Transcript Highlights:

• </c> appropriate support to them doing that. appropriate support to them doing that.
• One thing that changes, and this was at the request of the director of the Office of Legislative Services
• One thing that changes, and this was at the request of the director of the Office of Legislative Services
• </c> commissioner would request an exception. commissioner would request an exception.
• </c> they are exercising legislative power. they are exercising legislative power.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we’re just, as you can see, one-fourth of the way through the appropriation.
• But by putting more money, did that drive more requests, or was this normal for the amount of requests
• So our budget and amounts are exactly what you have appropriated to us.
• We also let a 16th Assembly appropriated a new deputy director.
• And I think the initial request was for $60 million during the session.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division of the budget section and received updates on several Industrial Commission-related agencies and programs. Legislative Council first reviewed base budget materials, then the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported on its current appropriation and staffing, noting that its new FTEs were being filled gradually and that it remained largely funded through special and federal funds. Agency leaders described homeownership lending, loan servicing, and housing incentive fund activity, including below-market mortgage rates, down payment assistance, and a growing servicing portfolio that has increased workload but not yet required additional FTEs. Housing Finance also detailed use of the Housing Incentive Fund and homeless grant dollars. Officials said the multifamily HIF round drew more than $73 million in requests and awarded $25 million, while the single-family program supported rural development and community land trusts. Homeless grant funding was split between emergency shelter, prevention, and rapid rehousing, with performance-based scoring used to renew or reallocate awards. Members discussed housing affordability, aging households, rental assistance, and the need to coordinate housing and site-preparation messaging with Commerce. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased in the next session. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and operations update. Staff said the agency was on track financially, had filled most of its new reclamation FTEs, and was not expecting major litigation costs beyond normal late-biennium invoices. The director reviewed agency initiatives including Project North Star IT modernization, organizational restructuring, succession planning, rulemaking, and implementation of the development incentive well tax program and critical minerals rules. He also discussed oil and gas activity, explaining that longer laterals, especially three- and four-mile wells and the first five-mile spacing case, are helping keep production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. Members asked about gas capture, hedging, break-even prices, and the effects of Iran and Venezuela on oil markets. The committee also heard about enhanced oil recovery grants and the Pipeline Authority. The EOR program’s $25 million appropriation was fully allocated to six projects, with total awards reaching about $45.1 million when other fund balances were included, subject to a possible 5% reduction if federal DOE money does not materialize. Officials said the projects are public, reimbursement-based, and will produce results over the next several years. Finally, the Pipeline Authority outlined natural gas transmission projects, including the imminent Bakken Express line and the proposed Bakken East project, which WBI was selected to advance after an Industrial Commission RFI process. The project is moving through open season, survey permission, and regulatory work, with in-service dates projected for 2029 and 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 4, Legislative Findings, sets legislative findings to support the need for coordination of policy
• Section 4, Legislative Findings, sets legislative findings to support the need for coordination of policy
• 43.280><c> sets</c> Section 4, Legislative Findings sets Section 4, Legislative Findings sets legislative
• </c> are appropriated are appropriated in<00:19:59.160><c> some</c><00:19:59.480><c> fashion</c><00:20
• at long term. appropriations.

Keywords: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency - Room 210, 3 March, 2026; 2:30 P.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We did this in appropriations yesterday.
• appropriation.
• appropriation.
• This legislation that passes on this, The governor vetoed this legislation that passes on this significant
• I request that... rational voice for a balance. I request that of everybody.

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, and spent much of the opening portion recognizing guests and interns from both parties, along with former lawmakers and a newly seated member, Representative Sylvia Allen. The chamber then took up House Concurrent Resolution 2065 honoring the late Alfredo Gutierrez. Members from both parties gave extended remarks about his life as a civil rights advocate, student activist, legislator, and mentor, and the resolution was unanimously adopted and transmitted to the Senate. Family members of Gutierrez were recognized in the gallery during the memorial tribute. The House then moved into Committee of the Whole on the first budget-related measures. On House Bill 4138, the “feed bill”/budget operations measure, Democrats argued the budget favored corporations and data centers over seniors, health care, housing, universities, and vulnerable families, while Republicans defended it as a continuation of prior policy and said it preserved tax conformity and modest agency cuts. After debate and questions, the committee recommended the bill do pass and the House adopted that report, sending HB 4138 to engrossing. The chamber next considered House Bill 4139, the amusement/gaming-related budget bill. Members debated whether it was essentially unchanged from last year’s budget language, with Republicans saying it was a continuation bill and that gaming-related provisions would support rural economies and tourism, while Democrats questioned the broader budget context and its effects on working families. The committee recommended HB 4139 do pass, and the House adopted that recommendation. The House then began debate on House Bill 4140, the state budget implementation bill, focusing on the budget stabilization fund and a proposed government efficiency initiative; discussion was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, a reminder that all draft bills and capital outlay requests must be received by Legislative Council
• She experienced her first legislative session in 1990. She's diehard.
• Introduction of legislation. The reader to read.
• Senate Memorial 7, introduced by Senator Figueroa, a memorial requesting the New Mexico Legislative Council
• Senate Memorial 9, introduced by Senator Pope, a memorial requesting the Legislative Finance Committee

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> We do not define that criteria in the legislation.
• . >> Morning roll call has been requested.
• and/or appropriations that would need to be made in the next legislative session.
• We as a state, working with the appropriations committee members, the goal is to appropriate more toward
• If no member requests a roll call, then I'll object. requests a roll call, then I'll object. Mr.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 1 April, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That inclusion matters and appropriately recognizes tribes as governments.
• A fiscal note has been requested but is not yet available.
• This is the top priority for both WASA and WASBO this legislative session.
• legislation to ensure the continued operation of schools.
• , every building could be mapped appropriately.

Bills: SB5992, SB5918, SB5951, SB6042, SB5952, SB5961, SB5969

Keywords: youth development, funding, positive programs, youth services, community programs, school funding, education, supplies, operating costs, K-12 education, albuterol, access, public schools, private schools, healthcare, school safety, emergency preparedness, mapping, local education policies, curriculum requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• budget request for us.
• But it's my understanding that as a part of the annual legislative budget request, the Department of
• That as a part of the annual legislative budget request, the Department of State has requested funding
• It's just a direct appropriation. Thank you.
• And that was a single appropriation of non-recurring funds.

Summary: The subcommittee held its first meeting to examine Florida’s information technology governance, budgeting, cybersecurity, data management, and telecommunications operations. Chair Schneider and other members framed the panel as a new joint policy-and-budget forum focused on reducing jargon, improving accountability, and asking whether technology investments are feasible, aligned with state goals, cost-controlled, and secure. State Affairs Chairman Will Robinson and members emphasized that the committee should avoid buying “shiny new objects” without clear business cases and should focus on long-term value, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency. Florida Digital Service and Department of Management Services leaders provided an overview of the state IT enterprise. Secretary Pedro Allende described DMS as the state’s business, workforce, and technology service provider, while State CIO Warren Spanholz outlined Florida Digital Service’s four core areas: cybersecurity, project success, data interoperability, and enterprise architecture. Chief Data Officer Ed Ryan said the state data catalog is about 400,000 elements and roughly half of agencies are participating, and he described efforts to identify authoritative data sources and improve interoperability. Chief Information Security Officer Jeremy Rogers discussed the state cybersecurity operations center, enterprise risk management, incident response exercises, and a recurring $35 million cybersecurity resiliency budget. Chief Technology Officer Leo Schoonover described oversight of major IT projects over $10 million, updated project management standards, and a shift toward smaller phased implementations and more flexible methodologies to reduce delays and overruns. Other presenters covered telecommunications, data center operations, and cybersecurity workforce development. Director Denise Atkins said the Division of Telecommunications manages Suncom and MyFloridaNet, with nearly $336.9 million appropriated for fiscal year 2024-25, and is procuring the next network contract while emphasizing security controls and vendor flexibility. Tim Brown said the Northwest Regional Data Center operates on a chargeback basis, serves state and local customers, and returned surpluses to customers in recent years. Cyber Florida Director Ernie Ferraroso described training, workforce pipelines, K-12 outreach, a cyber range, and research programs aimed at building Florida’s cyber workforce and improving public-sector readiness. Members asked about budget setting, project delays, change orders, cybersecurity reporting, data catalog participation, interoperability, and expanding cybersecurity operations centers. Officials said chargeback rates are based on actual direct and indirect costs, project delays often stem from unclear scope and insufficient upfront planning, and cybersecurity success is measured by mean time to detect, respond, and recover. They also said the state is moving toward more modular project delivery, broader agency participation in shared cybersecurity services, and expanded CSOC locations within existing staff and budget where feasible.

Transcript Highlights:

• And not only legislative process.
• And then in Roman VI, it goes on to say, HHS shall incorporate in its biennial appropriation request
• </c><02:12:18.960><c> request</c><02:12:19.440><c> an</c><02:12:19.679><c> amount</c> bianial appropriation
• request an amount bianial appropriation request an amount necessary<02:12:20.560><c> to</c><02:12:20.800
• </c> budget appropriate, you know, proposal. budget appropriate, you know, proposal.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation would fill that gap.
• This legislation would fill that gap.
• This legislation would fill that gap.
• </c> Forbes and I'm senior legislative Forbes and I'm senior legislative counsel<00:09:04.959><c> at<
• A roll call having been requested. >> Okay. A roll call having been requested.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you should pieces of legislation.
• two appropriation sessions Beginning two appropriation sessions ago,<00:09:36.480><c> the</c><00:09:
• So appreciate the legislation. lights. So appreciate the legislation.
• I think the six-month request is reasonable and not a request of additional funds, but a reasonable request
• I think the six-month request is reasonable and not a request of additional funds, but a reasonable request

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Kentucky Aviation Association on the importance of general aviation airports in Kentucky and their economic and public-safety role. Witnesses said the state has more than 50 general aviation airports that support jobs, agriculture, tourism, medical transport, disaster response, and law enforcement, and they urged continued support for aviation infrastructure and workforce development. They asked the legislature to again provide $200,000 per general aviation airport for operating and basic infrastructure costs, to route the money through the Kentucky Department of Aviation for accountability, to revisit a special-purpose governmental entity audit requirement they said is too costly for small airports, to create a long-term appropriations process for the roughly $100 million in unmet capital needs, and to fund the Arrow Act for aviation education and scholarships. Members asked about a dedicated aviation fuel tax and about local training partnerships, simulators, and school or community college programs; the witnesses said they preferred an appropriations-based solution and offered to help connect interested communities with aviation education resources. The committee then took up “Troy’s Law,” sponsored by Representatives White and Flannery, which would allow tow trucks to use blue lights while stationary and actively removing vehicles or debris from highways. Sponsors and tow operators said the bill is intended to improve worker safety after the deaths of tow operators Troy Cwell and Hubert Mosley in highway hit-and-run incidents, and they emphasized that tow operators often work in dangerous conditions at night, in bad weather, and near fast-moving traffic. They said the proposal would not apply while driving or towing and noted that other states have adopted similar measures. Witnesses from the towing industry, including Bubba Johnson and Barbara Maguire, supported the bill as an added layer of protection and described tow operators as first responders who help motorists in emergencies. Representative Flannery and other members expressed support for the safety goal and invited further discussion, but no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sure when it came through appropriations.
• This is a small piece of legislation, but a huge piece of legislation for the cannabis industry.
• I have a very narrow amendment request.
• A fiscal note is available, and I've also requested a new one on the substitute.
• I think that this proposed striker is appropriate for now.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. Second Substitute House Bill 2479 would create a wage recovery program within L&I to advance part of unpaid wages to low-wage workers facing immediate hardship, funded by civil penalties, while also increasing and restructuring wage theft penalties and complaint prioritization. Supporters, including the prime sponsor, labor advocates, and employer representatives from the work group, said it would help workers get paid faster and was a consensus proposal; questions focused on how the current complaint process works and whether general fund money would be needed. Engrossed House Bill 1941, as amended, would allow licensed cannabis producers to form agricultural cooperatives, with the striking amendment limiting any cooperative to three producer licenses; supporters said cannabis producers should have the same cooperative tools as other agricultural sectors, while some testimony urged future changes for interstate commerce and warned against consolidation. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2476 would expand the spirits, beer, and wine theater license from 120 to 200 seats per screen and add stronger alcohol-control measures when minors are present; theater operators and LCB supported the change, and committee questions focused on youth access and enforcement. House Bill 1526 would allow snack bar licensees to sell wine by the glass in addition to beer; the sponsor said it simply modernizes the license, and LCB noted a likely fee alignment issue and a small revenue impact. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1155 would void non-compete agreements and expand related notice and non-solicitation rules, with testimony split between labor and worker advocates supporting broader worker mobility and business and health care groups seeking narrower exemptions for executives, physicians, and financial institutions. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2303 would prohibit employers from requesting or coercing employees to accept microchip implants, with no testimony offered. Substitute House Bill 2405 would create a three-year pilot for earlier PTSD treatment coverage in workers’ compensation for eligible occupational disease claims, with L&I supporting it as a way to improve outcomes and reduce long-term costs. The committee also took public testimony on these bills, with strong pro and con positions noted on the wage recovery, cannabis cooperative, and non-compete measures. In executive action, the committee adopted a striking amendment and passed House Bill 1069, narrowing it to Department of Corrections employees and making supplemental retirement bargaining mandatory, despite concerns from one member about the change. The committee also adopted a striking amendment on House Bill 1347 concerning cannabis testing labs, then passed it to Rules; passed Second Substitute House Bill 1701 on liquor licensees sharing property; passed House Bill 291 on employee information for public employers to Ways and Means; passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2229 updating engineer registration provisions; passed House Bill 2264 on unemployment eligibility for workers in employer-initiated layoffs; passed Substitute House Bill 2472 adding enforcement for sprinkler contractors and fitters; and passed Second Substitute House Bill 2345 on paid family and medical leave premium allocation. A striking amendment to Second Substitute House Bill 1128 creating a child care workforce standards board was not adopted, and the bill then passed to Rules. The committee also announced it would hold House Bill 1066 for later action and planned to return the next day for its final executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, I request a roll call. Roll call requested, roll call granted.
• </c> Request a roll call. Request a roll call.
• </c> requested. Roll call granted. requested. Roll call granted.
• <c> get</c><02:39:02.000><c> that</c> legislator, my legislator, get that legislator, my legislator,
• </c> it was a group of legislators. it was a group of legislators.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have any legislation now other than legislation that needs to be third read or final read.
• Please move the Appropriations Committee amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• I recommend the Appropriations Committee amendment be adopted.
• I recommend that the Appropriations Committee amendment be adopted. Thank you.
• We voted on a piece of legislation today that helps them.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I would request a roll call vote. I would request a roll call vote.
• </c> and I request a division vote. and I request a division vote.
• And I request a roll call vote. Representative Perez requests a roll call.
• "Who requested the roll call?" "Who requested the roll call?"
• </c> The division has been requested. The division has been requested.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mack, Legislative Council Service. Sarah Reed, Mayor, Legislative Council Service.
• The uranium mine reclamation revolving fund is subject to legislative appropriation but remains unfunded
• . appropriation over a two-year span.
• involved in crafting legislation.
• So that's where this request came from.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The last one is the legislative appropriations. We saw that come into us approximately 2018.
• So those are grants that have been appropriated through the legislative process.
• We've seen a lot of matches with a lot of these legislative appropriations, but we've also seen what
• At this point in time, yes, we have not included any legislative budget requests.
• At this point in time, yes, we have not included any legislative budget requests.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, then returned to its ongoing budget workshop with the Department of Management Services. DFS’s Division of Risk Management described its role as the state self-insurance fund, covering about 200,000 employees and 27,000 vehicles, paying roughly $150 million in claims last year, and managing a pilot ETS treatment program for veterans and first responders that had 49 patients and 804 treatments as of the latest report. The Division of State Fire Marshal outlined its fire prevention, training, emergency response, and grant programs, including hurricane deployments, the Florida State Fire College, and several capital and grant requests for roof, courtyard, memorial, and equipment needs. The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation explained how it handles insolvent insurers under Chapter 631, currently administering 14 estates with $1.2 billion in assets and $3.7 billion in liabilities, and said no new receiverships had been opened since February 2023. Members asked about grant backlogs, fire truck procurement delays, memorial repairs, and whether affiliate transfers were occurring in insurer liquidations. Secretary Griffin then updated the committee on DBPR’s implementation of House Bill 1021 on community associations. He said the department had used the new authority to expand education, complaint handling, and ombudsman services, including 10 free standardized courses, a new condo website, and a four-hour board certification course that had already drawn more than 12,000 attendees. He reported that outreach to condominium communities had increased by more than 60%, that complaint filings were up 39% while jurisdictional dismissals dropped to 11%, and that about 81% to 82% of the 65 new positions had been filled. Members pressed him on whether the department had enough authority and funding, how condominium counts are determined, how self-reported structural integrity reserve study data is verified, and whether more public-facing complaint tracking and better reporting from local governments or developers would improve the system. The committee then resumed questioning Secretary Allende of DMS about outstanding budget and operations issues. Members focused on the delayed People First contract extension required by statute, with the secretary saying the delay involved technical and contractual complexity in moving a legacy hard-coded system to the cloud. They also revisited the state data team and data catalog project, asking why a statutory 2022 deadline had not been met, how the four-person team and broader data staff were organized, how many applicants were considered for key positions, and what each role was doing. The secretary said the catalog work was being simplified into six metadata fields and supported by a broader community of practice, but no firm completion date was given during the exchange.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not alleging that you don't have a right to file legislation as a senator.
• That is what you told me when I asked you if you intended to file legislation to do this in this legislative
• It was clear because I didn't file any legislation. I filed an amendment.
• I don't know that I would agree with automatically given out when requested a process.
• Or I'm reminded from a legislative affairs director, you weren't in support of this bill.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Occasionally, big money in politics actually buys legislation.
• But far more often, big money in politics is blocking legislation.
• It doesn't apply to legislative races, first of all.
• But when you request, when you get the... “Receive your mail.
• But when you request, when you get the request from the registrar of voters, our verifying your address

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on July 2, 2025, with a quorum present and took up eight agenda items, including four consent bills. The committee first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 280, SB 621, SB 851, and SB 852, all moving forward without objection. The committee then heard several bills from Senator Umberg focused on election administration and campaign finance, along with SB 408 on voter-roll maintenance. SB 249 would require county board of education elections to be consolidated with the statewide general election. Supporters, including the League of Women Voters, argued this would increase turnout and make those elections more representative; opponents, including Orange County education officials, argued it would override local control, increase costs, and add ballot fatigue. The bill passed 5-2 and was re-referred to the Committee on Education. SB 398 would make it a crime to pay or offer contingent payments or other valuable consideration to induce voting or voter registration, closing what supporters described as a loophole involving lotteries and incentives. It passed 5-0 as amended and was re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety. SB 42 would remove the state ban on public financing for campaigns in general law cities and counties, allowing local voters to decide whether to adopt such systems. Supporters from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, and many local advocates said it would broaden participation and reduce the influence of big money; opponents raised concerns about taxpayer funding, guardrails, and local oversight. The bill passed 5-2 and was re-referred to Appropriations. Finally, SB 408 would require election officials to use U.S. Postal Service change-of-address data to help maintain voter rolls; supporters said it would improve accuracy and trust in elections, while one commenter questioned reliance on postal data. The bill passed unanimously 6-0 and was re-referred to Appropriations. The committee then completed the remaining roll calls and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We would just like to request an aye vote from you. Thank you.
• In response to this trend, I asked the Joint Legislative Audit Committee in 2024 to request a review
• I'd like to move when appropriate, Chair. Thank you. Vice Chair, now is appropriate.
• And I respectfully request an aye vote. Thank you.
• this bill, on animal-related legislation.

Keywords: 988, house, all