medicaid and student loan changes, warning that higher borrowing barriers could reduce access to medical school for lower-income students and worsen physician shortages, especially in underserved regions. The LAO explained that H.R. 1 would cap federal loans for professional students, eliminate Grad PLUS for new borrowers, and likely shift more students toward private loans with less favorable terms; it said the bigger concern may be who can afford to attend medical school rather than a sharp drop in enrollment. HCAI described three physician loan repayment programs—the State Loan Repayment Program, the Stephen M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program, and the County Medical Services Program loan repayment program—and said retention data show many awardees remain in California and in underserved or safety-net settings after service obligations end. University of California and UCSF witnesses described California’s physician workforce shortages, especially on the Central Coast and in rural and agricultural communities, and said affordability, limited medical school capacity, and burnout are pushing some doctors into concierge practice or out of underserved areas. They emphasized that students from low-income backgrounds and underrepresented communities are more likely to be affected by loan limits and that residency location strongly influences where physicians ultimately practice. Members asked about medical school capacity, out-of-state students, residency retention, and whether the state could expand slots or better target aid to keep physicians in California and in high-need communities. Public commenters urged the Legislature to consider shortages in anesthesia, pediatric subspecialties, midwifery, and culturally concordant care, and to support broader workforce pathways and public-service loan programs. The second panel reviewed graduate medical education programs, especially CalMedForce, CalMedForce Plus, and Song-Brown. UC and HCAI said CalMedForce has supported new residency slots since 2018, while Song-Brown funds primary care residency training and has recently supported new programs in rural areas such as Del Norte County. The LAO said the state should decide whether residency support should remain a budget priority, whether these competitive grant programs are the best mechanism, and whether their structures are too rigid or duplicative. It noted that most awardees receive funding more than once and that the programs overlap substantially, suggesting possible coordination or consolidation. A family physician from the California Academy of Family Physicians argued that stable funding for primary care residencies is essential, that many California-trained physicians stay where they train, and that future funding should be more deliberately directed to primary care and high-need communities. The hearing ended with discussion of emergency room crowding, geographic inequities in residency distribution, and HCAI’s plan to develop supply-and-demand models to guide future funding decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs.
• and this program is transitioning the old PCA program into this new program.
• c><00:08:34.479><c> one</c> PCA program into this new program one PCA program into this new program one
• dollar to programs, and additional cuts in grant funding will mean they can serve even less people.
• </c> contract with instead of the grant contract with instead of the grant programs<01:04:39.839><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our team currently manages $23.5 billion worth of open federal grants from 56 different grant programs
• Two is FEMA has a program called the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, referred to as HMGP.
• The Flood Management Assistance (FMA) grant program is another key flood grant program that we manage
• In this program, the FMA is part of FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs.
• program, and that grant was denied.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, granted. Yes, granted. Just use. Just.
• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, accepted the prior day’s minutes, and read several committee reports and communications into the record. Members also observed moments of silence for two young people who had recently died, and the prayer and pledge were offered before the chamber moved into business. Consent calendar number 28, consisting of several resolutions, passed by voice vote. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to tributes and retirement remarks for Representative Jeff Holowski, who was praised by colleagues for his work on financial literacy, veterans’ issues, health care, diabetes policy, and constituent service, as well as for his military service and community involvement. Holowski thanked staff, colleagues, and his family, and said he was retiring to spend more time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. The chamber also recognized former Representative Harvey Kenton as a guest. The House then acted on several measures. Senate Bill 286, as amended by House Amendment 1, passed 40-0 and extends consumer protections and dealer equity standards to ATVs, side-by-sides, and vessels. Senate Bill 179, which updates the Delaware Sentencing Accountability Commission and its bench book/data analysis process, passed 27-14. Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 23, the housing supply and affordability bill, was presented with extensive explanation and questions about local control, zoning, and implementation, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that measure. Senate Joint Resolution 18, designating August 31, 2026 as International Overdose Awareness Day and directing flags at half-staff, was also discussed in emotional remarks about overdose losses and the state’s ongoing response. The House later recessed for party caucuses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grant program for the Committee on Culture and Recreation and Tourism.
• HB 1819 by Lopez of Bahr relating to administration or grant program to support a family mental health
• HB 1845 by OR relating to the use of funds in rural prosecutor's Office salary Assistance grant program
• HB 2365 by Kitzman relating to grant amounts under the Young Farmer Grant Program for the Committee on
• HB 2395 by Dutton relating to the grant program to provide a public-school pre-kindergarten programs

Transcript Highlights:

• So we've been asked to provide an update on the reproductive health care grant program.
• The second question, in terms of timeline for application to various grant programs: the grant opportunities
• The grant opportunities under the California Rural Health Transformation Program will be offered on a
• programs.
• screening program and the voluntary prenatal screening program.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• voluntary program.
• This is a grant from the USDA.
• a programming issue?
• Those other programs are federally funded programs. They are not federally fund-eligible.
• State survivor program.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Budget Section met with a quorum, approved the December 10, 2025 minutes, and received a general fund and revenue update from the Office of Management and Budget. OMB reported the state was about $2 million ahead of forecast biennium-to-date, with an estimated ending general fund balance of about $397.5 million. Joe Morset also reviewed balances in major funds, oil tax revenues, interest income, federal grant reporting, fiscal irregularities, the voluntary separation incentive program, vacancy savings, and the FTE pool. Members asked about the higher-than-forecast interest income, the effective oil tax rate and stripper-well production, the impact of temporary pay adjustments and vacancy savings, and whether the voluntary separation program could reduce institutional knowledge or shift duties to remaining staff. The committee then approved four Emergency Commission requests: $5.26 million for DPI to support an AI-enabled tutoring platform, $105,000 from the general fund contingency for Corrections GPS monitoring, about $1.963 million for HHS SPACES eligibility system upgrades tied to Medicaid work requirements, and about $1.2 million for SNAP eligibility IT improvements. Legislative Council reported remaining interim spending authority after those approvals, and NDIT gave an update on digital accessibility compliance efforts, saying the state has made substantial progress on websites and PDFs but that applications will take longer to remediate. NDIT also reported on the Infinite Campus student information system rollout, noting data migration remains the biggest challenge and that a supplemental vendor is being brought in to help get districts ready for summer go-live. Greg Hoffman then gave a brief update on NDIT’s operational fund, saying cash remains negative in PeopleSoft but accounts receivable keeps the fund functioning within federal limits. The Supreme Court reported on its new and vacant FTE funding pool, saying it has filled 7 of 10 new positions and has realized some vacancy savings, and Legislative Council provided a similar report for the legislative branch along with a reminder that budget action reports are available online. The Department of Transportation presented its Flexible Transportation Fund, explaining the fund’s allocation formulas and ranking process, and sought Budget Section approval for two projects over the $10 million threshold: a Medora city streets and sidewalk project and a Cass County bridge replacement. Members questioned whether funding Medora streets could set a precedent for city street reconstruction and whether the bridge application process fully reflects statewide needs. DOT said the projects were scored competitively and that the bridge list does not capture all deficiencies statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our second recommendation is to increase grant program resources in line with rising costs.
• State grant programs like TIB and WSDOT active transportation are essential to cities.
• So we recommend increased grant program resources to allow the grant award amounts to keep pace with
• Ecology oversees an electric school bus grant program, as well as the performance monitoring for the
• us a grant to explore a program to do an emergency streets treatment.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Federal and state workforce dollars and grants become available to support the programs, and teacher
• Federal and state workforce dollars and grants become available to support the programs, and teacher
• Federal and state workforce dollars and grants become available to support the programs, and teacher
• Federal and state workforce dollars and grants become available to support the programs, and teacher
• to develop their own grants to develop their own apprenticeship<00:19:50.360><c> programs</c><00:19:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Our green fertilizer grant program supports rural electric cooperatives registered as 308A or 308B with
• </c> transition our green fertilizer grant transition our green fertilizer grant program<00:18:30.400
• </c> um as we've always said with new Grant um as we've always said with new Grant programs<00:20:50.440
• program we also received an urban farm conservation<00:21:15.200><c> minig</c><00:21:15.480><c> Grant
• Really thinking about changing my practices, and I think I'm going to apply for that grant program, you

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul Right Track Youth Internship Program, $500,000; STEM grants, $3 million in fiscal year 2026; Minnesota
• Program Youth Internship Program 500,000.<00:25:54.960><c> STEM</c><00:25:55.600><c> grants</c><00:25
• </c> personnel for um the whole new program. personnel for um the whole new program.
• ><c> participants</c> other words, uh program participants other words, uh program participants most<
• offers</c> um tailored uh program that offers um tailored uh program that offers inerson<00:42:53.359

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• VPK is a state-funded program, and the budget for the 2024-25 program year is $438 million.
• There's a school year program that includes a 540 instructional hour program.
• How many years is the legislator funded grants? You spoke of grants earlier.
• We have families that don't have the ability to take advantage of said program. ...program.
• The summer bridge program is for VPK children at the end of the VPK program year.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee held its first interim meeting, took roll, and established a quorum. Members introduced themselves, many noting backgrounds in education, school boards, local government, or parenting, and Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka outlined the committee’s goal of building the fiscal year 2025-26 Pre-K-12 budget. She also reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 education budget, noting that the Pre-K-12 portion totals about $21 billion, with the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) as the largest driver, along with major funding for VPK, school readiness, and school recognition. She explained that federal COVID relief funds have ended and that recent school choice legislation has affected budget structure. Commissioner Manny Diaz and department leaders then gave overviews of their divisions. Diaz highlighted Florida’s education rankings, record graduation rate, progress monitoring, expanded school choice participation, charter school growth, and teacher salary investments, while emphasizing a focus on literacy, math, and early learning. Carrie Miller described the Division of Early Learning’s school readiness and VPK programs, their funding, eligibility, accountability systems, and the importance of kindergarten readiness. Paul Burns outlined the Division of Public Schools’ work on educator quality, literacy, standards, certification, family outreach, federal programs, and school improvement. Suzanne Pridgen reviewed finance and operations functions, including budget management, FEFP calculations, grants, procurement, transportation, and emergency management. Adam Emerson described parental choice programs, including scholarships, charter schools, schools of hope, virtual education, and home education. Darren Norris detailed the Office of Safe Schools’ responsibilities for risk assessments, compliance inspections, threat management, grants, and training created after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy. Members asked questions about several issues, including whether the Safe Schools office recommends changes to the school safety grant distribution formula, whether early learning eligibility should shift from federal poverty level to state median income, how scholarship payments are verified to avoid funding students who return to public school, and whether daily attendance systems could improve funding accuracy. Other questions addressed hurricane-related survey disruptions, VPK provider reimbursement rates and instructional hours, teacher salary increases, school start time costs, and how voucher schools handle IEP accommodations. Department officials generally said some issues remain under review, supported moving school readiness eligibility to SMI, noted that scholarship and enrollment data are cross-checked and adjusted when needed, and said progress monitoring now helps schools support mobile students. On school safety, officials said exemptions are allowed in statute for some items but not for classroom doors, and that district-specific conditions matter. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond receiving presentations and discussion.