Video & Transcript Research : 'Texas Government Code Chapter 3108'
Page 191 of 500
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
Human Trafficking in Emergency Departments Task Force May 15th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- here on behalf of the Louisiana State Medical Society, and I am the president-elect of the Louisiana chapter
- In Texas, we do.” “No, there’s not funding here for that. But we do in Texas.
- And from Mississippi, Texas. We've got to cover it all the way. Well said. I agree. Mm-hmm.
- When he mentioned Mississippi, Texas, it made me think of I invited Charity Trahan today.
- It's a response system based on a QR code that can be in any health care setting, and it embeds all the
Summary:
The first meeting of the Human Trafficking and Emergency Department Task Force focused on implementing Act 267 of 2025, which created the body to develop a statewide human trafficking protocol to be incorporated into regional sexual assault response plans. Chair Rep. Kelly Hennessy Dickerson and Office of Human Trafficking Prevention Director Mary Kate Andrepont outlined the task force’s goal of producing a practical, transferable protocol for hospitals and emergency departments across Louisiana, with help from Heal Trafficking. Members and presenters repeatedly emphasized that the protocol should be trauma-informed, survivor-centered, multidisciplinary, and adaptable to different regions and health systems.
Hospital, SANE, and advocacy presenters described current practices and gaps. Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport’s Operation Rahab and FMOLHS’s policies highlighted staff education, badge buddies, private screening, reporting pathways, and coordination with the National Human Trafficking Hotline, law enforcement, DCFS, and local advocates. SANE nurses and forensic staff stressed that most trafficking victims pass through emergency departments and that subtle behavioral indicators, rapport-building, and broad staff education are critical. LaFASA described statewide sexual assault advocacy services, emphasizing 24-hour crisis response, legal support, and the role of advocates in helping survivors understand options and regain control.
Child and youth trafficking specialists from DCFS-contracted programs, including Unbound Now and BCFS/Common Thread, explained Louisiana’s Act 662 response for minors, which routes reports into coordinated advocacy and care coordination. They said their teams respond statewide within 90 minutes, provide crisis support, and work with CACs, hospitals, and law enforcement. Members raised concerns about major service gaps, especially for adults, transportation, safe housing, and specialized placements for survivors with disabilities. Presenters also noted that male survivor housing remains limited, though Eden Centers now offers some beds.
The task force also reviewed a needs assessment showing many hospitals lack mandatory trafficking training, screening practices, written protocols, and confidence in identifying victims. Members discussed expanding education beyond ED staff to residents, nursing schools, student health, mental health, housekeeping, maintenance, and law enforcement. No formal votes were taken, but the chair said the survey results and testimony would be used to draft a protocol before the next meeting, with a final draft to follow after further review and feedback.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
FIN Info Briefing - Wed Jan 8, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:25:33.960>
3 <00:25:34.720>371k <00:25:35.720>in chapter 3 371k in chapter 3 - 20:13.120>
State federal government along with State federal government along with State match - , to our 2020/2018 code and then onto the 21 model codes.
- 2020 current codes to our 2020 2018<06:08:16.558>
code <06:08:17.160>and <06:08:17.360>< - because they are other uh government because they are other uh government agencies<06:21:56.558>
Summary:
The Committee on Finance held an informational briefing with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on its budget, staffing, and operations. The director reviewed department leadership and reported on recruitment and retention efforts, including a 14% vacancy rate, a 10.5% workforce increase from filling 189 positions, and the Hela Imua internship program, which has placed 516 interns since inception and led to 62 permanent hires. The department also described modernization efforts, including the UI Huakai project and the Disability Compensation Division’s electronic case management system, and said the unemployment compensation trust fund exceeded $71.5 million, triggering Schedule C for calendar year 2025.
The department’s main budget requests included $2.9 million for fiscal year 2026 to support maintenance and operations of the electronic case management system, plus restoration of two enforcement specialist positions. Officials said those positions are needed to address a decline in investigators from 11 to six since 2009, improve compliance, and handle Hawaii Compliance Express certificate work. Additional requests included two human resources specialists to address recruitment backlogs, two labor enforcement specialists to reduce a backlog of Chapter 104 prevailing wage and wage cases, and two positions for the Office of Community Services to expand immigrant services and access centers. The department also discussed federal funding for unemployment insurance and workforce programs, including National Dislocated Worker Grants and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, and said some funding is received in increments and may require extensions.
Members asked about Kauai inspection coverage, federal funding uncertainty, the size of the special unemployment insurance fund, and whether the department could ramp up staffing during a future crisis. Officials said Kauai is currently served by inspectors from Honolulu and there are no plans to open a permanent island position because of staffing constraints. They said the department is meeting federal guidelines and is not in jeopardy, and that the special unemployment insurance fund has about $10 million, with current UI operations funded at a little over $15 million, meaning the fund may need to cover roughly $5 million if federal support declines. The director said the department would use the special fund to supplement shortfalls, but noted that federal funding cuts and the loss of ARPA support have already affected operations.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Apr 7th, 2025 at 01:00 pm
North Dakota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- A bill for an act to create a new section to Chapter 15.1-19 of the North Dakota Century Code relating
- Much of the bill is current law moved from other chapters to this chapter.
- Section 11 pulls the sections of code from sections 12.1-31.2, Chapter 12.1-31.2, and other parts of
- Section 17 repeals the sections of code, which were moved into this new chapter, with one exception.
- A bill for an act to create a new section to chapter 1-08 of the North Dakota Century Code relating to
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then moved through a series of conference committee appointments and reconsideration motions. Senator Axtman successfully moved to reconsider House Bill 1160, which had previously failed, and the chamber later passed it. HB 1160 creates a statewide bell-to-bell policy restricting personal electronic devices during instructional time; supporters argued it would reduce distractions, improve mental health and academic outcomes, and help teachers, while opponents raised local control concerns. The bill passed 42-4.
The Senate also passed several other measures, including HB 1247 on protecting student victims of sexual offenses, HB 1489 consolidating civil protection orders into one chapter, HB 1032 making municipal courts courts of record and updating related procedures, HB 1487 authorizing a Minot facility for the Highway Patrol and Bureau of Criminal Investigation with a line of credit and emergency clause, HB 1469 requiring annual online statements of interest for public officials, HB 1199 creating the Missing and Indigenous People Task Force and related MMIP initiatives, HB 1169 regulating paid veterans benefits claim assistance with consumer protections, HB 1209 directing a foreign adversary threat assessment, and HB 3018 as amended to study water, wetlands, and taxation of inundated lands. Most of these passed with strong bipartisan support, though HB 1169 drew substantial debate over veterans’ service options and HB 1209 passed on a narrower 40-7 vote.
The chamber rejected or declined several other measures. HB 1455, which would have required the Indian Affairs Commission to review introduced legislation for tribal implications, failed 7-40 after concerns about an unfunded mandate and duplicative duties. HB 1259, which would have put North Dakota on year-round daylight saving time, was defeated 15-32 after debate over time zones, construction, recreation, and whether the issue should be left to future legislatures. HB 1555, dealing with statements of ownership for foreign organizations of concern, also failed 3-44. The Senate then moved to announcements and committee scheduling for later meetings and conference committees.
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session-Day 12, February 23, 2026-PM
Wyoming House Floor Meeting
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
House of Representatives Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature Day 33 Apr 1st, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Oklahoma House Floor Meeting
Bills:
SB1636, SB1772, SB1221, SB1932, SB1687, SB1213, SB843, SB1410, SB1317, SB1338, SB1976, SB1314, SB1191, SB1613, SB1246, SB1439, SB1930, HR1044
Keywords:
cold case, unsolved homicide, violent crime, case file review, law enforcement, police records, victim family, immediate family member, designated person, forensic testing, witness reinterview, investigative leads, cold case unit, unsolved murder, public safety, Title 21, Oklahoma statutes, motor vehicle safety, headlamps, headlights
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Transportation Committee Jun 8th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- That has shown that both government and the AV industry have a long way to go.
- California remains the only state with a formal, phased permitting structure that governs the full life
- The fire department is then dispatched Code 3, with lights and sirens, to that location.
- To my knowledge, Texas is the strongest example.
- And so, for example, we had an event where we were down in Houston, Texas.
Summary:
The Assembly Transportation Committee heard an informational hearing on California’s newly finalized autonomous vehicle regulations, with DMV and CHP officials describing the updated framework and committee members pressing them on safety, enforcement, and first-responder impacts. DMV said the rules, effective April 28, 2026, expand reporting, create a phased permitting system from testing to deployment, add requirements for safety cases, remote operations, and first-responder coordination, and open a path for heavy-duty AV testing and deployment while still prohibiting oversized loads and hazardous materials. CHP said it worked with DMV on enforcement tools, first-responder interaction plans, and training local agencies on the new notice of noncompliance process. Members asked about crash data, immobilizations, freeway and construction-zone safety, weigh-station enforcement, and whether foreign licenses can qualify for remote assistants or drivers; DMV and CHP said the rules are intended to keep AVs accountable and that heavy-duty AVs will be held to the same roadway standards as human-driven commercial vehicles.
A second panel focused on data collection and enforcement. Consumer attorneys argued the prior rules were too limited because DMV stopped collecting meaningful data once AVs moved from testing to deployment, making it difficult for the public and litigants to understand incidents; they supported the new regulations but urged that the collected information be made public. The industry association said California now has the nation’s most robust AV oversight, with monthly or quarterly reporting of collisions, system failures, immobilizations, harsh braking, vehicle miles traveled, and notices of noncompliance, plus broad DMV authority to restrict or suspend operations. In response to questions, the industry said it generally supports the new framework, believes the regulations are clear, and does not favor full federal preemption of state AV rules, though it wants federal standards for design, construction, and performance.
A third panel addressed first-responder interaction and remote operations. The San Francisco Fire Department described repeated AV interference with emergency scenes and said AVs have generated hundreds of “sleeper calls,” where passengers fall asleep and trigger 911 responses; the department said these incidents consume significant staff time and it wants better protocols to reduce unnecessary dispatches. Waymo said it has trained thousands of public-safety personnel, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, uses geofencing/avoid-the-area messages, and can allow first responders to manually override or move vehicles when needed. Committee members asked about sleeper-call prevention, remote assistant licensing and drug testing, communication redundancies during outages, and how manual overrides work for vehicles without traditional controls; Waymo said it is collaborating with responders and that its vehicles are designed to reach a safe stop if connectivity is lost.
The final panel began with testimony on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. A transportation researcher said freight is essential to California’s economy and that heavy-duty AVs pose distinct safety risks because of their weight, stopping distance, and the potentially severe consequences of crashes or immobilizations on highways. He said the new regulations are important because they create a regulated pathway for heavy-duty AV deployment, require a safety case, set mileage thresholds, and add reporting categories that can serve as leading safety indicators. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, with additional testimony expected from labor and industry witnesses on heavy-duty AV deployment.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine interdicting illicit drug trafficking, focusing on a view from the front lines. Feb 26th, 2025 at 10:00 am
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Today, it is still protecting South Texas.
- He played football at the University of Texas.
- Before this law there were no Texas state murder charges.
- Through your hard work, the Texas Penal Code now criminalizes the delivery or manufacture of fentanyl
- Have you spoken with others in Texas?
Keywords:
Coast Guard, maritime drug enforcement, illegal drugs, fentanyl crisis, legislative reforms, public testimony
Summary:
The meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation addressed critical issues surrounding maritime drug enforcement and the Coast Guard's role in stopping the influx of illegal drugs. The chairman highlighted the alarming consequences of current policies allowing drugs to cross borders, emphasizing the need for legislative reforms, such as the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2025. There was an intense discussion regarding the operational challenges faced by the Coast Guard, which has recently made significant drug seizures, indicating progress but also revealing gaps that need addressing. Several witnesses, including victims of the drug crisis, shared their compelling testimonies, which underscored the urgency for stricter controls and comprehensive support for law enforcement agencies involved in drug interdiction efforts.
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
House Minerals, Business & Economic Development, February 16, 2026
Minerals, Business & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- This act relates to the administration of the government, providing duties for the government energy
- a $4 billion hydrogen facility in Texas. a $4 billion hydrogen facility in Texas.
- <00:09:59.600>
and And I'm going to be honest, Texas and And I'm going to be honest, Texas - Code, Section 5312.
- Code, Section 5312.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Including the commissioning of peace officers by the Texas Education Agency.
- Also the composition of board of directors of the Texas School Safety Center, public school safety and
- It's just that with my practical experience in county government, I kind of looked at that and said,
- So from a county government perspective.
- Thank you, Michelle Senator Menendez, you're referring to Section 261101 of the Family code.
VT
Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session - 2026-05-06 - 11:00AM
Vermont Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Operations; H. 956 to Government Operations.
- to Government Operations. to Government Operations.
- Uh<01:56:41.360>
chapter <01:56:41.680>2495b Uh chapter 2495b Uh chapter 2495b establishes - Uh Uh Uh chapter<02:01:54.480>
2495e chapter 2495e chapter 2495e >> [snorts] >> [snorts - governing banking and commerce. governing banking and commerce.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on the Judiciary Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on the Judiciary
Transcript Highlights:
- Another judge in Texas was stalked in her home for months. Finally, the...
- Another judge in Texas was stalked at her home for months.
- However, I would be remiss today if I did not emphasize that, like all members of state government, the
- I'm an author of book chapters and journal articles. I am a researcher.
- My name is Roberta Fitzpatrick, and I do Government Affairs for Arbella Insurance Group.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on bills in the Civil Actions 2 and Court Administration areas, with testimony spanning judicial security, judicial compensation, civil process fees, bar advocate compensation, interstate discovery, defamation protections for sexual assault survivors, and related criminal procedure changes. Chairs Edwards and Day opened with housekeeping rules on testimony limits and written submissions, then called witnesses on each bill in turn.
On H. 1766, judicial officers and the Massachusetts Bar Association strongly supported a judicial security bill that would protect judges’ personal information, citing threats, online harassment, swatting, and violence against judges and their families. On H. 1819, judges and the Massachusetts Judges Conference asked for higher compensation, saying Massachusetts judges rank low nationally after cost-of-living adjustment and that pay affects recruitment and retention. The committee also heard support for H. 1582/S. 1183 to raise civil process service fees, with sheriffs saying the fees have been unchanged since 2003 and are needed to cover rising costs, safety equipment, and operations funded by those fees.
The committee heard from prosecutors on H. 1604 and H. 1846, which would give district courts concurrent jurisdiction over certain school-threat and leaving-the-scene offenses, allowing prosecutors to handle less serious or panic-driven cases more efficiently while preserving mandatory penalties. CPCS and bar advocates supported H. 1876 on bar advocate compensation, describing a continuing shortage and crisis in indigent defense despite recent pay increases and staffing investments. The Boston Bar Association supported H. 1857, a Massachusetts version of the Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act, saying it would simplify out-of-state discovery and reduce cost and delay.
A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1974/S. 1143, which would protect survivors of sexual assault and harassment from retaliatory defamation suits unless the plaintiff proves actual malice, and would allow fee shifting and damages against abusive suits. Survivors, advocates, and attorneys described threats, legal costs, and chilling effects that silence reporting, while supporters said the bill would protect truthful speech and improve access to counsel. The committee also heard insurance-industry testimony on S. 1101, which would change personal injury protection payment rules to require insurers to tender disputed amounts within 30 days to avoid attorney’s fees; insurers said the bill would curb a growing volume of provider lawsuits and reduce abuse of the no-fault system. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed after all scheduled testimony was complete.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
House Chamber Fri May 8, 2026, 10:00AM HST - Day 58
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- She's a good government advocate. Thank you so much.
- ... chapter 268 or corporations do that do railway systems in chapter 273, and we give it to departments
- I hope we all hold judicial independence as a core governing value.
- closer ...framework that brings government closer into that system.
- And look, I know that we cannot control the federal government.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Delivery of Government Efficiency Apr 30th, 2025
Delivery of Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- These agencies are the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Texas Lottery Commission, and the Texas
- For example, just 4 Texas charter schools sent over $51 million of Texas taxpayer money to private out
- with Texas students.
- So Terry Hall with Texas Turf, Texas for Toll-free Highways, and We the People of Liberty in Action,
- Yeah, I think the real models in Texas are the high-performing Texas.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- So, these Licensees ensure that these projects are safe, code-compliant, and read.
- Many of these newly elected officials and staff have no county government training or government training
- And we are just very grateful that we're a part of all of county government.
- There's no state that does it like Texas. There's no state that doesn't like Arkansas.
- You can go to Texas, and then Texas pays county by county, not as a state as a whole.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education Apr 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Colorado, Texas, and Massachusetts all have a variety of versions of...
- Colorado, Texas, and Massachusetts all have a variety of versions of this.
- The Texas Education Code outlines that kindergarten and first grade students must be screened at the
- And in Texas... Not be before September so that they can have that initial exposure to reading.
- The federal government only reimburses us about $152 million.
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-MEDICAID SUBCOMMITTEE Feb 12th, 2026
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-MEDICAID SUBCOMMITTEE
Transcript Highlights:
- document in addition to statutes and rules to govern that program.
- document in addition to statutes and rules to govern that program.
- . using the PASS program, which we have four MCOs that govern that program.
- The federal, yes, the federal government actually then gets...
- Texarkana or just over the line, actually lives in Texas.
Summary:
The Medicaid Subcommittee of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee met to receive a primer on the subcommittee’s history and on how Medicaid oversight works in Arkansas. Legislative audit staff reviewed the subcommittee’s origins in response to earlier Medicaid audit concerns and explained that Medicaid is audited every year in the statewide single audit because it is a high-risk, large federal program. Staff summarized recent audit findings, including issues with eligibility controls, data matching, contractor charging, incarcerated juveniles’ coverage handling, provider eligibility support, and the state’s Medicaid recovery audit contractor exception request. They also noted a DHS departmental audit finding involving employees who improperly received benefits, which was referred for possible prosecution.
The Department of Human Services gave an overview of the Medicaid program, describing eligibility groups, delivery systems (fee-for-service, managed care/PASSE, and premium assistance for expansion adults), the size of the program, and the agency’s budget and provider base. DHS also outlined the difference between state plan amendments and waivers and said other committee materials would be sent to members. The Office of Medicaid Inspector General described its role in detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse, explaining that it investigates suspected intentional fraud, suspends providers when there is a credible allegation of fraud, recovers improper payments in mistake cases, and recommends policy changes when trends are identified.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit explained that it prosecutes provider fraud criminally and civilly, handles neglect, abuse, and exploitation cases in long-term care settings, and works with DHS, OMIG, and federal partners. Members asked about where cases are filed, how provider suspensions work, whether beneficiary fraud is investigated, and how education is provided to providers. DHS confirmed that beneficiary fraud cases are referred to local prosecutors and said the expansion population will move toward community engagement/work requirements under federal changes, with a soft launch planned before full implementation. The meeting ended with no formal votes beyond adoption of the prior minutes and no other committee actions.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 03/12/25
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
Transcript Highlights:
- My name is Jamie Fitz, Director of Government Affairs for CenterPoint Energy.
- I've spent much of my time working with LNG and LNG codes and standards.
- and local governments and local governments 247<00:25:49.960>
uh <00:25:50.159>electrical - non-disclosure agreements secret code non-disclosure agreements secret code names<00:42:46.280><
- This is what happens when billionaires buy our government. Shut this down.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Administrative Rules Committee Mar 12th, 2026 at 09:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- This is Administrative Code Chapter 33-01.
- by North Dakota Century Code Chapter 23-44 and North Dakota Administrative Code Article 33-43-43.
- community, as North Dakota Century Code Chapter 23-44 and North Dakota Administrative Code Article 33
- The department followed the rulemaking procedures outlined in Century Code Chapter 28-32.
- So the chapters made in Administrative Code 89-02-04 were made as a result of the past...
Summary:
The committee first approved the December 3 minutes, then heard a request from the Board of Clinical Laboratory Practice to amend its proposed rule on exempt test methods to add certain closed-system DNA/RNA tests, including rhinovirus. After testimony explaining that the board had considered late comments from BioMérieux and wanted the rule record to reflect that review, the committee agreed to a limited amendment and passed the motion unanimously.
The Department of Agriculture then outlined broad rule updates affecting dairy, eggs, poultry, pesticides, animal health, environmental mitigation, and the Egg Product Utilization Commission. The commissioner said the changes mostly clarified existing requirements, updated references, and reduced some burdens, such as easing dairy hauler training/licensing timing and clarifying out-of-state grade A milk language. Members asked about dairy industry decline, the APUC scoring system, and the rationale for the milk-hauler and out-of-state milk provisions.
The State Board of Dental Examiners presented extensive rule changes tied to recent legislation and workforce issues, including a new professional health program for dentists, expanded duties for assistants and hygienists, broader local anesthetic authority for hygienists, and fee increases to fund the program and cover administrative costs. Testimony from Dr. Edward May strongly supported the professional health program based on his own recovery experience. The committee also heard from Game and Fish on rules easing some guide/outfitter experience requirements, allowing electronic exams, and modifying boating safety equipment rules, with no public comment and no fiscal impact.
Later, Health and Human Services received approval for an extension to update tattoo/body art rules and a separate motion to repeal an obsolete nurse aide training chapter. HHS also described nursing facility rule updates, lodging sanitation revisions, and related clarifications on licensing, safety, pest control, and fire requirements. The Department of Environmental Quality received an extension for septic-system installer rules, and also presented rules for above-ground storage tanks and water/wastewater operator certification, including new fees and third-party testing options. The Industrial Commission’s oil and gas division described multiple rule changes, some withdrawn after comments, including drilling unit flexibility, site stability, wildfire authority, and streamlined transport/reporting procedures. Finally, DPI began presenting several rule packages, including school construction loan limits, school bus standards, cooperative agreements, special education rules for public charter schools, and new math curriculum and intervention requirements.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Revenue Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Revenue
Transcript Highlights:
- He explained that Massachusetts automatically conforms to the federal corporate tax code, meaning the
- state uses the same definitions as the federal government when determining what is taxable.
- Less so for the federal government, but certainly challenging for us.
- You know, being our tax code is a little complicated.
- That starts with permanently decoupling our tax code from Trump's corporate tax cuts.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Revenue held a public hearing on H. 4975, Governor Healey’s bill to manage the impact of the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OB3) on Massachusetts tax law and state revenues. Administration officials, led by Secretary of Administration and Finance Matt Gorowitz, said OB3 would otherwise reduce FY26 revenue by about $442 million and argued for a phased-in conformity approach that would preserve the current-year budget while still adopting selected federal business tax provisions over time. The proposal would phase in the research and experimental expenditure deduction first, delay other major corporate provisions for two years, extend the pass-through entity excise to income subject to the 4% surtax, add a one-year delay mechanism for future federal tax changes over $20 million, limit opportunity zone benefits to Massachusetts investments, and make smaller technical changes to DFML contributions and casino reporting thresholds. Committee members questioned the rationale for phasing in rather than fully decoupling, the effect on the budget if the bill did not pass, and the treatment of opportunity zones, the surtax, and future federal tax changes.
Public testimony was split. MassBudget, Progressive Massachusetts, and several labor and public-sector groups urged the committee to permanently decouple from the federal corporate tax changes rather than delay them, arguing that the bill would still send state revenue to corporate tax breaks, often for investments outside Massachusetts, and that the state should protect funding for schools, health care, human services, and other public services. The Massachusetts Society of CPAs supported the administration’s timing and the research-and-development provisions, citing filing deadlines and the importance of certainty for businesses and startups. Business and tax experts also testified that rushed conformity can create revenue losses and that the governor’s review-and-delay framework was a prudent improvement, though some said decoupling should be the default if the Legislature does not act.
Unite Here Local 26 testified against sections 3 and 4, which would raise the slot-machine jackpot reporting threshold from $1,200 to $2,000, arguing the current threshold helps with problem-gambling intervention, preserves slot attendant jobs, and generates revenue. Several union leaders, including the Massachusetts Teachers Association, AFT Massachusetts, SEIU 509, the Massachusetts Building Trades, the AFL-CIO, and 1199 SEIU, urged permanent decoupling, warning that OB3’s federal tax cuts and related spending reductions would worsen budget pressures, harm public services, and shift costs onto workers, patients, and schools. No votes were taken at the hearing.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommitee Nov 3rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I represent nine Navajo Chapter Houses.
- Three other counties that do have your city government and your county government, and what I find really
- Administered directly to local governments.
- The local government road fund is a little bit more complex.
- Page 13 starts with the local government road fund.