Transcript Highlights:

• It says governmental entities. Yes, but are we excluding all of these entities that are...?
• Instead, it says, instead of... of saying it's a certain entity, it says any government entity.
• or non-state entities.
• We have two legal entities in Texas.
• At that time, it wasn't with Blue Cross Blue Shield; it was another entity, and that entity was participating

Bills: HB149, HB252, HB643, HB1442, HB1500, HB1672, HB1851, HB1893, HB2028, HB2768, HB2818, HB149, HB252

Keywords: artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance, employment compensation, state agencies, salary payments, general appropriations, government efficiency, public works, contractors, payment bonds, government contracts, construction law, transparency, open meetings, government accountability, public access

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:06.320> is seeing in this government entity is seeing in this government entity is
• to seek other entities to audit them than the Attorney General.
• to seek other entities to audit them than the Attorney General.
• to seek other entities to audit them than the Attorney General.
• to seek other entities to audit them than the Attorney General.

Bills: HF627, HF474, HF361, HF1837

Keywords: HF627, fiscal note, fiscal notes, Minnesota Legislature, state government, committee procedure, ranking minority member, minority party, standing committee, Ways and Means, Finance Committee, legislative process, budget analysis, fiscal impact, Minnesota Statutes 3.98, committee chair, legislative transparency, HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice

Transcript Highlights:

• Gates mentioned, billions of dollars have been exempted from ad valorem taxes for entities across the
• And I do not represent governmental entities.
• That's about three million in tax revenue lost to all the taxing entities in Tarrant County.
• Representative Troxler: There shouldn't be government entities in charge of these programs.
• Most users, especially within government entities, have noted that it's fairly easy.

Bills: HB21, HB211, HB223

Keywords: HB 21, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem tax, property tax, delinquent taxes, tax delinquency, penalty reduction, interest rate, split payment, installment payment, tax relief, county tax collector, taxing unit, property owner, tax collection, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax increase election, supermajority, 60 percent threshold

Transcript Highlights:

• We received 10 archaeological contracts with governmental entities as well as private businesses and
• That being said, that also involves federal entities who may have set that requirement.
• Hospital entities and hospital employees account for roughly $120 million of that.
• Municipalities and legislative entities. And state printing.
• Chair, Representative, it's state entities. Okay, that's what I thought. Okay.

Transcript Highlights:

• But our entities are still having to borrow.
• municipality and each entity.
• Those are available to any entity in the state of New Mexico.
• I think we're still in this kind of limbo with one of the bigger entities.
• The electrons that travel on them are sent to and fro by different entities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most Minnesota dairy producers sell their milk to other business entities, such as dairy processors or
• These entities may use the milk in their processing plants or further market it on behalf of the dairy
• The locations or the entities that have many locations will see a fairly big increase in their fees.
• You commented on the entity; I can understand that.
• We still are dealing with that entity in terms of the financials, taking those in and reviewing them.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so just because they are entities and not um natural persons, the U.S.
• <00:50:20.240> that social media platforms are entities that social media platforms are entities
• Second, we recommend clarifying that the tax will be calculated at an entity level.
• <02:34:04.720> selected center or any successor entity selected center or any successor entity
• at uh and the police this entity at uh and the police departments. departments. departments.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1790 HD1, which would require law enforcement and oversight agencies to collect and report data on stops, use of force, and complaints to the Hawaii Crime Lab, which would publish incident-level information and annual reports. Supporters, including the Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the ACLU of Hawaii, Hawaii Justice Rising, and the Policing Project, said the bill would improve transparency, help identify disparities, and support better policy and accountability. OHA requested amendments to ensure Hawaiians are identified as a distinct category in the data, and the University of Hawaii’s Ashley Rubin said the Crime Lab would work with agencies to make implementation as seamless as possible. The Department of Law Enforcement supported the bill’s intent but asked for a longer timeline and culturally appropriate methodology, while HPD opposed the bill as written, saying it would require too many new data points, create a significant administrative burden, and rely on subjective perceptions of race and ethnicity; HPD also noted it is piloting an e-citation system that could help with data collection. Committee members questioned HPD about current manual processes and technology options. The chair reported 18 testimonies total: 15 in support, one in opposition, and two with comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then heard HB 1611 HD1, which would phase down the general excise tax on groceries and nonprescription drugs until a full exemption takes effect in 2034. The Department of Taxation offered technical recommendations, including clearer definitions for groceries and nonprescription drugs and a technical change regarding the county surcharge exemption. Supporters, including the Hawaii Public Health Institute and the Hawaii Food Industry Association, argued the GET on groceries is regressive and worsens food insecurity, especially for low-income households, and said the bill would provide needed relief. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered technical concerns, including a possible wholesale-tax enforcement issue once the exemption is fully phased in. The excerpt ends during testimony on HB 1611, with no final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• When I introduced this bill, I got a lot of interest, to say the least, from a lot of different entities
• , which we were able to work with all of those entities.
• of those taxing authorities, I know that a lot of times with my particular taxing authority, the entity
• This still allows an entity to get audited simultaneously by different parishes. That has that.
• This still allows an entity to get audited simultaneously by different parishes.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on May 5, 2026, and first considered Senate Bill 436 by Senator Cloud, which revises how annual aviation fuel estimates are calculated for the Aviation Trust Fund. Senator Cloud explained that the fund supports airport and aviation projects and is used to draw down federal matching dollars, but its credited amount has remained flat for years despite changing fuel sales. The committee adopted a set of amendments allowing DOTD’s Office of Multimodal Commerce to use federal and other public data sources, requiring annual sales tax collection reports from the Department of Revenue, and making a technical change. The bill was then reported favorably as amended, with several supporters’ cards entered into the record. The committee next took up House Bill 1039 by Representative Desotel, dealing with local sales and use tax audit procedures. Desotel said the bill was intended to improve fairness, transparency, and consistency in local audits, especially where businesses face multiple simultaneous audits by different parishes. A nine-amendment set was offered; after discussion, the committee adopted all amendments except Amendment 4, which would have required private auditing firms to be domiciled in Louisiana, and authorized staff to make technical changes. Members raised concerns about whether the bill could unintentionally encourage delays in audits and about whether audits in one parish could trigger audits in others. Desotel said the goal was to add guardrails without harming parish taxing authority, and the bill was reported as amended. Several witnesses and committee members spoke in support of stronger limits on repeated parish audits, describing the burden on businesses and the need for a more uniform process. Support cards were read into the record from multiple individuals and organizations, including the Louisiana Retailers Association and NFIB. Senate Bill 423 was then voluntarily deferred, and the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding for the suicide prevention and the handoff to the tribal entities.
• In 2024, DHCS engaged Advocates for Human Potential, or AHP, as its administrative entity for the 988
• The ETSC, through our administrative entity, provides comprehensive training and technical assistance
• to 22 tribal entities.
• Forty tribal entities have requested them, but yet more needs to be done. More needs to be done.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on AB 988 implementation and suicide prevention in California Indian communities. Members and the chairs emphasized that 988 was intended to create a behavioral health crisis system with “someone to call, someone to come, and somewhere to go,” and then turned to the disproportionate suicide burden facing Native youth and the need for culturally responsive outreach and services. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, the bill’s author, said the law has already saved lives but argued that key parts of the system—especially interoperability between 911 and 988, mobile crisis dispatch, and adequate funding—are not yet working as intended. The first panel of stakeholders and call center leaders largely said California’s 988 network is underfunded and not fully integrated. Speakers from the Steinberg Institute and 988 California said call, text, and chat demand has grown sharply, but staffing and funding have not kept pace, leaving text/chat answer rates far below the state’s goals and sending many contacts to out-of-state backup centers. They also said mobile crisis teams are not being dispatched through 988 statewide, and that the state’s current governance and funding structure is too fragmented. WellSpace Health and other providers described 988 as the “front door” to crisis care, urged more stable funding, and recommended broader use of the CCBHC model to support mobile crisis and behavioral health infrastructure. San Joaquin County offered a local success story, describing a countywide crisis continuum that links 988, mobile crisis, behavioral health access lines, and follow-up services through warm handoffs and coordinated outreach. County officials said the model has reduced reliance on emergency departments and involuntary holds, and they noted that local partnerships and repeated community meetings were key to implementation. Members asked about staffing, tribal outreach, and how to make the system more measurable and interoperable; panelists said staffing projections should be based on actual call volume and contact length, and that tribal-specific outreach has often depended on temporary grant funding. State officials from CalHHS and DHCS then described the five-year implementation plan, the roles of multiple agencies, and current performance data. They said California’s 988 system has handled more than 74,000 contacts in a recent month, with in-state answer rates of 87% for calls and lower rates for chats and texts, and that unanswered contacts are routed to backup centers. They highlighted training efforts, LGBTQ+ competency work after the end of the federal “Press 3” option, and efforts to improve reimbursement for mobile crisis services. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• hear these policies described as preferential treatment to a certain group or certain taxpaying entities
• Also, at the federal level, there is not a federal entity or agency that's responsible to conduct tax
• Also, at the federal level, there is not a federal entity or agency that's responsible to conduct tax
• to evaluate their tax outside entities to evaluate their tax expenditures.
• So that was a high-level overview of tax expenditure evaluations for all the entities.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Discourse by preventing state government entities from using license plate data and readers to track,
• The public entities have to observe the rules regarding immigration and protected health information.
• The private entity has to consent to the use of the information before it can be used.
• We do see it being sold to other public and private entities. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• to then get a court, use that, ...would allow that private entity to then get a court, use that data

Bills: HB294, SB40, SB43, SB35

Keywords: cannabis, cannabis packaging, cannabis labeling, cannabis regulation, Cannabis Control Division, adulterated cannabis, artificial color additive, food dye, youth appeal, minor appeal, child-resistant packaging, black-and-white packaging, edibles, product labeling, consumer protection, marijuana, hemp, dispensary, licensed cannabis business, cannabis manufacturer

Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted to ask who, what entity, Madam Chair, is in charge of furthering the investigation and
• So every entity should become ...through them to pull a permit.
• It's not just because it's one entity; it's for all of us because we all suffer together.
• Have there been any state entities that have also been involved in forcibly sterilizing these Native
• I think it was some kind of memorial to affirm their stance at that time, and multiple other entities

Transcript Highlights:

• response to some stakeholder concerns, we added Section C that says this does not preclude a licensing entity
• First, it adds the definition of "covered entity" from the Texas Medical Privacy Act and changes the
• applicability from medical. health care practitioners and governmental entities to covered entities.
• It clarifies that a covered entity shall ensure that electronic records are stored in a safe. under their

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In litigation against an entity, and because this would be a consumer-only tax, the entity would not
• I do think they can go to governmental entities.
• giving uh public money to this entity giving uh public money to this entity where<01:25:07.199><
• We've got two entities, two corporate entities, Mulus and uh Bland and Paper Company, that have enrolled
• c> mulus entities two corporate entities mulus entities two corporate entities mulus and<01:37:48.840

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And at the very bottom, it clarifies the definition of recipient to include individuals, entities, and
• key personnel of entities, including board members, officers, executives, employees, or agents of entities
• Uh, when an individual or entity is participating in multiple state programs, this bill allows other
• committed fraud to that the entity committed fraud to obtain<00:20:17.120> payment.
• is participating in multiple entity is participating in multiple state<00:21:02.080> programs.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first received a House message reappointing a conference committee on Senate File 2077, the environment and natural resources appropriations bill, and took no further action on that message. The chamber then moved through motions and resolutions, including a failed attempt to suspend the rules to make House File 4102 a special order for immediate consideration. Senator Howe argued the bill was urgent because it would extend a study on state law enforcement pay and help address State Patrol recruitment and retention, while Senator Friends opposed suspending the rules; the motion failed on a roll call vote, 35 ayes to 32 nays. The Senate then took House File 3629 from the table, made it a special order, and adopted the A5 amendment. The bill, relating to grants management and the Department of Administration, was described as refining agency authority over exemptions, adding reporting requirements, expanding whistleblower protections, and broadening fraud-prevention tools. The A5 amendment added stronger payment-withholding authority for agencies based on credible allegations of fraud, removed the 60-day withholding limit, allowed cross-agency withholding in some cases, replaced court appeal with agency reconsideration, made the authority permanent, and added a reporting requirement for DHS and DCYF inspector general activity. Supporters said it would improve transparency and protect taxpayers; the bill then passed final roll call 67-0. Finally, the Senate took up House File 4492, which was amended with the A4 delete-everything amendment. The new version combined three articles: READ Act provisions, a veterans diploma provision, and early literacy field-experience changes. Senators described the veterans section as requiring school districts to award diplomas to veterans who left high school to serve in the Korean or Vietnam Wars, and the READ Act and literacy provisions as aligning teacher preparation and early literacy instruction with state standards. Members also discussed school discipline and classroom safety issues in the course of debate. The bill was then read for final passage, with senators speaking in support of the combined package and its education and veterans provisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I don't know that it's worth our time and money as a public entity to support that exploration
• But would it be great to get private entities to come in here and start investing in that way?
• It’s open to all the state entities. But go ahead. So, Mr. Chair, Mr.
• It depends on the size of the entity.
• Now we're going to hear from other entities. The City of Phoenix, as opposed to this bill.

Bills: HB2056, HB2202, HB2207, HB2224, HB2303, HB2344, HB2532, HB2759, HB2798

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, dementia care, telementoring, healthcare education, rural communities, grant funding, braille, disability access, education funding, state corrections, inclusion, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met on January 28 and heard several bills, beginning with member and staff introductions and a reminder about amendment deadlines. HB 2056 would appropriate $100,000 to the Arizona Department of Water Resources for a feasibility study of brackish groundwater desalination sites; the sponsor said Arizona should explore potential water supplies amid Colorado River concerns. A witness opposed the bill, and members debated whether brackish groundwater should be treated as a resource or a threat to aquifers. The committee approved HB 2056 on an 11-6 vote, with one member not voting. The committee then considered HB 2798, as amended, which would provide $100,000 to the University of Arizona/Arizona Geological Survey to compile data on materials related to nuclear energy, including thorium and other non-uranium fuels. The sponsor framed the bill as an economic development and national security effort, while opponents questioned whether Arizona has enough of the material to justify public spending. The University of Arizona supported the work as within the Geological Survey’s mission. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 11-5, with one member present and one not voting. HB 2303 would codify investment rules for the State Treasurer, requiring safety and principal preservation ahead of return and prohibiting speculative investments and insider-benefit conduct. The Treasurer’s Office said the bill reflects current policy and ethics rules already in place, and members asked about how “speculative” would be defined and whether the bill would affect other investment-related statutes. The committee passed the bill 15-0, with two members present and one not voting. HB 2344 would require the Treasurer to manage the local government investment pool and allow a third-party backup only in emergencies; the Treasurer’s Office argued this preserves a low-cost, high-liquidity service for local governments, while some members questioned whether it limited future Treasurers’ discretion. The committee passed HB 2344 12-2, with three present and one not voting. Later, the committee heard HB 2759, which would appropriate $500,000 to the Department of Veterans’ Services to partner with an educational institution in Yavapai County for veteran programs. A retired Navy SEAL and campus veterans coordinator described emergency housing, equipment, and professional-development needs for student veterans at Embry-Riddle, while several members supported the effort and others objected to using state funds for a private institution or a county-specific program. The bill passed 11-6, with one not voting. The committee also passed HB 2207, appropriating $300,000 for the prison Braille transcription program, after testimony that the program trains inmates in a skilled trade and has had no recidivism among released participants; it passed 17-0, with one not voting. Finally, HB 2224, as amended to reduce the appropriation from $2 million to $1 million, would fund the Double Up Food Bucks produce incentive program through SNAP. Supporters said it helps families, farmers, and local economies and can improve health outcomes, while members discussed budget constraints; the committee approved the amended bill after testimony from program advocates and farmers.

Transcript Highlights:

• The pass-through entity forecast decreased by $35 million, but as a positive to note, the estimated amount
• Because you can deduct a hundred percent of it as a pass-through entity, but in exchange, you now owe
• We're expecting that we would lose a piece of the pass-through entity.
• This includes government-owned entities, such as government hospitals, government parking garages, and
• Many of whom are out-of-state, very large corporate entities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, under existing law, there are only three entities who can go directly to a contractor to
• Under existing law, there are only three entities who can go directly to a contractor to receive a copy
• Berman recently, labor compliance entities have noted increasing instances of awarding agencies rejecting
• There is communication between the public entity and the contractor pretty regularly during the course
• judgment. ...that gets upheld other than the entity that owes an outstanding judgment for nonpayment

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee met on March 19, 2025, adopted its rules, and approved the consent calendar before hearing several bills. AB 538, by Assemblymember Berman, would require awarding bodies on public works projects to make a timely attempt to obtain certified payroll records from contractors when the public requests them, rather than simply saying they do not have the records. Supporters said it would clarify existing prevailing wage enforcement; county, city, special district, and housing groups opposed it over workload, privacy, and potential funding risks. The bill passed the committee on a do-pass recommendation to Appropriations. The committee then heard AB 485, authored by Chair Ortega, which would direct state agencies to deny or renew business licenses for employers with outstanding wage theft judgments unless the judgments are satisfied or bonded. Supporters, including labor groups and a caregiver who described delayed recovery of unpaid wages, said the bill would give workers meaningful leverage to collect judgments. The California Hospital Association opposed it, warning that license action could threaten patient access to care. The bill passed on a do-pass recommendation to Appropriations. AB 596, by Assemblymember McKinnor, would codify workers’ right to wear a face covering or respirator at work unless it creates a direct safety hazard. Supporters said the measure would protect workers from illness, wildfire smoke, and employer restrictions after prior Cal/OSHA protections expired; the Chamber of Commerce opposed it narrowly, asking for an exception where masks are infeasible for certain tasks. The committee supported the bill and sent it to Appropriations. The hearing concluded with the roll kept open for absent members and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• THAT MAINTENANCE ENTITY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A REGISTERED CONTRACTOR.
• THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A MAINTENANCE ENTITY BUT WITH THE ALLOWANCES, WHAT THAT MEANS IS, TYPICALLY
• THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR A MAINTENANCE ENTITY.
• OFTEN WE ARE DOING A SEPTIC TO SEWER CONVERSION WE ARE DEALING WITH ONE ENTITY.
• >> THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS, WHERE ALL THE OTHER SYSTEMS OFFER A MAINTENANCE ENTITY, THESE DON'T

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's multiple years for some entities.
• This is us bragging: we've brought 154 entities into compliance.
• It's important to understand that the number of audits and the entities run separately because they'll
• are not sacrificing any sort of open or transparency or compliance-based issues with any of our entities
• We also... done outreach through those entities.