Video & Transcript : 'Legislative Appropriations Request' :
Page 161 of 500
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (03/25/2026)
Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Thank you. didn't have this legislation behind it? didn't have this legislation behind it?
- I'm the legislative John Williams.
- </c><04:41:28.638><c> as</c> legislation um and to the legislation as legislation um and to the legislation
- </c> outlined. fines in the legislation. outlined. fines in the legislation.
- There's just more appropriate spots. There's just more appropriate<05:15:04.878><c> spots.
OR
Oregon 2026 Regular Session
Office of Training, Investigations and Safety Investigations Workgroup Jul 15th, 2026 at 10:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- TSP also cross-reports to Otis and ODE as appropriate.
- And I will get requests for interviews from all of them.
- Or I won't get a request from one person, but I'll get a request from another.
- And we learned from ELPRO that Representative McIntire had requested a legislative opinion about what
- You know, the opinion was requested by Representative McIntyre.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration and General Government Mar 12th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- So with both of those at $96.5 million, that's our first request.
- Heather Gonzalez with the Legislative Analyst's Office.
- We then, a year later, did get a permanent legislative fix.
- or that's not appropriate, but that's not held within the BRN.
- I'm here to support Senator Umberg's request for $150,000...
Summary:
The subcommittee heard budget proposals for Exposition Park, the California Science Center, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), the Debt Collection Licensing Act program, and the Board of Registered Nursing. For Exposition Park, the administration requested $96.5 million for utility replacement, site improvements, code compliance, accessibility, and safety upgrades, plus $1.698 million for operational sustainability funded from the park’s improvement fund. The LAO said the proposals had merit but noted the first item could be downscaled if needed because of the state’s budget condition. Members emphasized the park’s deferred maintenance, major upcoming events, and the need to protect a statewide asset; both Exposition Park items were held open.
The Science Center requested funding to open and operate the new Air and Space Center, including staffing for the facility that will display the Space Shuttle Endeavour and expand exhibit space. The LAO supported the proposal but suggested the Legislature consider alternative funding sources such as admission fees, parking fees, or private funds. Members discussed the Science Center’s public-private funding model, the importance of keeping access affordable for disadvantaged communities, and the tradeoff between free admission and long-term operating support. The item was also held open.
DFPI sought continuation of expenditure authority for the California Consumer Financial Protection Law, debt collection licensing, and broker-dealer/investment adviser workloads, and the LAO recommended limited-term funding with more cumulative reporting before permanent funding is considered. Members pressed the department on whether its workload and spending are tied to measurable outcomes rather than just activity counts, and DFPI cited complaint resolution, enforcement actions, and restitution recovered as examples of impact. The Debt Collection Licensing Act item drew similar LAO comments, but members raised stronger concerns about the financing model, the gap between projected and actual licensee counts, and whether spending levels are justified; that item was held open. The Board of Registered Nursing requested $1.4 million for eight special investigators to address rising complaints, and the board said most complaints are resolved through investigation, referral, probation, or rehabilitation rather than discipline. Members asked about complaint backlogs, viral and potentially automated complaints, bias in care, and the lack of broader inspection authority; the item was also held open.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- That has been requested. Is there objection?
- Unanimous consent has been requested. Is there objection?
- Unanimous consent has been requested. Is there objection?
- legislative oversight.
- Unanimous consent is requested. Is there objection?
Summary:
The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and approved the previous day’s journal. It received a Senate message returning House Bill 559, reported several newly printed bills, and advanced multiple measures through the calendar. Among the introduced bills were proposals on restroom and changing-room access and privacy, school facilities cooperative funding, tax exemptions, homestead tax exemption, and prior authorization reform in health insurance.
On third reading, the House passed House Bill 512 on land surveyors, reinstating an Idaho-law jurisprudence exam; House Bill 502, moving forest products commission rules into statute; Senate Joint Memorial 107, supporting the Delamar Mine Project and urging faster federal permitting; House Bill 494, moving background-check rules into statute; House Bill 531, updating school epinephrine administration rules to cover newer delivery methods; House Bill 542, regulating social media access for minors through age verification and parental consent; House Bill 500, extending traffic protections and duties to electric-assisted bicycles; House Bill 533, eliminating the vehicle registration sticker requirement; and House Bill 555, rewriting the solid waste code to place primary regulatory authority with DEQ while allowing contracts with health districts. House Bill 552 was returned to committee, and remaining third-reading bills were held one legislative day.
Debate centered on the social media bill’s private right of action, the background-check bill’s statutory references, and the solid waste rewrite’s regulatory structure and federal-water-law implications. Most measures passed by wide margins, though House Bill 494 drew a closer 36-33 vote and House Bill 542 passed 62-7. The House also approved title corrections where none were offered, transmitted passed bills to the Senate, received the enrolled House Bill 559 back from the Senate, and adjourned until the next day.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
February 19, 2025 - 01:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- We collaborated by having multiple meetings with ACCA and other stakeholders, former appropriation budget
- budget request.
- So this was in their initial legislative budget request.
- The other option would be to accept the LBR request to eliminate the FTE positions funded and simply
- The last year's appropriation of $5.6 million established 66 beds, with a two-year funding request this
Summary:
The Health Care Budget Subcommittee met to review agency budgets, vacant positions, and possible efficiencies across several health and human services agencies. Members were asked to identify savings and potential areas for increased funding, and the discussion repeatedly focused on whether long-vacant FTEs, reversion of funds, and staffing shortages reflect true operational needs or broader budgeting and recruitment problems. The chair and members emphasized that the exercise was intended to help the committee make more informed budget decisions and to identify structural issues that may require legislative action.
For the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, members highlighted a large waiting list, including individuals in crisis and children, and discussed whether vacant positions and unspent funds could be redirected to services. Several members raised concerns about delays in crisis applications, the use of paper applications, and whether the issue is staffing, process, or both. For the Department of Children and Families, the presenters discussed vacant positions, the use of staff augmentation in state hospitals, support for expanding behavioral qualified residential treatment program beds, and concerns raised by audits of the managing entities, which showed procurement and financial management problems. They recommended continued oversight, reporting requirements on Medicaid enrollees receiving mental health services through managing entities, and support for the governor’s proposed funding items.
Other agencies reviewed included Elder Affairs, where members questioned the need for multiple divisions, CARES assessments, and supervisory overhead; the Department of Health, where vacancies, turnover, pay gaps, and units of rate were discussed as barriers to recruitment and retention; and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, where the presenters said vacancies were tied to new nursing homes and recommended shifting a major priority into general revenue rather than trust funds. Throughout the meeting, members generally agreed that the vacancy review was eye-opening and suggested deeper, possibly separate, reviews of agency staffing, pay parity, and fund reversion practices. No formal votes were taken during the transcript.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- This legislation that this... Thank you.
- A record vote has been requested. A record vote is granted.
- A record vote has been requested. The clerk will ring the bell.
- Oh, sorry, a record vote has been requested.
- Yes, we can put appropriation items in other bills.
Summary:
The House convened with prayer, pledges, and several ceremonial recognitions, including Wilson County Day, San Antonio Mission Indian Descendants Day, and Blue Ribbon Lobby Day, along with acknowledgments of visiting groups and a birthday greeting. The chamber also announced committee meetings and then moved into floor business, including conference committee action on Senate Bill 1, the state budget.
A series of motions to instruct House conferees on SB 1 were debated and voted on. One motion sought to restore salary for Attorney General Ken Paxton after his impeachment-related suspension; it passed 88-56. Another, from Rep. Olcott, directed conferees to support amendments requiring data collection on the costs of undocumented immigrants in hospitals and prisons; after extended debate and a failed amendment from Rep. Martinez Fischer to also study immigrants’ economic contributions, the motion passed 86-61. The House also adopted instructions to eliminate Texas Lottery Commission funding, to support amendments restricting public education institutions from affirming gender identities inconsistent with biological sex, and to seek an additional $4 billion in property tax relief, with each motion passing on recorded votes.
The House then took up a supplemental calendar and passed several bills, including HB 39 on veteran death data, HB 102 on priority registration for certain students entering military service, HB 126 on student-athlete compensation and representation, HB 290 on tuition and fee assistance for members of the Texas military forces, HB 300 on Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program updates, and HB 2143 naming a highway in honor of Army Specialist Joey Lins. The chamber also postponed consideration of HJR 2 and HJR 6.
Later, the House considered HB 120 on career and technology education pathways and HB 20 on applied science pathway programs for high school students. HB 120 received a perfecting amendment and was advanced after discussion about workforce preparation. HB 20 prompted extensive questioning about transportation, costs, and how students would access partner campuses such as community colleges and TSTC sites; debate continued as the transcript ended, with members examining how the program would operate and whether approval authority would rest with TEA.
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
Transportation, Highways and Public Works Mar 30th, 2026
Transportation, Highways & Public Works
Transcript Highlights:
- And that was at the request of law enforcement.
- And so I'm really pleased with this piece of legislation and request favorable passage, and certainly
- And so I'm really pleased with this piece of legislation and request favorable passage, and certainly
- Tammany hereby resolves to urge and request our state legislators representing St.
- Present will provide information to request it.
Bills:
HR1, HB96, HB345, HB360, HB401, HB592, HB703, HB723, HB729, HB776, HB838, HB844, HB882, HB885, HB888, HB966
Keywords:
coastal protection, restoration, flood management, public hearings, environmental compliance, drag racing, public roads, vehicle impoundment, law enforcement, penalties, rail infrastructure, ports, Class II railroads, Class III railroads, transportation, memorial highway, Louisiana, commemoration, signage, memorial bridge
Summary:
The committee first heard House Resolution 1, which approves the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s annual State Integrated Coastal Protection Plan for fiscal years 2026-2027. CPRA officials described the plan as about $1.54 billion, with roughly 93% directed to project implementation and construction, funded through state mineral revenue, GOMESA, BP spill dollars, surplus funds, and newly available coastal sediment funds. They outlined projects across the coast, including marsh creation, barrier island restoration, levees, pump stations, freshwater diversions, and nonstructural flood protection, and said the plan had been unanimously approved by the CPRA board after public hearings. Members asked about specific coastal and basin issues, including the Sabine River, the Chafalaya Basin, Bayou Sorrel, and tidal flooding in interior parishes. HR 1 was reported favorably without objection.
The committee then considered House Bill 838, as substituted, dealing with vehicle inspection stickers and related OMV modernization. The substitute would repeal inspection requirements for assembled vehicles, keep periodic inspections for commercial and student transportation vehicles, address federal inspection requirements, allow out-of-state inspections in some cases, and create a Louisiana Vehicle Identification Program using QR codes. Members focused on privacy and enforcement questions, and OMV and state IT officials explained that the QR code would contain only the VIN and that the system would support police ticketing applications. The bill also ties implementation to the OMV modernization effort and takes effect January 1, 2027. HB 838 was reported by substitute.
The committee next advanced House Bill 888 on temporary dealer plates, adopting a set of amendments that added security features, clarified timing for the new electronic issuance system, and adjusted rules for temporary tags and dealer plates. Testimony from the auto dealers’ association said the bill was intended to reduce fraud, resolve confusion over five-day versus 60-day tags, and extend certain temporary loaner tag periods from five to ten days. HB 888 was reported with amendments. The committee also heard House Bill 885 on electronic titles and lien recordation, which would allow electronic signatures, electronic lien notifications, and electronic titling/recordation for participating commercial entities, with civil immunity for good-faith actions and a severability clause. Members raised questions about fraud prevention and consumer participation, and supporters said the bill would modernize the process and align Louisiana with current industry practice. HB 885 was reported by substitute.
Finally, the committee advanced House Bill 723, which allows certain two- and three-wheeled motorcycles and mopeds to proceed through a red light under specified circumstances when sensors fail to detect them. The sponsor said the measure is a safety fix for riders stuck at malfunctioning signals, and the bill was amended to clarify the vehicle types covered. The committee also considered House Bill 882 on outdoor advertising, which would increase billboard spacing on state highways from 150 feet to 1,000 feet and allow certain signs damaged by an act of God after January 1, 2010, to be rebuilt. Supporters said the bill would reduce billboard density and improve aesthetics, while opponents argued it would harm smaller operators and impose a one-size-fits-all rule. After testimony, HB 882 was amended and reported.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- this measure I did not include that portion that OHA requested.
- </c><00:38:32.520><c> but</c> that portion that OHA requested but that portion that OHA requested but
- ...would be appropriate that the current fiscal appropriations that are provided to DLNR would be also
- Then the utilities, water and power, are typically coming out of our general fund appropriation.
- </c><00:44:06.119><c> I</c> you to incorporate an appropriation I you to incorporate an appropriation
Summary:
The joint hearing focused on Senate Bill 4, which would transfer stewardship of Mauna ʻAla from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Committee chairs opened the meeting with housekeeping and noted the hearing was live-streamed, with a two-minute limit for testimony. Director Don Chang of the Board of Land and Natural Resources said DLNR had been working with OHA and had agreed to transfer certain lands subject to due diligence, including Kahana Valley and a parcel in Waimānalo, but urged the committee to finalize those mutually agreed parcels before taking on something new. He also described the current arrangement at Mauna ʻAla as a collaborative one involving the state and the royal trusts, with the state handling routine maintenance and the trusts contributing to larger repairs and improvements on a project-by-project basis rather than through direct annual appropriations.
Testimony was mixed. Supporters argued that OHA is better positioned to steward the site because of its cultural mission, Native Hawaiian governance, and ability to protect sacred places with greater cultural competency and accountability. Several speakers emphasized that Mauna ʻAla is not a state park and should be cared for by those with direct cultural ties and experience, and some cited OHA’s recent financial reforms and partnerships as reasons for confidence. Others, including representatives of the Daughters and Sons of the Hawaiian Warriors Makakoa, opposed the bill, citing concerns about OHA’s past financial management, transparency, and the need for more public information and testimony before any transfer. One testifier also argued the land transfer itself was unlawful and rooted in the history of the overthrow and annexation.
Members and testifiers also discussed the historical role of the royal trusts and family caretakers at Mauna ʻAla, with one descendant describing a long family stewardship and supporting OHA only if amended language preserved checks and balances and protected iwi and burial grounds. Another speaker said the family recognized James Mayo as kahu of Mauna ʻAla and supported the bill because prior DLNR efforts had not sufficiently protected traditional and customary rights. The hearing ended after public testimony and committee questions, with no vote or final action taken in the portion provided.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee Apr 13th, 2026
Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- At the appropriate time, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- And so I think it's certainly appropriate that we circumscribe them.
- So I agree there is appropriate information sharing that can happen.
- I agree, there is appropriate information sharing that can happen.
- The motion is due pass to appropriations.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2025-05-01 (11:00AM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We'll all go back and do legislative updates.
- And I'm glad that it's in this legislation. And I think it's the appropriate thing for us to do.
- This one contains the Bright Futures legislation.
- It removes the appropriation for the panic alarm alert system and makes implementation subject to appropriation
- And last for me, I think we heard you say the appropriation for the alert, the panic alert. the appropriation
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, a retiring sergeant-at-arms employee, and advocates visiting for a Prader-Willi Syndrome awareness resolution. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators should not plan to be in next week while negotiations continue.
The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, a citizen-initiative elections bill. Sponsors said it was intended to address petition fraud and protect the integrity of the constitutional amendment process, citing investigations, arrests, and fraudulent petition activity tied to recent initiatives. Opponents argued the bill would make it much harder and more expensive for citizens to place amendments on the ballot, chill volunteer participation, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate interests. After extensive debate, the bill passed 28-10.
The Senate then moved through a series of education bills, including measures on Bright Futures, Gold Seal, Florida ABLE, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy, all of which passed unanimously. After a recess, the chamber took up House messages and concurred in amendments to bills on stem cell therapy, student athlete ECGs, cardiac emergency response plans, and school safety. Those measures also passed with broad support, with the school safety bill drawing some questions about the Guardian program and child care facilities.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Fiscal Committee (06/19/2026)
Transcript Highlights:
- I tried to do a deeper dive of this morning when I got the request.
- But I looked at the two accounting units where we had requested prior transfers of appropriation 1880
- So, we had a shortage there as well. >> So, your request is for transfers within... >> So, your request
- None of the recommendations require legislative action.
- We just need to figure out when would be an appropriate time.
Summary:
The Fiscal Committee opened by approving the May 15 minutes and then recognized Pam Ellis for her long service with the Legislative Budget Assistant’s office and upcoming retirement. The committee adopted the consent calendar with two items removed for separate consideration, then approved transfers for the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Department of Environmental Services after questions about court benefit costs and dam project funding. The Department of Health and Human Services also received approval for a general fund transfer item.
A major portion of the meeting focused on the Youth Development Center settlement fund. New administrator Jared Boyle, joined by the Attorney General, described the fund’s remaining caseload, the payment matrix, and the need for additional funding to begin hearings in August. Members raised concerns about administrative costs, attorneys’ fees, payday loans, structured settlements, and the long-term fiscal impact on the state. Boyle requested $55 million, but the committee ultimately approved a reduced appropriation of $20 million, with members noting the possibility of returning for more funding later depending on revenues and the October revenue review.
The Department of Corrections then received approval for a smaller shortfall transfer and a larger overtime-related transfer, with officials citing a 52% corrections officer vacancy rate, ongoing recruitment, academy classes, and efforts to use civilian staff in some non-security roles. A late item from the Veterans Home was also approved to cover overtime, holiday pay, and indirect cost shortfalls within its existing budget.
The committee then heard an informational presentation on implementation of Senate Bill 134 and the new federal Medicaid work-requirement rule. DHHS said it plans to submit a state plan amendment, seek approval for hardship exceptions, start with one eligibility check cycle, and use existing federal grant funding to make system changes. Finally, the committee received a performance audit of the Doorway opioid treatment program, which found weak written procedures, incomplete data use, reimbursement delays, and problems with the Governor’s Commission on Addiction Treatment and Prevention. Members discussed follow-up reporting, and the next Fiscal Committee meeting was scheduled for August 21 at 11:00 a.m.
MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 21 January, 2026; 10:00 AM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> in every piece of legislation. in every piece of legislation.
- Anyone wish to call has been requested.
- </c><00:34:42.399><c> number</c> uh appropriation subcommittee number uh appropriation subcommittee number
- </c> the Senate, the appropriation the Senate, the appropriation subcommittee,<00:35:04.640><c> uh,</
- >> Brenda Le. >> Thank you. in room 409, appropriation subcommittee in room 409, appropriation subcommittee
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- I'd like to move favorable at the appropriate time.
- It's meaningful legislation. Thank you for that.
- Okay, I think this is the appropriate time.
- So the bill just clarifies legislative intent And from So the bill just clarifies legislative intent
- It's their top legislative priority.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- And once again, I'm Kyle Powell, Representative Kyle Powell from Legislative District 14.
- This bill is basically a tool to aid people in receiving the request or the personal request that many
- No one requesting to speak. No one requesting to speak. Mr.
- No one requesting to speak. Mr. Chair, no one wants to talk. Not today.
- There are some key differences between this year and last year's legislation.
Keywords:
procurement, foreign adversary, China, state contracts, information technology, security, speeding, speed limit, traffic enforcement, driver safety, speed inhibiting device, appropriation, law enforcement, task forces, funding, criminal justice, community supervision, rehabilitation, supervision fee, victim compensation
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> that it is inexpedient to legislate. that it is inexpedient to legislate.
- Majority of the committee on legislative legislative legislative administration<04:47:21.760><c> which
- that it is inexpedient to legislate. that it is inexpedient to legislate.
- A division vote was requested. A division vote has been requested.
- </c> And division has been requested. And division has been requested.
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> Next uh footnote request. Next uh footnote request.
- Next requested<02:17:55.760><c> uh</c><02:17:56.000><c> footnote</c> requested uh footnote requested
- And the request from the governor, as stated, is that the funds be directly appropriated to State Parks
- So, the request is for a footnote to have the funds directly appropriated to State Parks and Recreation
- $87</c> requested appropriation of 83 $87 requested appropriation of 83 $87 million<03:34:04.720><c>
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation Apr 9th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- So that is the bulk of the request.
- In the appropriate level of care? Type 3?
- In the appropriate level of care? Type 3?
- There's been legislation in the past.
- , or whoever is making those decisions can do the job appropriately.
Summary:
The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program, and the Coleman mental health receivership. The hearing focused on correctional health care, reentry, aging incarcerated populations, and the state’s progress toward compliance in the Plata and Coleman receiverships. Members also discussed the OIG’s intake complaint workload and medical inspection findings, as well as broader questions about staffing, vacancies, and the cost of court oversight.
The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two permanent positions in its intake processing unit, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025. OIG officials said complaints are categorized by issue and prison, prioritized by urgency, and generally responded to within 30 days, but they do not track complaint “validity” rates. The medical inspection unit reported that in cycle seven, case review performance was generally adequate while policy compliance was often inadequate; the lowest-scoring areas included emergency services, medication management, and health care environment. Members asked for more detailed reporting on complaint types, priority levels, and systemic issues.
CCHCS described rising health care costs driven by an aging prison population, staffing vacancies, and contract medical expenses. Officials said more than 80% of the budget is personal services, and they are using hiring events, social media outreach, and expanded classifications to reduce vacancies. CalAIM officials reported early implementation success in pre-release and reentry services, including 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% assigned managed care plans, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about 169,000 claims submitted and $14.7 million reimbursed. The LAO noted that the Plata medical receivership has increased per-person costs and that the state should continue oversight while seeking ways to reduce vacancies and expand federal reimbursement opportunities.
For the Coleman mental health receivership, the receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for receiver office staffing and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent. The LAO supported continued oversight but recommended additional steps to address vacancies, including greater out-of-state recruitment, expanded telemental health, and possible consolidation of mental health services. The LAO also recommended reducing the telemental health staffing request and monitoring its effects. Members questioned the long-term cost of receiverships, the pace of compliance, and whether more detailed benchmarks and staffing data should be provided. No formal votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
February 18, 2025 - 03:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- Lake Correctional Institution and the mental health facility that they are requesting for down there.
- And the recommendation was that you should more appropriately determine need weight cases.
- So CCOC, like I said, we are responsible for appropriating the budget authority...
- Most of our requests have come by way of redirecting general revenue.
- I get a call at the legislative office saying, 'Judge, I'm not a judge anymore.
Summary:
The committee first heard an update from the Florida Department of Corrections on the proposed Lake Correctional Institution mental health project in Clermont. Tim Fitzgerald explained the project’s history, including the 2016 Disability Rights Florida litigation, the 2018 consent decree, and the original plan for a 550-bed inpatient mental health facility. He said inflation and design changes pushed the project above the bond amount, leading the department to shift to a “continuum of care” alternative with 572 beds total: 92 inpatient beds and 480 residential treatment beds in three special housing units. Fitzgerald said the project is currently paused pending House concurrence, while the Senate has already agreed to the alternate plan, and noted the bond balance, prior expenditures, and the need to spend down the tax-exempt bond by August 2026.
Members questioned how the new plan differs from the original facility, whether it satisfies the consent decree, and what caused the cost increases. Fitzgerald said the department believes it has already met the consent decree through systemwide improvements to housing, staffing, programming, and out-of-cell time, though he said he would confirm the court documentation. He also said the original scope grew from 275,000 to 350,000 square feet as treatment, nursing, security, and programming needs were refined, and that inflation, fees, permitting, and contingencies contributed to the higher cost. Several members asked for follow-up information on Senate approval, consent decree documentation, and the project’s impact on crisis-stabilization capacity.
The committee then received a joint court-system presentation from State Courts Administrator Eric McClure and Clerks Corporation Executive Director Jason Welty on caseload trends, case tracking, and staffing. McClure described statewide filing trends, the use of weighted caseload studies to certify judicial need, and recent Supreme Court rule changes aimed at active civil case management, including differentiated case tracks, stricter deadlines, and proportional discovery. He said the latest workload study led the Supreme Court to certify a need for 23 circuit judges and 25 county judges. Welty reviewed clerk workload trends, the statewide case maintenance and CCIS systems, and declining clerk FTE despite rising case volumes, and said clerks are seeking additional funding for injunctions, Baker Act/Marchman Act/sexually violent predator work, and juror management.
In questions, members pressed both presenters on data quality, case-weight calculations, filing fees, and whether current resources are enough to reduce delays. McClure clarified that the workload weights are based on judge time studies and that a capital murder case averaged 3,177 minutes, while other examples such as auto negligence and dissolution cases were much lower. Welty said the Legislature could help by increasing funding or potentially revisiting filing fees, and noted that many clerk services are unfunded or underfunded, especially indigent and protective filings. The chair and members also raised concerns about backlog, inconsistent case reporting across circuits, and enforcement of judicial time standards; McClure said there is no direct sanction in the rules, and compliance is largely managed through chief judges and the Supreme Court. The meeting ended with no votes taken and adjournment by motion.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
JHA Public Hearing - Tue Apr 7, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST
Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- :20.440><c> advisor</c> Requesting the governor's senior advisor Requesting the governor's senior advisor
- </c> And that is having appropriate And that is having appropriate assessments<00:27:46.440><c> for</
- </c> appropriate care. appropriate care.
- Department of this one is requesting the Department of Transportation This one is requesting the Department
- </c> budget requests budget requests I'm<00:44:57.040><c> and</c><00:44:57.160><c> I'm</c><00:44:57.240
Summary:
The committee heard a series of resolutions and a few bills, with testimony largely in support across the agenda. Early measures included HCR 15/HR 17 supporting Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy, and HCR 22/HR 22 urging Congress to pass federal kidney disease legislation; both drew support and no opposition. The committee also heard HCR 146 HD1/HR 138 HD1 on “excited delirium,” with testimony from advocates urging the resolutions be broadened to include related terms such as hyperactive delirium and agitated delirium, and from family members and disability-rights advocates describing the issue as harmful pseudoscience tied to police-custody deaths and calling for a ban on the term and better mental-health responses.
The committee then took up HCR 123/HR 115 on creating a coordinated support and stabilization task force for Native Hawaiians experiencing homelessness or extreme low income. Department of Hawaiian Home Lands testified in support, describing its transitional housing work and saying collaboration and data-sharing with the state homelessness office would help beneficiaries and others; members questioned whether existing entities already do similar work and whether the proposal would extend beyond beneficiaries. HCR 32/HR 32, which asks the governor’s senior advisor on mental health and the justice system to develop a plan to increase access to Hawaii State Hospital for certain criminal defendants, drew support from the Department of Health, the governor’s office, and disability-rights advocates, who emphasized coordinated planning, diversion from arrest when appropriate, and matching people to the right level of care.
Additional resolutions addressed a range of policy issues: renaming Leeward Community College to Puloulou Community College (with no testimony), creating an ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi pathway under the Niʻihau dialect at UH (UH noted existing courses already cover the dialect but not a degree pathway), moving to a demerit-point driver licensing system (support only), and coordinating transportation infrastructure planning for Hawaiian home lands (DHHL supported the measure and said an expired DOT memorandum of understanding had covered related collaboration). The committee also heard support for expanding DHHL financial literacy and homeownership-preparedness programs, a resolution asking the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to examine algorithmic discrimination, and a resolution urging the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Advisory Committee to follow its rules, comply with the Sunshine Law, review its executive director, and strengthen accountability; the last measure drew 11 written supports and no opposition. No final votes or decisions were taken in the portion provided, as the hearing focused on testimony and questions.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appr-Sub-Natural Resources REVISED Afternoon Jan 7th, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- Our budget request is in two parts.
- We have the standard appropriation for operations, which is unchanged from last year's appropriation.
- This is the request for that program.
- I believe that was 2022 legislation.
- I believe the request was for 4 people, maybe 5.