Transcript Highlights:

• All projections—we don't know that there's $2 billion in general revenue.
• We don't have $14 billion of general revenue in the bank right now.
• The other thing I'll comment on is just general.
• request of the new Attorney General.
• He really didn't recommend any general revenue.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the previous day’s journal, and a series of special guest introductions recognizing family members, interns, students, public servants, and community advocates. Committee reports and Senate messages followed, including Senate refusals to concur on a large number of amendments to Senate Bill 1421 and the appointment of a conference committee on House Bill 2818. The main floor action centered on the state budget, especially House Bill 2 (public education). The budget chair explained the conference report’s funding mix for K-12 schools, including $8.4 billion for public education, changes to the foundation formula, use of blind pension funds, and possible ARPA dollars later in the process. Members debated whether the report underfunded schools by $45 million or more, with opponents arguing the state was not fully funding the formula and supporters saying total school funding remained at record levels and that the issue was the source of funds rather than the total amount. A substitute motion to send HB 2 back to conference failed 62-89, and the conference report was then adopted 83-68; the bill was third read and passed 83-68. The House then took up House Bill 2003 on higher education, where the conference report largely restored the governor’s recommendation and directed the department to develop a new funding formula by the end of the year. Members discussed performance-based funding, scholarships, apprenticeships, and the need for a slower transition to any new model. The conference report passed 119-28, and the bill was third read and passed 109-32. House Bill 2004, covering Revenue and Transportation, included about $20 million for rural roads and other transportation funding; members discussed constitutional concerns, MoDOT projects, and a small local safety fix. The conference report passed 128-21, and the bill was third read and passed 127-27.

Transcript Highlights:

• is generated in the metro area.
• c><00:07:48.360> the<00:07:48.440> metro generated is generated in uh the metro generated
• quite a while so but yeah it's generally quite a while so but yeah it's generally a<00:18:08.000
• popul it is the use of General popul it is the use of General obligation<00:19:00.600> bonds<
• Using one of the tools they have in general for general economic development, which is tax increment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Minnesota Senate Taxes Committee met on February 6, 2025, and first approved the February 5 minutes. The main item was the Office of the State Auditor’s annual report on tax increment financing (TIF), presented by Jason Nord in place of Auditor Blaha, who was ill. Nord explained how TIF captures new property value to finance development, and reviewed statewide data for 2023 reported in 2024. The report said TIF was used by 382 authorities statewide, with 378 authorities reporting on 1,678 districts. Redevelopment and housing/economic development districts made up the vast majority of districts, with housing districts becoming especially common in Greater Minnesota. Of the $238 million in tax increment generated in 2023, 78% came from the metro area, and most dollars came from redevelopment districts. The report also noted $7.4 million in increment returned to counties, cities, and school districts, and described long-term trends showing early growth in TIF use, reforms in the 1980s and 1990s, a drop after 2002 property tax changes, and another decline after many older districts reached maximum duration. Committee members asked about uncodified districts, the location of the remaining pre-1979 district, whether the same cities continue using TIF over time, and how Minnesota compares with other states. Nord said the uncodified districts include housing replacement and special-law districts, the pre-1979 district is in Princeton, and the number of authorities starting or stopping use each year is usually small. He also said Minnesota differs from many states, including by allowing pooling. The presentation highlighted that TIF debt statewide is a little over $1.8 billion, mostly in pay-as-you-go notes rather than general obligation bonds, and that many districts decertify early—often years before their maximum term—supporting the chair’s interest in legislation to shorten redevelopment district duration and repeal renewal and renovation districts. No votes were taken on the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rough numbers, just to give you you a general idea.
• from General Revenue Appropriations for Border Security.
• Shastlein, the Office of the Inspector General... General in Texas has actually run data on this.
• Will the general aide yield for questions? Does the general aide yield for questions?
• Generally, he yields. Could you just say a little bit more?

Bills: SB1, HB500, SB1, HB1400, HB 1094, HB365, HB 1109, HB647, HB500

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, groundwater, water conservation, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, innovation fund, local conservation districts, transportation protection agreement, funeral services, insurance exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• with a generation tax. with a generation tax.
• will happen for generations. will happen for generations.
• <00:19:31.280> of And that's a loss to generations of And that's a loss to generations of
• Um, when we build a new generation, generally speaking, if we build new generation for our customers,
• if we generation, um generally speaking, if we build<01:10:05.080> new<01:10:05.200> generation

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The Joint Revenue committee met with a quorum and heard a series of interim topic proposals focused on tax policy. Representative Brown raised two ideas: reinstating an exemption reporting requirement for corporations and entities receiving tax exemptions, with loss of the exemption for the current and prior year if they fail to report, and revising property tax treatment for wind turbines and related infrastructure by shifting the taxed footprint from agricultural to industrial classification. Senator Case and others then discussed energy taxation more broadly, including a possible generation tax for electricity, how to handle large data-center electricity loads, and whether sales tax revenue from very large electrical loads should be shared statewide rather than concentrated locally. The committee referenced prior bills and studies, including House Bill 300 and Senate File 76, and discussed using a mechanism that would keep local electricity bills net neutral while redirecting revenue distribution. The committee also took up problematic gaming and program funding. Senator Case described personal experiences with gambling addiction and the lack of available resources, while the presenter said the topic had been requested in multiple committees and that the biggest concern from House Bill 171 was protecting county and municipal funding. Members discussed whether the issue belonged in Revenue, Health, Labor, or Transportation, and several suggested it should stay with the standing committee handling gaming. Ideas raised included using gaming-related revenue for prevention and treatment, fully funding the 988 lifeline, and creating a broader trust fund for addiction-related services and law enforcement. The committee appeared to agree to continue the topic for educational purposes and to examine taxation of HHR and other gambling activity. Senator Case then proposed a severance tax on wind energy, arguing that wind development creates permanent landscape impacts and that the state should be compensated similarly to coal, oil, and gas extraction. Curt Meier, the state treasurer, supported reviewing lease agreements and said Wyoming should get more from wind resources, noting the state’s unique wind potential and the loss of viewshed. Finally, the committee heard a proposal to reform property tax relief by extending it to motor vehicle registration. Former Revenue director Dan Noble argued that vehicle taxes should be treated like other property taxes, using fair market value, depreciation, the residential assessment ratio, and local mill levies, which he said could provide broad relief but would be expensive, with an estimated fiscal impact of about $120 million. Representative Chestek followed with a related reform proposal based on Pennsylvania’s base-year assessment model, arguing that Wyoming’s current statewide relief measures treat symptoms rather than the underlying problem of rapidly rising local valuations.

Transcript Highlights:

• general fund. general fund.
• general worked out with the law firms. general worked out with the law firms.
• amendment to put it into the general amendment to put it into the general fund,<01:18:44.719>
• Has no impact on the general dollars. Has no impact on the general fund. fund. fund.
• about half of that would be uh general about half of that would be uh general funds. funds. funds

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• but it's like we have these generals but it's like we have these generals that<01:05:25.440>
• that he imparted to future generations. that he imparted to future generations.
• Grady, the last General, you and Mr.
• you, General, for taking my question. you, General, for taking my question.
• I think generally speaking for us is um I think generally speaking for us is um it's<01:34:13.199>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:12.799> wise while the department is generally wise while the department is generally
• It would be a general fund position.
• from here before going to their General from here before going to their General their<01:27:15.480
• They ask for general funds.
• we may be able to uh increase General we may be able to uh increase General funds<01:59:35.040><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II work session focused on Fish and Game’s budget-revenue proposals and several statutory changes the department said it needs to support its operations. The department recommended raising the fisheries habitat fee and wildlife habitat fee to $5 each, estimating additional annual revenue of about $640,000 and $144,000 respectively. Members clarified that these are habitat fees added on top of licenses, not reduced by senior or youth license categories, and discussed the need for RSA changes to allow the revenue to be transferred into the Fish and Game Fund. The department also said it would work internally on any broader license fee increases through the commission process. The committee then reviewed proposals to cap several dedicated accounts and transfer excess balances to the unrestricted Fish and Game Fund. Those accounts included the fisheries and wildlife habitat funds and the game management account, with the department proposing a $750,000 cap on each and transfer of amounts above that threshold. The department said the cap was based on several years of expenditures and the fact that dedicated funds are often used as match for federal funds. Members asked for reports on fund activity and questioned whether the cap and mandatory transfer language should be “shall” or “may,” with the department indicating it would prefer “may” for flexibility. The committee also discussed a Pheasant Management Program account, where the department said current law limits use of the money to buying and propagating pheasants and it wants authority to use it for broader program management. A substantial portion of the meeting addressed Fish and Game’s environmental review unit and the transfer of ARPA-funded positions to DEES under the governor’s initiative. The department said four positions are currently ARPA-funded, that DEES supports keeping them in place through the end of the year, and that the transition will require time because environmental review work is intertwined across the agency. The department explained that before the ARPA positions, biologists handled the work and that current staffing has helped eliminate a backlog and meet deadlines. Members also discussed a proposal to expand environmental review fees beyond private developers to state, federal, municipal, and local governments, with the department saying it would need rulemaking and stakeholder input. Additional requests included authority to conduct raffles to raise funds, creation of a revolving account for donations and raffle proceeds, and repeal of the obsolete fish food sales statute because the vending machines are no longer functional and the account generates no revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• under Attorney General Swanson. under Attorney General Swanson.
• Attorney General General General Ellison,<01:38:29.280> come<01:38:29.360> on<01:38:29.520
• Attorney General.
• Attorney General? General? General?
• Attorney General. >> Mr. Attorney General.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > Government Senate File One, General Government Senate File One, General Government Appropriations
• this point on a general policy issue. this point on a general policy issue.
• <01:15:08.320> So special revenue to general fund. So special revenue to general fund.
• <01:20:29.360> fund The JAC added $3 million general fund The JAC added $3 million general
• increases from non-general that salary increases from non-general fund<02:09:23.199> sources<

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• when the Attorney General representing when the Attorney General initiates<00:16:21.440> one<
• > not<00:17:47.400> control The Attorney General does not control The Attorney General
• General? General? >> Mr.<00:18:34.680> Plunkett. >> Mr. Plunkett. >> Mr.
• <00:21:02.000> here the Attorney General here the Attorney General here um<00:21:03.960>
• attorneys general in attorney general attorneys general in the<00:21:30.840> future,<00:21:31.320

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• committee gets a $450 million general committee gets a $450 million general fund<00:07:45.599>
• general general fund<01:03:34.480> are<01:03:34.680> we<01:03:34.920> doing<01:
• One of the choices we make is: are we going to pay for it out of the general budget, general fund, or
• One of the choices we make is: are we going to pay for it out of the general budget, general fund, or
• <01:16:26.679> fund right now is relying on general fund right now is relying on general fund

Bills: HF837

Keywords: health insurance, premium security plan, federal funding, state innovation waiver, Minnesota, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:47.959> greater the reimbursement is generally greater the reimbursement is generally
• the financial incentives it generates the financial incentives it generates and<00:03:12.519>
• Um so in the left-hand uh generated.
• Those general acute care hospitals, on average, generate around $47 million in net revenue in a year.
• seeing that affiliated site can generate seeing that affiliated site can generate revenue<00:24:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My witness is Ben Belknap, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, HSR. Thank you.
• My name is Ben Belknap, Inspector General.
• My name is Ben Belknap, Inspector General.
• The Office of Inspector General, the high-speed rail, provides independent. ...cap entirely.
• To the Inspector General, this now empowers you to hide information from the public.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on April 22, 2026, with a quorum present and first took up a large consent calendar. The committee approved two groups of unanimous bills, including measures on topics such as court interpreters, workplace training, public records, and other committee and member bills, before moving to individual bills and the suspense file. Several bills were later placed on suspense and deemed approved, with public comment limited to those measures. Among the bills heard individually, AB 2393 would create fixed statutory damages for false imprisonment and false arrest claims, with the author arguing it would help victims seek justice and would not expose the state or local governments to liability. AB 1697 would delay implementation of a recently enacted law banning certain employment debt contracts until January 1, 2027, and AB 2534 would extend Domestic Violence Prevention Act restraining order protections to attempted and completed forced marriages. AB 1608 would strengthen the High-Speed Rail project’s Inspector General by adding staffing and contracting authority, requiring public reports, and allowing limited temporary confidentiality for sensitive information; the bill drew questions about transparency and the scope of information that could be withheld. The committee also heard AB 1916, which would allow American Sign Language interpreters to participate in collective bargaining under the Trial Court Interpreter Employment and Labor Relations Act, and AB 1803, which would require anti-hate speech training as part of workplace harassment prevention training for employers with five or more employees. AB 1821 would change Public Records Act response timelines from calendar days to business days, with supporters from local government groups saying it would better reflect the time needed to process broad and complex requests without reducing access. AB 1919 would establish election procedures for a Santa Cruz Metro citizens initiative related to transit funding and service, with supporters saying it would let voters decide the system’s future. The committee voted do pass on the heard bills, with several recorded as out on roll call and some members not voting on particular measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:35.920> of and markets for the next generation of and markets for the next generation
• <00:14:12.560> can markets so that the next generation can markets so that the next generation
• This is the New Hampshire General Court, not the Indiana General Assembly.
• agent general is actually age 66. agent general is actually age 66.
• <04:12:00.640> We general. It's age discrimination. We general. It's age discrimination.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not sure what notifying the Attorney General in New York State is going to add to the process, but
• Generic manufacturers.
• This is just allowing the Attorney General to adapt their website to the public concerns.
• General to adapt their website to the public in search, these notices. Thank you.
• Moved by Senator Gunnarth, seconded by Senator General, seconded by Senator Mayor. All in clear.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee, chaired for the day by Senator John Liu, took up a long agenda of bills covering labor and benefits, corrections, health, taxation, government transparency, and public services. Early measures included increasing short-term disability benefits, adjusting a poverty-level-related earned income disregard, expanding correctional health staffing review, and authorizing the Inspector General to investigate sexual assault complaints in correctional facilities; each of these advanced to the floor. The committee also advanced bills on ovarian cancer screening access, retirement system membership changes, a trail stewardship program, live agency representative access, FOIL/open meetings fee awards, a Harriman campus development plan, court data reporting, educator conventions, park water testing, an energy storage tax abatement, a Native American Affairs office, adult changing tables in public facilities, Medicaid Inspector General audit standards, remote training certification for agency personnel, newborn Gaucher disease testing, electronic self-exclusion requests for gambling, and child daycare inspections and opioid antagonist requirements. Several bills drew discussion. The prescription drug transparency bill (Print 488A) prompted questions about possible overlap with federal Hatch-Waxman/FTC oversight and whether a New York notice requirement could slow generic-drug settlements; sponsors and staff said it was intended as a supplemental transparency measure for consumers. The court reporting bill (Print 1849A) raised concerns about mandates on local governments, but supporters said it mainly required OCA to compile data in one format. The Medicaid local-share phaseout bill (Print 5519) generated the most debate, with supporters arguing it would provide major property tax relief and should be addressed in the budget, while opponents emphasized the need to curb Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse first. Two major fiscal oversight proposals were defeated. Print 8661, which would have required the Comptroller to hire an independent private auditing firm to review state-funded programs for fraud and abuse, was opposed despite support from some members who argued outside auditing was overdue; it failed by one vote. Print 5519 was also ultimately defeated after a recount confirmed it lacked the required majority of the full 22-member committee. Most other bills were approved and sent either to the floor or, in the case of the drug transparency bill, to the Rules Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• The General election integrity in 2021.
• million appropriation from the general million appropriation from the general assembly,<00:13:41.920
• and with the general assembly at large. and with the general assembly at large.
• <00:53:48.480> I down from one generation to another.
• I down from one generation to another.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:15 Office of the Secretary of State 00:01:59 Office of the Attorney General 00:12:40 Department of Agriculture 00:22:44, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement heard presentations from the Secretary of State, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Agriculture. Secretary of State Michael Adams said his office had no major new budget or authority requests, but he updated members on voter-roll maintenance, ongoing litigation over a law preventing voting in multiple states, the Safe at Home program for domestic violence survivors, human trafficking outreach, reduced spending, and new anti-fraud measures for business registrations and electronic service of process. Members then discussed Adams’ remarks, especially his criticism of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. One senator objected that the organization should not be shut out of the legislative process, citing First Amendment concerns. Adams responded that he was not seeking to ban anyone from speaking, but wanted lawmakers to remember the harm he believes the group’s litigation does to election integrity and bipartisan reform. Representative Jackson praised Adams and his staff for their work. Deputy Attorney General Rob Duncan outlined the office’s work, including criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, body armor grants, administrative hearings, domestic violence and violent crime initiatives, election security, child support services, and the new Office of Data Privacy. He said the child support program transition from CHFS had created budget shortfalls and that the office would seek additional funding next session. In response to questions from Representative Lockett, Duncan said he did not yet have exact cost figures but expected funding needs and noted barriers related to personnel, budgeting, and integration. The committee also heard from Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell, who highlighted the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy’s 25th anniversary, the new Office of Economic Development, and the role of Miss Kentucky in promoting agriculture. He said the department would seek recruitment and retention funding, possible staffing for EV station inspections, and continued support to make the agriculture economic development fund permanent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, HB 1 is the general appropriation bill that outlines how the state will allocate funds for the
• State general fund savings in the Medicaid program.
• The agencies in this bill operate on fees, self-generated revenues, interagency transfers, statutory
• There are no State General Fund dollars in this bill. Okay, we have some amendments on this bill.
• The bill includes $94.5 million from the State General Fund for the legislative branch.

Bills: HB1, HB2, HB3, HB312, HB313, HB314, HB383, HB983, HB1126, HCR3

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, capital outlay, budget, infrastructure, appropriation, general obligation bonds, bond authorization, capital improvement, financial management, state treasury, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year

Transcript Highlights:

• File 1141 on the general register. File 1141 on the general register.
• re-refer this to the general register. re-refer this to the general register.
• be recommended for placement on general be recommended for placement on general register.<00:26:
• File 4138 on the General Register. File 4138 on the General Register.
• 4138 as amended on the general register. 4138 as amended on the general register.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This spreadsheet details the general This spreadsheet details the general fund<00:04:24.720>
• special revenue fund from the general special revenue fund from the general fund.<00:08:44.159><
• general fund. general fund.
• the general fund savings. the general fund savings.
• Less than 1% of the general fund.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I have one general, can you guys hear me in the back back there? I'm curious, put your hand up.
• In addition to maintaining the transportation package, this transportation budget includes two general
• And a second and final part of the general fund proposal.
• fund and then through some adjustments became a big mixture of general fund and green.
• Really the wrong time to be cutting this pot of general fund and using.

Keywords: 988, house, all