Transcript Highlights:

• The County Board of Education will now add 6,000 to 8,000 allowance to local and County school district
• hearing and Michael Teasdale from Ventura County, Sheldon Yip from Yolo County, and Elizabeth Esquivel
• from Yolo County.
• The Orange County Department of Education, the Orange County School District Superintendents Association
• Clifton Wilson on behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors as well as the California County Board

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of these counties they can serve: Arkansas County, Faulkner, Jefferson, Lonoke, Prairie, Saline, Cleveland
• Arkansas County. residents of these counties they can serve.
• in that county.
• Are we having any specific county?
• to county.

Summary: The subcommittee first recognized the Arkansas Community Colleges Leadership Institute and received a brief DHS update on the Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver reimbursement process, including that the new cost-reporting period began in January and provider/contractor calls are underway. The main presentation then focused on SNAP and TANF, with DHS describing federal changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill that tighten SNAP work requirements for adults ages 18 to 64 without certain exemptions, remove some prior exemptions, and add new federal definitions for Native American populations. DHS also reviewed SNAP Employment and Training providers, their service areas, projected budgets, participant characteristics, and outcomes, noting that the program is currently voluntary but will shift toward mandatory participation for those subject to the new rules. Members asked detailed questions about how mandatory participation will be implemented, how referrals will be made, what other training options exist, how verification of work, volunteering, disability, and exemptions will be handled, and whether DHS has enough funding and provider capacity. DHS said it will conduct verbal and written notices during eligibility interviews, make direct referrals to providers, use six-month recertifications and documentation from employers or volunteer organizations, and apply sanctions for noncompliance after determining whether a good cause exists. Members also requested additional data, including age breakdowns of at-risk SNAP recipients, provider-level outcomes and costs, and information on other training programs such as WIOA. The committee then moved to Medicaid community engagement requirements for ARHOME, which DHS said are also required by the same federal law and must be implemented by January 1, 2027. DHS said it is preparing policy, system changes, communications, and a customer-service/outbound verification vendor, and plans a soft launch beginning in July to help clients understand what would be required if the rule were already in effect. Members raised concerns about timing, local versus central decision-making, and how clients in rural areas will be notified and assisted. The meeting concluded with broader discussion of the committee’s workforce-development goals, the recently released Alliance for Opportunity audit, and interest in continuing the contract with that group to help guide future reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• our townships, our counties our townships, our counties retain<00:04:01.920> residents.
• Cook County is a really isolated county of the 87 counties that we have in Minnesota.
• names like we memorized the counties. names like we memorized the counties.
• of its kind in Hennepin County. of its kind in Hennepin County.
• Hennepin County. Hennepin County.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, Lee County is such a rare place.
• And Dona Ana County, the northern part of Dona Ana County, so opposite side of the state.
• Over the past five years, only 11 counties in New Mexico have had population growth, Lake County being
• counties with lower populations.
• The vast majority of counties, except for Cibola County, saw a decline in prescribing providers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Odessa is in Ector County, and this...
• The second possible site is on the county line of the two counties.
• Kevin Kieschnick, and I'm the Nueces County Tax Assessor Collector.
• I have, and one of the reasons why it's bracketed to Bexar County is that different counties expressed
• in Bexar County, and Hill Country Daily Bread in Kendall County.

Bills: HB249, HB 1186, HB2313, HB2408, HB2508, HB2730, HB2974, HB3045, HB3232, HB3336, HB3710, HB4044, HB4236, HJR133, HB249

Keywords: ad valorem taxes, property taxes, homestead exemption, disabled veterans, senior citizens, tax payments, installment payments, municipal tax revenue, hotel, convention center, tax code, economic development, local government, municipality, tax revenue, qualified projects, municipal taxation, hotel project, municipality funding, veteran

Transcript Highlights:

• . 33 of Minnesota's rural counties have what we call county-based purchasers.
• County board members serve on this.
• <00:07:24.319> based counties have what we call county based counties have what we call county
• > serve of counties.
• County board members serve of counties. County board members serve on<00:07:30.720> this.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The segment focused first on Senator John Marty’s bill, SF 3612, which would remove private insurers and HMOs from Minnesota’s state health care programs and replace them with a statewide administrative services model. Marty argued that managed care has created churn, coverage disruptions, and administrative waste in Medicaid and MinnesotaCare, and said the state should instead pay providers directly while investing more in care coordination, case management, and wraparound services through primary care clinics and county-based purchasers. He said the goal is better care, not just savings, though he also cited potential taxpayer savings and pointed to Connecticut as a model. He acknowledged the bill is not expected to become law this year and said a fiscal note and more details are still pending. Marty said the proposal has support from the governor and groups such as the American Cancer Society, but that his current co-authors are all DFL members. He expressed hope for bipartisan support and said the simpler system would also improve fraud detection and transparency. He addressed concerns about insurance-industry jobs by saying workers should be treated fairly and that retraining and dislocated-worker assistance would be part of the transition. He also said the broader goal is universal coverage for all medical needs, including mental health and dental care, without co-pays or deductibles. The second half highlighted Senator Jeff Howe and Minnesota’s Hometown Heroes Assistance Program for firefighters. Howe described the program as a statewide effort for roughly 20,000 career, paid-on-call, and volunteer firefighters that provides up to $20,000 in assistance for occupational illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, along with training, counseling, and family support. He said the program helps firefighters process trauma and has been recognized as the nation’s most comprehensive firefighter well-being initiative. Howe said the most recent version of the bill received unanimous bipartisan support in both chambers, and he suggested future expansions could include retired firefighters and possibly peace officers. The segment also noted a separate therapy approach using retired racehorses to help first responders work through trauma, with participants saying it has helped them stay on the job and manage anxiety and PTSD.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Denton County side of Frisco and one on the Collin County side of Frisco that I could not move product
• side, I own the business on the Denton County side, side of the county, you know, it's, I own both sides
• can cross the county line.
• or if they have to cross county lines?
• OK, so, um, so the county line thing doesn't matter.

Transcript Highlights:

• zoning process of each county zoning process of each county government.<00:39:40.800> I<00
• Discussion from city and county? Is anyone here from the city and county on Zoom?
• from the city and county from the city and county on<01:31:57.040> Zoom?
• Office of the County Clerk, Council Services, County of Kauai, in support. Okay.
• current law giving the counties 15 acres up to 15 acres within the county.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard several housing-related bills and resolutions. HB 1298 HD3 would create a government employee housing revolving fund and a government employee 99-year leasehold rent-to-own program; testimony was generally supportive from HHFDC, labor groups, and the Maui Chamber, with the Tax Foundation and Budget and Finance raising concerns about the revolving fund. The committees recommended passage with non-substantive amendments for clarity and consistency, and the motion was adopted. HB 741 H2, which would exempt certain affordable housing projects financed by a certified nonprofit CDFI from prevailing wage requirements, drew support from housing advocates and opposition from several construction unions; the chairs said they were concerned about the labor objections and deferred the measure, with the labor committee agreeing to defer it as well. The housing committee then took up HB 417 HD1, which creates a housing efficiency and innovation subaccount in the rental housing revolving fund and allows HHFDC to transfer funds between the subaccount and the main fund without legislative approval. Testimony was largely supportive. The chair described a series of amendments, including changing the funding-efficiency standard, adding perpetual affordability language, allowing any land tenure type, broadening eligible financing tools, adding priority criteria for mixed-income projects and government-employee projects, and inserting blank appropriations tied to a requested $75 million per year and a $75 million subaccount appropriation for the HCDA 99-year leasehold project. The committee recommended passage with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted. HB 422 HD1, which would repeal school impact fees and move remaining balances to the school facilities special fund, drew broad support from housing and taxpayer groups and opposition from the Department of Education and some individuals. The School Facilities Authority and DOE argued the current system had not produced enough usable land or school sites and suggested narrowing the exemption to government housing projects’ construction costs instead of repealing the fee entirely. Members pressed DOE and SFA on how much land had actually been obtained and whether the fee had been effective; the discussion highlighted concerns about unused balances, school overcrowding, and the role of the Land Use Commission and county zoning in securing school sites. The committee did not take final action on the bill in the portion shown. The committee also heard STR 60/SR 45, urging HHFDC to develop a plan to meet housing demand, and STR 77/SR 60, addressing continued eligibility for housing credits for certain projects after repeal of Act 31; both sets of resolutions had HHFDC support, with DHHL supporting STR 77/SR 60 and Johnny May Perry opposing both.

Transcript Highlights:

• On behalf of the Pinellas County delegation, welcome Mike Twitty, Pinellas County Property Appraiser.
• Okay, so I am a true Miami-Dade County girl, born and raised in a county, so let me tell you about how
• this impacts my beautiful county.
• Now, it will have an impact on our county, or my county, totaling for the general fund, the advocacy
• In Miami-Dade County.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Joseph Di Alessandro, the Pledge of Allegiance, and announcements confirming a quorum. Members also adopted the special order report and recognized several guests in the gallery, including former Speaker Dan Webster and law enforcement and civic visitors. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar of bills, mostly on third reading, with several measures passing unanimously or by wide margins. Among the bills considered were measures on civil procedure and estates, including C.S. HB 1407 on commencement of civil actions, HB 895 on trustee settlement and discharge, C.S. HB 1337 on estates, HB 131 on curators of estates, and C.S. HB 351 on concurrent legislative jurisdiction over military installations. The House also passed C.S. HB 441 on conservation lands, which would lengthen notice and increase transparency for land swaps involving conservation property, and C.S. CS HB 919 on commercial service airports, which created a statutory definition for major airports and preempted local naming authority for several airports. HB 919 drew extensive debate over the proposed naming of Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald J. Trump, with amendments to delay or alter the naming failing before the bill passed. Other bills approved included HB 409 requiring K-12 schools to observe Veterans Day, CS HB 461 allowing certain students to volunteer at polling places for community service hours, CS HB 1115 creating grants for genetic counseling education, HB 569 revising forensic client services, CS HB 505 regulating virtual currency kiosks to address fraud, and HB 271 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers. The House also passed HB 191 on re-employment assistance eligibility verification after extended questioning about its effects on benefits, appeals, and suitable work standards. One bill, CS HB 243 on electric bicycles, was temporarily postponed, and CS HB 1073 on school districts was also postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• go to the counties for preservation of historic records in that county.
• c><00:00:58.239> for counties go to the counties for counties go to the counties for preservation
• The issue that's created is county.
• filing fee will remain with the county filing fee will remain with the county or<00:02:44.400>
• by their counties. Correct. by their counties. Correct. >> Correct. >> Correct.

Keywords: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency - Room 210; 28 January, 2026: 10:30 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first nominated and elected Senator Lane Taylor as secretary by voice vote, with no opposition. It then took up several bills and reported each one out after brief explanations and no recorded opposition. Senate Bill 2372, from the Department of Archives and History, would allow county filing-fee revenues now used only for preservation of historic records to also support records management, historic preservation, and museum services in counties. Barry White said the money is not for capital projects, but could fund services such as building assessments and recommendations. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2378, which would raise court reporter transcript fees from $2.40 to $4.00 per page; the sponsor said most costs are paid by litigants, while county funds are mainly affected in indigent criminal appeals. Both bills were advanced. The committee next considered Senate Bill 2401, relating to Accelerate Mississippi. Senator Sparks said it would extend the repealer to 2029, update procurement and reporting provisions, change some federal terminology, move the annual report deadline from October 1 to November 1, and repeal obsolete workforce-area references. It was reported out after a brief question about the obsolete sections. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 2402, the Amy Act, which removes the five-day grace period for lobbyist registration so registration must occur before a person begins lobbying; sponsors said the goal is transparency and tracking misinformation, not changing the definition of lobbyist. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2445 on community mental health centers. Department of Mental Health Executive Director Wendy Bailey said the bill would create a formal performance audit process, with standards developed by June 30, 2027 and audits beginning in FY28 every two years. Centers failing standards would be placed on probation, and continued failure could lead to temporary replacement of leadership by DMH-selected contractors until compliance is restored. Members asked about current probation and decertification procedures, the number of struggling centers, and whether consolidation would be preferable; Bailey said the department wants to preserve local centers and use the process only as a temporary intervention. The bill was discussed but the transcript cuts off before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent about a fourth of Dona Ana County.
• Mexico, from Dona Ana County to San Juan County, from Hobbs all the way to your seat.
• And businesses located in the same county.
• and sue in Santa Fe County?
• Chavez County, Curry County, Luna, and Santa Fe, we don't have detention centers. So what do we...

Transcript Highlights:

• And then it also, on page two, section C, the county clerk shall notify the county chairman and each
• The county clerk shall<00:41:45.520> notify<00:41:45.920> the<00:41:46.160> county
• clerk and the heirs uh with the county clerk and the county<00:42:49.599> clerk<00:42:49.920>
• our county clerks. our county clerks.
• That's in the to hardship counties.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Honolulu, County of Hawaii, County of Kauai, and for the office of County Council for the County
• mayor of the county of kawaii and County mayor of the county of kawaii and County of<00:53:21.000
• <00:53:55.440> Hawaii County of Honolulu County of Hawaii County of Honolulu County of Hawaii
• :54:01.280> Maui County Council for the county of Maui County Council for the county of Maui and
• meet the counties the county councils meet the counties the county councils meet year<01:24:23.159

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs held its first hearing of the 33rd Legislature and heard several measures, beginning with HB 131, which would allow agencies to disclose government records to researchers for certain purposes and direct the Office of Information Practices to adopt uniform rules. OIP supported the bill, saying it would help researchers access government records, while DLNR questioned whether the bill was necessary, raised concerns about costs and exemptions, and suggested a definition change regarding media. The Public First Law Center and other supporters said the bill would not remove existing exemptions or create new disclosure requirements, but would simply authorize rulemaking to create a clearer process for research access. Common Cause Hawaiʻi raised concern about including news media in the measure. The chair emphasized that the rulemaking process would allow agencies and the public to work through details, and the committee moved on without a recorded vote in the transcript. The committee then heard HB 411, which would create uniform administrative penalty procedures under the state ethics code and lobbyist law, and HB 412, which would expand lobbying definitions to cover certain communications with high-level executive officials about procurement and make some contracts voidable if awarded through unethical lobbying. The Ethics Commission supported HB 411 as an efficiency measure that would streamline the charge process without changing substantive rights, while HB 412 was described as a narrow transparency measure modeled on other states. The State Procurement Office warned that voiding contracts could cause delays, warranty issues, third-party complications, and higher reprocurement costs. The Ethics Commission responded that any contract revocation would be at the Attorney General’s discretion and likely reserved for egregious cases, and that the threat of voiding a contract would help deter noncompliance. The committee also heard HB 413, which clarifies that lobbyist campaign contribution prohibitions apply during periods when both houses of the Legislature are in session; the Ethics Commission and Campaign Spending Commission both supported the bill and the Ethics Commission requested amendments to clarify jurisdiction between state and county lobbyist enforcement. Finally, the committee took up HB 149, which would require domestic and foreign corporations to report independent expenditures and political contributions to shareholders. The only testimony noted in the transcript was written comments from Matson, which said the requirement would be expensive and cumbersome and that the information is already publicly available through existing campaign finance reporting websites. No votes or final committee actions on the bills were recorded in the provided transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Here to just give the county perspective on this bill.
• And Crowing County in '23, they had 63 requests.
• Uh when I through the individual county.
• <00:05:04.160> Um technical feedback from the counties.
• Um technical feedback from the counties.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill lists restrictions on county and municipal bridge repair funds.
• It is Cumberland County Day here in the Capitol building.
• do preventative maintenance on county-owned bridges.
• So my municipalities back in Allegheny County and Washington County are at risk.
• Counties all Millions of dollars to local school districts, counties, already townships in this state

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, recognized several guests in the gallery, and then took up a series of committee reports, referrals, and floor actions. Early business included concurrence in committee reports on bills and resolutions from Game and Fisheries, Professional Licensure, Health, and Children and Youth, along with referral of Senate Bill 1377 to Transportation. The chamber also signed House Bill 1344 after the Senate returned it without amendment. Later, members announced caucus and committee meetings, including Rules, Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations, Insurance, and Appropriations, before recessing and then reconvening for floor votes. The House adopted several resolutions, including House Resolution 537 designating Rail Safety Week, House Resolution 449 recognizing the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and House Resolution 568 designating Javei Syndrome Awareness Day. The chamber also considered House Bill 2037 on cryptocurrency corruption, where Amendment A03882 narrowing the bill to public officials and immediate family members was adopted, while two later amendments were tabled or failed. House Bill 2198, repealing the sales and use tax exemption for computer data center equipment, was amended to take effect immediately and to bar KOZ use for data centers, then agreed to. House Bill 2559, concerning a university conveyance and other conveyances, was agreed to after out-of-order amendments were ruled on. A major portion of the session focused on data center policy. House Bill 2496, creating a 180-day pause on data center proposals to give municipalities time to update zoning and planning, drew extensive support from members emphasizing local control, environmental concerns, and the need for time to assess impacts; it passed final passage 201-1. House Bill 2650, creating the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development certification for data centers, also generated lengthy debate over energy use, water, community benefits, and tax treatment; it passed 134-68. The House also passed House Bill 2162 on temporary licensing for drug manufacturers before FDA approval, House Bill 2388 on rounding cash payments when pennies are unavailable, House Bill 2437 on county and municipal bridge repair funds, House Bill 2555 on equine dealer recordkeeping, and House Bill 2621 directing a Department of Health survey on maternal and infant outcomes. Other actions included final passage of House Bill 1006 on milk tester and wearer sampler certification periods, House Bill 2014 on opportunities for minors and emergency service organizations, House Bill 2512 prohibiting ride-share pricing based on device condition, House Bill 2644 authorizing itemized capital bridge projects, and Senate Bill 1058 updating the E85 flex-fuel reference. The House also adopted House Bill 2162, House Bill 2388, House Bill 2437, and House Bill 2555 by recorded votes, and several committee reports were agreed to throughout the day. The session ended with additional committee referrals, a motion to recommit several bills to Appropriations, and adjournment until the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the difference in that is we can reach all 33 counties.
• And the difference in that is we can reach all 33 counties.
• Joy Asparson, Executive Director for New Mexico Counties.
• San Juan County.
• I'm speaking on behalf of county Speaking on behalf of county assessors across New Mexico and strong

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so all counties have this, and so this is just another tool for counties if they choose to do so.
• their county healthcare assistance funds is meeting a need identified by patients and counties while
• No, the insurance would be purchased by the county for the person.
• counties?
• These are county programs at their core, and they're managed by the county, like our Health and Human

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a first Jared Gregus with the Florida Association of Counties speaking against.
• to county or municipality what the law really is.
• Next, we have just McCarty. >> With Miami-Dade County speaking against.
• Also Bay County, Florida. Some of the concerns could thank you.
• Robert Reyes, Monroe County Board of County commissioners waiving in support.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I like representing Dona Ana County and the expansion beyond just... ...counties with 100,000 because
• county like Hatch and Garfield.
• Chair and Senator, our state, every county meets this qualification, and there are two or three counties
• That at least part of the county is short, and then all the rest of the counties have shortages.
• You know, found some solutions with county government.

Transcript Highlights:

• County already.
• trying to mitigate some of that, as discussed earlier, by providing some additional funding to assist counties—county
• Local governments carry them out, counties in particular.
• Second, on behalf of the urban counties of California, the rural county representatives of California
• Second, on behalf of the urban counties of California, the rural county representatives of California

Keywords: 987, senate, all