Video & Transcript Research : 'purchasing flexibility'

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HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

PBS Info Briefing - Mon Feb 3, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST

Hawaii House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • You mentioned in response to Vice Chair Elam Moto's questions about this flexibility, right?
  • There's flexibility in there to design even potentially multiple facilities on this O.C. footprint.
  • over the over the 30 it is flexible over the over the 30 years<01:17:49.719> and<01:17:49.960
  • <01:19:11.360> U can you say how all that flexibility U can you say how all that flexibility
  • Flexibility on how they want to design things to meet the specifications or the requirements, yeah.
Keywords: 910, house, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/3/26

Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • in the daily cap by instead flexibility in the daily cap by instead creating<00:18:30.160> a<
  • And given the CMS requirements for flexibly in a single service. flexibly in a single service.
  • flexibility for the individuals<00:41:04.760> that<00:41:05.440> Mr.
  • <00:41:24.280> For flexibility would be important. For flexibility would be important.
  • that's going to meet monthly flexibility that's going to meet his<00:41:36.000> needs.
Bills: HF3526, HF3375, HF3469
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Ways and Means Committee 4/29/25

Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • Uh we never for being more flexible.
  • This is a per-pupil funding stream that districts will receive that is flexible, almost as flexible as
  • <00:45:36.000> general flexible almost as flexible as general flexible almost as flexible
  • this and by giving them the flexibility this and by giving them the flexibility does<01:14:37.600
  • give local control funding flexibility give local control funding flexibility and<01:22:16.639><
Bills: HF2433, HF2434
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

EDU Public Hearing 03-20-2026

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • So, the flexibility of the schools is working for them. Thank you.
  • wasn't an issue for the schools.<00:03:55.599> So,<00:03:55.760> the<00:03:56.000> flexibility
  • So, the flexibility of the schools.
  • So, the flexibility of the schools<00:03:58.159> um<00:03:58.400> is<00:03:58.799> working
  • But we do foresee those guidelines will allow flexibility among the schools to suit their specific circumstance
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • But what I love about Bluegrass State Skills Corporation is it is pretty flexible funding.
  • Uh, but basically, that's what I mentioned earlier in terms of flexible funding for training.
  • And you can see that it is truly, you know, flexible in terms of how the money is used.
  • And you can see that it is truly, you know, flexible in terms of how the money is used.
  • And further, uh, there's been flexible.
Summary: The subcommittee met with Secretary Jeff Null and General Counsel Matt Wing of the Cabinet for Economic Development for an overview of the cabinet’s main economic development tools, strategy, and compliance practices. Null said the cabinet uses a data-driven approach focused on competitiveness, site readiness, wages, workforce training, and long-term assets such as roads, rail spurs, water, and sewer improvements. He emphasized that the cabinet tries to balance attracting new employers with supporting existing businesses, and said compliance is a core value of the agency. Null walked members through several programs, including the closing fund, Kentucky Business Incentive (KBI), Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training support, and the KIA sales-tax refund tool for construction materials and equipment. He said the closing fund has received $80 million over two years for projects generally involving at least $10 million in investment, though some flexibility exists. He also explained that Bluegrass State Skills funding is typically about $2,000 to $3,000 per job and can be used flexibly for training, including sending Kentucky workers to be trained elsewhere or paying trainers to come to Kentucky. He described KBI as a pay-as-you-go, incremental tax credit tied to actual jobs and investment, and said the legislature’s tiered refundable credit structure allows more targeted use of incentives in heritage and non-heritage counties. A substantial portion of the presentation focused on compliance and monitoring. Null said incentive agreements are written with commercial terms and spell out jobs, investment, wages, and training commitments. The cabinet requires regular reporting, invoices, and sampling, and can use clawbacks or suspend benefits if companies fail to meet obligations or lose required environmental permits. He said the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority reviews incentive applications in public meetings and often requires company representatives to answer questions before preliminary approval is granted. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 10th, 2025 at 09:30 am

Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Transcript Highlights:
  • general fund and we had additional block grant flexible other funds.
  • They just put in a reduction for what they thought we should have for total flexibility.
  • They just gave us a reduction to the block grant and said, 'Here's the flexibility that will give you
  • it to the Senate to let you know that this is the flexibility we would need, or things might not be
  • to— And giving the department the flexibility to move positions.
Bills: SB2015
Summary: The committee met to review revised long sheets and section-by-section language for a human services/health budget bill, with much of the discussion focused on how to present block grant funding and full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for behavioral health clinics and CCBHCs. Members debated whether to keep FTE counts in the budget at all, ultimately leaning toward removing or zeroing out the FTE references while keeping the dollar authority, and reducing the salaries-and-wages block grant by about $4.75 million. They also discussed public health federal authority, agreeing to remove about $60 million in unused federal spending authority tied to COVID-era funds, and clarified that if federal money later becomes available it could be requested through the Emergency Commission. A major topic was the provider inflation increase. The House version had 2% and 2%, while members debated alternatives and appeared to settle, at least for further work, on 2% in the first year and 1.5% in the second year, with staff asked to recalculate the fiscal impact. The committee also reviewed FMAP changes, noting a revised 2027 FMAP estimate and its effect on general fund and other funds, and discussed whether to adjust public health and other line items accordingly. Several members emphasized that many of these numbers are still tentative and will be refined before final action. The committee also touched on several policy items and capital-related provisions, including behavioral health services, Medicaid expansion, the moratorium on new ICF beds, and a proposed amendment for a medical homes/fourplex-related item that would show a $400,000 legislative investment with repayment from a developer. There was extended discussion of the All True hospital/facility proposal, with some members favoring leaving it in with a smaller initial commitment and others preferring to remove it and revisit later in conference committee. The meeting ended with staff asked to continue updating the bill language and members instructed to review remaining sections before the next meeting; no final votes were taken in the portion provided.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Committee on Education Finance - 03/04/25

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • We're going to increase building allocation flexibility from 20 to 40%.
  • We're going to increase building allocation flexibility from 20 to 40%.
  • We're going to increase building allocation flexibility from 20 to 40%.
  • bill how do we provide that flexibility bill how do we provide that flexibility to<01:40:30.800>
  • provide those schools with flexibility provide those schools with flexibility so<01:40:48.239>
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
HI
Transcript Highlights:
  • So I think that allows for some of the flexibility, and we can also continue to work with anybody, you
  • /c><00:12:26.399> more to give boards a little bit more to give boards a little bit more flexibility
  • instead of making the flexibility instead of making the deadline deadline deadline 7:45<00:12:30.480
  • /c><00:12:38.480> some<00:12:38.639> of<00:12:38.720> the<00:12:38.880> flexibility
  • <00:12:39.760> and allows for some of the flexibility and allows for some of the flexibility
Keywords: 910, house, all
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • I think opening up to more areas and give more flexibility is great.
  • I think opening up to more areas and give more flexibility is great.
  • I think opening up to more areas and give more flexibility is great.
  • I think opening up to more areas and give more flexibility is great.
  • I think opening up to more areas and give more flexibility is great.
Summary: The committee first adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 139, which would allow a political party to replace a candidate who dies or withdraws after the filing deadline but before ballot certification. Representative Decker explained the substitute as a narrow election-related fix, and the bill was then passed by the committee on an 11-yes, 1-pass vote and sent to the full House. The committee then heard House Bill 356, which would move the Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) qualification test from a once-every-four-years, Frankfort-based format to administration through the Kentucky Community and Technical College System at multiple locations and times. Representative Bridges said the Department of Revenue would still write and control the exam, KCTCS would only administer it, the fiscal note was zero, and the change would improve access and convenience without weakening standards. KCTCS said it was prepared to help if directed. Members generally agreed PVAs should be tested, but some raised concerns about test integrity, whether a broader testing network could create uneven conditions, and whether the change should instead use a smaller number of regional test sites. Others supported the bill as a common-sense way to expand access and avoid forcing candidates to wait years after missing a single test date. The committee also discussed the lack of a study guide for the exam and whether that should be addressed separately. No final vote on House Bill 356 is reflected in the transcript excerpt.
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

Fiscal Committee (10/28/2025)

Transcript Highlights:
  • So people will know, you obviously have a lot of flexibility within that to move this money around.
  • So people will know, you obviously have a lot of flexibility within that to move this money around.
  • So people will know, you obviously have a lot of flexibility within that to move this money around.
  • So people will know, you obviously have a lot of flexibility within that to move this money around.
  • So people will know, you obviously have a lot of flexibility within that to move this money around.
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The Fiscal Committee met with replacement members noted at the start and took up one emergency item from the Department of Health and Human Services: approval to accept and expend $2 million to support SNAP recipients during the federal shutdown. Commissioner Lori Weaver and CFO Nathan White explained that USDA/FNS had notified the state it would not receive November SNAP funds, affecting about 74,000 recipients. The department said it activated a contingency plan to contract with the New Hampshire Food Bank to expand mobile food pantries, targeting SNAP households and prioritizing locations based on need, with evening and daytime access and outreach through mail, text, email, social media, partner organizations, and a shutdown webpage. Committee members asked about timing, locations, reimbursement, and whether the state would be repaid by the federal government. Department staff said the food bank would likely need about a week to mobilize once the contract was approved, and that the contract would be cost-reimbursement based, with faster turnaround than usual but not advance payment. White explained the money would come from excess Medicaid Enhancement Tax revenue from state fiscal year 2025, which can be used only for Medicaid purposes under state law and SB 249, allowing general funds to be shifted to the food bank contract. Members also asked about other affected programs; the department said WIC had funding through November 10, energy assistance was expected to continue through December, and school breakfast/free and reduced lunch were not impacted. Members discussed broader public outreach, including a possible PSA and use of the New Hampshire Food Bank’s network of 417 partners, and one member suggested religious leaders or the governor might be better positioned to make donation appeals. The committee then voted unanimously to adopt the item (motion by Senator Gray, second by Senator Waters). The meeting ended with notice of the next meeting on November 21 at 11:00 and a motion to adjourn, which was approved.
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

Senate Health and Human Services (10/21/2025)

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • There are some additional safe harbors and flexibility for the carriers.
  • additional safe harbors and flexibility additional safe harbors and flexibility for<00:16:37.680
  • Do you believe that the way the House amended it would allow for some flexibility of not even knowing
  • some flexibility some flexibility of<00:20:05.440> not<00:20:05.679> even<00:20:05.919
  • So they are understanding how this is going to be implemented, and you're building in, again, flexibility
Keywords: 1191, senate, all
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 9th, 2025 at 09:30 am

Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Transcript Highlights:
  • So leaving us that flexibility in the block grant is important, especially when there's major positions
  • So if you gave us the flexibility by packaging the CCBHCs with the additional six or seven million added
  • So it's in your hands for your decision to determine what additional block grant flexibility in general
  • Chairman, I get complaints from mainly policy people about this flexibility, you know, in terms of being
  • So we'll just give you the flexibility to move, and then it gives them the flexibility to address issues
Bills: SB2399
Summary: The Senate Appropriations HR Division met to work through amendments and budget items in House Bill 2012/HB 1004, focusing first on long-term care, disability services, and behavioral health. Members discussed competing approaches to a four-plex for medically complex individuals, a value-based care payment withhold for nursing facilities, accreditation requirements for providers, a study of developmental disability services, and funding for Family Voices and Ann Carlson-related services. Several amendments were accepted or set aside after discussion, including a study amendment for disability services and a Family Voices grant amendment that was adjusted to remove “one-time” language so it could continue as an ongoing grant. The committee also agreed to keep or defer some items for conference committee, including the youth crisis stabilization pilot and other long-term care proposals. A major discussion centered on the state hospital project. Members debated whether the $330 million project should remain in the DHS budget or be moved to the OMB budget for construction management. After discussion of costs, alternates, and the role of a steering committee and BND loan language, the committee agreed to remove the state hospital funding and related loan language from the DHS budget while leaving the steering committee language in place. The committee also considered a proposed Altru grant for additional beds and settled on a smaller planning-focused approach, with a $1 million grant and a line of credit concept to be refined later. The committee then turned to behavioral health items, including QRTP funding, nursing home behavioral health training, and a youth crisis stabilization pilot. Members generally supported keeping the QRTP funding level, but were divided on the nursing home behavioral health training and the crisis stabilization pilot, with some preferring to leave those issues for conference committee. The division also reviewed the HHS block grant and underfunding structure, with Donna Ackland explaining salary, vacancy, and flexibility calculations; the committee discussed adjusting the underfund and revenue assumptions but did not finalize every number before moving on. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 1577 on wastewater treatment grants. Senator Davison moved to hoghouse the bill into a study-focused version using the proposed amendment language, and the motion passed. The committee then moved HB 1577 as amended with a do pass recommendation; the roll call passed with Senators Cleary, Davison, Dever, and Mathern voting yes, and Senator Magrum not recorded as voting. The meeting adjourned with plans to return later in the day to continue budget work.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • CEC, in consultation with CPUC and CAISO, in 2023 developed a statewide load flexibility goal of 7,000
  • The Demand-Side Grid Support program seeks to pilot program mechanisms to grow clean demand flexibility
  • So for that purpose, I think that the flexibility will still be very important.
  • Without that flexibility, we would not have been able to introduce that option for this summer.
  • backup assets program does have significant potential. ...value of customer batteries and other flexible
Keywords: 988, house, all
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Education Pre-K - 12 Jan 13th, 2026

Education Pre-K - 12

Transcript Highlights:
  • being consistent with legislative priorities that we've had for our local government as far as flexibility
  • I'm very flexible on that. I want to make sure I'm looking at the bill right now.
  • So we want to be specific, and I'll look at the timeframes very carefully so we make it flexible enough
  • And the original bill, we were opposed to it, to clarify Senator Davis' question to get flexibility for
  • This extends the flexibility to students with disabilities by allowing them to participate in the Special
Bills: S0206, S0420, S0556
Summary: The committee first heard SB 420, which would require portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to be prominently displayed in classrooms used for social studies and in all K-5 classrooms, with the Department of Education selecting the portraits. Senator Burgess framed the bill as a patriotic and educational measure tied to America’s 250th anniversary, while Senator Davis raised concerns about exclusivity, political precedent, and state intrusion into local classroom decisions. Senator Osgood and others asked about sensitivity to diverse student populations and whether additional figures such as Harriet Tubman could also be displayed. Burgess said the bill would not prevent other displays, emphasized the two presidents’ historical significance, and committed to funding support so the mandate would not burden districts. The committee voted the bill favorably. The committee then took up CS/SB 206 on autism education and teacher preparation. Senator Harrell’s strike-all amendment required teacher preparation programs to include autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities, required ESE-certified teachers to complete an autism microcredential, created an autism loan forgiveness program and salary supplement provisions, and directed district professional development to include autism-specific training with local CARD centers. A second amendment removed a proposed change to the legal definition of autism so that issue could be handled separately. Senators Davis and Osgood asked about implementation timelines, grandfathering current teachers, and how the bill would affect educators already working in autism classrooms; Harrell said he was open to further discussion and wanted to ensure flexibility while still requiring the credential. Public testimony included support from Orange County Public Schools, a parent of children with autism, and others. The committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard CS/SB 556, which allows students with disabilities to satisfy the high school physical education requirement by participating in Special Olympics for one year if included in the student’s IEP. An amendment also clarified that two years of marching band satisfies both the PE credit and a fine or performing arts credit. Supporters said the bill expands inclusive options and reduces administrative burdens, and Senator Yarborough praised the change as giving students more flexibility. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also took up confirmation votes for appointments in tabs 4 through 7 and recommended all of them favorably by a single roll call vote.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 12th, 2025

Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • You just want to give flexibility to them to work in collaboration with the water experts to address.
  • You just want to give flexibility to them to work in collaboration with the water experts to address
  • here today, if people show up, I'll send it to the floor with an expectation you will provide the flexibility
  • And we'll continue to work with TCEQ and rely on their expertise for the flexibility needed that would
  • do it it'll work right and we'll continue to work with tcq and rely on their expertise for the flexibility
Bills: HB630, HB685, HB1318, HB2692
Summary: The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs met with no quorum at the start, but later reached quorum and took up several bills. House Bill 2692, codifying the San Antonio River Authority’s enabling legislation and making non-substantive modernization changes, received brief supportive testimony from the River Authority and was left pending before later being voted out favorably. House Bill 685, which would prevent municipalities from charging higher water or sewer rates to tax-exempt entities than comparable customers, also drew support and was reported favorably. House Bill 1318, clarifying compensation issues when a municipality decertifies part of a retail water utility’s service area, was heard without opposition and passed out of committee. House Bill 630, exempting certain older outboard motors from title requirements, likewise passed and was placed on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee spent the most time on Senate Bill 2497, relating to filtration systems for certain public drinking water systems. Senator Zaffirini described the bill as a response to ongoing secondary water quality complaints, while TCEQ testified that such contaminants are aesthetic rather than health-based and that the water remains safe to drink if primary standards are met. The Texas Rural Water Association opposed the bill as written, arguing filtration may not solve most water quality problems and could be costly for small systems, while a consumer witness from Floresville supported it and described repeated rate increases and brown water after a filtration system was removed. Members discussed narrowing the bill through a committee substitute and emphasized the need for flexibility and technical expertise; the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably, with Senator Kolkhorst later asking to be recorded as voting no. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2850, which would create a pollinator task force to study habitat loss, public education, and best practices for protecting bees and other pollinators. Senator Menendez and invited witness Erica Thompson of Texas BeeWorks highlighted major colony losses and the economic importance of pollinators to Texas agriculture, and Environment Texas and the Texas Beekeepers Association supported the measure. Members discussed monarch butterflies, native grasses, milkweed, and conservation efforts, and the bill was reported favorably and sent to the local and uncontested calendar. After testimony, the committee also voted out several pending items, including House Bill 5560 with a committee substitute addressing water-loss penalties and infrastructure improvements, and then recessed subject to the call of the chair.
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, January 21, 2026)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:36:52.960> the money donors that seek to purchase the money donors that seek to purchase
  • Speaker, this bill does not mandate participation, but instead preserves state flexibility and protects
  • and protects against state flexibility and protects against future<02:24:39.439> administrative
  • You know how many they actually purchased? Less than 20.
  • purchased? Less than 20. purchased? Less than 20.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House passes the omnibus education policy bill, SF1740 5/16/25

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • flexibility on their school start<00:02:31.440> time.
  • Um the statute, some more flexibility.
  • Let's, yeah, give us more flexibility. I've got it just the opposite.
  • And by the flexibility for our schools.
  • , really came down to funding flexibility, really came down to funding flexibility, local<01:58:33.440
Keywords: 1183, house
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Committee on Education Finance - 01/28/25

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • I also have enjoyed the flexibility to do what meets our needs.
  • within the pilot has the flexibility within the pilot has been<00:57:02.640> uh<00:57:02.799>
  • The bill ensures that cooperatives have the flexibility to respond effectively to pressing challenges
  • that cooperatives have the flexibility that cooperatives have the flexibility to<01:26:29.880>
  • Transportation costs while flexibility Transportation costs while flexibility for<01:42:06.560><
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
Summary: The Senate Education Finance Committee met on January 28, 2025, to receive updates on chronic absenteeism work funded in the 2024 education finance bill. The chair introduced presentations from districts in the student attendance pilot program—Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, Chisago, and Rochester—and noted that the committee would also hear the student attendance and truancy legislative study group report and later a bill from Senator Weber. The chair also thanked educational assistants and paraprofessionals for their work in schools. Minneapolis Public Schools described common attendance challenges across pilot districts, including inconsistent attendance coding, weak family communication, difficulty identifying interventions, and uneven responses to absences. The district said pilot districts want statewide definitions for absences, tardies, and exempt codes, as well as better internal dashboards and clearer procedures. Minneapolis also highlighted strategies such as attendance teams at each school, quarterly postcards to families after five or more absences, Promise Fellows, home visits, multilingual communication through TalkingPoints, and a morning nurse line to help parents decide whether a child should stay home. The district said its main attendance goal is to raise consistent attendance from 68 percent to 80 percent by 2026. In response to committee questions, Minneapolis said its main post-COVID absenteeism reason has been illness or medical issues, followed by transportation problems, and that it does not penalize students for transportation-related absences. The district said it counts secondary absences when students miss more than three periods in a day, with truancy beginning after seven such absences, while elementary students are counted absent for the full day. Members also asked about whether reduced truancy referrals reflected more attendance or diversionary supports; the district said its approach is to focus on understanding root causes and providing support rather than quickly referring students to truancy processes. The district reported improved communication, greater parent awareness, and fewer truancy referrals so far, and said the attendance team model should be sustainable because it uses existing staff with clearer direction.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee 5/16/26

Rules and Legislative Administration

Transcript Highlights:
  • supplemental uh to supplement the calendar tomorrow, but if we do, this is important to have the flexibility
  • if we do, this is important to have but if we do, this is important to have the<00:02:19.400> flexibility
  • the flexibility to do that. the flexibility to do that.
Keywords: 1183, house
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Human Services Mar 18th, 2025

Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • There was no flexibility in the model or in Providence's contracts that allowed for a service provider
  • Again, the pilot program HB 1536 creates would allow for this type of flexibility in contracting.
  • We believe that especially in rural areas, we need the flexibility and the time that this bill affords
  • This bill seems to give us that flexibility.
  • We need the flexibility to figure out the right size and the right order of priorities for families and