Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, just on Department of Finance, I think it's also important to note that the intention of this program
• The May Revision proposes augmenting the state premium subsidy program by $110 million from the Health
• The majority of the funding requested is to support state hearings for the SNAP program, which are required
• I'll be speaking to the state supplemental grant program reversion and reappropriation.
• The existing law The existing law states that the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program will be inoperative

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we took care of the state grant program.
• But deficit in the state grant program.
• is<00:02:24.319> going<00:02:24.400> to state grant program, which is going to state
• > yes put into the state grant program and yes put into the state grant program and yes we<00:04:
• we took care of the state grant program. we took care of the state grant program.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This has really been a successful program that has helped our firefighters across the state with mental
• hear how the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program is benefiting firefighters across the beautiful state
• The Hometown Heroes Assistance Program provides firefighters across our state with critical training
• Alkins moves that House File number 1133 be recalled from the Committee on State Government Finance and
• Finance and Policy. on State Government Finance and Policy and be re-referred to the Committee on Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• State leaders for partnering with NDI New Mexico to bring our program to communities all over the state
• My wife was the state vice president in the state of Louisiana.
• The students come across the state, all across the state.
• Whereas New Mexico is the birthplace of the United States Space and Missile Programs and New Mexico is
• the birthplace of the United States space and missile programs, and whereas emergency services such

Bills: HM19

Keywords: New Mexico Aviation and Aerospace Day, aviation, aerospace, space industry, missile programs, Spaceport America, White Sands Missile Range, White Sands Test Facility, Kirtland Air Force Base, drone, unmanned aircraft systems, commercial space transportation, NASA, aircraft, STEM education, research laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, flight testing, medical evacuation

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to be clear that it's one of many programs the state is using to achieve its climate goals.
• The cap-and-invest program does have a gasoline cost pass-through that has been publicly stated.
• So yes, the state has many other programs.
• also whether these programs are really sufficient to keep in-state.
• When this program started, there were 11 kilns in the state. There are now six producing kilns.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• statewide, the program benefits the entirety of the state.
• The program benefits the entirety of the state.
• The program benefits the entirety of the state.
• or provide state financing to that project.
• And so if the state provides the financing, a part of that financing, because these projects can be in

Summary: The committee first heard Issue 1 on trailer bill language to redirect funding for emergency demand-response programs. The Department of Finance proposed using about $26.9 million in General Fund originally set aside for the Distributed Energy Backup Assets program to bolster the Demand-Side Grid Support Program for summer 2026, and using about $70 million in CalCHAP interest to support ratepayer-funded demand response in summers 2027 and 2028. The CEC and CPUC said they are working on a transition from DSGS to ELRP or a successor program, while the LAO noted the General Fund money would otherwise revert to savings. Members pressed the administration on whether demand response remains important, whether DSGS has been successful, and whether the state should keep funding it through the CEC rather than shifting to a ratepayer-funded CPUC program. The CEC and CPUC said the programs are not directly comparable, emphasized different cost structures and enrollment metrics, and said a CPUC rulemaking is underway with a proposed decision expected in Q3 2026. No vote was taken in the transcript. The committee then took up Issue 2, a budget proposal tied to SB 254 and the new transmission accelerator. GoBiz and the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank described a five-year, roughly $26 million request to staff and administer the accelerator and manage Proposition 4 and AB 1207 funds for transmission financing. Members asked about state liability, ownership of financed lines, FERC revenue requirements, and whether the program would help underserved regions and offshore wind development. Staff explained that the accelerator would only consider projects already identified through CAISO’s competitive transmission planning process, and that state financing would be a small portion of large projects intended to lower overall costs to ratepayers. The LAO said it had no specific concerns but urged the Legislature to ensure the final language matches its intent. The committee also heard Issue 3 on petroleum market oversight. The CEC and its Division of Petroleum Market Oversight requested additional positions and funding to implement ABX2-1 and continue work on supply stabilization, refinery monitoring, and transportation fuels analysis. Members questioned why the work was funded through the Energy Resources Programs Account, whether existing staff from the paused price-gouging work could be reassigned, and whether the program had produced evidence of price gouging or improved supply conditions. CEC and Finance said the new positions are needed because the workload has expanded, while some existing staff remain on related analysis and reporting duties. The discussion ended without a vote in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first risk is, of course, that the state, both the LAO and finance, are forecasting out-year budget
• , the WUE program, which is for any of the, I think, 16 Western states.
• competitive with similar programs in the state.
• the United States Department of Education and their Title IX compliance program is dismantled?
• From our state librarian. The librarian's office will kick it off with finance.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill creates the State Commission on Program Efficiency.
• This bill also requires the head of each state agency to submit a strategic plan for program activities
• The Finance Committee amendment to Senate Bill 117-FNA removes the name of the current program provider
• <03:52:03.800> rather program as an ongoing program rather program as an ongoing program rather
• work requirements under the State work requirements under the State Medicaid<03:58:06.479> Program

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , state Kahakuy, administrator, state procurement<00:14:59.199> office.
• This relating to state enterprise zones.
• Assistance Program- Education Program. Assistance Program- Education Program.
• Program.
• million for is a reference for finance. million for is a reference for finance.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on February 18, 2026, and heard four bills. HB 2519 would shift University of Hawaii funding toward block appropriations, a stabilization fund, limited procurement and fiscal exemptions, performance-based metrics, and annual reporting. UH supported the bill, saying line-item budgeting hampers systemwide efficiency across its 10 campuses; the State Procurement Office commented on the procurement exemption. The chair proposed amendments to address concerns from Budget and Finance and procurement, including capping UH’s retained funds at 10%, requiring lapse after three fiscal years, removing CIP-to-operating transfers, narrowing procurement exemptions while keeping Chapter 103B principles, shifting performance metric-setting to the Board of Regents, and requiring annual reporting. The committee then voted to pass HB 2519 with amendments. HB 2409 would establish the Hawaii Geological Survey in Hilo and designate its director as the state geologist. UH Hilo supported the concept but said it would need sufficient general-fund support, estimating roughly $200,000 to start. DLNR and the Attorney General offered comments, with the AG calling it a matter of statewide concern. The chair said the DNR testimony raised public safety concerns and that UH Hilo had not identified a firm funding amount, so the committee voted to defer the bill. HB 2141 HD1 concerned state enterprise zones and would expand eligible business activities and allow DBED to designate up to two areas as enterprise zones with gubernatorial approval. DBED, the Tax Foundation, and other organizations submitted support or comments. After discussion, the chair said the current version no longer fit the higher education committee’s focus and recommended reverting to the original bill, which would limit the zone to Kakaʻako Makai for a biomedical health innovation hub near JABSOM and the Queen’s Cancer Center, with a defective date. The committee voted to pass HB 2141 HD1 with amendments. HB 2233 HD1 would appropriate funds to continue the SNAP-Ed program through UH and the Department of Health. DOH supported the bill and said it had been working on nutrition education and environmental changes; it estimated about $600,000 each for DOH and SEAR, or $1.2 million total. Testimony in support also came from several organizations and individuals, including a senior advocate who described the program’s practical benefits. The chair said the committee would reflect the $600,000-per-entity estimate in its report, and the committee voted to pass HB 2233 HD1 as is before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So anything we can do to continue to uplift our in-state residents and that program is something that
• Beginning in 2028, H.R. 1 cuts state-directed payments, a key financing mechanism for public hospitals
• Beginning in 2008, HR1 cuts state-directed payments, a key financing mechanism for public hospitals.
• The state funds three categorical programs that are generally viewed as addressing student basic needs
• The state began funding all three of these programs at UC beginning in 2019-20.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, chaired by Assemblymember Alvarez, held a hearing focused on University of California budget issues. The committee reviewed UC core operations funding, enrollment trends, federal funding threats, Title IX implementation, and basic needs support. Major themes included the end of the Governor’s multi-year UC compact, the state’s fiscal outlook, UC’s enrollment growth, and the potential impacts of federal policy changes on research, health care, and student aid. On core funding, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to continue compact-related support, defer some payments, and authorize a cash-flow loan. The LAO recommended a smaller or no base increase, earmarking some funds for capital renewal, retiring deferrals when possible, avoiding new compact commitments, and funding UC annually rather than through compacts. UC argued that the compact has supported enrollment growth, student services, and operating costs, but said campuses face rising expenses, structural deficits, and limited reserves. Members questioned the effects of deferrals on students and discussed the need to prioritize less harmful reductions if cuts become necessary. The enrollment panel focused on UC’s growth in California resident enrollment and the nonresident replacement plan at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The LAO recommended maintaining the current enrollment target, funding enrollment separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident replacement plan, and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. UC said it has already met compact enrollment goals, grown California undergraduate enrollment by about 18,800 students, and that further growth depends on ongoing state support. The committee also discussed the cost of enrollment growth, possible differential nonresident tuition, and a reporting request for UC to analyze the nonresident replacement approach; the motion to adopt supplemental reporting language passed. The hearing also covered federal funding risks, with the LAO and UC warning that federal changes could affect research grants, medical center reimbursement, and student financial aid. UC said research cancellations and suspensions are disrupting labs and graduate student support, while federal health policy changes could increase uncompensated care at UC hospitals. In the Title IX update, UC described its systemwide civil rights structure, annual student training, and campus support offices, and members praised the work while asking about ongoing concerns and intersegmental collaboration. The final basic-needs item began with Finance stating the Governor’s budget does not change ongoing support, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Managing Director, Public Programs, New Mexico Finance Authority. Good morning.
• I'm the Chief of Programs with the New Mexico Finance Authority, and my colleague...
• So what you see before you is an update on our Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund program.
• This is one of our legacy programs at the Finance Authority, and we'll go over this particular program
• States. And so this was a federal program that was passed by Congress.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our next bill is HB 529, relating to state finances. HB 529, relating to state finances.
• programs in the state.
• that program before committing state funds to such a program.
• that program before committing state funds to such a program.
• > to equity program enables the state to equity program enables the state to share<01:34:21.280><

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Housing and Public Safety/Water and Land hearing first took up HB 1096, which would repeal statutory tenant-selection preferences for disabled veterans and spouses of deceased veterans in state low-income housing. HPHA testified in support, saying the change was a housekeeping measure because the same preferences already exist in administrative rules and could be adjusted later to align with other local preferences, while also noting the federal VASH program provides stronger veteran housing support. Several members questioned why the preference should be removed at all, emphasizing that veterans have long been underserved and asking for a stronger justification; the committees ultimately deferred HB 1096. The later Housing/Hawaiian Affairs agenda heard HB 606 HD1, a measure to extend Act 279 funding and related exemptions for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Supporters argued the bill would give DHHL more time to use the $600 million appropriation to acquire land, work with developers, and address a wait list of about 29,000 applicants, while also helping restore Hawaiian communities and reduce the Hawaiian diaspora. Opponents focused on accountability and oversight, saying DHHL needs clearer plans, measurable goals, and stronger safeguards before receiving more money, and warning that prior spending and strategic-plan changes had reduced the number of applicants served. The committee also heard testimony that the bill would help DHHL fulfill long-standing obligations to Native Hawaiians and that the housing need affects the broader state, not only Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state resources are needed among multiple programs.
• For instance, can the MSA set aside or state admin be used to support these community-based programs
• I am asking for the state to speed up the repayment of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program rebate fund to
• Programs like this, aimed at reducing disparities and helping to save lives, save the state money, and
• programs such as CalWORKs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's some programs that we've been putting a lot of emphasis on, like the state small business credit
• It's come up in a lot of the Finance Authority Oversight Committee meetings across the state.
• Anything we do in this program, we need to make a determination that financing is either unavailable
• To be able to create a program within the finance authority that does project oversight.
• So it would absolutely affect CTE. programs around the state.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Before we begin, I want to thank the Department of Finance and our state departments for using their
• That does mean the State Department of Finance is going to have to find a way to factor in that debt
• Let's talk about, like, interest state high... that makes any program, if you're trying to build even
• How does the state use those to invest in its programs across the board?
• So I'll speak to two of the trailer bills, state-to-state under DMV. Department of Finance.

Summary: The hearing opened with budget framing from the chair and the LAO, who said the May Revision addresses roughly a $14 billion budget problem and that the environment and transportation subcommittee’s proposals account for about $1.9 billion of the solution. The LAO urged members to focus on solutions that do not worsen out-year deficits, to preserve reserves, and to defer major policy changes that are not necessary to pass the budget, including the newly introduced water-related trailer bills. Members also raised concern about a late-dropped Olympic-related trailer bill, which the LAO likewise suggested should be deferred for fuller review. The first major item was the Delta Conveyance Project and related water quality control plan trailer bills. The administration argued the proposals would streamline permitting, water rights proceedings, judicial review, and land acquisition, and would clarify DWR’s bond authority for the project. DWR said the project is needed to protect water supply reliability against drought, earthquakes, sea level rise, and other climate-related disruptions, and that the tunnel would help move water when conditions are wet and safer for the environment. Committee members from both parties questioned the timing, the use of budget trailer bills for major policy changes, the scope of the CEQA and water-rights changes, the lack of a bond cap, cost growth, and eminent domain protections. The LAO recommended deferring both water trailer bills without prejudice. Public comment was sharply divided, with labor, water agencies, and some business groups supporting the project as climate adaptation and reliability infrastructure, while environmental, tribal, fishing, county, and community groups opposed it as an attempt to bypass public process and weaken protections. The committee then briefly heard the DMV’s Digital Experience Platform fee trailer bill, which would reinstate a $1 system improvement fee to help fund the vehicle-registration phase of the project. DMV said the fee would raise about $7 million annually and offset roughly $59 million to $60 million of project costs, while the LAO noted it would help but would not solve the Motor Vehicle Account’s broader structural gap. The hearing then moved to California High-Speed Rail, where the new CEO presented an updated plan and said the project remains a major climate and infrastructure investment. He reported a revised Merced-to-Bakersfield cost range of $34.9 billion to $38.5 billion, said the agency is trying to reduce risk through direct procurement of materials, and argued that stable annual funding is needed to avoid higher costs from delays.

Transcript Highlights:

• might have state grants available is a local option if the district wants to try the program through
• He said they heard about this program happening in another part of the state and want to replicate it
• He said they heard about this program happening in another part of the state and want to replicate it
• He said they heard about this program happening in another part of the state and want to replicate it
• He said they heard about this program happening in another part of the state and want to replicate it

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Ultimately, just creates a state-level program that builds upon really the successful federal program
• She found that financing, about $1.8 million, through the New Markets program that the state passed and
• state level programs to started to pass state level programs to attract<00:03:55.760> more<00
• Um, that state that passes the program.
• other states that have passed programs other states that have passed programs like<00:04:19.840>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2360, as amended by H.F. 2360A1, which would create a state-level New Markets Tax Credit-style program modeled on the federal program. Chair Swedzinski explained that the bill is intended to drive investment across Minnesota, including a requirement that at least 50% of the $200 million allocation be directed to greater Minnesota, and noted that the program would run for 12 months with state oversight to help guide investments. Testimony in support came from Alex Stuponic of Advantage Capital and Jason Wabama of Advanced Machine Guarding Solutions in Hibbing. Stuponic described the federal New Markets program as a tool for directing capital to low-income and underserved communities, cited Minnesota projects that have already benefited from federal funding, and argued that state programs in other states have successfully attracted more investment. Wabama said the credit could help rural businesses like his expand, noting that his Hibbing company has grown from one employee in 2021 to 22 employees and hopes to reach 50 employees while eventually becoming an ESOP. Chair Gomez raised concerns about the bill’s changes, especially the set-aside of half the funds for one region and the five-year carryforward, saying the proposal seemed arbitrary and more permissive and that there was likely not room in the budget for the $100 million cost this year. In response, Swedzinski said the fiscal note pushes costs into future years, with the first costs beginning in 2028-2029, and emphasized that the structure would allow the investment benefits to occur upfront. The amendment was adopted, and the bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why all of it on demand side grid support program? David Evans, Department of Finance.
• The unallocated funds will be for the state bond costs for that program. How much is unallocated?
• It is a clean energy program, and it would be for a state water facility.
• state.
• that has a state Lifeline program in addition to the Universal Service Fund funding from the...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's in part because many states fully exempt. this income and many states have no state income
• We are able to use these funds to really supplement the program, but not to supplant any local or state
• We administer 42 tax and fee programs. programs for the state.
• Is how do we know that the programs that we have at the state are getting down.
• So I would implore you all to be able to discuss that when the state has a model, is funding programs

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so if you can't really join a state consortium if you have a different program.
• And so if you can't really join a state consortium if you have a different program.
• other states have done.
• other states have done.
• in the state of Hawaii.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Labor and Technology met on March 6, 2026, and considered four gubernatorial nominations. For GM 690, Jesse Kola Dean was nominated for reappointment to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Board. Testimony from the Retirement Savings Board and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations strongly supported Dean, citing his original membership on the board and his role in advancing implementation of the retirement savings program. Dean described his background and said the program was moving into implementation after the board approved the Connecticut consortium model; in response to questions, he said the main challenges had been finding an executive director and adapting the program from an original opt-in structure to the opt-out consortium model. The committee voted to recommend advise and consent. For GM 634, Darlene Blakey was nominated to the board of trustees of the Employees' Retirement System. ERS and several individuals submitted support. Blakey, an executive vice president and chief lending officer at First Hawaiian Bank, said her banking and finance background and personal experience with her mother’s retirement benefits motivated her service. She told senators she had attended ERS meetings and was focused on improving retirees’ access to information, education, and retirement planning, and said she would recuse herself from matters involving First Hawaiian Bank because of a potential conflict of interest. The committee again voted to advise and consent. The committee then considered GM 627 and GM 726, both nominations of Gina Anu Novo to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council for different terms. Written testimony from numerous supporters was read into the record. Novo, a longtime First Hawaiian Bank executive and current vice chair, described her experience building audit, compliance, human resources, and technology functions, and said she wanted to help strengthen workforce pathways, career development, retention, and outreach to youth and workers who do not pursue college. Senators asked about her plans to connect workforce development with education and financial literacy; she emphasized career pathing, training, and adapting to changing skills needs, including the role of technology and AI. The committee voted to recommend advise and consent on both nominations, and the meeting adjourned after all four nominations were approved by the committee.