Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:20.720><c> and</c> legislative director from budgets and legislative director from budgets
• </c> uh for the reconciliation process budget uh for the reconciliation process budget resolution<00:
• resolu a budget its uh you know budget resolu a budget resolution<00:05:16.440><c> uh</c><00:05:16.639
• I'm Anna Mingi, Assistant Commissioner and State Budget Director at Minnesota Management and Budget.
• I'm Anna Mingi, Assistant Commissioner and State Budget Director at Minnesota Management and Budget.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> hear from us every year in these budget hear from us every year in these budget hearings.<00:07:
• 43.199><c> without</c> they've been holding budgets without they've been holding budgets without giving
• . budget. budget.
• Is that in the budget already? It's to? Is that in the budget already?
• So, it's in the supplemental<01:42:30.480><c> budget.</c> supplemental budget. supplemental budget.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Joint budget. House Bill 103. Without objection, read the bill a second time. House Bill 103.
• In this year's budget, we are fully funding that commitment.
• The budget we work together to pass doesn't just invest in education.
• Joint Budget, Big Mac A at 2:30. And then again tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. at Big Mac A.
• Joint Budget, Big Mac A at 2:30. Any other committee announcements?

Summary: The meeting was the opening of the Arkansas General Assembly’s 2026 fiscal session, beginning with quorum calls, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests, including law enforcement officers, a doctor of the day, nurse of the day, constitutional officers, Supreme Court justices, and family and friends of legislators. The House adopted House Resolution 1001 to convene a joint session for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s address, appointed committees to notify the Senate and the Governor, and later received the Senate into the chamber before recessing for the joint session. In the joint session, members observed a moment of silence for former Representative Stan Berry, then heard Governor Sanders’s fiscal session address. Her remarks focused heavily on the proposed budget and her administration’s priorities: fully funding education and the LEARNS Act, supporting teachers and literacy efforts, funding public safety and corrections, expanding the 1033 initiative to move people from crisis to career, and holding down government growth while pursuing further income tax cuts. She also highlighted economic development, low cost of living, and support for veterans, while emphasizing conservative policy themes and thanking several Arkansans whose stories illustrated the administration’s agenda. No substantive legislation was debated or voted on beyond the adoption of House Resolution 1001 and the procedural motions to adjourn the joint session and then adjourn the House until the next day. The House announced that Joint Budget would meet later that afternoon and again the following morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I worked for the Office of Program Research, Appropriations, and Capital Budget Committees.
• It's on the constitutional law of state budgeting.
• So the next two lines after that are for the 2026 supplemental budget.
• I'm a senior policy analyst at the Washington State Budget and Policy Center.
• You remind me when you build a budget.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on January 29, 2026, to consider a gubernatorial appointment, three public hearings, and two executive-session bills. Kristen L. Frazier was introduced as the governor’s appointee to the Board of Tax Appeals. She described her background in legislative fiscal analysis, constitutional law, and tax adjudication, and said the board is working on faster residential review and settlement processes. Members praised her service and said the appointment would be voted on at a future meeting. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5893, which would transfer $65 million from the Natural Climate Solutions Account to the Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration, and Community Resilience Account to fully fund wildfire response and forest health work. Committee staff explained the Climate Commitment Act funding source and the account history, and the Department of Natural Resources said the money would support forest health treatments, firefighting readiness, and partner pass-throughs. Forest industry representatives and DNR supported the bill, arguing wildfire work reduces emissions, protects communities, and prevents larger future costs; one member questioned why DNR had not submitted a decision package for the funding. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 6229, which would subject gains from the sale of qualified small business stock to Washington’s capital gains tax. Staff said the bill would affect about 260 taxpayers, raise about $1.2 million in fiscal year 2027, and cost the Department of Revenue about $1.1 million over four years to implement. Startup founders, venture capital and tech industry representatives opposed the bill, warning it would discourage investment, founders, and job creation in Washington; a Budget and Policy Center witness supported it as a way to make the tax code less regressive and argued the exemption mainly benefits the wealthiest taxpayers. The committee also heard House Bill 1376, which would allow taxpayers to prepay capital gains tax up to six months early without interest on any later refund; staff said it had no revenue impact and a small administrative cost, and the lone public witness opposed it as penalizing success. In executive session, the committee received a briefing on the proposed substitute for Senate Bill 5395 on prior authorization transparency and AI use in health care, and on Substitute Senate Bill 5860 regarding school board compensation. The committee adopted the proposed second substitute for SB 5395 and voted it out of committee with a do pass recommendation to the Rules Committee, subject to signatures. Substitute SB 5860 was moved out of committee without recommendation. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, we'll go ahead and call the meeting to order for the House Budget Review Subcommittee on General
• This is far more in the project budget.
• Under the traditional vendor model, local governments absorb these costs from their budgets.
• removing this line item from the county's operating budgets. for every device in service.
• ,</c> fees as part of our project budget, fees as part of our project budget, effectively<00:06:42.400

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:14 Approval of Minutes 00:00:40 State Board of Elections 00:00:56, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government met to hear an update from the State Board of Elections on its Bluegrass Books electronic poll book system. Rachel Pointer and Richard House described the project as an in-house modernization effort intended to improve security, customization, integration with the voter registration system, reduce voter wait times, streamline supplemental and provisional ballot processing, and provide year-round local support to county clerks and poll workers. They emphasized that the system is already a working product, not just a concept, and showed a workflow demonstration of voter lookup, signature capture, ballot issuance, manual lookup, and handling voters who have already voted. The agency also outlined the financial rationale for the project, saying the state currently lacks dedicated funding for replacing the iPads used for election-day poll books and that counties now bear vendor maintenance and support costs. Under Bluegrass Books, the state would seek to cover hardware replacement, maintenance, and on-site support through future appropriations, potentially using bulk purchasing to lower costs. When asked about the size of the appropriation request, the presenters said it was not yet finalized but noted roughly 7,000 devices are deployed statewide and replacement would likely be phased rather than done all at once. Members asked about security and whether the e-poll book could affect vote totals. The Board explained that the e-poll book is separate from ballot casting, that voting machines themselves are not connected to the internet, and that the poll book is networked only to update check-ins and prevent double voting. They said the device is locked down to the poll book application and can operate offline until connectivity returns. A member also asked how to recruit more poll workers; the response suggested higher pay is the main incentive, along with outreach to schools, community colleges, and possible pilot programs involving professionals. The meeting concluded without any votes or formal action beyond approval of minutes, and the next meeting was announced for January 29, weather permitting.

Transcript Highlights:

• While that's going on, we're not hearing a whole lot about the budget.
• We did hear, of course, the governor's budget a few days ago and heard a lot of feedback on that.
• provide some feedback on his proposed budget.
• provide some feedback on his proposed budget.
• We've got a couple other budget savings ideas.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: Senate and House Republican leaders held a joint media availability focused on affordability, budget concerns, and opposition to several Democratic tax proposals. John Braun and Drew Stokesbary said Washingtonians are still struggling with the cost of food, gas, housing, child care, and health care, and argued Democrats are not advancing bills that would ease those pressures. They criticized a draft income tax proposal they said would function as a small business tax, especially because it would disallow loss carryforwards and could discourage investment in housing and other capital-intensive sectors. They also objected to a proposed tire fee and a bill they said would prevent tire sellers from telling customers about the tax. The Republicans said they planned to raise budget and tax concerns in an upcoming meeting with Governor Ferguson, and Stokesbary said he had introduced a budget-savings bill to consolidate University of Washington investment management with the State Investment Board. They also discussed a bill to make it harder to qualify citizen initiatives, calling it anti-democratic, and said they want stronger oversight and legal reforms related to DCYF and state liability in child welfare cases. Braun and Stokesbary said they were open to discussing tort reform and a civil claims process, but emphasized the underlying problem is state failure in protecting children. On health care, they said they were still reviewing a bill to eliminate interest on medical debt and a separate 340B drug-pricing proposal, warning both could have unintended effects on hospitals, patients, and drug innovation. They also said they support the idea of protecting children online and in schools, but want any social media, AI chatbot, or cell phone-related bills written carefully to avoid First Amendment problems and unintended consequences. On public safety, they expressed concern about a bill restricting police retention of automatic license plate reader data, arguing law enforcement needs such tools to solve crimes. No votes were taken, and the event ended with the Republicans reiterating their opposition to tax increases and their focus on affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's just where we are with our current budget. Mr.
• Cardona: That's just where we are with our current budget. Senator Grove: Okay.
• budget.
• budget.
• We went through the budget on personal service and contracts, reduced the budget by $3 million.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• make life better in this state for every person who walks through a building funded by the capital budget
• You've been a leader in so many quiet and subtle ways, not only as the capital budget chair, but also
• And again, as the good lady mentioned, we have a lot of fun in that capital budget room.
• Madam Speaker, the budget that this chamber voted on Madam Speaker, the budget that this chamber voted
• a very good budget.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Transcript Highlights:

• But it's basically against the overall spend of the transportation budget as needed.
• And it's based on what we authorized for spending for the budget.
• And it's based on what we authorized for spending for the budget.
• that the supplemental budget, right?
• about the sustainability of the transportation budget.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Your budget is for just the one time every four years.
• But let's talk about our incremental request for the upcoming budget year.
• Else, we would ask be it can be considered on the incremental budget.
• Your budget doesn't already take that into account? No.
• For fiscal year 2027, we're requesting the same amount of 2.6, so a flat budget.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Utilities make up around 3% of our overall energy budget.
• Our base budget in AG appropriations was 4.7 billion dollars.
• in how we budget that out.
• I can create budget shortfalls for universities.
• While fees over offi budgets could remain the same.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It had about a $10 billion budget.
• This is the maintenance budget for the Department of Administration.
• The total budget is $72,507,300.
• The total budget is 72,507,300.
• And look at all these numbers and these budgets.

Summary: The House opened with roll call, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a moment of silence for Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam. Members then approved the journal and received a series of messages from the Senate and governor, including enrolled bills and new Senate measures. Standing committee reports moved several bills and resolutions forward, including House Bill 911 and Senate Bill 1258 from State Affairs, and House Concurrent Resolution 36 supporting the Idaho National Guard. The chamber introduced several new bills, including House Bills 933-935, and later took up a number of memorials and resolutions. House Joint Memorial 20, urging Congress to address the fiscal impact of Plyler v. Doe on Idaho schools, passed without objection. House Joint Memorial 19, supporting federal efforts to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, passed 61-8-1 after debate over whether eliminating the department would shift enforcement costs to the state. House Concurrent Resolution 34, directing feasibility studies on Bear River Basin water development, also passed, 67-2. The House then considered and passed several Senate bills, including SB 1301 on adding a retail location for small breweries, SB 1256 cleaning up outdated reporting requirements for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, SB 1345 allowing voluntary secure electronic tax commission communications, and a series of water-related bills clarifying ditch easements, water district fees, withdrawal procedures, canal/lateral responsibilities, and irrigation district board eligibility. SB 1286, restricting predatory veteran disability-claims services, also passed after supportive testimony from veterans’ advocates. Later, the House approved a House Business Committee report on administrative rules, then suspended rules to move a large set of appropriation and policy bills, including HB 919 through HB 925 and HB 889 and HB 931, all of which passed with varying vote margins. The day ended with announcements, committee meeting notices, and adjournment until March 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• only item we have on the agenda, I'm sure, will be really short, is Department of Health and Welfare Budget
• So what I hear you saying is that what is growing our Medicaid budget right now are these high-level
• That budget is used to determine, and sorry, the budget is again reflective of the level of care needed
• We are legislatively required to provide The legislature a monthly Medicaid budget report.
• , to sustain the Medicaid budget; an additional $22 million in general funds is needed.

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee approved the February 5, 2026 minutes and then heard a lengthy budget presentation from Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon and Medicaid Director Sasha O’Connell. The department outlined numerous supplemental and line-item requests across Medicaid, child and family services, welfare/self-reliance, and support functions, including funding for state hospital billing authority, Medicaid caseload and cost growth, rural health transformation staffing and program funds, child care capacity and program integrity work, kinship navigation, home visiting, and IT and procurement modernization. The committee also discussed the department’s reorganization and the need for additional procurement support for large Medicaid contracts. Much of the discussion focused on Medicaid spending growth, especially in disability services and behavioral health. Sharon said higher utilization and more intensive services, including residential habilitation, youth residential treatment, and substance use services, were driving costs. Members asked about safeguards against provider overuse or steerage; the director said the department uses annual assessments, internal reviews, data mining, and referrals to program integrity, and that some provider behavior had already prompted a proposed rate reduction for residential habilitation. She also explained that the department is seeking to maintain contractor support for disability assessments rather than absorb the work in-house. The committee also reviewed the department’s response to budget reductions and federal changes. Sharon explained the 4% provider rate reduction, the resulting savings, and the need for an additional $22 million in general funds to balance Medicaid, with options for further cuts still before the legislature. Other topics included the state’s Medicaid estate recovery and program integrity contractors, the impact of new SNAP administrative cost-sharing rules, Medicaid work requirements and more frequent eligibility reviews under state and federal law, and a request for three dedicated procurement staff in the Department of Administration to speed Medicaid contracting. No further votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes, and the committee adjourned to attend the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I plan to make this part of a budget discussion, too.
• I would suggest that, you know, your challenge is a budget issue.
• I would suggest that, you know, your challenge is a budget issue.
• And very much so, I am going to have that discussion in budget.
• So I am going to have that discussion in budget.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, it's budget day.
• Pre-K-12 Education's proposed budget for the fiscal year...
• So the budget before you is in a grand total of $34.7 billion.
• The budget before you is in a grand total of $34.7 billion.
• We want to make sure that superintendents of schools can do accurate budgeting or more accurate budgeting

Summary: The committee first heard the Pre-K-12 education budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26 and voted to adopt it as the committee’s recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The proposed $34.7 billion budget includes increases for the FEFP, Family Empowerment Scholarships, VPK, school safety, the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, school hardening, Jewish day school security, and an education enrollment stabilization fund. Members asked no questions on the budget before it was advanced, and staff was authorized to make technical corrections. The committee then passed CS/SB 1402, which expands eligibility for dropout retrieval services to any individual who has withdrawn from high school and clarifies how school grades are calculated for virtual instruction providers that offer only dropout retrieval services. An amendment to clarify the grading calculation was adopted without objection, and the bill was reported favorably after a roll call vote. The committee also took up SPB 7030, a comprehensive scholarship-program bill sponsored by Senator Gates, which would separate Family Empowerment Scholarship funding as its own categorical, expand the education stabilization fund, create fall and spring application windows, require a single scholarship application and more documentation, assign student IDs, change payments to a monthly schedule, require background checks for paid instructional providers, mandate annual FTE audits by the Auditor General, and standardize reimbursement and eligibility procedures. After extensive discussion and public testimony, the bill was adopted as a committee bill and reported favorably, with Senator Osgood voting no. Finally, the committee considered CS/SB 508, which requires private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to disclose in writing what accommodations, modifications, and services they will provide for students with existing plans such as IEPs, 504 plans, or ELL plans. An amendment was adopted to require public schools to consult with private schools about equitable services, and the bill was reported favorably. Public testimony included support from parent-choice advocates and concerns from private-school representatives about administrative burden and the scope of the required disclosures. The meeting concluded after the final roll call votes and adjournment motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call the budget section, I guess we're going to call the budget section.
• I mean, you've gotten, been on this budget a long time.
• more to the Commerce budget.
• The information on their overall budget is included on that front page.
• The 2026 number is essentially what was budgeted.

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division budget section and first reviewed the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s budget and program update. Legislative Council outlined the agency’s base budget and historical funding, and Housing Finance staff reported on homeownership lending, housing incentive fund (HIF) awards, and homeless grant spending. Agency officials said the five new FTEs approved last session are mostly filled, with one homeless program manager still open. They described strong demand for HIF, noting that September 2025 multifamily requests exceeded $73 million while only $25 million was available, and that single-family and homeless programs are also heavily subscribed. Members discussed the agency’s local loan servicing workload, interest-rate benefits, down payment assistance, and the need to coordinate housing discussions with Commerce and site-preparation efforts. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased, and committee members emphasized accountability and statewide access for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing funds. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and agency initiatives. Staff reported that the department is on track financially, that most of the five new reclamation-related FTEs are hired, and that litigation costs tied to oil and gas matters are expected to continue appearing late in the biennium. The director reviewed ongoing modernization and organizational efforts, including the North Star IT project, succession planning, training, and rulemaking for oil and gas and critical minerals. Members asked about longer laterals, spacing, and production trends; the department said operators are increasingly drilling three-, four-, and even an initial five-mile lateral, which is helping keep North Dakota oil production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. The director also discussed oil price volatility tied to Middle East conflict, hedging practices among producers, gas capture remaining around 95%, and the likelihood that current production levels will stay near flat unless prices or geopolitical conditions change significantly. An update on the enhanced oil recovery grant program followed. The Industrial Commission’s grant administrator said the full $25 million appropriation was allocated in the fall to six projects, and because the oil and gas research fund also had carryover and biennial tax revenue, total awards reached about $45.1 million. The projects are expected to run two to four years, with meaningful results not likely until mid-2026 or later. Members questioned whether the public would have access to the research findings and how accountability would be maintained; staff said the grants are reimbursement-based, require regular status reports, and will culminate in public final reports. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, which updated members on natural gas transmission projects, especially WBI Energy’s proposed Bakken East pipeline. The authority said the project has advanced through a nonbinding and then binding open season, with WBI now securing survey permissions and moving through regulatory and landowner processes, while other related gas transmission projects near Minot and Epping are also in development.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the higher education and budget bill.
• The budget is our only tool.
• The salary of the new EVP of Finance is just their budget increase.
• We did the hard budget work.
• No, no, it's not that; it's about the budget. It's not about the cruelty; it's about the budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• , we spend less than $70 million on a $93 billion budget.
• Let’s see what the budget looks like.
• Speaker, we're already budgeting for it.
• We've been budgeting for this program for many, many years.
• I think it would help their budget, gentlemen. How so?

Summary: The House recognized its drafters and research staff, then moved through committee reports and several conference committee reports and final passage motions. Senate Joint Resolution 87 was adopted and finally passed after debate over a provision affecting the City of St. Louis sheriff; supporters said the final version restored the original format with a minor wording change, while opponents argued it removed local voter control. The resolution passed 95-46 on both the conference report and final passage votes. Members then adopted and finally passed Senate Bill 973, a measure combining a wholesaler provision and a land bank/real estate transparency provision, with supporters describing it as consumer protection and cleanup language. Senate Bill 1421, a public safety package, was also advanced after a motion to exceed the conference differences; debate focused on clean slate provisions, masked intimidation penalties, prosecuting attorney salaries, fentanyl language, good time credit, Brianna’s Law, and a St. Louis liability provision. The conference report passed 116-18, final passage 110-25, and the emergency clause for the drone-related portion passed 136-5. The House also adopted and finally passed Senate Bills 835 and 1111, a broad package including insurance claim assignment protections, court automation updates, treatment court administration, a circuit judgeship codification, a St. Louis civil case surcharge, and anti-SLAPP protections. Senate Bill 1408, which authorizes MoDOT and the Highway Commission to consider raising rural interstate speed limits from 70 to 75 mph, was receded to the Senate version and finally passed 93-46. Senate Bill 913, extending multiple agricultural tax credits through 2033 and adding a short-line railroad credit, drew extensive debate over tax credits, budget priorities, and return on investment before the previous question was ordered and the bill passed 107-30. Finally, Senate Bill 1553 was passed, creating incentives and a grant program tied to critical minerals and pharmaceuticals to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers; supporters framed it as a jobs and national security measure, while one member raised concerns about local revenue impacts before clarifying the bill’s scope. The House then received Senate messages indicating the Senate had passed a House bill, and the session continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• the bond initiatives. >> Number one, Senator Hershey, Aaron's Place Food Hub and Innovation Campus, Budget
• It shall be moved to the capital budget subcommittee. Clerk read the bond initiatives.
• 01:41.600><c> Campus</c> Place Food Hub and Innovation Campus Place Food Hub and Innovation Campus Budget
• </c> Budget and Taxation. Budget and Taxation.
• </c> moved to the capital budget moved to the capital budget subcommittee.<00:01:50.880><c> Uh</c><00

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that is not included in your your budget that is not included in your your budget even<00:10:14.000
• And so there still is a balance in that budget after that budget line after three years, and if you notice
• And so there still is a balance in that budget after that budget line after three years, and if you notice
• Our district budget is supported by a local operating levy.
• </c> an increase of more than 800 new budget an increase of more than 800 new budget codes<00:51:40.240

Keywords: 1187, senate, all