Transcript Highlights:

• Well, they know they're supposed to know the status of their project, whether they've let a contract,
• <00:24:09.720> whe uh whether they've let a contract whe uh whether they've let a contract
• <00:39:50.119> with<00:39:50.240> a need to sign a contract with a need to sign a contract
• The project had been encumbered and had gone to get a contract.
• The project had been encumbered and had gone to get a contract.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to review the lapse extensions in the back of House Bill 25, which governs capital budget appropriations and bonding. Members were walked through how the bill is structured: section 1 covers general, federal, and other funds; section 2 covers highway fund appropriations; later sections authorize borrowing, restrict spending to the stated purposes, and explain why community colleges and the university system operate through their boards of trustees. The chair also explained that lapse extensions are needed because capital projects can span multiple years, and that appropriations normally expire at the end of the biennium unless extended. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on how to identify unspent balances and whether they should be extended, repurposed, or allowed to lapse. Members discussed that if a project is complete or an agency confirms it no longer needs the money, the remaining balance can be reused for another project or, if not needed, lapse back. The committee also reviewed the meaning of bill references and chapter numbers, and how to read prior-year appropriations and extensions in the worksheet. One example discussed was a 2023 Department of Administrative Services courthouse generators item, and members noted that some agencies may rely on encumbered balances rather than explicit lapse extensions, though the chair said he prefers including the extension for flexibility. The committee identified at least one specific change: the Jeffrey Ringe CTE renovation was removed from the governor’s recommended budget because the required local match was not approved, freeing about $18.5 million for possible reuse. Later, the chair noted that lapse extension 49 on the worksheet was no longer needed and could be removed, leaving an unspent balance of $81,500 available for repurposing. The discussion also referenced a Department of Transportation item, Caroline Stratford Freight Rail Improvements, which the agency asked to keep alive through a lapse extension so the funds would not expire on June 30. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• lumped in um or essentially contracts lumped in um or essentially contracts and<00:19:01.600>
• You have to get into contracts, agreements.
• All these may be a food service contract.
• <01:42:44.080> and And the C re renegotiating contracts and And the C re renegotiating contracts
• All these a food service contract.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So what about contracting out that position versus you folks having to inter... because first of all,
• <01:48:23.719> or you willing to consider Contracting or you willing to consider Contracting
• complicated in terms of Contracting more complicated in terms of Contracting uh<01:48:40.639> folks
• question about Contracting is a uh the question about Contracting is a good<01:57:38.280> one
• using the way that we contract for security, so there is a way to do that.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a contracts bill. It is good framework for good efficient government.
• simple, very straightforward.<00:02:18.240> It's<00:02:18.360> a<00:02:18.400> contracts
• It's a contracts bill. straightforward. It's a contracts bill.
• Inc. in Lexington, Create in Bowling Green, Sprocket in Western Kentucky, and then SOAR has that contract
• then SOAR has that contract for Eastern. then SOAR has that contract for Eastern.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:21 HB 480 Discussion: 01:40 HB 480 Voting: 02:36 HB 577 Discussion: 05:14 HB 577 Voting: 08:38 HB 692 Discussion: 09:23 HB 692 Voting: 14:00 HB 869 Discussion: 15:21 HB 869 Voting: 18:56, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we get an audit contract, and on the audit contract are a couple of items: one is a separate federal
• audits and issue those separately from the financial statement audit, yet it's on the same audit contract
• Chair and Senator, every agency contracts with some type of auditors for their financials; they can hire
• annual financial... ...and contract with public entities to conduct their annual financial audits.
• And an accounting firm will have an opportunity to bid on that audit contract for the statewide federal

Bills: SB145, SB143

Keywords: auditing, financial reporting, state auditor, public agencies, capital outlay, compliance, federal audits, agriculture, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, fee update, regulatory fees, egg inspection, egg grading, egg dealer, pesticide control, pesticide registration, pesticide applicator, pest management consultant, plant protection, nursery license

Transcript Highlights:

• Every entity that has a grant with us has a contract with deliverables, including reporting deliverables
• And so, are those the contracts that you're talking about?
• Those contracts are already in place, and you have some very rigorous criteria for those?
• So those are all part of those contract requirements today. Again, we have a dashboard.
• So I do hope that there will be an audited process and that in the contract, as a part of the grant,

Transcript Highlights:

• One project, Thoreau Middle School P23 002, is in the process of drafting a general contract or RFP that
• delivery and how description of why we use on-call contracts for efficient project delivery and how
• may conflict base, and so it requires careful coordination and careful looking at the contracts both
• And also the on-call contracts deliver specialist work efficiently while still maintaining standards
• on the small contracts.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate language allows contract alternative and tribal contract schools to qualify, and the House
• language allows nonprofit organizations contracted by a school to qualify.
• contract alternative and tribal contract contract alternative and tribal contract schools.<00:15
• language allows contract Senate language allows contract alternative<00:15:49.839> and<00:15:
• contract schools alternative and tribal contract schools to<00:15:51.360> qualify<00:15:51.920

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, the procurement code was invented... available then have that contract agre a available then have
• that contract agre a maximum<00:08:30.199> bid<00:08:30.479> price<00:08:30.960> if
• contractors uh General cont Contracting contractors uh General cont Contracting and and and construction
• "We're going to limit the types of contracts that qualify for this exemption.
• <00:59:09.000> with<00:59:09.319> sear of of Agriculture contracts with sear of of

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 422, relating to school impact fees. The Education Committee recommended passage with amendments, and Ways and Means concurred. The amendments would repeal the construction fee component of the school impact fee while retaining the land impact fee and in-lieu fee requirements, remove related statutory language, exempt certain developments from school impact fees, raise the unit threshold for satisfying the land component to 100 units, require the School Facilities Authority to adopt rules and policies, and require a report to the Legislature on the effect of repealing the construction portion of the fee. The measure was also given a sunset date of June 30, 2029, with the committee report to note that the changes are intended to test the efficiency and efficacy of the fee structure and could be made permanent if the report supports that outcome. The committees adopted the recommendation, with one senator initially voting no and then changing to yes after the amendments were explained. The meeting also included a separate hearing on House Bill 1155, concerning procurement for Department of Transportation projects and construction manager/general contractor procurement. DOT testified that it supported the concept but wanted to narrow the bill, saying the current language was too broad and that the goal was to allow more innovative procurement while preserving selection safeguards. The State Procurement Office said it supported the bill’s language but was willing to work with DOT on alternative wording. Several construction-related organizations, including subcontractors, iron workers, elevator constructors, and building trades representatives, opposed the bill, arguing that exemptions from the procurement code would weaken protections such as retainage, equality, and prompt payment and could invite favoritism or corruption. In response to those concerns, the chair proposed amendments limiting the exemption to DOT, narrowing the qualifying contracts, adding a two-year sunset, requiring a report after the first year, and clarifying that project management could not be procured under the section. The amended recommendation passed, though several members voted with reservations. A separate item, House Bill 476, was briefly called up at the end of the agenda, with a recommendation to pass with amendments to increase a rate from 7.25% to 8%, but discussion was not completed in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have lots of contracted government officials.
• We have lots of contracted government officials.
• We have lots of contracted government officials.
• We have lots of contracted officials.
• Uh I am concerned they contract one.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have ongoing construction contracts of $248.9 million.
• Our contract maintenance budget is just a little over $6 million.
• That is being done by Hasey Contracting, and that project was just a little over $11 million.
• Going on to contract maintenance projects, we do a lot of contract maintenance projects also with the
• Those are basically all throughout the district, contract maintenance-type work, $13.7 million.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee heard a District 5 New Mexico Department of Transportation presentation from Rhonda Lopez, who reviewed the district’s FY26 budget, staffing vacancies, and the status of special appropriations from 2020 through 2025. She described numerous completed and ongoing projects across the district, including roadway overlays, bridge work, intersection improvements, ADA upgrades, and maintenance projects, and also summarized STIP, TPF, LGRF, and equipment needs. Members asked about a guardrail issue near U.S. 64 in Hogback, the 5% local match for TPF projects, and the status of the New Mexico 371/U.S. 36 intersection funding agreement with the Navajo Nation; DOT said the match is secured or waived where applicable and that the Navajo agreement is nearly finalized. The committee then heard House Bill 270, which would amend the Public Works Apprentice Training Act to require contributions to apprenticeship and training programs for certain public works contracts, including highway-related work, while creating an exception where no approved apprenticeship program exists for a trade classification. The sponsor said the bill was intended to strengthen workforce development and support apprenticeship training. Contractors and asphalt industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it would raise road project costs and duplicate existing training contributions. A motion to table failed on a tie, and a later motion to pass also failed on a tie, leaving the bill in committee. Next, the committee heard House Bill 322, which would create a transportation trust fund and transportation program fund, dedicate additional revenue sources including a portion of electricity GRT and motor vehicle excise tax, and begin annual distributions for federal matching funds in 2029. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would help address a multi-billion-dollar road funding gap, improve maintenance, and provide a stable source for matching federal dollars. Some members raised concerns about the electricity tax component, its effect on utility bills, and overlap with recently enacted transportation financing measures; others supported the concept but questioned timing and funding priorities. A motion on the bill resulted in a tie and failed, leaving the bill in committee. The meeting concluded with a District 4 NMDOT legislative presentation. The district outlined its geography, budget, staffing vacancy rate, completed special appropriations, active construction and maintenance projects, wildfire-related recovery work, local government funding allocations, and equipment replacement needs. Members asked about school district uses of local funding and the impact of aging equipment and weather on maintenance costs. The presentation ended without any formal action on District 4 items, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• finance, alternative delivery method, construction project, procurement, discretionary grants, and contracts
• I'd just like to ask DFA a couple questions on the BDO contract if I can.
• I'd just like to ask DFA a couple questions on the BDO contract if I can.
• Just whoever knows the most about the BDO contract. All right.
• You know, the Horn or BDO contract is really administering the program.

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• CMS won't allow us in order to execute that contract. We can't obligate that funding.
• CMS won't allow us in order to execute that contract.
• She said this $198 million must have signed contracts or contractual agreements for all $198 million
• We could use a full-time FTE or we could contract through— They could be temp employees.
• We could use a full-time FTE or we could contract through them.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Appropriations Division met in a work session on the draft Rural Health Transformation appropriations bill, 25.1392.01000, with no public testimony taken. Legislative Council and the Department of Health and Human Services walked through the bill, which would appropriate about $397.8 million in federal grant funds over two federal fiscal years, provide transfer authority, allow certain federal funds to be used for salaries and wages without counting against existing transfer limits, and authorize OMB to adjust other agencies’ spending authority if they receive grant awards through HHS. The bill also includes several temporary statutory exemptions to help implement the program, plus recipient acknowledgement/reporting requirements, periodic reports to Legislative Management, and an immediate effective date upon filing. Committee discussion focused heavily on how the federal rural health transformation money can be used and administered. Department officials explained that CMS will review projects for allowability and sustainability, that the state has flexibility to move funds among categories, and that the grant is limited to 10% administrative costs. Members asked about whether the funding could support renovations, equipment, ambulances, bulk purchasing, food distribution, and other rural health ideas, and were told many details will depend on CMS approval and the eventual applications. Questions also addressed cash flow, timing of obligations and reimbursements, FTE funding, and whether grant recipients should be told the program will not continue beyond the federal period; officials said the language is meant to prevent expectations of automatic continuation, not to bar future legislative action. The committee also discussed the bill’s use of a two-year appropriation amount, with staff explaining that the state must appropriate enough authority to cover the federal grant cycle and that unused authority would lapse if the full amount is not received or spent. Members raised concerns about whether the bill’s language could limit creativity or future program design, but department officials and several members emphasized the need for flexibility because CMS may reject overly specific directives. After discussion, the committee voted to recommend the bill draft to the full committee; the motion carried on a roll call vote, and the chair said the full Joint Appropriations Committee would take up the bill at the special session next week.

Transcript Highlights:

• : On April 30, 2024, the Housing New Mexico Board approved Eastern Regional's contract with the State
• Next slide contract with to provide the housing piece, the voucher piece.
• We run the housing side of the program there. have a contract.
• They are MOUs essentially, or they're just contracted directly with the agencies, Madam Chair.
• We have a contract with the state behavioral health, so it's different. They're different programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• on each project and the contracting on each project and the contracting authority,<00:32:02.040>
• One is an efficiency that right now contracting authorities, be they the state of Minnesota agencies,
• a contracting authority Becomes a contracting authority responsible<00:42:37.400> for<00:42:37.520
• government that are as a contracting government that are as a contracting authority<00:43:34.880
• and the workers and we want contracts and the workers and we want that<00:58:53.200> uh that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We did have a dip there in 2024, but that was in 2024 or 2025 there was a disruption in the contract.
• um due to um exhaustion of uh contracted um funding.<00:19:07.760> Um<00:19:09.039> that
• of the contract being in place<00:19:57.919> or<00:19:58.000> able<00:19:58.240> to
• We've continued to work on numerous contracts within the Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Program that
• We've continued to work on numerous contracts within the Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Program that

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with roll call, approval of the September 17 minutes, and an introduction of Sarah Rome to the committee. The chair also noted that the committee would stay on schedule and then moved to presentations. Representative Amy Neighbors and Taylor Williams of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association presented a refiled “pharmacy parity” proposal, formerly House Bill 3, to require Medicaid reimbursement for pharmacist clinical services already authorized under current scope of practice. They said the bill would not expand Medicaid or pharmacist scope, but would align Medicaid with commercial insurance, improve access and outcomes, and likely save money; they cited a Cabinet report under Senate Joint Resolution 26, which found similar laws in other states were producing savings or trending toward savings and would require only modest administrative updates. No member questions were raised after that presentation. The committee then heard an update on the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program from Senator Stephen Meredith, Dr. Whitney Jones, Melissa Carrier, and Representative Neighbors. They described the program’s goals of increasing screening, reducing deaths through earlier detection, and preventing cancers by finding polyps, saying it has produced substantial savings and improved outcomes. Speakers emphasized Kentucky’s high colorectal cancer burden, especially in younger adults, and said the program helps uninsured and underinsured Kentuckians access stool-based screening and follow-up colonoscopies through a network of partners including the Department for Public Health, Kentucky Cancer Link, and university cancer programs. They requested an increase in funding from $500,000 to $1.25 million annually, or $2.5 million over the biennium, to expand services, fill geographic gaps, and support education and navigation. Members asked whether the colon cancer screening was already covered by Medicaid, and the presenters replied that Medicaid does cover it, but the program serves people who are not on Medicaid or who fall into a separate eligibility category based on income and insurance status. A member also clarified the requested funding increase. The committee then moved on to the next agenda item, an update from the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, where board member Sal Santoro and CHNK Behavioral Health leaders began a presentation describing the organization’s broader behavioral health work and its request, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concludes or any action is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• more corporate requests for contracts more corporate requests for contracts with<00:58:57.920>
• Um, again, I'm not an contracts.
• c> in executed contract, a contract that's in executed contract, a contract that's in place place
• The only contracts that can be redacted from any agency would be a contract that is currently under,
• Would your motion be that a contract that's in place would be a public record, but a contract that's

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:37:55.920> to oversight of school bus contracts to oversight of school bus contracts to
• comments about not wanting the contracts comments about not wanting the contracts to<01:43:52.440
• Do you know if in the current contract there's a provision for emergency procurement?
• So, for us to establish our contract program, that is a requirement under our state plan.
• So, for us to establish our contract program, that is a requirement under our state plan.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 707 on the College Savings Program. Members discussed a suggested amendment from the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities to include the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program. The chair said the Department of the Attorney General advised there was no title problem, so the bill could be broadened to cover both the College Savings Program and the ABLE program. The committee also noted technical, non-substantive changes and a defective date of July 1, 3000 for further discussion. HB 707 HD1 was then voted on and the recommendation to pass with amendments was adopted unanimously by the members present, with two members excused. The committee then heard House Bill 424, which would provide free breakfast and lunch beginning the next school year to students who currently qualify for free and reduced-price meals. The Department of Education supported the measure, and testimony in favor came from teachers, public health and food security advocates, and several organizations. Supporters described students being denied meals because of unpaid balances, said school meals should not depend on family debt, and argued that the bill would reduce stigma and help hungry students learn. Committee questions focused on meal pricing, the impact of raising prices on families who pay full price, and whether portion sizes could be increased; DOE said breakfast costs less than lunch, full-price students would bear any increase, and portion sizes must follow USDA rules. Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute and Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network said many families above the free/reduced thresholds still cannot afford meals, citing estimates that the DOE collects about $20 million a year in meal payments and that federal reimbursement totals are much larger. The committee then heard House Bill 757, the universal free school breakfast and lunch bill. DOE and the Department of Health supported it, and testimony was overwhelmingly in favor from county officials, teachers, students, food banks, advocacy groups, and community organizations. Witnesses argued that universal meals would eliminate stigma, reduce paperwork and debt collection, and ensure students do not fall through the cracks because of income cutoffs, language barriers, or administrative hurdles. Several students from Castle High School described classmates asking for food and families struggling to keep meal accounts funded, while teachers said they regularly see negative meal balance notices and hungry students. Advocates also said the bill is the better equity vehicle because it avoids means testing and reaches students who are not currently receiving meals despite needing them. The hearing on HB 757 was still ongoing at the end of the transcript, and no final vote on that bill was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is a contract. So the landlord cannot just say, oh, well, you... And that is a contract.
• There's a contract in place.
• of damages and things under that contract.
• About why these landlords can't just use contract remedies.
• And the landlord can enforce the contract as much as the tenant can.

Keywords: Virginia Housing Commission - Fees in Residential Rental Agreements Workgroup, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Observation number five recommends the commission become familiar with all contract terms and provisions
• when making procurement under statewide contracts to ensure compliance with all ... space and provide
• 00:25:58.320> all commission become familiar with all commission become familiar with all contract
• terms<00:25:59.440> and<00:25:59.600> provisions<00:26:00.320> when contract
• terms and provisions when contract terms and provisions when making<00:26:01.039> procurement

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Joint Fiscal Committee met on March 20, 2026, approved the minutes, and adopted the consent calendar after removing two items for separate discussion: FIS 26048 from the Department of Safety and FIS 26053 from the Department of Environmental Services. The committee then adopted both of those items after brief questioning. Safety explained that a $2 million transfer would reduce its lapse, though it still expected a lapse of just under $4 million. Members, especially Senator Gray, emphasized concern about lapses and the need to track them closely given prior-year shortfalls. On the Environmental Services item, members discussed the Heavy Falls dam removal. The commissioner said the dam is old, not grounded in bedrock, and does not meet current safety standards, so removal was the practical option because replacement funding was unavailable. He said the aquatic resource mitigation fund and Army Corps of Engineers support made the removal feasible, and that the town had been involved in discussions for years. The committee adopted the item. The committee also adopted a Department of Transportation item, with staff noting high snowfall and a roughly 25% vacancy rate but saying contractors and bonus incentives had allowed plowing operations to continue. A Judicial Council item was then adopted, with the director saying it would likely be his last appearance this fiscal year. The committee next reviewed information materials on YDC claims administration, where DOJ staff said current spending would leave about a $10 million buffer into the next fiscal year and described reduced staffing and ongoing claims work; no action was taken. The committee then heard audit presentations for the Liquor Commission and Lottery Commission. The Liquor Commission audit reported seven findings, including a material weakness on reconciliations, issues with NextGen data/reporting, gift and promotional card controls, procurement and leasing practices, and one nonconcurrence on whether certain purchases were exempt from bidding requirements; members discussed whether attorney general review or legislation might be needed. The commission said it had completed a year-end reconciliation and was about 70% reconciled through February. The Lottery Commission audit reported three internal control comments, all concurred with by the lottery, focused on written procedures, filling the controller position, annual risk assessments, disaster recovery testing, user access controls, and training compliance; the lottery said it was hiring to reduce reliance on one employee and had no unresolved findings. The committee took no vote on the audit materials and adjourned after setting the next meeting for April 17 at 11:00 a.m.