Transcript Highlights:

• It keeps eligibility tied to income and targets relief to middle-to-low income Minnesotans who are feeling
• It keeps eligibility tied<00:10:39.560><c> to</c><00:10:39.640><c> income</c><00:10:40.000><c> and</c
• ><00:10:40.080><c> targets</c><00:10:40.640><c> relief</c><00:10:40.960><c> to</c> tied to income and
• targets relief to tied to income and targets relief to middle-to-low<00:10:41.600><c> income</c><00:
• You know, sales tax for a limited number of capital projects.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• She said these communities provide low- and moderate-income individuals with a home of their own, and
• 03:44.959><c> on</c><00:03:45.280><c> fixed</c> communities are on fixed communities are on fixed incomes
• <00:03:47.640><c> the</c><00:03:47.799><c> failing</c><00:03:48.280><c> infrastructure</c> incomes the
• failing infrastructure incomes the failing infrastructure system<00:03:49.480><c> is</c><00:03:49.640
• </c><00:30:49.640><c> have</c> than half of his income is just to have than half of his income is just

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• Twenty-five percent of our undergrads are Pell Grant recipients, meaning they come from families with incomes
• :02:21.200><c> with</c> meaning they come from families with meaning they come from families with incomes
• <00:02:21.879><c> generally</c><00:02:22.280><c> under</c> incomes generally under incomes generally
• She said some institutions have lost a million dollars in the last 990, while others have net income
• </c><00:36:38.040><c> what</c> small class sizes because we limit what small class sizes because we limit

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• It also limits municipalities' abilities to apply new land use and zoning requirements to upgrades of
• It also limits municipality's abilities to apply new land use and zoning requirements to upgrades of
• It does not limit anything that a United States citizen could do with regard to surrogacy unless the
• specific threshold amount or based on a percentage of his or her income or assets.
• It increases the maximum speed limit from 70 to 80 miles per hour on limited access facilities and from

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><03:00:24.720><c> English</c> without interpreters limited English without interpreters limited English
• </c> services for the Immigrant and limited services for the Immigrant and limited English-speaking Our
• , middle-income families and individuals throughout Hawaiʻi to learn new skills and grow income.
• This allows low-income, middle-income families and individuals throughout Hawaiʻi, all residents, to
• learn new skills and grow income.

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Finance informational briefing on grants and aids was held February 14 and was organized as a high-volume public testimony session with strict procedures: no Q&A, one representative per applicant, one minute per testimony, in-person testimony first, and then Zoom participants. The chairs also announced a recess at 11:00 a.m. for floor sessions and a reconvening at 1:00 p.m. Testimony was heard first from neighbor island applicants, then Oʻahu applicants, with members repeatedly directing speakers to line up and keep remarks brief. Neighbor island testimony focused on a wide range of capital and operating requests. Health and community projects included Hawaii Island Community Health Center’s workforce housing in Kau, Wuli Hawaiian Homestead Association’s learning center and predevelopment work, Rescue Tube Foundation’s beach rescue tube expansion, Puna Community Medical Center’s planned hospital/ER campus, Maui Humane Society’s free veterinary care after the wildfires, Hawaiʻi Care Choices’ palliative care readiness, and the Lyman Museum’s HVAC replacement. Other requests included the Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance’s Pāʻia Mill redevelopment, Laua 2020’s preschool and learning lab, Mālama Aina’s USDA-compliant meat processing facility, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association’s water safety programs, Kaha P Organization’s agriculture education support, Ohana Arts’ youth performance project, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center’s emergency closet, EOA Pacific’s Marshall Islands teacher training, and the Central Pacific Youth Athletic Club’s new facility. Oʻahu testimony included the YWCA Oʻahu/Pythink Center’s renovation of Juliet M. Atherton Hall and its community kitchen, West Oʻahu Community Health Center’s wildfire protection and security needs, the Early School’s playground improvements, Surfing the Nations’ food distribution center expansion, and Sounding Joy Music Therapy’s weekly services for people with disabilities. Speakers generally emphasized community benefit, workforce development, health access, food security, disaster recovery, and support for children, seniors, and underserved populations. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• tax is federal taxable income.
• So it's quite a bit of non-taxable income, if you will. So the OB3 impacts individual income tax.
• , receiving tip income, overtime pay.
• income tax.
• So I will note on the individual income tax, you know, the effects of the... ...income tax, you know,

Committee: Joint Government Finance Committee

Summary: The Government Finance Committee met with new leadership and approved the December 11 minutes. The committee first received an update from the Office of Management and Budget on the state general fund and major special funds. OMB reported revenues were tracking very close to forecast, with an estimated ending general fund balance of about $397 million, higher than previously expected. Staff also reviewed balances in the budget stabilization fund, legacy fund, foundation aid stabilization fund, social services fund, and strategic investment and improvements fund, along with oil tax collections and the current revenue picture. Legislative Council staff then summarized the special session budget changes and noted the updated beginning balance increased the projected ending balance for the next biennium. The Tax Department presented taxable sales and purchases data by county and industry, showing overall sales tax activity remained strong, with retail trade the largest sector and several counties posting notable gains. Commissioner Kraschis then reviewed federal tax changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and estimated their impact on North Dakota income tax collections, explaining that the figures were compared to the 2025 baseline and would be incorporated into future forecasts. Members asked about the overtime and tip exclusions, the senior standard deduction, and the primary residence property tax credit application count, which was running ahead of last year at more than 154,000 applications. The committee also heard from the Department of Transportation on fee schedules, with members focusing on driver’s license fees and the fact that current fees cover only about half of program costs, meaning the highway fund subsidizes the remainder. DOT also reported on specialty plate activity, including nearly 3,900 blackout plates issued, and noted increased state fleet usage. The Information Technology Department explained its internal service fund rate-setting process and discussed possible billing simplification, including annual billing and improved invoice detail. OMB also provided data on leased office space in the Bismarck-Mandan area and state workforce counts, and Legislative Council updated the committee on legislative branch space planning. Finally, subcommittee reports noted continued work on fixed-route transit funding and regional jail capacity, including Burleigh-Morton’s new DOCR housing wing and ongoing overcrowding in state correctional facilities. No formal votes beyond the minutes approval were taken, and the meeting adjourned with the next meeting set for June 25.

Transcript Highlights:

• a result of this policy focus of this policy focus on the needs of disadvantaged communities, low-income
• However, the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program has limited resources and is only funded to
• California's birth defects monitoring program is currently limited to 10 counties to monitor.
• That's a lot of money for somebody that's supposed to be on a low income rate.
• So I'm gonna let Rachel. about 5% to 10% of their household income, which is huge.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> including low and moderate income including low and moderate income housing<00:32:12.559><c> projects
• </c> &gt;&gt; It's our fourth highest income &gt;&gt; It's our fourth highest income generating<01:20
• </c><01:45:53.920><c> it</c> but doesn't actually expressly limit it but doesn't actually expressly limit
• You know, it limits minimum lot sizes to 1,200 square feet in urban areas, and it puts reasonable limits
• reasonable limits elsewhere. as someone reasonable limits elsewhere. as someone who's<01:46:41.040><c

Bills: HB1721 , HB1714 , HB1718 , HB1732 , HB1740 , HB1777 , HB1842 , HB1919 , HB1701 , HB1923 , HB1741 , HB1734 , HB1739

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The House Housing Committee met on February 4 and heard testimony on several housing measures, beginning with HB1721, which clarifies insurance, indemnification, and certificate-of-occupancy requirements for expedited permits. Testimony on HB1721 was uniformly supportive from the American Council of Engineering Companies, the Grassroot Institute, and individual testifiers, who said the bill would fix insurance issues for design professionals and encourage more participation in the expedited-permit program. No opposition was heard and no questions were raised. The committee then heard HB1714, which would raise salary caps for the executive director and deputy executive director positions at the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and allow more autonomy in personnel matters, including employment contracts. HHFDC supported the bill, saying greater flexibility is needed to recruit and retain staff and that current pay ceilings are not the main issue because the agency lacks operating funds to reach them. The Department of Human Resources Development offered comments and raised concerns about autonomous personnel authority and employment contracts, saying state personnel matters are governed by existing statutes and collective bargaining rules; the Hawaii Public Housing Authority also offered comments, and one board member and one individual opposed the measure. Members questioned whether performance-based pay or existing incentive policies could address retention instead of statutory salary changes. The committee also heard HB1718, which would make permanent county authority to facilitate mixed-use developments and issue county bonds for low- and moderate-income housing projects. Support came from OPSD, HHFDC, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Housing and Land Management, and Housing Hawaii’s Future, all emphasizing that permanent authority is needed to finance long-term mixed-use and transit-oriented projects. A member asked whether the sunset provision would make bonding impractical, and the city representative agreed that temporary authority would make financing difficult because development takes time. Later, the committee took up HB1732, establishing the Kamina Homes program to fund counties’ purchase of voluntary deed restrictions from eligible buyers. The Department of Taxation and several groups, including HHFDC, AARP Hawaii, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Realtors, Holomua Collaborative, and others testified, with most supporting the bill as a way to help local families remain in Hawaii and age in place. Holomua said a recent survey found 75% of 3,200 working families were considering moving, and argued the bill could preserve housing for local residents. Members asked about the bill’s 8% cap on deed-restriction cost and why the program focuses on residency rather than resale restrictions; the bill’s proponents said the cap allows flexibility for county negotiations and that the measure is aimed at workforce preservation rather than land-trust-style appreciation limits. Finally, the committee heard HB1740, which would modify a prior HHFDC housing pathway by reducing the qualified-resident requirement from 100% to 80% and allowing more flexibility for long-term rental instead of owner occupancy. HHFDC and Holomua Collaborative supported the change, saying the earlier 100% requirement had produced no developments or applicants and that the revised standard would make projects more feasible while still preserving housing for local residents. The committee did not take final votes on these measures during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In order to facilitate the goal of hearing as much from the public within the limits of our time, In
• Millions of low-income households and rural residents lack meaningful broadband access.
• Under current law, the regional broadband consortium authorized limited funds are available.
• So there's some limited adoption activities that really help engage deployment.
• Let's be clear what CETNA funding does. limited amount of training has not been provided.

Summary: The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee met with two bills on the agenda after opening remarks on hearing rules and public conduct. AB 2279 by Assembly Member Gibson proposed changes to the California Advanced Services Fund for regional broadband consortia, including expanding their authority to support broadband deployment and adoption, increasing multi-year funding, and shifting grants from reimbursement-based to performance-based payments. Supporters, including representatives from Cal Poly Humboldt, Valley Vision, and several broadband and technology organizations, said the bill would help consortia better close the digital divide and reduce administrative burdens. There was no opposition, and members discussed the high audit and accounting costs under current rules. The committee passed AB 2279 with a due pass as amended recommendation and re-referred it to Appropriations. The committee then heard AB 2041 by Assembly Member Carrillo, which would add existing dispatcher training requirements for pre-arrival medical instructions to the standards public safety agencies must meet to receive CETNA funding, without changing the funding amount or structure. Proponents, including emergency medical dispatch and ambulance representatives, argued the bill would help ensure consistent life-saving instructions for 911 callers. Opposition from CalNENA and a Riverside County Sheriff’s Office representative focused on the bill’s timing, since the underlying law from AB 645 does not take effect until 2027, and on concerns that withholding CETNA funds could harm PSAP operations. Members questioned where compliance gaps exist and whether education or other alternatives might work better. The committee ultimately passed AB 2041 with a due pass recommendation and re-referred it to the Committee on Emergency Management, with one member not voting at the time of the roll call. At the end of the hearing, the secretary completed roll calls on both measures after additional members arrived, confirming AB 2279 passed 9-0 and AB 2041 passed 8-0 with one not voting. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• In order to facilitate the goal of hearing as much from the public as possible within the limits of our
• time, In order to facilitate the goal of hearing as much from the public as possible within the limits
• Under current law, the regional broadband consortium has limited funds available.
• So there's some limited adoption activities that really help engage deployment.
• Let's be clear what CETNA funding does. limited amount of training has not been provided.

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Transcript Highlights:

• Public comment will be taken at the end of each panel and be limited to 30 seconds per individual.
• Second, under SIBTF, pre-existing conditions do not have to be work-limiting.
• Is it limited reforms or no reforms?
• The reforms, all but one, which is a statute of limitations, apply prospectively.
• What if we change those text limitations eliminated those cases?

Transcript Highlights:

• At the beginning of the day, introductions of guests are present only and are limited to a minute.
• HB 1142, federal tax; HB 1144, veterinary technician; HB 1167, city towns counties; HB 1180, DOR income
• In other words, a city cannot prohibit high-density development anywhere within municipal limits.
• And so because I think that this would limit our experiences, limit our school boards, limit the way
• House Bill 2939, amending Sections 41-1512 and 43-1083.03, A.R.S., relating to income tax credits.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sure we can work out a solution to limit, personally.
• income.
• My comments will be limited to the BFA's sort of portion of the bill.
• </c><01:22:02.600><c> income</c><01:22:03.560><c> additionally</c> often have limited income additionally
• often have limited income additionally despite<01:22:04.560><c> legal</c><01:22:04.920><c> protections

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• In exchange for the resources, the developers commit to set aside units at certain area median incomes
• Because this is an evergreen loan program, we were able to add $41.3 million in SAIL program income to
• for specific types of developments, focusing on innovative approaches that help low- and moderate-income
• These are like SAIL limits, as I discussed earlier.
• We have a limitation on what we can hire. That limitation has been imposed. We respect it.

Summary: The committee met to review agency program funding as it prepared to build the budget, hearing brief presentations from six agencies and then taking member questions. Florida Division of Emergency Management highlighted its role in response, preparedness, recovery, and mitigation, describing a largely federal pass-through budget, major technology investments, and large disaster and preparedness grant activity. The Department of Commerce, Department of State, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, Florida State Guard, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles also summarized their budgets, staffing, and major programs, including workforce and economic development, elections and arts funding, housing assistance, transportation work programs, military readiness, state guard expansion, and highway safety and motorist services. Members focused questions on several issues: arts and library grant funding and whether award criteria had changed; Commerce’s rural infrastructure and job growth grants and why funds were not being disbursed faster; Florida Housing’s use of SAIL, Live Local, Hometown Heroes, and SHIP funds and how smaller agencies learn about and access funding; and DOT’s work program gap between agency and governor proposals. The most extensive questioning was directed to Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about long DMV lines, vacancies, overtime, staffing shortages, and the ability to shift funds between divisions. The department said staffing and pay constraints, especially in South Florida, were driving service delays and vacancy rates, and that overtime was being used because troopers were leaving for better-paying jobs. The Florida State Guard was also questioned about its spending and procurement pace, including aircraft purchases and facilities. Its director said long procurement timelines explained the low initial spending and that obligations had risen sharply as contracts matured. Members also asked about the department’s public opposition to Amendment 3 and whether agency resources were used in that effort; the director said no contracts or purchases were made to influence the vote and said the colonel’s comments were made off the clock. The meeting ended with the chair asking agencies to respond promptly to unanswered questions, and the committee adjourned without any recorded votes or formal actions beyond receiving the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those who lost jobs, those who lost sources of income.
• We may see people displaced not returning for a very long time, and we have a limited budget.
• I do think the money should be prioritized based on zip code and income.
• To how much has to go towards each activity, there are limitations in that regard.
• We have limited resources. We have to constantly be trying to prioritize as we move forward.

Committee: Assembly Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• But what I will just start by saying is the Family Income Index uses income tax data from the families
• So, in the transition to the Family Income Index, you have the income categories here in Table One.
• or very low income. or very low income—every student who is below.
• income students.
• Why do we limit it to just them?

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:25:22.640><c> sales</c> uh state income taxes and state sales uh state income taxes and state
• </c> So now what we've done is we've limited So now what we've done is we've limited our<00:36:16.000
• </c><01:12:03.840><c> They</c> do a sales tax or income tax?" They do a sales tax or income tax?"
• Students from low-income households.
• </c> committee, higher family incomes committee, higher family incomes historically<04:28:30.239><c>

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Not every child with alpha-gal is that lucky, especially families with limited income who may not have
• And the income limit for SNAP is significantly lower than the income... ...And the income limit for SNAP
• is significantly lower than the income eligibility limit for Medicaid.
• So is this limited?
• And this is limited. We could serve way more people, but it's limited by funding.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Transcript Highlights:

• years, some issues have arisen that have placed unintentional barriers on qualified nominees and limited
• We all know that income interruption is disruptive in any family.
• We all know that income interruption is disruptive in any family.
• In our License to Work report, we found that 63 of the 102 low-to-moderate-income jobs often require
• The whole income and financial stability for military and veteran families is absolutely critical, so

Bills: HB 102 , HB300 , SB2255 , HB102 , HB300

Committee: Senate Veteran Affairs

Keywords: military education, early registration, ROTC, corps of cadets, higher education, military academy, scholarship, military, Texas Armed Services, military spouses, occupational licensing, state agency, license requirements, reciprocity, training and education, debt obligation, voter information, ballot, elections, transparency

Summary: The Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs heard three measures focused on military-connected students, service members, veterans, and their families. House Bill 102 would give eligible students in military-related university programs early registration privileges, similar to existing accommodations for expectant mothers and student athletes. House Bill 300 would modernize the Texas Armed Services Scholar program by increasing scholarship funding, clarifying the student employment agreement, and creating a scholarship coordinator at THECB to help students and families navigate the program. Senate Bill 2255 drew the most discussion and testimony. The bill would streamline occupational licensing for military members, spouses, and veterans by allowing Texas licensure based on an out-of-state license in good standing with a similar scope of practice, removing the Texas residency requirement, and shortening agency processing time from 30 days to 10 days in the committee substitute. Supporters from the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations, the Texas Association of Business, the Institute for Justice, TDLR, and the VFW said the bill would reduce bureaucratic delays, improve employment opportunities, and help military families maintain income during relocations. TDLR also described current licensing confusion between state and federal rules and said the bill would improve alignment and data collection. No witnesses testified against any of the bills. After public testimony closed on each measure, HB 102, HB 300, and SB 2255 were left pending in committee. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Christie Kenny, director of individual income tax. >> Okay. There are no amendments.
• Update state and federal references related to limits on members' post-tax contributions.
• Are you now considering income in determination of benefits?
• </c><00:12:18.040><c> to</c> salary increases shall be limited to salary increases shall be limited to
• The staff amendment service limits.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes, and then reviewed a series of administrative regulations from multiple agencies. Most of the regulations were presented as technical updates or policy clarifications, and in each case the committee approved staff-suggested amendments without objection. The Department of Revenue regulation would delete a section on tax credits for trusts and estates to align with statute. The Kentucky Public Pensions Authority package updated definitions, sick leave credit rules, hazardous/non-hazardous employment participation, refund procedures, contribution limits, mortality table references, and incorporated federal tax references. The Board of Medical Licensure regulations addressed renewal and activation of inactive physician-assistant licenses and renewal/reinstatement timelines for athletic trainer licenses. The Fish and Wildlife regulations revised rules for Otter Creek and Peabody areas by deleting definitions and creating shooting-range permit exemptions. The committee also heard emergency vocational rehabilitation regulations that would clarify definitions, due process rights, federal compliance, service fees, in-state service preferences, and service-specific requirements; a workforce insurance regulation updating contribution/reporting rules for professional employer organizations; and a horse racing regulation adding license categories for allied animal health professionals, animal chiropractors, and equine dental providers, while updating fees, application timing, and special events licensing. Members asked questions about the horse racing licensure changes, and the agency explained they were responding to prior session changes and adding guardrails, including veterinarian sign-off for equine therapist licensure on the back side of a racetrack. The Department for Public Health package made several personnel and salary-related changes for local health departments, including salary ranges for new hires, probation and evaluation rules, salary increases after probation, and limits on certain leave payouts for employees who separate without proper notice or are dismissed for cause. The Office of Inspector General regulation added electronic prescription references and removed authority to create a new prescription number for partial dispensing of Schedule II prescriptions. The Department for Medicaid Services regulations updated provider group definitions, removed some service limits, required prior authorization for all genetic testing for non-MCO recipients, changed physician fee schedule updates from quarterly to annually, and added reimbursement for department-approved vaccines. Members asked detailed questions about genetic testing prior authorization and sleep disorder coverage; the agency said prior authorization is intended to take two to five days and that sleep disorder services generally involve sleep apnea-related treatments such as CPAP machines and sleep studies. The committee then adjourned and announced its next meeting for Tuesday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m.