Transcript Highlights:

• So, in this budget, there were 10 positions that were budgeted as vacant.
• So, in this budget, there were 10 positions that were budgeted as vacant.
• You're saying that's going to the PUC in the next budget? Yes, that's under the PUC's budget.
• You're saying that's going to the PUC in the next budget? Yes, that's under the PUC's budget.
• c> is budget the recommended budget is budget the recommended budget is approved<04:20:59.080>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard the Banking Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 budget presentation from Commissioner Amelia Galeri. She described the department as a self-funded consumer protection regulator overseeing two main areas: the Banking Trust Division, which supervises state-chartered banks, credit unions, and trust companies, and the Consumer Credit Division, which oversees more than 7,000 licensees including mortgage and money transmitter businesses. She said the department’s budget is about 86% salaries and benefits, with 53 positions all filled, and explained that the agency funds itself through fees, fines, and end-of-year assessments on regulated entities. Galeri said the department is facing workload growth from several directions: continued growth in the trust industry, increased fintech supervision, and a new requirement to regularly examine auto dealers that take finance applications, which adds about 300 exams over two fiscal years. She said the department was directed to flat-fund its budget based on 2025 levels but was allowed to increase travel and training. To stay within that limit, she said the department reduced office space, went paperless, converted administrative and licensing positions into examiner positions, and expects to defund an embedded DOJ database administrator position once a new SharePoint system is fully implemented. Members asked about how the department’s revenue and assessments work, including whether fees were increasing and how much existing banks would pay. Galeri said fees are not being raised, most banks pay little or no fines, and assessments are based largely on asset size, with trust companies paying the bulk. She also explained that fines are set by statute, generally capped at $2,500 per violation for consumer credit entities, and said she would not recommend increasing that cap. The committee then voted to accept the Banking Department’s budget proposal as presented in HQ1, with a motion and second and no discussion. The transcript then moved to the Department of Energy budget. Commissioner Jared Chakin and Chief of Operations Lenny Radio discussed federal program funding, including LIHEAP fuel assistance and weatherization. They said the apparent drop in fuel assistance funding from FY 2024 actuals to the budgeted amount is due to the loss of ARPA and CARES Act supplemental funds, while weatherization remains a federally constrained program with a waiting list and limited flexibility. Members also asked about a proposed transfer from the renewable energy fund; staff said the transfer would still allow the department to carry out its statutory duties for the year, though the committee deferred deeper discussion until House Bill 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget committee? budget committee?
• because a budget committee is a budget because a budget committee is a budget committee.<02:47:18.080
• budget committee.
• A municipal budget committee often has both the school district budget and a town budget, and they have
• cannot treat the budget as an overall<04:12:11.840> budget.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The budget this year.
• Does software help you in relieving some of that, and do you have that software? Mr.
• But that we will be continuing to work on the admin budget as well as the program budget.
• Secretary, I don't see a cut in the budget; I just see a difference in budget numbers between the executive
• Him short of just increasing the budget, and I'm good with that with respect to just increasing the budget

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, you also cried, you know, budget woes in your original testimony.
• Your budget has doubled just over the last six years.
• Now, you also cried, you know, budget woes in your original testimony.
• Your budget has doubled just over the last six years. your budget went just over the last six years your
• On a $17 billion budget, yeah, sounds right. Mr. Chair, yeah.

Bills: HB2070, HB2129, HB2227, HB2439, HB2667, HB2745, HB2773, HB2825, HB2873, HB2876, HCR2005, HCR2044, SB1002, SB1036, SB1054, SB1271, SB1432, SB1435, SB1437, SB1439, SCR1022, SCR1031, SCR1033

Keywords: flood relief, Gila County, emergency funding, public safety, environmental cleanup, municipal libraries, annual reporting, state legislation, transparency, government accountability, chiropractic, chiropractor, chiropractic board, state board of chiropractic examiners, license discipline, unprofessional conduct, patient records, record retention, HIPAA, conflict of interest

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm David Pettit with the Legislative Budget Board.
• The first is DIR call center software.
• Estrada on the budget. My name's Chris Palazzolo.
• Trust me, my constituents are paying your budget.
• And what's your total budget? Our total?

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , out of the entire state budget?
• , out of the entire state budget?
• , out of the entire state budget?
• , out of the entire state budget?
• , out of the entire state budget?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with HB 934 on broadband and digital equity. Testifiers from the Lieutenant Governor’s office, the Office of Enterprise and Technology Services, DCCA, the University system, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and others generally supported the measure and emphasized the need to coordinate broadband efforts, fund operations, and expand access to high-speed internet, devices, and digital navigation services. The Chamber of Commerce and West Coast Comprehensive Health Center supported the bill but objected to HD1 language excluding broadband infrastructure for retail service, warning it could create unintended consequences and limit community-led or rural projects. The Lieutenant Governor explained the state expects roughly $400 million to $500 million in federal broadband funding, described the bill as consolidating efforts under a broadband office attached to the CIO, and said the office would focus on infrastructure, devices, and training. No vote was taken on HB 934 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 97 on travel insurance. The Insurance Division said it had no major problem with the product but requested technical changes to align with licensing requirements and noted the bill largely codifies practices already used in the industry. Industry witnesses from Allianz and the U.S. Travel Insurance Association said the measure would create a consistent framework, add consumer protections, and align Hawaii with the NAIC model adopted in many other states. Members questioned whether there was a specific problem the bill was solving, and the division responded that it was mainly a framework and form-review measure rather than a response to a known enforcement issue. The bill was discussed but no final action was reported in the excerpt. HB 448 on technology enablement drew broad support from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Food Industry Association, and other business representatives. Supporters said the measure would help businesses use technology such as digital platforms, e-commerce, robotics, and AR/VR to improve competitiveness, especially in tourism and other sectors. Committee members pressed for clearer scope, cost estimates, and assurances that local companies would be used; the agency said it would prioritize local-first contracting, use federal NIST-related support where possible, and estimated an initial request of about $200,000, though it could not give a firm total. Members expressed concern that the plan was still too undefined. The committee then began HB 455 on small business loans, where the Attorney General suggested explaining why a special fund is needed, and a witness from H Collaborative said the bill would help startup businesses that struggle most to access capital.

Transcript Highlights:

• reminder, these are the costs that are um Uh, that are due, that are provided, uh, through HHSC's budget
• They will be able to advise us on general budget matters such as potential one subject rule violations
• Adopting them to Article 11 keeps those riders in the budget for further consideration as those bills
• We have a discrepancy between the software that our contractors use and the implementation to the agency
• would be our goal over time instead of having these segmented, uh, interoperability issues with software

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Jeb Bell with the Legislative Budget Board, and I'll be laying out the summary of budget recommendations
• And so we appreciate that being in the baseline budget.
• What was your FTE count again and your budget? It's around 1200. 1200. And what's your budget?
• Different softwares based on that review that we no longer needed or we could use another software that
• It significantly distorts our budget request.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their collection software vendor disconnected from the county.
• I'm representing the Legislative Budget Board, and I'm here as a resource.
• We are among one of the safest cities as you look at the city budget.
• Like many cities, police and fire constitute the majority of our budgets.
• Cheap software implementation, if you're gonna use that.

Bills: HB134, HB135, HB 1109, HB 1243, HB1392, HB1399, HJR99, HB134, HB135

Keywords: sales tax, use tax, local tax, municipal tax, county tax, tax sourcing, place of business, principal business location, small business, retailer, marketplace seller, economic development agreement, Chapter 321, Chapter 323, Tax Code, Texas Comptroller, local sales and use tax, tax jurisdiction, order consummation, ship-to location

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's more policy than we would like in these budget bills, but they are mostly budget bills and
• So there's more policy than we would like in these budget bills, but they are mostly budget bills and
• > they are mostly budget bills and almost they are mostly budget bills and almost all<00:08:01.120>
• ,<00:09:02.800> hardware, tax exemption for software, hardware, tax exemption for software
• complete budget agreement passed. complete budget agreement passed.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Every project, every budget line, bond oversight, meeting minutes—it's all there because transparency
• In my personal opinion, I think it will cost more than what's in this budget, in the fiscal note for
• The one running the system is the software.
• But anyway, I was just looking at operating budgets for H-E-B.
• Well, is it just taking the operating budget, dividing it by the number of students?

Bills: HB1540, HB3837, HB5571, SB370, SB2425

Keywords: government review, Texas Sunset Act, regulatory oversight, agencies, sunset provisions, autonomous vehicles, regulation, safety, criminal offense, Autonomous Vehicle Commission, registration, regulations, Level 4 automation, Level 5 automation, self-driving technology, traffic laws, permit system, collision reporting, safety standards, Automated Vehicle Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• But I notice on the actual budget performance, you also have BIAD funds.
• We were budgeted for about 1,000 FTEs.
• So to that end, we're requesting an appropriation for an eProcurement software system.
• On the budgeted full-time equivalent employees.
• That's just the number that we had from our budgeted amount from 1,000 before.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is specifically budget debate.
• This is an algorithm, which is a piece of computer software. It's a logical piece of software."
• <03:40:21.520> that<03:40:22.960> um software that um software that um that<03:40:24.880
• And when it comes to the software itself, RealPage, one of the software programs used to price fix.
• And when it comes to the software itself, RealPage, one of the software programs used to price fix.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Chair: THE STATE ADMINISTRATION BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
• TO THAT AND THE LEGISLATURE PLACED OVER $949,000 OF DMS MOTOR VEHICLE AND WATERCRAFT MANAGEMENT BUDGET
• INTO WHAT IS KNOWN AS A QUALIFIED EXPENDITURE THIS MEANT THAT THESE FUNDS WERE HELD IN BUDGET RESERVE
• AND WERE TO BE RELEASED ONLY BY THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET COMMISSION IF THEY MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF IN
• I THINK IN TODAY'S AGE WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE OUR TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE.

Transcript Highlights:

• It happens with every budget, every little tiny budget cycle that we have to go through.
• We buy these smart products to enjoy the benefits that they promise, and we expect continued software
• Yet most consumers have no idea that their connected products could lose software support at all, let
• We buy these smart products to enjoy the benefits that they promise, and we expect continued software
• Madison Dwellie, on behalf of the Business Software Alliance, in opposition, amended position.

Summary: The committee began as a subcommittee due to the lack of a quorum and heard several privacy- and technology-related measures. The first item was H.R. 117, a resolution urging Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The author and supporters argued the law is outdated and shields platforms from accountability for harms such as harassment, exploitation, scams, and other online abuse. Witnesses, including a survivor parent and a gender justice advocate, described harms to children, women, and LGBTQ people and urged a two-year sunset to force federal reform. Some members supported the resolution as a call for federal action, while one member said he could not support it because the resolution was too general and lacked specificity about the reforms being sought. No vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee then heard SB 898, which would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long they will support the software and to notify consumers when products approach end of life. The author said consumers deserve transparency about security updates and continued functionality, and supporters from Consumer Reports and PIRG emphasized cybersecurity risks, consumer confusion, and electronic waste from unsupported devices. Opponents, including business and industry groups, raised concerns about enforcement through the unfair competition law, notice burdens, labeling issues, and compliance challenges, especially for products with long support windows or third-party dependencies. One member expressed support, noting the cybersecurity risks of end-of-life devices, but again no vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee also heard SB 435, which would narrow the CCPA definition of publicly available information to limit how businesses classify data as public. The author and supporters said the bill would close a loophole that allows data brokers and others to monetize personal information without meaningful consent and could help prevent surveillance and misuse of data, including by government agencies. Opponents argued the bill would upset the balance between privacy and the free flow of information, create compliance uncertainty, and retroactively reclassify information that businesses reasonably believed was public. Some members said they supported the goal of stronger privacy protections, while others said the bill was too broad. The committee again could not vote due to the lack of a quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 923, which would expand Californians’ right to delete personal information to cover data obtained from third parties and require online businesses to offer a web form or similar method for deletion requests. Supporters, including the California Privacy Protection Agency and consumer advocates, said the bill would make deletion rights meaningful and better address data broker practices. Opponents sought an opt-out-of-processing alternative and raised operational and legal concerns, but supporters said deletion is not the same as retention or processing limits. Members largely spoke in favor of the bill’s privacy goals, but no action was taken. The committee also heard SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would require human review for certain automated employment decisions and limit predictive analysis in workplace discipline and termination. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or erroneous AI-driven decisions, while business, public employer, and local government groups opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. Members voiced support for human oversight in employment decisions, but the item was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1114, the SOGI Data Privacy Act, which would restrict disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to federal agencies absent a court order or legal requirement; the author and witness framed it as a response to federal efforts to obtain sensitive LGBTQ-related data.

Transcript Highlights:

• build the entire thing, or if it would be potentially possible, as we consider allocations and the budget
• build the entire thing, or if it would be potentially possible, as we consider allocations and the budget
• system with the proper security software you<00:27:39.080> can<00:27:39.320> have you
• When you use these software cloud storage systems that sync with the cameras, you can have 4K footage
• When you use these software cloud storage systems that sync with the cameras, you can have 4K footage

Bills: HF1169, HF1916

Keywords: child protection, child welfare, paperwork reduction, social services information system, SSIS, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, foster care, children in placement, county social services, Tribal governments, private child placing agencies, case management, administrative burden, information technology, human services, welfare administration, Minnesota tribes, child care assistance, CCAP, program integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, thank you for today's opportunity to present DMH's budget. My name is Greg Slavoni.
• that software that we need for that system.
• So, the 20 million we put in 179 is what was originally in the budget.
• I do have a Question is, funding for 988 in your budget request for 2027.
• We'll let you know what we come up with on the budget.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In general, most families are using some sort of software, like free software, which does the calculation
• In general, most families are using some sort of software, like free software, which does the calculation
• In general, most families are using some sort of software, like free software, which does the calculation
• In general, most families are using some sort of software, like free software, which does the calculation
• In general, most families are using some sort of software, like free software, which does the calculation

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Economic Development and Technology met on February 5, 2025, and heard testimony on several bills related to economic development, broadband, tax policy, and family support. HB 455 drew support for a startup-business loan program, with DBEDT, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and Hmua Collective among those in favor; Tax Foundation Hawaii questioned the need for a special fund. HB 437, concerning Hawaii trade/investment offices, received support from DBEDT and Hawaii Friends for Civil Rights, and members asked DBEDT about how to measure return on investment from the overseas offices. HB 650, dealing with broadband-related administration, was supported by DBEDT, the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, and others, while committee discussion focused on the role of the state’s trade and investment offices and broadband administration. HB 935, on digital navigator support, received testimony in favor from DBEDT, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the University of Hawaii system, and others, but also drew comments about consumer representation and the need for service on neighbor islands. The committee also heard strong testimony on tax and family-related measures. HB 572, which would remove the grocery tax, received overwhelming support from groups including the Hawaii Food Industry Association, AARP Hawaii, and others, with testimony emphasizing food insecurity and cost-of-living relief; Tax Foundation Hawaii offered technical comments. HB 701, a caregiver tax credit bill, was supported by AARP Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, and others, with AARP stressing the burden on family caregivers and Tax Foundation Hawaii suggesting the credit percentage be reduced to preserve price-shopping incentives. HB 753, another child and dependent care tax credit measure, drew support from AARP Hawaii, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, and others; Tax Foundation Hawaii again raised technical concerns, this time about the complexity of the formula. After testimony, the committee took up decision-making. HB 455 was passed with amendments, including transferring administrative responsibility from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to the Community-Based Economic Development Program, blanking out the appropriation, adding one business loan officer FTE, and noting a $95,000 cost. HB 437, HB 650, HB 934, HB 442, and HB 572 were all advanced with amendments, generally involving blanking out appropriations, moving amounts into committee notes, technical cleanup, and setting effective dates to July 1, 3000. HB 935 was deferred because of overlap with public library programs and uncertainty about federal funding for digital navigator positions. The chair also indicated HB 7 would be amended to add a nonrefundable family caregiver tax credit and related technical changes, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is another position we're seeking, and the last one is a software developer supervisor.
• We need now a supervisor that will supervise our exempt senior software developers.
• That is another position we're seeking, and the last one is a software developer supervisor.
• We need now a supervisor that will supervise our exempt senior software developers.
• <00:20:53.120> developer last one is a software developer last one is a software developer

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Implement agile software development. I'm not a software person.
• Corey Sharp with the Legislative Budget Board.
• I actually pulled up UTMB’s budget, and their budget for ’24 was $2.7 billion, of which $1.9 billion
• Haley with the Legislative Budget Board.
• Haley Ewing with the Legislative Budget Board.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard the Legislative Budget Board’s overview of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s 2026-27 budget, followed by extensive testimony from DPS leadership. The LBB presentation covered funding and staffing changes across driver license services, facilities, troopers and recruit schools, crime labs, vehicle and aircraft operations, and border security. The recommendations included added support for customer service staffing and trooper hiring, but did not include several DPS exceptional items such as major driver license staffing and technology requests, new regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio, and other capital projects. Members also discussed proposed rider changes, including a new rider to lapse unused trooper funding and require reporting after recruit schools. Much of the committee’s questioning focused on driver license operations, where senators criticized long call wait times, low call-answer rates, appointment delays, and what they viewed as an overreliance on adding staff rather than improving processes. DPS and LBB witnesses said the agency is pursuing some technology upgrades, including automation, online pre-population of applications, and appointment-system improvements, but acknowledged that the driver license division remains a major problem area. Senators also raised concerns about whether the 2019 efficiency study led to meaningful changes and whether the agency should consider broader process redesign or even a different administrative structure. Colonel Freeman and other DPS officials then defended the agency’s broader law enforcement and border-security work, emphasizing the need for the Williamson County training academy, the 500 additional troopers funded in prior sessions, and continued support for Operation Lone Star. They described DPS’s role in border interdiction, threat-to-life investigations, oilfield theft cases, Capitol and Alamo security, and highway safety, and said the agency is stretched thin by deployments and overtime. Members asked about border reimbursement possibilities, regional staffing differences, pursuit safety, fleet and aircraft replacement needs, and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame museum. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.