Transcript Highlights:

• </c> allow those local leaders that control allow those local leaders that control the<00:50:03.599><
• </c> constituents with a modocum of control constituents with a modocum of control over<01:11:44.320>
• ,</c><01:17:46.159><c> and</c> students, respects local control, and students, respects local control
• </c> to help get these budgets under control? to help get these budgets under control?
• Speaker. thereby retaining local control. And Mr. thereby retaining local control. And Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:02:35.680><c> can</c><01:02:35.839><c> also</c> internal controls but you can also internal controls
• I give you control for presenting.
• Um I have two colleagues uh controls.
• These are elective controls.
• </c> controls of all these different assets. controls of all these different assets.

Summary: The commission met with a quorum, approved the agenda, and approved the November 12 minutes after a motion, second, and unanimous voice/online consent. The chair said the meeting would include two presentations—one from Noah Herman of Fortress Global and one from John Kicko and team from Hedera—followed by discussion of the commission’s next steps and public comment. The chair also noted he was still seeking a clerk for note-taking. Herman’s presentation focused on stablecoins, blockchain use cases, and operational considerations for states and other institutions. He described Fortress as an enterprise crypto-wallet and treasury platform serving corporates, governments, and nonprofits, and used examples such as Save the Children and a large global commodities firm to illustrate custody and treasury management on blockchain rails. He said stablecoins are designed to maintain a U.S. dollar peg, are increasingly backed by treasuries and subject to greater transparency, and are being adopted by major firms and payment companies because they can improve speed, reduce cost, and simplify payments. He also highlighted market growth, including claims that stablecoins now represent a significant share of on-chain activity and are a major holder of U.S. Treasuries. He identified custody as a key issue for state and institutional use, outlining qualified custody, managed custody, and self-custody models. He said the main practical challenge for the commodities client was moving funds safely and quickly across global time zones and that blockchain rails could solve problems that traditional banking rails could not. He framed the broader trend as one of accelerating institutional adoption, citing recent acquisitions and product launches by Visa, Stripe, Citi, and PayPal as evidence that stablecoin infrastructure is becoming mainstream.

Transcript Highlights:

• So um local control I happened anyway.
• </c> the town the more local control matters. the town the more local control matters.
• </c> &gt;&gt; Managing money is is a local control &gt;&gt; Managing money is is a local control issue
• </c> local control. I'm not saying you can't. local control. I'm not saying you can't.
• </c> isn't that local community control? isn't that local community control?

Summary: The committee first approved corrected minutes from October 6 after members noted and fixed several transcription and spelling errors, including a clarification that a comment about SAU numbers came from former Senator Jim Rubin. The vote to approve the corrected minutes was moved, seconded, and adopted with one abstention. The main presentation came from Chuck Bates of the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), who described the organization, its certification program, and the role of school business administrators. He explained that ASBO members handle accounting and financial management, facilities, food service, HR, information systems, transportation, and risk management. He also outlined the certification program, which includes 21 courses, most online, plus four in-person workshops unique to New Hampshire, and noted that many members are not certified because the state licensure requirement was removed. Bates then addressed the committee’s interest in SAU consolidation and county-wide restructuring. He said business administrators often manage multiple budgets, attend school board meetings, and serve as a visible point of contact for the community. He argued that consolidation would create operational and financial challenges, including staff and facility relocation, differing accounting systems, lack of a standardized chart of accounts, and uncertain return on investment. He said the biggest obstacle would be local control, especially in small towns that do not want outside decisions affecting school closures, class sizes, or student transportation. Committee members questioned him about the distinction between administrative and academic control, the size of district offices in larger cities, and what might reduce administrative costs; Bates responded that many administrative costs stem from legislation and that consolidation would be difficult to implement without local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in the district's control in the district's control as<00:26:23.600><c> far</c><00:26:23.840><c>
• district does not have 100% control over the SAU.
• ,</c><01:47:17.360><c> one</c> you don't have 100% control, one you don't have 100% control, one district
• </c><01:47:19.679><c> over</c> district does not have 100% control over district does not have 100% control
• At the end of the day, the school districts together control the SAU.

Committee: House Education Funding

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and reviewed several previously heard bills, but focused its discussion on SB 586 and SB 580. The chair explained that SB 586 would require school districts and school administrative units to publish audit reports after the fiscal year, and that an amendment, 1472H, had been prepared to replace the relevant audit/reporting section. The amendment would add SAUs to the reporting entities, expand the contents of audits to include items such as employee lists, pay, benefits, and pension liabilities, and change the timing so audits are submitted nine months after the fiscal year end, followed by a three-month Department of Education review and then a further correction period before any grant funding could be withheld. The amendment would also require the reports to be posted in searchable electronic form on the web. Committee members discussed whether the bill’s “non-compliance” language referred only to incomplete submissions or also to audit findings, and several members raised concerns about whether the Department of Education had the staff and authority to take on this role, whether the existing DOE25 process would be displaced, and whether the bill should instead remain with the Department of Revenue Administration. One member noted that the fiscal note anticipated the need for additional auditors and significant staffing costs. The committee also reviewed SB 580, described as a school cooperative purchasing program bill that also contains policy provisions for charter school trustees, school board members, and receivership-related language tied to Claremont. The chair said the committee had previously heard comments from Charlie Arlinghouse on the cooperative purchasing portion and would use a side-by-side comparison prepared by staff when it reached that bill. Other bills on the docket were briefly described but not taken up that day: SB 491, which has committee-requested amendments and a separate non-germane amendment related to curriculum frameworks and academic standards; SB 513, an owner’s project manager bill held as a possible vehicle for future non-germane language; and SB 531, concerning a cosmetology program in Coös County and a possible task force. The chair said the committee would not address 491, 513, or 531 that day and would return to 580 and 586.

Transcript Highlights:

• If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary
• I strongly support local control and decision-making for approval of data centers. It is paramount.
• This bill provides for scheduling metatomidine as a Schedule III controlled substance.
• The Drug Control Act for mere possession institutes a five-year penalty.
• House Bill 268, Legal Control. House Bill 1133, Professional Licensure.

Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized several guests, including a student advocate and family members connected to a resolution on scoliosis awareness. The chamber first took up committee reports from Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, Tourism and Recreation and Economic Development, and later Appropriations, Rules, Commerce, and Environmental and Natural Resource Protection, agreeing to the reported bills and resolutions. House Resolution 531, designating June 2026 as Scoliosis Awareness Month, was adopted 201-1 after remarks describing the condition and the advocacy of a young constituent. The House also adopted resolutions designating Diaper Need Awareness Week, directing a study on PANS/PANDAS, recognizing 717 Day, Little League World Series Week, and commemorating America 250 in Pennsylvania, with broad bipartisan support. The House then considered several bills on final passage. House Bill 2146, updating the Sunshine Act’s 24-hour agenda notice rule after a court ruling, and Senate Bills 130, 511, 971, 972, 1181, and 1235 were agreed to. House Bill 1239, limiting HOA restrictions on rooftop solar, drew multiple amendments; some were withdrawn, and others failed on tied votes, after debate over HOA governance, native plants, and net metering. House Bill 2219, on license plates and transportation provisions, had an amendment agreed to removing indemnification language for elected officials at special events, and then passed as amended. House Bill 2558, banning non-compete agreements for broadcast workers, saw an amendment to preserve limited non-competes fail, and the bill passed. House Bill 2359, prohibiting government NDAs related to data centers, passed 171-31 after extensive debate over transparency and local control. The chamber also passed House Bill 2455, granting Pittsburgh school administrators collective bargaining rights, despite objections that existing appeal protections already exist; it passed 106-96. House Bill 2460, creating hunting and trapping education provisions, passed 180-22 after debate over whether it duplicated existing law and imposed a mandate. House Bill 2499, expanding the State Workers’ Insurance Fund’s equity investment authority, passed 173-29. House Bill 2529, scheduling metatomidine as a Schedule III controlled substance, passed 198-4 amid testimony about overdose risks and concerns about criminalization. Senate Bill 604, joining the Counseling Compact, passed 188-14, and Senate Bill 1259, clarifying parole record privilege and expanding notice to denied parole applicants, passed unanimously 202-0. The House then made referrals and committee assignments, signed the two Senate bills for presentation to the Governor, and adjourned until July 1, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• An alcohol control plan contains the following information: where and when alcohol is permitted, where
• and when minors are permitted on the premises, and the control measures that will be in place to ensure
• And it also puts on substantial controls if there are children present.
• That outcome is the result of strong, consistent controls that are central to how we operate.
• And then having to do the alcohol control plan speaks to a lot of what we expect those licensees to do

Bills: HB1526 , HB1069 , HB1347 , HB2091 , HB2264

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: liquor license, snack bar, state regulations, alcohol sales, business licensing, collective bargaining, retirement benefits, employee rights, public sector, supplemental benefits, education, funding, student loans, affordability, higher education, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation

Transcript Highlights:

• I really want to emphasize again the link between control and funding.
• <00:30:46.000><c> the</c><00:30:46.320><c> link</c><00:30:46.559><c> between</c><00:30:46.960><c> control
• </c> emphasize again the link between control emphasize again the link between control and<00:30:47.520
• </c> something to address the out of control something to address the out of control spending<00:30:57.679
• </c> ...more local control by school boards.

Summary: The committee first reviewed and approved the prior day’s minutes after making several corrections, including changing references to the “majority report,” fixing wording and spelling in the special education section, clarifying language about NAPE scores, and correcting a funding figure from 2,000 to 20,000. Members also agreed to add a sentence noting that the conclusions of the special education study commission should be considered in any consolidation plan. The minutes were then adopted unanimously. The committee then worked through the minority report, making edits to soften or clarify language. Changes included replacing “partisan” with “participation,” revising a statement about test scores so it reflected that “the minority believes” some committee members lacked a complete understanding, and adding “the minority believes” before a statement that the structure of education funding is inequitable because of its reliance on local property taxes. Members also discussed whether some wording was factual or opinion-based, and agreed to leave some comments in place or make minor wording adjustments. After discussion, the committee voted on the final report of the majority of the committee, with edits and appendices, and approved it by a 5-2 vote. Representatives Damon and Bricky voted no. Members noted that a minority report would also be included in the final materials. Finally, the committee authorized the committee assistant to make technical corrections, fix remaining typos, and include the minutes of the meeting, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Poor moderation, the lack of parental controls in relation to age identification, and inadequate safety
• You can and must do better to publicize and promote those controls and tools.
• In fact, when I'm going through some of the controls.
• Mention parental controls, if there was a framework for a parent just to shut the spigot off and make
• In your testimony, you observed that these controls would better serve minors and their guardians if

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Keywords: child safety, Big Tech, CSAM, legislation, online exploitation, bipartisan, social media

Summary: The committee meeting focused on the pressing issues surrounding child safety online, with a particular emphasis on recent legislative efforts aimed at curbing child sexual exploitation and harmful content accessible through social media platforms. Senators engaged in a heated discussion regarding the implications of Big Tech's lobbying efforts against vital bills such as the Stop CSAM Act and the Kids Online Safety Act. Noteworthy testimonies highlighted real-life impacts of online dangers, including tragic cases of child exploitation and drug-related fatalities linked to social media interactions. The bipartisan nature of the committee's commitment to address these issues showcased a collective determination to make the digital environment safer for the younger generation.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires a covered company to make controls available that enable account holders to restrict which
• It recategorizes the prescribed minor default settings as required parental control features.
• It describes minor default settings as required parental control features, removes as required parental
• control features the ability to disable the display of personalized recommendation systems for a child
• default settings as required parental control features, removes as required parental control features

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, recorded attendance, welcomed former Senator Limpancrazi, and recognized page Owen Washburn and his family. The chamber then moved through messages and second-reading listings, and the Committee of the Whole considered several House bills. HB 2398, dealing with watercraft operation and peer-to-peer watercraft sharing insurance, received a floor amendment clarifying the types of insurers that may provide primary commercial boat liability coverage and was reported do pass as amended. HB 2477, relating to the Arizona Education Savings Plan, was amended to add investment guardrails, conflict-of-interest protections, an advisory team, limits on land investments, and statutory treatment of the local government investment pool, then reported do pass as amended. The Committee of the Whole also considered HB 2251 on midwifery, which was amended to transfer oversight of licensed midwives from the Department of Health Services to the Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board, add a licensed midwife to the board, separate midwife and naturopathic funds, apply investigative and disciplinary procedures, and make conforming changes; it was reported do pass as amended. HB 2991, concerning minors’ access to technology content and social media, drew extensive debate. A floor amendment revised age-signal and parental-consent procedures, changed default settings language, removed a private right of action, and made other technical changes. Senators Tise, Epstein, and others argued the bill still raised serious First Amendment and censorship concerns, while Senator Bullock defended it as a child-safety measure that did not require uploading ID. The bill was ultimately reported do pass as amended. In third reading, the Senate adopted the Committee of the Whole report, retained HB 2397 on the calendar, and voted on several bills. HB 2104, HB 2105, HB 2763, HB 2786, HB 2771, HB 2782, and HB 4117 passed; HB 2457, HB 2494, and HB 2696 failed. HB 2457 and HB 2494 drew opposition over local control and land-use concerns, while HB 2696, aimed at fuel and gas prices, drew criticism that the Commerce Authority was not the right vehicle and that the issue was driven by federal policy. HB 4117, relating to offenses against public order and religious services, passed after sharp debate over whether it would protect worship or chill protest and free speech, with opponents warning of vague language and potential political prosecutions. The Senate also voted to reconsider its prior action on HB 2311 and HB 2601, requested the House return HB 2995 for reconsideration, and adjourned until Thursday, June 11, at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The 726 Air Control Squadron is a tenant unit of the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base
• They are a mobile control and reporting center responsible for decentralized command and control of joint
• So if he's related to the mayor, the mayor has no control or is not the direct line of leadership that
• We tried to control nature, and the more we tried to control nature, the more nature showed us it can't
• be controlled.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• its presence felt in the islands, how they deal with that: identification, surveying, eradication, control
• , and at some point giving up on control and deciding what places they want to preserve versus other
• </c><00:23:29.280><c> and</c> identification eradication control and identification eradication control
• </c><00:23:30.080><c> giving</c><00:23:30.320><c> up</c><00:23:30.559><c> on</c><00:23:30.799><c> control
• </c><00:23:31.120><c> and</c> at some point giving up on control and at some point giving up on control

Bills: HB2240 , HB2272 , HB2273 , HB2274 , HB2275

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, the state's implementation of internal controls for all of these areas must be tested.
• Deficiencies were noted in the internal controls over the eligibility of recipients.
• Also, overpayments recovered as a result of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, or MFCU, for short, casework
• Finally, deficiencies were noted in the internal controls over properly supporting provider eligibility
• She's the deputy in charge of our Medicaid fraud control unit, or Mafuku.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-MEDICAID SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The Medicaid Subcommittee of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee met to adopt the November 2018 minutes and receive a primer on the subcommittee’s role and Medicaid oversight in Arkansas. Legislative audit staff reviewed the subcommittee’s history and explained that Medicaid is audited annually through the statewide single audit because it is a high-risk federal program. Staff summarized recent audit findings, including weaknesses in eligibility and data-matching controls, improper use of Medicaid funds for partially non-Medicaid work, issues with incarcerated juveniles’ coverage, the absence of a Medicaid recovery audit contractor program exception request, reporting problems involving MFCU recoveries, and provider eligibility documentation concerns. Staff also noted a DHS departmental audit finding involving employees who improperly received benefits, which was referred for further action. The Department of Human Services gave an overview of Medicaid’s structure, eligibility, delivery systems, and budget. DHS described Arkansas Medicaid as covering about 850,000 people through fee-for-service, managed care, and premium assistance for the expansion population, and outlined major spending categories such as institutional care, long-term services, pharmacy, capitated payments, and supplemental payments. DHS also explained the difference between state plan amendments and waivers, and said it has a beneficiary-fraud unit that refers cases to local prosecutors. The Office of Medicaid Inspector General described its role in detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse, distinguishing between suspensions for credible allegations of fraud and recovery actions for mistakes or overpayments. OMIG said it works with DHS and law enforcement, issues quarterly and annual reports, and has increased recoveries in recent years. The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit explained that it prosecutes provider fraud criminally and civilly, can also handle long-term care neglect, abuse, and exploitation cases, and works with local prosecutors as special deputies. Committee members asked about court venue, provider suspensions, beneficiary fraud, education of providers, and the status of Medicaid expansion work requirements; DHS said it is preparing to implement community engagement requirements under HR 1 and will begin with a soft launch before full enforcement. No formal votes were taken beyond adoption of the minutes, and the meeting adjourned after questions were answered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, the state's implementation of internal controls for all of these areas must be tested.
• Deficiencies were noted in the internal controls over the eligibility of recipients.
• Finally, deficiencies were noted in the internal controls over properly supporting provider eligibility
• She's the deputy in charge of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, or Mafuku.
• talk a little bit about what our office does in relation to Medicaid, particularly with the fraud control

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-MEDICAID SUBCOMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• THE STATE-BASED PRICE CONTROL SYSTEM THAT IGNORES OTHER STATE POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT
• THERE'S THREE BIG PBM'S THAT CONTROL 80% OF ALL COVERED PLANS, THE PBM'S ARE OWNED BY THE HEALTH PLANS
• IF WE IMPORT CITRATE SYSTEM HERE AND THROUGH A STATE-BASED PRICE CONTROL SYSTEM WE WOULD HAVE SIMILAR
• , WE'VE SEEN PRICE CONTROLS AND MEDICARE RECENTLY, 60% OPTION I KNOW FLORIDA DOESN'T WANT TO DO THAT
• PBM IS IN THIS BILL WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO CONTROL WHETHER THEIR PHARMACY CAN DECLINE TO FILL A

Transcript Highlights:

• WHAT THAT MEANS IS WAYS TO CONTROL WEEDS, WAYS TO CONTROL OTHER PESTS AND HARVESTERS AND I'M GOING TO
• A FUNGICIDE APPLICATION AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS SCENARIO IS RATHER THAN SPRAY THE WHOLE FIELD TO CONTROL
• MOTHER NATURE PROVIDES THAT CONTROL.
• IT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL MUCH OF IT BUT THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME AND AI IS A BIG HELP ON OUR FARM. >>
• I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IN MY OWN RESEARCH TEAM WE HAVE, WE DEVELOPED SOMETHING IN A CONTROLLED

Transcript Highlights:

• LOGISTICS, WE ACQUIRED AND DEPLOYED 12,200 LINEAR FEET OF FLOOD CONTROL DEVICES TO HELP FLOOD FIGHT EFFORTS
• LOGISTICS, WE ALMOST TRIPLED WHAT WE PUT OUT FOR LINEAR FEET OF FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS. 3500 FOR THE FLOOD
• I CAN CONTROL WHAT I CAN CONTROL.
• THERE IS AN AGENCY THAT SITS IN DC THAT I CANNOT CONTROL AND TO THAT END ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS
• I CANNOT CONTROL AND TO THAT END ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

Transcript Highlights:

• and contract controls oversight and contract compliance. compliance. compliance.
• ,</c><00:54:06.880><c> grant</c> internal process controls, grant internal process controls, grant monitoring
• They want to do more financial controls. Great.
• </c> They want to do more financial controls. They want to do more financial controls.
• </c> includes all sorts of internal controls includes all sorts of internal controls including<01:40:

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• This recommendation includes three additional FTE for our internal control and accountability unit.
• </c> internal control internal control environments<00:09:38.120><c> additionally</c><00:09:38.680><c
• </c> holders but also controlling holders but also controlling individuals<01:31:03.159><c> and</c><01
• </c><01:31:23.320><c> or</c> ownership management or control or ownership management or control or billing
• </c><01:32:09.360><c> individuals</c> tools to check controlling individuals tools to check controlling

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Scott, each will control 20 minutes.
• ><c> careers,</c><03:27:06.000><c> allowing</c> control over their careers, allowing control over their
• Stanton, will each control Arizona, Mr. Stanton, will each control 20<04:00:43.760><c> minutes.
• Figures, each control 20 minutes.
• Figures, each control 20 minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the largest areas of work involved property control and capital assets.
• Superintendent, how do you have control over who's on the school board?
• How do you control that?
• But realistically, we don't have full control.
• And so certainly a lack of internal controls or a failure of internal controls can lead to bad things

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Summary: The committee first heard an update on Topok Elementary School District’s long-running noncompliance with Arizona’s Uniform System of Financial Records. The Auditor General’s office explained the USFR noncompliance process and reported that Topok had made substantial progress, correcting many deficiencies in areas such as open meeting law, procurement, payroll, attendance reporting, property control, and information technology. The district’s superintendent and staff described the corrective actions they had taken, the use of outside consultants, and their plan to maintain compliance through stronger leadership, training, and consistent procedures. Members praised the district’s progress and asked about the remaining deficiencies and the status of the 3% state-aid withholding, which the Auditor General said would be addressed by the State Board of Education. The committee then considered a request for a fourth school safety special audit, tied to concerns raised by Representative Martinez about Phoenix Union High School District and school violence response practices. The Auditor General said the proposed audit would be a new topic focused on policies and procedures for responding to credible threats of violence and allegations of staff misconduct affecting student safety, and could include Phoenix Union in the sample. Representative Martinez described a fatal 2024 shooting, weapons incidents, and concerns about district oversight. The committee approved the motion 10-0. Next, staff presented the fiscal years 2027-2028 school district performance audit schedule, describing 26 randomly selected school districts and career and technical education districts, plus 84 planned follow-ups. The Auditor General said the schedule is intended to shorten the average time between audits and that the school audits division is now fully staffed. Members asked about county coverage and the inclusion of ESA accountability, but the schedule was ultimately presented for review rather than approval. The committee also heard a detailed federal compliance audit presentation on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administered by DES. The Auditor General reported repeated findings involving missing provider documentation, questioned costs, and FFATA reporting errors, including a 2024 sample that led to questioning $2.88 million in costs. The office recommended stronger documentation, record retention, reporting procedures, and staff training; DES concurred and said it would correct the findings in 2026. Members discussed the limits of the single-audit scope, the possibility of a broader special audit, and the federal government’s recent actions on CCDF oversight in other states. Finally, the committee considered and discussed a special audit request for CCDF that would broaden review to provider oversight, licensing, site visits, and billing accuracy across multiple state agencies, with estimated costs of $547,000 to $625,000 and a projected report date of July 31, 2027.