Video & Transcript : 'MVP grant program' :
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FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education Feb 18th, 2026
Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education
Transcript Highlights:
- And this is a program that is available to all students.
- He learned English through our program.
- Now, a year after following our programs, today she says, Now, a year after following our programs, today
- It's an extensive program.
- And we were talking about the enrollment stabilization program.
Keywords:
speech education, debate, high school, Florida Debate Initiative, civics, competitive teams, student participation, educational advancement, educator preparation, certification, professional development, temporary certificate, military service, collaboration, teaching effectiveness, education, Florida College System, tuition waivers, vocational rehabilitation, state universities
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met to consider several education bills and the proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 Department of Education budget. The committee first took up CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate, which would formalize Florida’s Speech and Debate Week, strengthen the partnership between the Department of Education and the Florida Debate Initiative, require annual public reporting, and support statewide speech and debate programming. The bill drew extensive supportive testimony from students, alumni, and advocates who said debate improved civic engagement, literacy, confidence, and school performance, while also noting the need for equitable access and funding for travel and competition. The committee adopted a delete-everything amendment and then reported the bill favorably as amended by a unanimous vote of members present.
The committee then heard SB 1718 on educator preparation and certification, which expands access to educator preparation coursework, broadens eligibility for temporary certification for some formerly certified professionals, and allows prior subject-area exam results to satisfy requirements. Public testimony largely supported easing barriers for experienced educators while emphasizing that certification changes are only a partial solution to teacher shortages and should be paired with better pay, retention, and professional respect. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 7038 on education, which included a wide range of higher education and workforce-related changes, including a tuition waiver for Florida State Guard members, residency clarifications, oversight changes for blind services and vocational rehabilitation providers, licensure updates for private colleges, dual enrollment and assessment revisions, scholarship and funding changes, and reserve-fund requirements. An amendment restored the Classical Learning Test as a qualifying option for a grandparent tuition waiver, adjusted a Pell Grant performance metric, changed accreditation timing, and made other technical revisions. A dental education stakeholder raised concerns that one provision could disrupt long-standing exemptions for dental assisting programs, and the Florida Dental Association said it was working with the sponsor to avoid unintended impacts. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as amended.
The final major item was a high-level review of the proposed pre-K-12 budget, totaling $34.9 billion with local funds. Highlights included $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships, a $50 increase in the base student allocation, a 1.64% increase in total funds per FTE, $4.5 billion for family empowerment scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, $25 million for districts facing future enrollment declines, $65.3 million to help districts with current-year enrollment losses, $432.8 million for VPK, and $30.4 million for regional education consortia. Senators asked about reductions or flat funding in some allocations, teacher pay, declining enrollment support, Schools of Hope funding, and support for non-teaching school staff. Public testimony on the budget focused heavily on concerns about charter and voucher funding, especially the $6 million for Schools of Hope, with speakers urging more investment in traditional public schools, teacher compensation, and school infrastructure. The committee concluded the meeting by adjournment after no further business.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Community Safety Jan 12th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Community Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- I designed and developed interrogation training programs.
- Many of these treaties use similar language with respect to granting these rights.
- We returned up to $15 million last year from either ramping down programs.
- We gave... ...million dollars last year from either ramping down programs.
- So, for example... ...to investigate is limited to the authority of the granting entity.
Keywords:
Indian rights, treaty rights, convictions, tribal members, criminal justice reform, Attorney General, AG investigators, limited authority peace officer, peace officer certification, economic crimes, financial crimes, white-collar crime, fraud investigation, search warrant service, electronic service, business records, law enforcement authority, criminal background check, training requirements, Washington RCW
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House/Senate Press Conference 3/25/25
Transcript Highlights:
- Modeled after successful legislation and a program that's been implemented in the state of Nebraska,
- This program is going to go a long ways for recruitment and retention of police officers in the state
- that's been implemented in the program that's been implemented in the state<00:02:03.920><c> of</c><
- And it has to go to a degree or program related to law enforcement or criminal justice.
- You mentioned the program is modeled after something in Nebraska.
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Jan 28th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- On the other federal grant, it is actually a county that obtained that grant and was using it to support
- The program that we intended to put together for that was a treatment court program.
- The Guardian ad litem division provides grant funding for court-appointed special advocate programs across
- The Second Judicial District CASA program is requesting additional funds this year to support their program
- So I am, from my understanding, this program, not your program, this program is, the funding is a lot
Summary:
The Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee reviewed the Judicial Branch budget, beginning with the Court Operations division. Legislative staff outlined the branch’s structure, recent spending trends, technology upgrades funded with ARPA dollars, and FY26/FY27 budget changes, including judicial compensation increases, added judges in several districts, and a late request for $800,700 from a dedicated fund to cover senior magistrate retirement and purchase-of-service costs. Court officials explained that the retirement request was driven by an unusual number of magistrate retirements announced too late to include in the original budget, and they also described the impact of declining federal support and the need to shift some treatment-court and technology costs to other funding sources. Members asked about the holdback, the court’s cloud and network modernization, the purpose of senior judge purchase-of-service payments, and the effect of treatment courts on public safety and incarceration; no vote was taken.
The committee then heard the Second Judicial District CASA/Guardian ad Litem request for $77,900 in general funds. The program said the money would support a trainer/recruiter/data supervisor position, required office and record space, annual financial review, and liability insurance, citing rural service needs, declining VOCA and grant funding, and the need to recruit and support volunteers across a large district. The executive director described the program’s statutory role in child protection cases and said fundraising now covers about 30% of the budget, taking time away from direct services. Members asked about the decline in VOCA funds, the number of children served, and examples of the program’s impact; the director gave a detailed success story about helping a family reunify. The hearing ended with no recorded appropriation action, and the chair adjourned the meeting until the next day.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- The institutional services assistant will provide support for housing operations, and project program
- The institutional services assistant will provide support for housing operations, and project program
- These are grants for the Department of Commerce.
- In this request, there were three Commerce program coordinators and a fiscal support supervisor.
- Economic Development Commission for an Economic Development Coordinator and a military program manager
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
Ways and Means May 11th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And then the last one: consider instituting a time limit on projects in the non-state grant program.
- That might be another one, but to that point, the non-state program really is a grant program.
- I talked earlier about the non-state project grant program.
- It really is a grant program, even though we don't call it that, and suggest implementing some reporting
- Program.
Summary:
The committee met for an informational hearing focused largely on the state capital outlay process and House Bill 2. Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration/Facility Planning and Control described how the office prepares and administers the capital outlay bill, said the bill has grown substantially over five years, and argued that recent changes in culture, staffing, project management, cash-flow analysis, and use of third-party support have more than doubled project expenditures and improved delivery. Members asked about the use and cost of third-party project managers, delegation of smaller projects to agencies, hiring difficulties, and whether the changes represented better interpretation of existing law versus statutory changes. Husser said some statutes were amended, some internal customs were removed, and the office would provide a list of those changes. He also explained that the office is trying to move away from overly rigid practices and toward faster project completion while still following public-bid and oversight rules.
A major portion of the discussion centered on the size and structure of the capital outlay bill, especially the gap between Priority 1 cash capacity and the much larger Priority 5 backlog. Husser said the current annual Priority 1 limit is tied to construction inflation and is about $574 million, with additional surplus funds also available, but that the bill contains far more Priority 5 funding than can realistically move in a five-year plan. He and members discussed dormant projects, scope creep, legacy projects that have sat in the bill for years, and the problem of false expectations for non-state entities. Proposed solutions included limiting Priority 5 to five times Priority 1, requiring annual re-endorsement by members, setting district or project caps for non-state projects, requiring time limits and reporting for grant-like non-state projects, placing matches in escrow, requiring design readiness before submission, and consolidating the many existing reporting requirements into one clearer report. Members also discussed bundling multiple projects under one agency project, which the House had begun piloting for LSU, UL Lafayette, Southern, and DOTD, and which Husser said could improve flexibility, reduce overappropriation, and better reflect actual spending.
Baker then explained cash-flow management and the commitment process, saying FPC now analyzes projects annually to estimate what can actually be spent in the next fiscal year and uses commitments to allow projects to proceed when future-year funding is expected. He said overappropriations can result from poor cash-flow estimates, delays, dormant projects, or projects coming in under budget, and that the office is already reworking cash-flow assumptions and reappropriating savings where possible. Members also raised concerns about change orders and low bids; staff said project managers review change orders closely, require concurrence on non-state projects, and sometimes reduce scope to keep projects within budget. After FPC’s presentation, the committee heard the beginning of Louisiana Economic Development’s capital outlay discussion, where LED explained that its projects generally fall into three categories, including the Economic Development Awards Program and Site Readiness Program, both used to support targeted economic development and job creation.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Jul 10th, 2025
New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- programming.
- The concept was that the two programs would work together, and neither program would really serve as
- The program enjoys a AAA rating from S&P, making it a robust program.
- So the NMFA loan program.
- For us, that would be 41% if it was part of the PSCOC grant award. That's on the grant award side.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor debate of HF25 3/13/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> and reproductive Health Services Grants and reproductive Health Services Grants this<00:28:12.240
- </c> activities such as the small Grant activities such as the small Grant classes<00:28:44.600><c> and
- </c> proposal while also asking to Grant proposal while also asking to Grant taxpayer<01:10:20.480><c
- </c> from the positive Alternatives program from the positive Alternatives program while<01:32:15.880
- Paul, lost $149,700 because the grant is a multiple-year grant, a four-year grant, I believe it was.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Center for Nursing Equity and Excellence funding 3/18/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:05:08.440><c> that</c> ability to compete for grants that ability to compete for grants that
- , in my view, that actually would make sense to be an identified grant, in that if there is only one
- programs, just recognizing that so much of the health care workforce we receive a number of specific
- is only if we grant, in that if there is only if we say<00:08:46.520><c> as</c><00:08:46.680><c> a</
- And secondarily, what I like about this program is it helps the entire state.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance Apr 7th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- A big one is our institutional aid: the State University Grant Program is more than $800 million that
- The Rapid Rehousing Program provides emergency grants, rental subsidies, short- and long-term housing
- One of the federal research grants that was cut was a program called SNAP-Ed, which a lot of campuses
- That program has been cut.
- One of the federal research grants that was cut was a program called SNAP-Ed, which a lot of campuses
Summary:
The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance held an oversight hearing on the California State University system covering enrollment, core operations, Title IX/civil rights, and basic needs. The Department of Finance said the Governor’s 2026-27 budget does not change CSU enrollment targets from the prior year and proposes a 5% ongoing General Fund increase for core operations as the final year of the compact. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended a lower resident undergraduate enrollment target than the Governor’s proposal, separate funding for enrollment growth rather than folding it into base, a smaller or no base increase tied more closely to inflation, earmarking some base funds for capital renewal, retiring deferred payments, and avoiding new multi-year compact commitments. CSU said enrollment has rebounded for three straight years, but growth is uneven across campuses, with several Northern California campuses still facing structural declines tied to demographics and community college pipelines.
CSU described a multi-year reallocation plan shifting about 10,000 FTE and $89 million in ongoing funding toward higher-demand campuses, plus $40 million in one-time support, and said seven campuses submitted turnaround plans aimed at recovering enrollment over the next several years. The system highlighted strategies such as dual enrollment, guaranteed admission pathways with community colleges, outreach to high school students, retention and advising efforts, and new degree models for working adults and military-connected students. Members raised questions about how campus targets are set, whether the May Board of Trustees discussion will address a systemwide enrollment framework, and how CSU will manage future deficits if projected out-year funding does not materialize.
On core operations and facilities, CSU said it faces about $320 million in mandatory cost increases in 2026-27 and is pursuing shared services, procurement consolidation, campus administrative sharing, and program redesigns to reduce costs. CSU and the LAO emphasized the system’s large deferred maintenance backlog, estimated at $8.6 billion, and discussed whether CSU’s bond/debt capacity is sufficient to address it; CSU requested up to $1.1 billion for deferred maintenance, while the administration did not propose new funding. The committee also heard CSU’s annual Title IX and civil rights update: CSU said it has implemented 15 of 16 State Auditor recommendations, has dedicated Title IX coordinators at every campus, is using a systemwide case management dashboard, and is piloting centralized investigations at five campuses. Finally, on basic needs, the Governor maintained current funding levels for food assistance/basic needs, rapid rehousing, and mental health. CSU reported heavy use of food pantries, CalFresh support, emergency housing, and counseling services, while warning that federal changes to CalFresh and related funding could make it harder to serve students in need.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- You're talking about a county that got denied a grant, grant assistance? Yes, sir.
- FEMA denied that grant.
- Similar grant programs, the public assistance program that you mentioned, the $54 million, that number
- Fire management assistance grant, also a FEMA program, has a different threshold.
- So do you know of any program?
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Jan 20th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- I think that's the goal with this program.
- And as I read the bill, I'm not seeing that anything is automatically granted.
- Granted, you can ask for the moon, and it's irrelevant as to whether that is granted.
- of Education on the waivers that have been granted.
- To provide some background, E-CAP is the state's voluntary preschool program.
Summary:
The Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee heard three bills. Senate Bill 6052 would create a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment for K-12 and postsecondary institutions, with student or parent permission required for disclosure. Supporters from universities, OSPI, school districts, counselors, and education groups said the bill would reduce paper handling, staff time, errors, and delays in admissions and enrollment, while improving security and student access; members asked about alignment with the High School and Beyond Plan, FERPA, apprenticeships, and out-of-state transfer issues.
Senate Bill 6051 would allow local school boards to grant waivers or partial waivers of certain state laws and rules to individual schools, while excluding health and safety, civil rights, parental rights, basic education, and other protected areas. The sponsor said the bill is intended to give districts flexibility and surface recurring regulatory burdens, but OSPI, the State Board of Education, WEA, and school board groups raised concerns about broad scope, lack of definitions, possible impacts on special education and basic education compliance, and added complexity or legal costs. Some district representatives supported the idea of flexibility and relief from unfunded mandates, but suggested the bill needed more work.
Senate Bill 5907 would expand ECEAP access for military families with incomes below 60% of state median income and prioritize children with deployed or single custodial military parents. The sponsor and supporters from ESDs, school districts, Head Start/ECEAP, child advocacy groups, and veterans organizations said military families face frequent moves, deployments, child care instability, and related stress, and that the bill would provide a modest, cost-effective benefit without state fiscal impact. In executive session, the committee adopted a proposed substitute and passed SB 5860 to Ways and Means, and adopted a proposed substitute and passed SB 5574 to Rules.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Consumer Protection & Business Jan 28th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Consumer Protection & Business
Transcript Highlights:
- into the heating oil loan and grant program, which was required under a 2020 law the Legislature passed
- Under the current program, preliminary planning assessments and grants up to $60,000 and loans up to
- Under the program, grants can be used for cleanup costs and tank and system removals, whereas loans can
- it's a loan and grant program.
- it's no longer an insurance program it's a loan grant program and so the effect of the legislation is
Keywords:
real estate, appraisal, consumer protection, business operations, regulatory compliance, HB 2501, real estate disclosure, seller disclosure notice, residential property, home heating oil tank, oil tank insurance, pollution liability insurance agency, PLIA, heating oil contamination, remediation assistance, Washington real estate, property sale, buyer disclosure, seller obligations, oil heat
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jul 16th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- , including the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Grant Program.
- It's the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program.
- And that was largely the result of investments from the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program.
- And so that's one of the areas that we're trying to move the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program to be
- But we're fortunate to have the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program, an effective yet oversubscribed
Summary:
The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard several housing-related bills and moved most of them forward. SB 655 (Stern) would establish a state policy that residential units should be able to maintain a safe maximum indoor temperature, with supporters citing extreme heat deaths and the need for statewide guidance. Members raised concerns about the lack of a specific temperature standard and possible impacts on the electric grid, but the bill passed the committee 8-0 as amended to Appropriations.
The committee also heard SB 634 (Perez), which would bar state and local governments from adopting or enforcing ordinances that punish people or organizations for providing basic survival services to unhoused people. Supporters, including people with lived experience and homelessness advocates, argued that criminalizing food, water, blankets, and outreach prolongs homelessness and harms vulnerable residents; opponents from some cities and counties warned about limits on local control. The bill passed 8-2. SB 772 (Cabaldon) would continue and expand the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program by better supporting walkability, transit, and climate-resilient infrastructure for infill housing; it passed 8-0.
The committee also considered SB 838 (Dutraslo/DeRazzo), which would keep the Housing Accountability Act focused on housing by excluding transient lodging from housing streamlining protections. Supporters said some developers have used housing laws to fast-track hotel projects instead of homes, while opponents worried the bill could be too broad and limit mixed-use financing. After discussion about possible clarifying amendments, the bill passed 8-2 to Local Government. Several consent items—SB 484, SB 489, SB 686, and SB 724—also passed unanimously.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Vets Committee Meeting - 2025-04-09
Veterans and Military Affairs Division
Transcript Highlights:
- Those are the two largest programs for DMA.
- Moving on to changes to the programs and services program, you'll see the first is reducing the homelessness
- prevention programs, which is a $10 million reduction for the biennium.
- The next five items are all one-time grants of $1,000.
- This is approximately a $5 million cut in funding to those programs.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> supplemental energy assistance grants. supplemental energy assistance grants.
- </c><00:09:03.360><c> And</c> an addition to a LIHEAP program. And an addition to a LIHEAP program.
- And this program would allow Weber.
- Geothermal planning grants, $2 million. And then the $4.465 million for pre-weatherization grants.
- </c> going into some existing programs. going into some existing programs.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division II (03/24/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- This is a pilot program.
- This is a pilot program.
- programs.
- </c> grants as far as what those programs grants as far as what those programs would<02:21:44.640><c>
- You mean the adequacy grant?
Summary:
The committee met with Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre and Charitable Gaming Chief Compliance Officer Kulie Aoyo to review proposed changes in HB 2 and related amendments affecting video lottery terminals, historic horse racing, charitable gaming, and scratch tickets. McIntyre said the late-arriving amendment made revenue estimates difficult, especially because the bill would allow operators to decide when to convert from HHR to VLTs and would change the floor-space rules. He explained that the existing 70/30 floor-space split between machines and table games was negotiated to protect charity revenue, and warned that moving to a 90/10 split could reduce charity revenue, potentially by as much as $17 million, while also changing the character of the facilities. Committee members discussed whether to keep the 70/30 split, and McIntyre said he could provide updated estimates later that day, including net impacts after any offsetting gains or losses under current law.
Members also asked about the governor’s proposed operator share versus the Sweeney amendment’s higher operator share. McIntyre said the governor’s 45% figure was based on his own estimate and on comparable rates in other states, and he supported it as a way to maximize revenue for the state and charities. He also described a change to high-stakes tournaments: after speaking with Rep. Sweeney, he said the amendment was clarified to apply only to those tournaments and would lower the house take from 10% to 5% to encourage participation in rare, high-buy-in events. The committee also discussed a separate proposal to raise the maximum scratch ticket price from $30 to $50; McIntyre said the change would take time to implement, would likely increase net state revenue by about $1 million in year two, and was consistent with pricing in neighboring states such as Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Additional questions covered sports betting and a separate Kino-related estimate. McIntyre said March Madness is the busiest period for sports betting and that the state’s sports betting revenue has exceeded initial expectations. He also said he had estimated that removing a municipal-vote restriction for Kino could cost about $12 million total, with $2 million in the first year and $10 million thereafter. No formal votes were taken during the discussion; the chair indicated the committee would revisit the VLT amendment and other sections later, and McIntyre agreed to send updated revenue estimates to committee members.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Members, House Bill 3000 creates a grant program to help rural counties purchase new ambulances.
- Members, House Bill 3,000 creates a grant program to help rural counties purchase new ambulances.
- HB 4264 by Hefner, relating to creation of a grant program for certain peace officers who hold a master
- SB 2366 by Hughes, relating to a grant program for short-line railroad projects, for the Subcommittee
- SB 2448 by Sparks, relating to the establishment of the rural workforce development grant program, for
Summary:
The House convened with a quorum, offered an invocation, led the pledges, and approved a series of routine motions, including excusing absent members and granting permission for several committees to meet while the House was in session. Members also adopted several memorial and recognition resolutions, including H.R. 1023 honoring Christian Beerbill, H.R. 1033 recognizing International Bereaved Mother’s Day, and H.R. 877 recognizing Urban League Advocates Day. The House also recommitted SB 17 and HB 4211 to committee and postponed SCR 27 and HB 2145 for later consideration.
The chamber then took up a long third-reading calendar of bills covering a wide range of topics, including Sunset review measures, health care workforce and pricing, child custody and family law, Medicaid, rural ambulance grants, energy reporting, public information requests, trail development, virtual meeting disruptions, occupational licensing, protective orders, county leave pools, animal cruelty, infrastructure, and higher education. Most bills were explained briefly by their authors and passed with broad support, though several drew notable opposition, including HB 5265, HB 2402, HB 3000, HB 3237, HB 3326, HB 1056, HB 281, HB 3308, HB 1043, HB 1234, HB 1193, HB 294, HB 809, HB 334, HB 2037, HB 285, HB 1353, HB 3960, HB 4044, HB 4264, HB 2807, HB 3349, HB 4406, HB 1593, HB 1899, HB 1201, and others.
Several bills prompted extended debate or amendments. HB 3237, extending public energy-use reporting for state and higher-education buildings, passed after questions about its public-sector-only scope and energy savings. HB 3326, addressing public service loan forgiveness credit for adjunct professors, initially failed on a 69-70 vote but later passed after verification and machine corrections. HB 3211, concerning optometrists in managed care plans, adopted a Buckley amendment before passing. HB 2213 on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association board composition adopted a Metcalf amendment requiring certain board members to be Texas residents. HB 412, dealing with harmful materials and sexual performance of a child, generated extensive questioning about its scope, existing legal standards, and effects on educators and medical professionals; the excerpt ends during that debate.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Minnesota House public safety committee unveils $14 million supplemental budget bill 4/14/26
Transcript Highlights:
- ,</c> On line 8, Office of Justice Programs, On line 8, Office of Justice Programs, House<00:01:30.560
- There's also a change to the way in which the grants must be prioritized.
- </c> violence program in the area. violence program in the area.
- Fewer advocates, longer waits, whole programs absorbed or eliminated.
- </c> whole programs absorbed or eliminated. whole programs absorbed or eliminated.
Summary:
The committee took up House File 1082 as a vehicle for the public safety finance bill and laid it over without taking official action. Staff walked through the DE6 amendment, which combines funding and policy provisions from several bills. The spreadsheet and bill summary showed appropriations for non-fatal shooting clearance grants, a domestic violence task force, a first responder uniform ID task force, and an increase to the Philando Castile training reimbursement fund, along with felony-related policy changes involving impersonating a police officer, medical facility security, theft from a vulnerable adult, and grooming offenses. The amendment also includes a $12 million transfer to the Minnesota victims of crime account, bringing the DE6 total to about $15.443 million for the biennium, with additional tail costs.
Testimony focused heavily on the need to stabilize crime victim services funding. Katie Kramer of Violence Free Minnesota, speaking for multiple crime victims coalitions, urged support for the $12 million transfer, warning that flat funding and inflation have already forced program cuts, staff reductions, and service limits, and that a 20% cut could eliminate programs in rural areas. Tina Bronson of Alexandra House gave a similar account, describing how years of flat funding had reduced staff and programs and saying another cut would mean fewer advocates, longer waits, and less access for survivors. Both witnesses argued that victim services are an essential part of public safety and asked lawmakers to maintain existing services rather than expand them.
In member discussion, the chair said the $12 million was intended as one-time funding to keep victim services at roughly prior-year levels and explained that the money would be distributed through the existing competitive grant process. A member asked about the grooming language and whether it could affect teenage relationships; nonpartisan staff clarified that the school-related offense applies only when there is a position of authority, and that existing criminal sexual conduct law already addresses age-differential situations. Members and the chair closed by describing the package as bipartisan and expressing appreciation for the committee’s work, with the chair noting the bill was being laid over for later consideration.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
WAM-GVO, WAM-WLA Informational Briefings 01-13-2026
Hawaii Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- . programmed. programmed.
- On the community fuels reduction program, there were nine grant awardees this past year, totaling about
- Program. Program.
- We have a watershed program, also DOHFA, federal fund increase for anticipated grant awards. >> You guys
- So, for LNR 801, that is the oboe. program that's a DOD grant REPI funds. program that's a DOD grant