Transcript Highlights:

• That is 65.03% of the wholesale sales price.
• That is taxed at 8% of the wholesale sales price of the liquid.
• <01:34:44.000> of<01:34:44.159> the wholesale sales price of the wholesale sales price
• or consideration of the sale as I price or consideration of the sale as I mentioned<01:53:20.880>
• that they'd be looking to sell price that they'd be looking to sell their<01:57:49.679> home<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee received an overview from Chris of the Legislative Budget Assistance Office on how it will estimate unrestricted revenues for the General Fund, Education Trust Fund, Highway Fund, and Fish and Game Fund. He explained that the committee’s work is based on current law, not pending bills, and that the estimates will feed into a House resolution and an amendment to House Bill 1, the operating budget. He also described the broader budget process, including how House and Senate estimates are reconciled, how surplus statements account for revenue changes from enacted bills, and how a committee of conference could resolve differences later in the session. No votes were taken. Members then asked about why the Education Trust Fund was running below plan. Chris said the shortfall appeared to be driven largely by business taxes, including differences in the BET/BPT split and improved tax-processing systems that better track where business tax payments belong. Representative Orr also asked about tobacco tax collections and out-of-state sales; Chris said tobacco revenue was likely overestimated in 2023 based on COVID-era patterns, with more people smoking at home, and noted that e-cigarette tax revenue goes to the General Fund while cigarette taxes are split between the General Fund and Education Trust Fund. He said he did not have a specific estimate for cross-border sales. Commissioner Lindsay St. Pierre of the Department of Revenue then began a deeper dive into the department’s role and the taxes it administers. She reviewed the department’s mission, organizational structure, taxpayer services, and the tax policy and legislative analysis staff who prepare fiscal notes and testify on bills. She noted that the department administers about $2.9 billion in revenue across major taxes such as business taxes, meals and rooms, and utility property tax, and that the figures being discussed were preliminary because the annual report had not yet been issued. The discussion was informational only, with no formal action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, this often leads to having to pay an increased sales price, which ultimately just affects the
• Higher sales prices occur because there's such a delay in the time frame from approval to taxing entity

Bills: HB3557, HB5578, SB973, SB974, SB2068, SB2073

Keywords: ad valorem tax, property tax, incomplete structure, human occupancy, tax exemption, HB 5578, Texas Tax Code, Section 6.062, appraisal district, county appraisal district, chief appraiser, budget hearing, public notice, notice of hearing, newspaper publication, website notice, social media notice, online newspaper, county government, property appraisal

Transcript Highlights:

• And these families don’t have the ability to pay full price for very long.
• The FQHCs buy drugs at a discounted price, right?
• The FQC's buy drugs at a discounted<02:52:33.760> price.<02:52:34.240> Right?
• discounted price. Right? discounted price. Right?
• <02:52:55.279> and buy the drugs at a discounted price and buy the drugs at a discounted price

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, if you assign your output to the utility and then you're also being, when you say you're a price
• taker, that means you simply take whatever the clearing price is, the LMP is.
• taker, that means you simply take whatever the clearing price is, the LMP is.
• taker, that means you simply take whatever the clearing price is, the LMP is.
• taker, that means you simply take whatever the clearing price is, the LMP is.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are Medicaid programs going to be able to get those prices?
• Uh, are private payers going to be able to get those prices?
• Uh, are private to get those prices?
• So, um, any type of insight or prices?
• <04:27:56.319> Yeah,<04:27:56.880> we "We don't have any details on the pricing yet

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , the long and short, they'll fare better in the underwriting process so that they're not getting priced
• It's inflating the house pricing in the secondary market, and I have no clue as to how you would do that
• , are either stop uh raising their prices, are either stop uh raising their prices, stopping<00:51
• areas that may be a risk of price areas that may be a risk of price increases<00:54:55.720> to
• use Medicare as a reference price. use Medicare as a reference price.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 562, which would create a home damage mitigation and resilience grant program aimed at helping homeowners make property improvements that could reduce insurance costs and non-renewals. Commissioner DJ Bettencourt of the New Hampshire Insurance Department explained that the program is modeled in part on Alabama’s safer homes program, but tailored for New Hampshire hazards such as floods, microbursts, heavy snow, ice, and falling trees. He said the grants would be limited to primary residences, subject to a means test, capped at $10,000, and intended to help homeowners make targeted improvements such as roof fortification or tree removal that could improve underwriting outcomes and lead to premium discounts. Bettencourt said the program would not use state taxpayer funds and would instead rely on philanthropic donations, possible federal or regional housing-bank funding, and other outside sources. He said the department would not need new staff, and that a current position could be reconfigured to help administer the program part-time. Committee members asked about the funding language, the meaning of “loans” in the bill, whether there were any other states using a similar no-state-funds model, and how many homeowners could be helped. Bettencourt said Rhode Island and Connecticut were moving forward in a similar way, and that the number of beneficiaries would depend on how much money is raised. Members also questioned how the grant program would actually lower premiums, whether savings would apply only to participants or more broadly, and how the IBHS evaluation process would work. Bettencourt and department staff said the direct benefit would be to the homeowner whose property is improved, though neighbors could also benefit in some cases. They explained that IBHS is a building-safety organization that certifies contractors and inspectors and that its standards can qualify homes for insurer discounts. Questions were also raised about confidentiality provisions, first-come-first-served grant awards, rollover of unused applications, and possible tax treatment of donations. The sponsor said those details would be addressed through rulemaking or existing tax rules, and no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• they also pay income taxes, so it to me, it seems to be the same thing, but in this era of high gas prices

Bills: SB1287, SB1983, SB1796, SB1806, SB1558, SB2135, SB483, SB1198, SB1265, SB2154, SB2139, SB1552, SB2118, SB1775, SB259, SB1344, SB1380, SB2007, SB1572, SB2074, SB1423, SB1425, SB1502, SB1503, SB1833, SB1561, SB1555, SB2044, SB1749, SB904, SB1565, SB1500, SB667, SB1484, SB1562, SB1644, HR1045, SB227, SB1627, SB1475, SB1966, SB2049, SB1531, SB80, SB1734, SB1630, SB1894, SB1975, SB1432, SB1437, SB1812, SB346, SB710, SB1489, SB1614, SB2045, SB1250, SB1304, SB1501, SB1946, SB592, SB65, SB1257, SB444, SB640, SB2178, SB1242, SB1642

Keywords: abstraction, licensing, Oklahoma Abstractors Board, criminal background, good moral character, SB1983, foster care, resource family partner, resource family partners, Department of Human Services, DHS, child welfare, foster homes, foster children, placement data, data sharing, de-identified data, aggregated data, sibling groups, placement disruptions

Bills: SB2060, SB2342, SB2577, SB2580, SB2809, SB2397, SB2315, SB2442, SB2152, SB2380, SB2462, SB2055, SB2438, SB2533, SB2203, SB2087, SB768, SB877, SB1139, SB787, HB963, SB277, SB2663, SB2555, SB2140, SB2115, SB2761, SB2198, SB2032, SB2579, SB2671, SB2835, SB2356, SB2095, SB2093, SB2318, SB2323, SB2485, SB2309, SB2321, SB2405, SB2153, SB2129, SB2170, SB2259, SB2578, SB2544, SB2701, SB2861, SB2108, SB2089, SB2106, SB847, SB3326, SB2047, SB2695, SB2667, SB2919, SB2446, SB2146, SB2723, SB2210, SB2527, SB2645, SB3331

Keywords: rental housing revolving fund, HHFDC, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, mixed-income housing, mixed-income rental project, affordable housing, low-income housing, housing finance, housing development, preservation, rehabilitation, pre-development, construction financing, equity investment, credit enhancement, collateral, gap financing, area median income, AMI, perpetual affordability

Transcript Highlights:

• different cities that they didn't like the sound of the I remember I was up in Fort Worth and Betsy Price
• And be very careful to tie the hands of all of our cities just as prices are going up.

Bills: SJR 12, SCR 39, SB 7, SB 8, SB 27, SB 29, SB 125, SB 241, SB 371, SB 396, SB 406, SB 464, SB 568, SB 578, SB 608, SB 617, SB 660, SB 689, SB 693, SB 707, SB 731, SB 732, SB 763, SB 779, SB 836, SB 854, SB 857, SB 875, SB 878, SB 879, SB 906, SB 920, SB 921, SB 922, SB 942, SB 965, SB 985, SB 996, SB 1029, SB 1035, SB 1036, SB 1059, SB 1084, SB 1098, SB 1101, SB 1185, SB 1188, SB 1321, SB 1332, SB 1366, SB 1388, SB 1396, SB 1453, SB 1484, SB 1494, SB 1536, SB 1563, SB 1596, SB 1610, SB 1619, SB 1737, SB 1738, SB 1741, SB 1816, SB 1822, SB 1841, SB 1939, SB 2155, SB 2188, SB 2230

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: In this meeting, significant discussions revolved around the passage and modification of various Senate Bills, including SB1388, which pertains to family support services under the Health and Human Services Commission. Senator Kolkhorst advocated for the bill, emphasizing its focus on pro-life, family-centered care. The committee passed the bill after thorough examination, showcasing a collaborative effort among the members to ensure its alignment with successful past initiatives. In another session, Senator Hughes presented SB942, aimed at retroactive child support linked to prenatal care, which sparked a constructive dialogue reflecting bipartisan support for maternal and child welfare.

Transcript Highlights:

• I actually have a question, and I am curious also what the price of a condo was 700 years ago.
• And I'm curious also what the price of a condo was 700 years ago.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held its 12th hearing of the session, chaired by Representative Richard Haggerty and Senator Julian Cyr, and heard testimony on two bills: H. 5317, concerning condominium conversion of co-owned two-unit buildings, and H. 5447, a home rule petition for an affordable housing trust fund in West Tisbury. The chair outlined a hybrid hearing format, three-minute testimony limits for individuals, and a July 31 deadline for written testimony. Peter Harrington testified in support of H. 5317, arguing that the partition law is outdated and should be updated so courts can use the condominium statute when dividing co-owned property. He said the change would help preserve middle-class housing, especially two-family homes that might otherwise be sold, torn down, or redeveloped into more expensive housing. Committee members asked about how common the issue is and whether it is more case-specific; Harrington said it arises at the lower end of Chapter 241 cases but is not unusual. Laura Silber testified in support of H. 5447 on behalf of West Tisbury’s Affordable Housing Committee and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. She said the bill would let the town’s affordable housing trust serve households up to 180% of area median income and better support seasonal communities tools, including housing for essential public-sector workers and acquisition of year-round deed restrictions. Senator Cyr questioned whether the home rule petition was necessary if technical fixes to the seasonal communities law are enacted, and Silber said the petition was a short-term measure while the towns await statutory changes and work toward a pooled year-round housing trust. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This would raise the price of the tag to $25, and this would approximately raise $330,000 annually.
• This would raise the price of the tag to $25, and this would approximately raise $330,000 annually.

Summary: The Transportation Committee met and considered several transportation-related bills, including multiple honorary roadway designations, specialty license plates, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agency measures. SB 628, by Senator Gates, designated a portion of South Navy Boulevard in Pensacola as Warrior Sacrifice Way to honor three sailors killed in the 2019 Naval Air Station Pensacola attack; it passed favorably without debate. SB 174, by Senator Rodriguez, designated part of State Road 985 in Miami-Dade County as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue. Senator Arrington spoke in opposition, citing Kirk’s controversial public statements, while Senator Rodriguez said the bill honored civic participation rather than ideology; the bill passed favorably. SB 388, by Senator Arrington, raised the annual use fee for the Florida wildflower specialty license plate from $15 to $25, with an exception for certain fleet purchases, to support conservation and education programs; it received supportive public comment and passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 470 by Senator Wright, which opens the existing Fraternal Order of Police specialty license plate to the general public and allows a redesign to increase sales and funding for law enforcement memorial efforts. A representative of the FOP testified in support, explaining that the memorial benefits fallen officers’ families. SB 584, by Vice Chair Avala, authorizes DHSMV and county tax collectors to enter agreements allowing local enforcement of certain commercial driving school laws, aimed at reducing fraud and improving oversight; it passed favorably with supportive comments from lobbyists. The committee then took up DHSMV agency package bills: SB 488, which updates motor fuel tax and vehicle-related provisions, including IFTA compliance, online filing, higher crash-reporting thresholds, and email communications; and SB 490, the companion public records exemption for email addresses used under SB 488. Both were reported favorably, with SB 490 noted as requiring a two-thirds vote. At the end of the meeting, members recorded missed votes in the affirmative on SB 628, SB 174, and SB 388. The committee then adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• This would raise the price of the tag to $25, and this would approximately raise $330,000 annually.
• This would raise the price of the tag to $25, and this would approximately raise $330,000 annually.

Bills: S0174, S0388, S0470, S0488, S0490, S0584, S0628

Keywords: transportation, memorial, honorary designation, Miami-Dade, Charlie Kirk, license plates, Florida Wildflower, vehicle registration, annual use fee, specialty plates, Fraternal Order of Police, license plate, funding, memorial foundation, law enforcement, motor carriers, fuel tax, military exemptions, safety regulations, electronic submissions

Summary: The Transportation Committee heard and advanced several bills, mostly related to honorary roadway designations, specialty license plates, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles administration. SB 628 designated a portion of South Navy Boulevard in Pensacola as “Warrior Sacrifice Way” to honor Ensign Joshua Watson and Petty Officers Muhammad Hatham and Cameron Walters, who were killed in the 2019 Naval Air Station Pensacola attack. The bill passed favorably with no debate or opposition. The committee also considered SB 174, naming a portion of State Road 985 in Miami-Dade County as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue. Senator Arrington opposed the bill during debate, citing Kirk’s public statements as inconsistent with the honor, while Senator Rodriguez argued the designation was an honorary roadway naming that did not require agreement with Kirk’s views. The bill was reported favorably. SB 388, which raises the annual use fee for the Florida Wildflowers specialty license plate from $15 to $25 while keeping the lower fee for owners with more than 10 vehicles, also passed favorably after a support-only public comment. Members then approved SB 470, which opens the Fraternal Order of Police specialty plate to the general public and allows redesigns to help sustain sales and increase funding for law enforcement memorial efforts. Public testimony from the FOP supported the change. SB 584 authorized DHSMV to enter agreements allowing county tax collectors to enforce certain commercial driving school provisions, aimed at addressing fraud and licensing abuses, and it passed favorably with support. Finally, the committee approved SB 488, the DHSMV agency package updating IFTA compliance, online filing, crash reporting thresholds, registration procedures, email communications, and tank vehicle definitions, along with SB 490, the companion public records exemption for email addresses used under SB 488; both were reported favorably, with SB 490 noted as requiring a two-thirds vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• resulting in losing out on the opportunity to purchase a building or having to pay an increased sales price
• just because we know costs always go up typically is that and we often have to give a higher sales price

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we have seen tremendous increases in these prices, and that's not something that's making contractors
• We are seeing prices creep up, and it's just something that's unavoidable.

Bills: SB7

Keywords: water infrastructure, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, water supply, environmental sustainability, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Price. Senator Roberts. Senator Singleton. Senator Smitherman, here.
• Senator Price. Senator Roberts, I. Senator Singleton. Senator Smitherman, I. Senator Wagner, I.

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's awarded on best price. In other words, it's just a low-bid contract.
• The request for proposal is based on price and approach.

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum present and first took up SB 268, a public records exemption bill for public officers. Senator Brodeur explained the bill on behalf of Senator Jones, saying it would protect partial home addresses, phone numbers, and certain family information for the governor, cabinet members, and other elected officials because of threats and harassment against public servants. An amendment narrowing and clarifying the definition of public officer and the process for claiming the exemption was adopted without objection. Chair Fine and Senator Brodeur both spoke in support of the bill, citing personal experiences with threats and the need to protect officials and their families. CS for SB 268 was then reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Brandon Spencer, Director of State Purchasing and Chief Procurement Officer at the Department of Management Services, on state agency procurement and contracting practices, including IT procurements. He described the state’s procurement structure, including state term contracts, alternate contract sources, and agency procurements, and said the division now manages more than 960 enterprise-wide agreements, with that number continuing to grow. He also highlighted that roughly 21% of purchase order spend is on IT services, discussed statutory requirements for IT procurements, and said the division is working with Florida Digital Service to improve oversight, training, vendor accountability, and procurement options. No committee action followed the presentation, and the meeting adjourned after no further business was raised.

Transcript Highlights:

• I hope he goes wild on the healthcare supply chains and, in fact, tries to make sure that drug prices
• Even Obamacare is getting so expensive because the prices are escalating constantly with farm expenses

Transcript Highlights:

• Residents are forced to rely on smaller stores with fewer healthy choices and often higher prices.
• Food prices have risen nearly 30% since 2020.
• We keep hearing prices went up because of supply chain issues, the pandemic, tariffs, but the Economic
• Policy Institute found that over half of recent price increases were driven by corporate grocery profit
• As grocery chains consolidate, they've used their market dominance to raise prices beyond inflation.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• go up, and the prices are going up right now. reliability and affordability.
• the public ones that have to hear from the public when<01:24:40.160> the<01:24:40.280> prices
• go<01:24:41.000> up,<01:24:41.280> and<01:24:41.400> the<01:24:41.520> prices
• when the prices go up, and the prices when the prices go up, and the prices are<01:24:42.160>
• And at a time right now when our reliance on continued oil and other things is driving prices up and

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered a long list of Governor’s messages for appointments to state boards and commissions, including the Board of Dentistry, Barbering and Cosmetology, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board, Real Estate Commission, Board of Naturopathic Medicine, State Boxing Commission, Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Physical Therapy, Board of Pharmacy, and the Public Utilities Commission. Most nominees and supporting agencies testified in support, and many nominees simply stood on their written testimony. Several nominees also answered questions about their experience and the issues facing their boards, including dental insurance and Medicaid concerns, condo and real estate disputes, pharmacy regulation and telepharmacy, boxing and MMA rule updates, and medical board service in rural areas. The committee discussed some contested or notable nominations in more detail. Richard Emery’s nomination to the Real Estate Commission drew opposition testimony tied to a condo management dispute, and he responded by emphasizing the need for factual evidence, mediation and complaint data, and better consumer education. Trinette Kahui and Andrea Ushijima were also nominated to the Real Estate Commission, with broad support. For the Boxing Commission, Robin Jumawan described ongoing statutory updates, MMA-related work, and delegation of amateur boxing rules. For the Hawaii Medical Board, Elizabeth Ignacio was strongly endorsed by state and industry witnesses as highly qualified and familiar with rural health issues, while Rebecca Sawai also received support from the board and Kaiser Permanente. In the decision-making portion, the committee moved to advise and consent to nearly all nominees on the agenda. Senator McKelvey stated reservations about Richard Emery due to opposition and possible conflicts, and also about nominees who were not present at the hearing, specifically Corrine Muldrow Soto and Stacie Kealoha Inouye; Senator Lamasao also noted reservations on those absent nominees. The chair disclosed personal acquaintance with Dr. Sawai and Andrea Ushijima. The committee then voted to adopt the recommendations, with the noted reservations and one no vote on GM 697 reflected in the record, and later reconvened to take up Governor’s Message 514/515 for John Etemura as chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, where additional support testimony was heard from the Governor’s office, DCCA, and former consumer advocacy staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• Makes no sense to me to incentivize those employers and to put that price tag on Minnesota taxpayers.
• tag on Minnesota to put that price tag on Minnesota taxpayers.<00:35:23.280> I<00:35:23.520><
• Just like tariffs promise smaller prices, but it's the consumers who end up paying.
• ,<00:47:23.680> but uh tariffs promise smaller prices, but uh tariffs promise smaller prices
• And so we've heard about the huge price tag of these two bills before us.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3524 and House File 3525 and laid both over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill, with no amendments adopted and no vote taken at this stage. HF 3524 would conform Minnesota law to the federal overtime tax deduction, and HF 3525 would conform to the federal tip-income deduction. The author argued both bills would help workers keep more of their earnings, simplify tax filing, support labor-force participation, and provide relief to workers in hospitality, trades, health care, and other industries. The committee heard testimony in support from a restaurant owner, Sandra Weiss of the Finnish Beastro in St. Paul, who said the bills would help tipped workers keep more of their income and would support hospitality businesses. She described her staff as roughly half men and half women, including students and long-term employees, and said front-of-house tipped workers and back-of-house workers face different pay levels. She also said Minnesota’s tip rules and lack of a tip credit create challenges for the industry. During questioning, members discussed wage disparities, the makeup of her workforce, and the practical effects of the proposals. Opposition testimony came from Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project and Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota, both of whom argued the bills are regressive, poorly targeted, and costly. They said the deductions would mainly benefit higher earners, violate horizontal equity by treating similar incomes differently, and could encourage compensation restructuring. They also warned the combined cost would exceed $500 million over the 2028-29 biennium and could pressure funding for health care, education, and other public services. Mark Havenman of the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence similarly criticized the bills on tax fairness and administrative grounds, noting the federal tip deduction framework is still under development and could create enforcement issues. Nonpartisan staff provided revenue estimates showing HF 3524 would reduce general fund revenue by about $365.9 million in fiscal 2027 and HF 3525 by about $126 million in fiscal 2027, with smaller ongoing impacts in later years. Members also raised questions about how the bills would be paid for and what income would qualify under the overtime deduction.