Transcript Highlights:

• unlike other publicly funded programs. unlike other publicly funded programs.
• are EFA program is an the EFA programs are EFA program is an option. option. option.
• EFA program? Um, it is my understanding EFA program?
• program shall not exceed $5. program shall not exceed $5.
• This is a state program. the state. This is a state program.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:47:56.839> programs<00:47:57.160> that disabled partners program programs that
• goes through this division. programs and pollution prevention programs and pollution prevention programs
• lot program our animal feed lot program lot program our animal feed lot program permitting<01:31
• program the habitat enhancement program the habitat enhancement landscape<02:06:58.840> program
• enhancement program which is a program enhancement program which is a program that<02:09:38.239>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Chair Foung Hawj opened the Environment, Climate and Legacy Committee meeting by welcoming members, agency staff, and constituents, and by outlining the committee’s shared-power arrangement for the session. Members introduced themselves and described environmental activities from the interim, including gardening, outdoor recreation, farming visits, Great Lakes work, and a tree-planting trip in Thailand that Hawj said symbolized cultural unity and environmental stewardship. Ben Stanley, the committee’s nonpartisan counsel, then explained the co-chairs’ operating agreement: Hawj would chair the meeting, Senator John Hoffman would chair the next two meetings, then Hawj would chair the following two, with the chair rotating after each pair of meetings. Agendas would be set jointly, additional meetings would require both chairs’ approval, and passing a bill out of committee would require a majority of all committee members, or seven votes. At Senator Tory Westrom’s request, the agreement was to be emailed to members in writing. Stanley also reviewed the committee’s jurisdiction, which includes environmental and natural resources bills, legacy funds, and agencies such as the Environmental Quality Board, Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency, and Board of Water and Soil Resources, along with several related councils and boards. Fiscal analyst Dan Mueller then gave a budget overview of the committee’s agencies, noting that many current biennium appropriations include one-time general fund money that drops back in the 2026-27 base budget. He highlighted funding levels for the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, Metro Parks, Conservation Corps, BWSR, the Minnesota Zoo, the Science Museum, and the Metropolitan Landfill Contingency Action Trust Account, and said the committee’s base-budget area totals about $2.2 billion. He also reviewed the Legacy funds, estimating available 2026-27 appropriations of about $327 million for Outdoor Heritage, $31.7 million for Clean Water, $133 million for Parks and Trails, and $185 million for Arts and Cultural Heritage. No votes or bill actions were taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• First to testify on under the program.
• We feel like the under this program.
• statewide leave program. statewide leave program.
• outreach programs? outreach programs?
• <01:03:59.200> to federal workforce PEL grant program to federal workforce PEL grant program

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

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Program integrity. So we have a robust program integrity.
• Program integrity. So we >> one more. Okay. Program integrity.
• have a robust u program integrity. have a robust u program integrity.
• We thank you for the program that you do. Uh, I think it's a good program. you do.
• Uh I think it's good program. you do. Uh I think it's good program.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:01 Department for Public Health Budget Request 00:01:46 Department for Community Based Services Budget Request 00:31:58 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) 00:57:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes, then heard a lengthy presentation from the Department for Public Health on Kentucky’s rural health transformation plan and related budget questions. Commissioner John Langfeld said the state received a $212.9 million federal award, one of the larger awards nationally, and outlined five focus areas: maternal and infant health, integrated EMS/trauma response, behavioral health and substance use disorder, oral health, and chronic disease prevention with an emphasis on obesity and diabetes. He stressed that the effort is intended to be integrated, data-driven, and sustainable, and that the federal funds cannot be used for new construction, clinician salaries, research and development, EHR replacement, or to pay for currently billable services. He also said the program carries accountability requirements and that funds can be clawed back if milestones are not met. Members pressed for clarification on duplication with other budget requests, sustainability after the five-year funding period, and how success would be measured. Langfeld said he was not aware of any duplicate funding with the department’s additional budget requests and said the rural health funds were separate from those requests. He also said the program will be tracked through specific metrics and timelines, using both execution measures and outcome measures such as readmissions, with more rapid-cycle feedback to allow course correction. Representative Fleming raised concerns about possible overlap with navigator funding and asked for more detail on the budget breakdown; Langfeld said a detailed line-item budget had been prepared but was still awaiting final CMS approval before release, and that he would explore sharing more information once restrictions were lifted. The committee then heard from the Kentucky State Public Health Laboratory about a request for a new central lab expansion. The presenter described the current 35-year-old facility as outdated and constrained by aging infrastructure, obsolete equipment, deferred maintenance, and inadequate space, and said the lab performs critical work with no in-state alternative for many services, including newborn screening, select-agent and biosafety level 3 testing, animal necropsy for rabies, genetic sequencing, environmental and food safety testing, and response to emerging infectious diseases. The project is already in design phase C, expected to finish in mid-April, with construction funding sought at roughly $276 million on top of about $35 million already approved for design. Members asked about long-term operating costs, backup arrangements, and whether the current facility would remain in use; the presenter said the current lab would continue to be used by the department while other divisions move into vacated space, and that the lab has mutual-aid agreements with the Southeast Consortium and universities for contingency support. Finally, the Department for Community Based Services began its budget presentation on SNAP and relative caregiver issues. Commissioner Lisa Dennis and budget director Misty Sammons identified the governor’s recommended budget items tied to new federal requirements under HR1, including changes affecting payment error rates. The discussion was just beginning when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• newly produced Legacy funded programming newly produced Legacy funded programming reaching<00:04
• Members sh dues to acquire programming Members sh dues to acquire programming but<00:17:02.560> we
• <00:24:13.360> and Who's vice president of programs and Who's vice president of programs and
• and interactive exhibits and programming and interactive exhibits and programming in<00:25:09.960
• able to afford it one of our programs able to afford it one of our programs the<00:29:31.640>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Energy State Energy Program.
• timber grading program, supporting one FTE.
• program.
• fully committed to the purchase program.
• And the leasing program, have you made any offers in the leasing program currently?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . in the program.
• Each one of these programs is a tool in a tool chest, right?
• New contracts are being served in our four- and five-star programs.
• Then we are going to have to look at what other programs are cut.
• We should not be supplanting federal programs.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to do when these programs were created. to do when these programs were created.
• Some of the programs that were exploding in growth—housing programs, autism—that didn't raise any alarms
• , in these programs, in these programs, >> we<00:13:37.200> can<00:13:37.360> we<
• Some of the programs that were exploding in growth—housing programs, autism—that didn't raise any alarms
• cutting the programs that really matter. cutting the programs that really matter.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The meeting centered on Minnesota’s budget outlook, with the governor and budget officials saying the state remains in a stronger fiscal position than expected despite national economic uncertainty. He emphasized that Minnesota has a surplus, historic rainy-day funds, and continued economic growth, and said the administration plans to continue budgeting over the horizon, using inflation assumptions and long-term planning to avoid abrupt cuts. He also defended last year’s budget compromises and said another budget proposal would be released early next year. A major theme was the governor’s criticism of President Trump and federal actions, which he said were creating economic chaos and harming Minnesotans. He condemned Trump’s comments about Somali Minnesotans and the state, called them racist and dangerous, and argued that elected officials should denounce such rhetoric. He also raised concerns about federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, saying masked agents were causing fear and confusion and that state and local law enforcement lacked communication from federal authorities. The governor and commissioners also discussed fraud in state programs, saying the state has paused certain programs for 90 days and brought in independent forensic auditors to determine the scope of losses. He said the administration is using new stop-payment authority and referrals to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to prevent and prosecute fraud, while avoiding broad cuts to programs that help children, families, and vulnerable Minnesotans. In response to questions, he said the fraud total is not yet known, the audit should conclude around the end of January, and the state will use the findings to add safeguards and address program growth and health care cost pressures in the upcoming session.

Transcript Highlights:

• The annual review of the department's tentative work program.
• Similarly to the review of the tentative work program, objectives.
• The Transportation Disadvantaged Program interacts with multiple federally funded programs, state agencies
• , including the innovative service delivery program.
• We really do see that a lot as pilot programs. The veterans example I mentioned is a pilot program.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met, took roll, and heard introductory remarks from members about their districts and transportation priorities, with several senators noting congestion and mobility challenges in their regions. The committee then received a presentation from the Florida Transportation Commission on its oversight role for FDOT, including annual and quarterly performance reviews, review of the five-year work program, and monitoring of tolling and transit authorities. Members asked whether the commission gets involved in project prioritization; the answer was no, because it is statutorily limited to high-level oversight rather than day-to-day project decisions. The committee next heard two reports related to transportation disadvantaged and paratransit services. FDOT’s Melissa Smith described the statewide Transportation Disadvantaged program, its governance structure, service models, and challenges such as fragmented administration, cost, inconsistent reporting, and rural service limitations. She outlined recommendations including better use of technology, regional partnerships, improved training, and alternative delivery models like microtransit and TNC partnerships. A University of South Florida researcher, Martin Katala, discussed best practices for paratransit and demand-response service, emphasizing route optimization software, dynamic dispatching, service standards, vendor accountability, and the use of TNCs and mobility management to improve efficiency and reduce travel times. A later presentation from UF’s I-Street program focused on emerging technologies for transit, including in-cabin monitoring, automatic restraints, accessible booking and tracking tools, and the need for statewide safety standards and better driver interfaces. Finally, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and District 5 Secretary John Tyler provided an update on the transition of SunRail local entities. They explained the differences among commuter rail, intercity rail, and light rail, and said SunRail’s financial transition to local partners was completed on January 1, with operational transition to follow over up to three years. They contrasted that with Tri-Rail, where FDOT still funds operations and discussions about a future transition are ongoing. Members asked about the differences between SunRail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak, and Brightline, and the presenters explained that commuter rail serves regional daily commuters while intercity rail connects regions. The committee concluded without taking any formal votes or other legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Item number 2 modifies the short call substitute teacher program and renames it.
• It makes the program permanent and it's a program that allows qualifying education support personnel
• Section 4 is the Minnesota Math Corps program.
• from a department program.
• Section 13 allows a program participant excluded from a department program. to request a contested case

Bills: HF1306

Keywords: education, school policy, teacher training, student health, emergency response

Transcript Highlights:

• Graduate programs for mental health licensure.
• And the ROI of that program also shows significant... Productivity.
• And we've actually seen really great success in that program as well.
• And we've actually seen really great success in that program as well.
• This state as a model employer program.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Disability Employment Subcommittee met with roll call, approved prior meeting minutes, and shared an inspirational quote from Jane Goodall about the importance of every individual. Members then introduced themselves and their roles, including state disability advocates, providers, and commission members, before hearing a presentation from Katia Alpanis and Dina Klumkina of the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED). SEED described its role as a technical assistance and policy resource for states, focused on sharing best practices and examples from other states to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The presentation outlined SEED’s seven policy areas: career readiness and work-based learning, behavioral health and work, stay-at-work/return-to-work supports, employer recruitment and retention tools, entrepreneurship and disability-owned business development, interagency coordination, and state government as a model employer. Examples from other states included scholarship and transition supports in Kentucky and Virginia, stay-at-work programs in Alaska and Washington, accommodation funds in Minnesota, procurement and small business initiatives in New Jersey and Virginia, and model employer efforts in Colorado, New York, and Tennessee. Members also asked about digital accessibility and PEAT; SEED said PEAT has been refunded and that SEED can help with policy-level questions and peer examples, but not implementation of accessibility requirements. Discussion then shifted to possible Massachusetts projects. Members raised concerns about upcoming Medicaid work or civic engagement requirements and how people with disabilities might fall through the cracks, and they asked whether SEED could help Massachusetts use existing documentation, such as IEPs, to reduce barriers. The group identified two main areas for follow-up: a Massachusetts “state as a model employer” roadmap and a youth/young adult employment and volunteer pipeline, potentially linked to transition services and apprenticeship opportunities. SEED agreed to provide Massachusetts-specific analysis and two briefs, one on career readiness policies and one on state-as-model-employer strategies, and the subcommittee planned an offline follow-up meeting to narrow priorities and develop a scope of work.

Transcript Highlights:

• IS THERE ANY EXISTING STATE PROGRAM THIS BILL IS BASED ON?
• COMMITTEE, THERE WOULD BE AN ALLOCATION LINE ITEM TO THAT PROGRAM.
• EIGHT, $900 A MONTH ON AVERAGE FOR THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS.
• YOU'RE TALKING VERY MUCH ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAM.
• IS THERE AN APPROPRIATION RIGHT NOW FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM? >> Sen.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• increase the percentage of SNAP program increase the percentage of SNAP program administrative<00
• of this program. of this program.
• uh program. That was one aspect of it. uh program. That was one aspect of it.
• that that program continues. Thank you. that that program continues. Thank you.
• <00:50:12.240> by<00:50:12.400> those programs that are overseen by those programs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In Indiana, this means a program where the median earnings of graduates In Indiana, this means a program
• What does a low-earning program mean?
• program is, we are showing the value in that program.
• But we can't do that if we risk eliminating these programs.
• program and still continue it, so the university's and move it to under another program and still continue

Keywords: 964, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, efficiencies alone cannot resolve a structurally underfunded program.
• To ensure stability, program.
• We appreciate this committee's program.
• DCI also operates the body armor grant program.
• We issued the NextG 911 mapping program.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:10 Office of the Attorney General 00:00:58 Office of Homeland Security 00:17:39, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government heard presentations on several Attorney General and Homeland Security budget items. Amy Burke of the Department of Child Support Services said the program inherited a structural shortfall of more than $13 million after the transition from CHFS, including about $14 million in federal child support incentive funds that had been used to cover core operating costs and county attorney contracts. She explained that federal law requires incentive funds to supplement, not supplant, baseline services, and said the Attorney General’s budget request seeks general fund support to replace that gap and help balance the program going forward. Members asked for clarification on the misuse of the funds, the size of the shortfall, and whether the requested money would be unrestricted; staff said the intent is to use it as a contract offset for core services. Commissioner Rich Ferretti then presented the Department of Criminal Investigations’ request for additional staffing and a Western Kentucky Digital Forensics Lab. He said DCI wants one additional special victims unit investigator and one digital forensic examiner to handle increasingly digital cases involving child exploitation, sexual assault, human trafficking, and technology-facilitated abuse. He also described plans for a lab in Mayfield, co-located with the new Mayfield Police Department facility, to reduce travel time, speed forensic processing, and improve access for rural communities. Committee members responded positively and asked no substantive questions. Finally, the Office of Homeland Security outlined Kentucky’s Next Generation 911 project. Officials said the current 911 system was built for landlines, while most calls now come from mobile devices, and the upgrade will add precise location routing plus text, photo, and video capability. Shelley Clark described the funding model, including wireless subscriber fees and a dedicated tech fund, and reviewed progress on mapping, vendor selection, and migration to the new platform, with completion expected by July 2027. Members asked about local maintenance costs and the impact on rural areas; officials said maintenance is local but supported in part by collected funds, and implementation will not be delayed for rural localities. The meeting concluded with no votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• education program.
• Does anybody have a program like that? Mr.
• And I do want to reaffirm with this program.
• And so we're also looking at braiding the programs that already exist.
• And so we're also looking at braiding the programs that already exist.

Summary: The committee began with a presentation on the 520 Native American Language and Culture certificate, created to let proficient tribal language and culture speakers teach in K-12 schools without a bachelor’s degree. LESC staff, PED, and HED described the certificate’s statutory basis, the role of tribes and pueblos in setting proficiency standards, and ongoing challenges such as uneven MOAs, limited professional development, rural access barriers, data gaps, and retention concerns. PED said oversight of 520 is moving from the licensure bureau to the Indian Education Division, and HED reported that the tribal education technical assistance centers authorized in 2023 are still in procurement but are expected to be awarded in early 2026. A student, Alonzo Hughes, testified about how learning Tewa from 520-certified teachers helped him understand his culture and speak with elders, and members praised the program’s role in language revitalization and asked about funding, teacher pathways, and whether similar models exist in other states. Committee members then discussed several PED rule updates. Staff reviewed an adopted rule implementing HB 54 on AEDs and cardiac emergency response plans, including staff training requirements and staggered compliance dates, and a proposed rule for school nurse licensure under HB 195 that would create a three-tier system and align nurse pay with teacher pay. They also reviewed proposed changes to the Community Schools Act rule, including a full-time community school coordinator requirement, updated grant language, and broader coalition membership criteria; PED said the broader language would not conflict with the Martinez-Yazzie work. A proposed bilingual teacher rule would standardize coursework requirements, add trans-languaging and culturally relevant curriculum competencies, and allow Native American language certification applicants to demonstrate proficiency using tribal standards. In questions, members raised concerns about AEDs being present at athletic events, the need for the amended school nurse bill to move experienced nurses directly into higher levels, and whether the community schools rule’s broader coalition language could affect current education litigation. Members also asked about funding for 520 programs, teacher residency or cohort models, and how to support advanced language instruction and sustainability. PED said the Indian Education Fund and school budgets can support some of the work, but additional strategic funding and cross-training are needed. The committee also heard that New Mexico’s 520 system is unusually robust compared with other states, and members encouraged staff to present the model at national conferences. The meeting ended with the director’s report, which noted a flat budget request of $2,024,300, staff turnover including Natasha Davalos’s departure, and appreciation for the committee’s work before adjournment for the holidays.

Transcript Highlights:

• it is a private program.
• it is a private program.
• Uh, yes, so our program is an online program.
• programs were actually if your program programs were actually if your program or<00:42:59.839>
• > any<00:43:00.079> program<00:43:00.800> was or any program was or any program was

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 69, including a germane amendment about local school boards’ acceptance or rejection of gifts and donations and a non-germane amendment creating a virtual early childhood readiness family engagement program for preschool children not yet in kindergarten. Rep. Cordelli said the early literacy proposal was a modified version of an earlier kindergarten readiness bill, would rely on gifts and donations rather than state appropriations, and would include reporting requirements. Members questioned the shift from a broader technology program to an online-only model, the lack of detailed evaluation metrics, how long children would use the program, and whether it was appropriate for very young children. Cordelli said the change was intended to avoid government dependence and still allow the program to be offered next school year. Several members raised concerns about the gift-acceptance language on the underlying bill, including whether school boards would need to vote on small donations, whether gifts could be handled in blocks or at regular meetings, and how anonymous donations would work under right-to-know laws. Rep. Han noted that some gift discussions might belong in non-public session under RSA 91-A, while Rep. Cornell said acceptance or rejection of gifts could be handled at regular meetings and suggested a dollar threshold could be added later. The New Hampshire School Boards Association said it was not taking a position but wanted clearer guardrails, policy guidance, and clarification on timing, anonymity, and public-meeting requirements. Supporters of the early childhood program, including Waterford.org, said the proposal would provide an evidence-based, adaptive online literacy program with family engagement for four- and five-year-olds, and that it could help close early learning gaps. Waterford said it could work collaboratively with school districts and IEP teams, and that it would provide devices and internet access for families who need them. Committee members pressed on how the program would interact with existing special education services and whether districts could use it as part of an IEP; the response was that it would be supplementary and not an approved special education service. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair indicated the committee would later executive the bills and try to get reports filed promptly.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:18:44.720> The program spends in this bill. The program spends in this bill.
• <00:19:36.160> This<00:19:36.400> program payment assistance program.
• This program payment assistance program.
• So you love a program, hate a program, we should still have the metrics in place to make sure the program
• , grant programs, and loan programs to that.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :52.480> not<00:02:52.640> a against public programs is not a against public programs is
• <00:08:45.600> where with respect to the wick program where with respect to the wick program
• Lines 1.12 to 1.22 program.
• In the Medicaid program, there is over a million Minnesotans who are enrolled in the programs.
• In the Medicaid program, there is over a million Minnesotans who are enrolled in the programs.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 53 agencies. and programs.
• Our dental programs, our vision programs, we go out to bid.
• the SNAP Program.
• We also have a program that we call the lock-in program.
• But do you all have a reward program, like a Crimestoppers type reward program?

Keywords: 1184, house, all