Transcript Highlights:

• Tammy Williams, CFO, Department of Commerce. Good morning.

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council met and first adopted the previous meeting minutes, then honored Lori McDonald of the Department of Human Services for nearly 28 years of state service. Members read a resolution recognizing her legislative, constituent, and leadership work at DHS, and the council adopted it unanimously. McDonald thanked members for their support, and the Senate also presented her with a citation, a flag flown over the Capitol, and a commemorative coin. The council then received the May 2026 revenue report, which showed gross adjusted collections of $7.76 billion year-to-date, up 4.4% from the prior year, and net available for distribution of $6.36 billion. The Bureau of Legislative Research noted collections were running above last year and that the updated forecast reflected a surplus. The Executive Subcommittee report was adopted after members were told it had approved captive insurance premiums and deductibles, a claims administration contract, emergency DHS rules, waiver requests, committee fund allocations, and the cancellation of the regular July ALC meeting in favor of only meeting for urgent matters. Several subcommittee reports were then adopted, including Administrative Rules, Game and Fish and State Police, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Lottery Oversight, Occupational Licensing Review, Peer Review, Review, State Insurance Programs Oversight, and Personnel. During the Administrative Rules discussion, members questioned the Department of Education about delays and vendor performance under the ClassWallet contract; department officials said they were meeting regularly with the vendor, keeping expense review in-house, and would consider other options if needed. In Personnel, the Department of Commerce clarified that a reallocation request was part of a broader departmental realignment and shared services move, not the Arkansas Workforce Connection waiver. The council also reviewed and took action on several communications, including filing retirement system investment summaries as reviewed, approving rural community grant funding, giving favorable advice for state park acquisitions/expansion, approving special maintenance funding for state parks, and filing proposed Office of State Technology service rates as reviewed before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tammy Williams, CFO, Department of Commerce. Good morning.

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Transcript Highlights:

• Not only am I doing CFO work, but I'm also doing all the HR work, which meant that training went by the

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• And Jean Torres Montoya is our CFO.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we did capture some of that, but I'll have to get with Miss Carlton and our CFO.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Cheney: So in the larger municipalities and counties, they have very skilled CFOs that
• have... ...very skilled CFOs that have the software, the knowledge, and the ability to provide the transparency
• Representative Cheney: So in the larger municipalities and counties, they have very skilled CFOs that
• They have very skilled CFOs that have the software, the knowledge, and the ability to provide the transparency

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a quorum call, and several recognitions, including a moment of silence for service members killed in the Middle East conflict. The chamber adopted the special order report and then took up several bills on the special order calendar. Early action included passage of CS/CS/HB 981 on tributaries of the St. Johns River and Ocklawaha River restoration after debate over environmental benefits versus concerns about impacts to Rodman Reservoir, rural communities, property values, and long-term uncertainty. The bill passed 107-3. Members then considered CS/HB 1389 on affordable housing and the Live Local Act. The bill would expand multifamily and mixed-use allowances, limit local setback/stepback restrictions, remove local opt-out authority, address accessory dwelling units, and waive sovereign immunity for certain land-use discrimination claims. Supporters argued it would increase housing supply amid a statewide shortage; opponents objected to further state preemption of local control and the ADU provisions. The bill passed 78-29. The House also passed CS/CS/HB 1085, codifying the local government cybersecurity grant program and prioritizing fiscally constrained counties, by a unanimous 109-0 vote. The chamber next debated CS/HB 273 on special districts, which would allow certain agreements in rural areas of opportunity and impose new transparency and budget rules on larger downtown development districts. Questions focused on the meaning of “directly benefit,” the 10% administrative cap, budget approval authority, and the bill’s effect on downtown development authorities. An amendment to remove the downtown district provisions failed, and the bill passed 88-0. The House later returned to the temporarily postponed CS/HB 989 on motor vehicle manufacturers and franchise dealers, which limits allocation of new vehicle lines to any one dealer group; it passed 109-1. Finally, the House took up CS/HB 1329 on local government spending transparency. The bill requires tentative budgets to be posted 14 days before hearings, final budgets to remain online for five years, and budget data to be searchable and downloadable, with waivers for smaller governments. Members debated whether the bill would impose costs despite the sponsor’s claim of zero fiscal impact. An amendment by Representative Cheney would have added hardship assistance for small governments and CFO support, but the transcript ends during debate on that amendment before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then Brett Robinson is our CFO back here.
• And then Brett Robinson<00:43:23.520><c> is</c><00:43:23.680><c> our</c><00:43:23.920><c> CFO</c><00:
• </c><00:43:25.119><c> And</c><00:43:25.760><c> I</c> Robinson is our CFO back here.
• And I Robinson is our CFO back here.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• so, weirdly, you subsidize... you subsidize entirely the cost of... ...their payroll tax for their CFO
• Christina Hartman, Superintendent, Robert O'Banion, CFO. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• It's Robert O'Banion, the CFO with Wyndham School District, and I'll briefly go over a few details of
• I’d welcome any questions along with our CFO. Senator Zaffirini. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• He is MnDOT CFO and he is here to help with any questions as well as run the slides for me.
• He is MnDOT CFO and he is here to help with any questions as well as run the slides for me.
• Commissioner or if I was wondering um, Commissioner or if the<01:27:43.360><c> the</c><01:27:43.600><c> CFO
• <c> your</c><01:27:44.239><c> team</c><01:27:44.400><c> could</c><01:27:44.560><c> talk</c> the the CFO
• and your team could talk the the CFO and your team could talk about<01:27:44.800><c> how</c><01:27:45.040

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, Frank Adlau, Commissioner of Education, uh, Tammy Valancor, CFO, and then behind me, I think
• And then obviously you've got our Office of Business Management, run by our CFO, on the next slide.
• And then obviously you've got our Office of Business Management, run by our CFO, on the next slide.
• And then obviously you've got our Office of Business Management, run by our CFO, on the next slide.
• And then obviously you've got our Office of Business Management, run by our CFO, on the next slide.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Just last week, I met with our CFO and our director of admission to review financial aid applications
• Just last week, I met with our CFO and our director of admission to review financial aid applications
• And so I encourage you to game out what happens, talk to your CFOs, talk to your financial services folks
• </c><01:51:45.000><c> to</c><01:51:45.119><c> your</c><01:51:45.239><c> financial</c> talk to your CFOs
• talk to your financial talk to your CFOs talk to your financial services<01:51:46.119><c> folks</c><

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And we just want to remind our building officials, you know, in this environment where we have our CFO

Summary: The Legislative Auditing Committee heard several local-government audit requests and unanimously approved each one. The first item was Baker County, where county commissioners asked for an operational and financial audit because of repeated late audits, concerns about the finance office, and lack of confidence in county financial reporting. The county clerk supported an audit but argued it should be countywide and include all constitutional officers; she also described a dispute over access to the county finance system and pending litigation. After brief questions, the committee adopted a 9-0 motion directing the Auditor General to perform an operational audit of Baker County’s financial operations and records, with scope to be finalized during the audit. The committee then approved an audit request for the Concord Estates Community Development District in Osceola County. Senator Arrington said residents alleged excessive board compensation, large unexplained spending, missing financial reports, and refusal to provide records or hold open meetings. Residents and a board member testified about rising assessments, deteriorating amenities, and lack of transparency. The committee voted 10-0 to direct an operational audit of the CDD. It also approved, by 10-0 votes, operational audits of the town of Melbourne Beach, based on allegations of fiscal and operational improprieties and lawsuits that had cost the town more than $150,000, and the city of Apalachicola, where Senator Simon said longstanding water utility failures, grant issues, and consent-order problems warranted review. The final request was for a financial and operational audit of Cape Coral’s Building Department. Representative G. Lombardo said building-fee revenues appeared to be transferred for non-building purposes, permit processing was inconsistent, and the department relied heavily on a private firm while the building official had prior ties to that firm. Industry representatives testified that building funds were being diverted, service levels were suffering, and private-provider inspections were not always reflected in fee reductions. The committee adopted the motion 10-0. After completing all agenda items, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is- CFO, my chief of internal operations, and she's made some suggestions about we can clean up some

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V

Transcript Highlights:

• the board of directors start that you're not the board that the people that work under the CEO, the CFO
• the board of directors start that you're not the board that the people that work under the CEO, the CFO
• under</c><00:32:43.920><c> the</c><00:32:44.000><c> CEO,</c><00:32:44.480><c> the</c><00:32:44.600><c> CFO
• ,</c> people that work under the CEO, the CFO, people that work under the CEO, the CFO, the<00:32:45.800

Transcript Highlights:

• Like President Kennedy, I was a CFO before a president, working at both Massasoit and UMass Dartmouth
• My question more centers on the fact it used to be a CFO, and I guess I just wonder your thoughts.
• maintenance versus having a reliable revenue stream that we can count on and do multi-year planning, from a CFO

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Higher Education held its second public hearing of the 194th General Court on capital investments in higher education, focusing primarily on H.54, the Bright Act, along with H.1426/S.949 on green and healthy public colleges and universities and deferred maintenance, and H.1424 on capital investment in Gateway Cities. Chairs and administration officials framed the hearing as a response to aging campus infrastructure, climate goals, workforce needs, and federal pressures on higher education, and explained that testimony would be taken from pre-registered speakers in person and virtually. University of Massachusetts leaders strongly supported the Bright Act, describing large deferred maintenance backlogs, aging buildings, and the need to decarbonize campuses while modernizing research and teaching facilities. UMass officials said the bill would help keep tuition and fees lower by reducing the need for campuses to finance capital work themselves, and argued that the investments would improve competitiveness, support research, and create construction jobs. Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Secretary of Education Tuttweiler, and Secretary of Administration and Finance Gorzkowicz also backed the bill, saying it would leverage Fair Share surtax revenues for a proposed $2.5 billion in campus investments plus additional targeted grants, and that it would support affordability, economic growth, and climate resilience. Committee members asked about the balance between deferred maintenance and decarbonization, the role of grant programs versus direct spending, the impact on tuition and fees, and how the plan would help campuses respond to federal cuts such as NIH and NSF funding. Administration officials said the proposal was designed to be phased in quickly, with some projects ready to start immediately and others taking longer, and that the grant programs would be structured to include all campuses equitably. They also said the plan would build on an existing financing model similar to the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and could help campuses avoid future tuition increases tied to capital costs. Additional testimony came from MassBay Community College, where President David Podell and recent nursing graduate Deanna Cavazos described the benefits of a new Framingham campus building and said community colleges need modern labs, better planning capacity, and deferred maintenance support to serve the enrollment growth from MassReconnect and MassEducate. State university leaders, including President Mary Grant, President Linda Thompson, and President John Keenan, said their campuses face outdated classrooms, insufficient electrical capacity, and aging facilities, and urged passage of the Bright Act as a long-overdue investment in student success and workforce preparation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have our chair emeritus, our CFO, Blazing Goli here today.
• He was going to go work for me for my CFO campaign.
• He was going to go work for me for my CFO campaign, and I called him up, and I said, “Hey, we’ve got

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, then devoted most of the first part of the meeting to a farewell-style recognition of Senator Joe Gruters. Senators from both parties offered extended remarks praising his loyalty, political instincts, family involvement, and work as a legislator and as incoming Republican National Committee chair. Gruters responded with remarks about his background, including overcoming a childhood speech impediment, his service in the Legislature, and major policy efforts he highlighted such as alimony reform and the undergrounding of utilities. A ceremonial gift was presented to him recognizing his work on a 2019 public-safety/immigration bill, and the Senate adopted a motion to spread his remarks upon the journal before recessing briefly. After the recess, the Senate returned to regular business. No committee reports, governor’s messages, House messages, or reconsideration matters were reported. The chamber then moved to third reading and temporarily postponed CS/CS/CS/SB 354, relating to blue ribbon projects. The next bill, CS/CS/SB 1758, relating to public assistance, was taken up, and Senator Gaetz explained that it contained five reforms to the public assistance system previously discussed by the Senate. Debate was about to continue when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, another phone-a-friend, our CFO, Pal Yang. Thank you. Uh, welcome.
• Chair, members, my name is Pal Yang, CFO for the Office of Higher Education.
• My name is Pal Yang, CFO for the Office of Higher Education.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Their tax bill was in the hundred thousands; they ended up paying $13,500 again after their CFO, I mean
• over the last decade in the state of Minnesota, has contributed to. paying $ 13 ,500 again after their CFO
• I paying $ 13 ,500 again after their CFO I mean<00:14:03.480><c> controller</c><00:14:04.160><c> spent

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the CFO of Condominium Financial Management. of the committee. I am Stacey Donnelly.
• Professionally, I'm the CFO of Condominium Financial Management in Walnut Creek.

Summary: The committee heard several housing-related bills. AB 2002 would clarify and extend the REAP 1.0 regional housing planning grant program, with the author and regional planning groups arguing it provides needed technical assistance for housing elements and RHNA compliance; the California Building Industry Association opposed unless amended over concerns about local constraints. The committee discussed accepted amendments on regulations, suballocation to subregions, and spending deadlines, and then passed the bill on a do pass as amended motion to Senate Appropriations. AB 1684 would prohibit HOAs from restricting homeowners’ ability to install or replace cooling systems, with supporters citing heat safety and opponents focusing on building integrity, electrical capacity, permits, and common-area placement; the committee adopted amendments on licensed electrical contractors, disclosure, and permit requirements, and passed the bill to Senate Judiciary. AB 1710 would extend SB 330-style vesting protections to state and regional agencies so housing projects are not subject to later regulatory changes, with supporters emphasizing predictability and opponents warning it could conflict with later state, regional, and federal requirements, especially for water and environmental rules; the bill was passed as amended to Senate Local Government. The committee also heard AB 2263, which would authorize the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to provide employee housing on its land with a preference for VTA workers while keeping units open to the public and compliant with fair housing law. VTA said the bill would help employees facing long commutes and high housing costs, and the committee discussed financing through transit-oriented development partnerships and existing land holdings; the bill was passed as amended to Senate Appropriations. AB 2270 would require the state tax credit committee to account for rural realities when scoring farmworker housing projects for low-income housing tax credits; supporters said current amenity-based scoring disadvantages rural farmworker developments, and the bill was passed as amended to Senate Appropriations. Later, AB 2118 would refine AB 2011 by limiting local objective standards that can block mixed-use and affordable housing projects, with supporters saying cities still use loopholes to delay projects; the committee discussed possible state mandate reimbursement issues and passed the bill to Local Government. Finally, AB 2050 would require HOA reserve funding based on reserve studies, add notice and safeguards for reserve transfers, and phase in funding over six years; supporters argued it would prevent large special assessments and protect homeowners, while opponents said enforcement remains weak and the bill could still burden owners. The committee did not take a final recorded vote on AB 2050 in the portion provided, but members discussed the need for stronger enforcement and the balance between reserve funding and affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the CFO of Condominium Financial Management.
• Professionally, I'm the CFO of Condominium Financial Management in Walnut Creek.

Committee: Senate Housing