Transcript Highlights:

• The COLA goes to a small subset of providers, those who are funded on the standard reimbursement rate
• So it goes to a small subset of providers.
• So it goes to a small subset of providers.
• For each for small school districts, as well as for naturally affected school districts.
• California College is a small nonprofit liberal arts school in downtown LA.

Summary: The committee heard the May Revision presentation for the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, with public comment focused heavily on K-12 priorities such as universal school meals, kitchen infrastructure, food service and custodial support, youth leadership grants, Special Olympics funding, English learner support, universal pre-K, literacy investments, and concerns about community college funding shifts. Speakers also urged support for expanded learning, teacher recruitment and training, and maintaining or increasing funding for community colleges and student support programs. Finance and the LAO then reviewed the Proposition 98 outlook. Finance said the May Revision lowers the 2025-26 Prop. 98 guarantee to $114.6 billion, about $4.3 billion below January, due mainly to lower revenue estimates, with smaller effects from attendance and property tax changes. The administration also described rebenching for universal transitional kindergarten and a one-time rebench tied to Los Angeles fire-related property tax losses, along with changes to the Public School System Stabilization Account, deferrals, and updated COLA assumptions. The LAO said the budget relies too much on deferrals and one-time funds, creates a structural shortfall, and should instead align ongoing spending with the guarantee and preserve a reserve buffer. Members questioned the TK rebench and the shift of funding from community colleges to K-12, asking why it was being applied retroactively and how colleges would be held harmless. Finance said the changes align funding with where TK costs are being incurred and that reappropriation funding and other adjustments would offset impacts on community colleges. The LAO argued the historical split formula is outdated and should be abandoned in favor of budgeting around current priorities rather than fixed percentages. Members also raised concerns about draining the rainy day reserve and using deferrals, while the LAO said preserving reserves would better protect against future volatility. The committee then moved to specific K-12 and education proposals. Finance outlined May Revision changes including state operations adjustments for the Department of Education, technical trailer bill changes, a $100 million student teacher stipend program administered by Kern County, and updates to the charter school facility grant program. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed increases for expanded learning, literacy coaches, and the student teacher stipend as currently structured, while supporting the minimum grant increase for expanded learning. Members expressed support for teacher recruitment efforts but questioned whether one-time funding can sustain ongoing programs and whether the student teacher stipend should be targeted to shortage areas or low-income communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Starting in 1975, a small group of people got this going, and between '75 and '83 the school kind of
• it<00:06:47.199> you<00:06:47.280> know<00:06:47.400> a<00:06:47.520> small
• group of people 1975 it you know a small group of people got<00:06:48.639> this<00:06:48.800>
• Right now, the school takes in 25 different funding streams, some of them small, some of them large.
• <00:10:55.760> some funding streams some of them small some funding streams some of them small

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Rasmusson, and didn't we have last year there was a series of one-offs on some of these small
• As Senator Hauschild mentioned, we're a small skilled nursing facility.
• house child mentioned we're a small house child mentioned we're a small Skilled<00:24:34.120>
• RPA is a nonprofit trade association representing small residential and customized living, as well as
• sources making it difficult for small sources making it difficult for small providers<00:46:50.920

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But they're not, it's not as attractive a small business to be in as it used to be anymore.
• The fiscal impact that it will have a small cost just based on funds that will not be coming into the
• You know, these are small businesses; their costs are there. I think the chair is right.
• I think it does lower, you know, the cost that a small business has.
• I'm not talking about this room; it's a very small space.

Bills: HF656, HF655, HF633

Keywords: child care, childcare, day care, daycare, licensing, variance, licensed capacity, capacity limit, staff qualifications, staffing, child care center, family child care, provider flexibility, Minnesota career lattice, Department of Children Youth and Families, DCYF, licensing rules, enrollment, indoor space, professional development

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it also gives small as a key issue.
• Small towns in particular do not have compliance departments. They have volunteers.
• Small towns in particularly do not have Small towns in particularly do not have compliance<02:27:30.399
• It's a very small minority of cases, I acknowledge.
• I am a small landlord with my properties in the seacoast.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's been a small number of women who have successfully been able to petition for resentencing.
• But while the numbers are small, the impact is large and significant.
• My name is Kelvin Echampong with the Small Property Owners Association.
• I'm here today as a small property owner in Worcester County.
• It's a common experience with small landlords across Massachusetts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary heard testimony on a wide range of bills, with much of the discussion focused on housing stability and maternal mental health. On H. 1924/S. 1171, supporters including Sen. Joan Lovely, Rep. Jim O’Day, physicians, advocates, and people with lived experience urged the committee to create legal protections and treatment pathways for defendants who experienced postpartum psychosis or other perinatal mood disorders within 12 months of giving birth. Testimony emphasized that these conditions are rare but severe, often treatable, and can lead to tragic outcomes if criminalized rather than addressed through screening, expert evaluation, treatment, and, in some cases, resentencing or mitigation. Committee members asked about diagnosis years after the fact and how the Illinois law has worked; witnesses said retrospective diagnosis is possible and that the Illinois model has led to some successful resentencing petitions and broader awareness. Housing-related bills drew substantial testimony. On H. 1983/S. 1071, witnesses described “zombie” subordinate mortgages that were sold years after borrowers believed they had been resolved, then resurfaced with large balances and foreclosure threats. Supporters said the bill would require disclosures and court review to prevent unlawful servicing and foreclosure practices. On H. 1952, advocates from the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, tenants, and legal services providers backed a permanent statewide right to counsel in eviction cases, citing data showing strong tenant outcomes and the importance of quality control, multilingual outreach, and full representation. On H. 1895/S. 1184, testimony supported codifying a two-tier summary process in eviction court and prohibiting defaults at the initial case-management stage. On H. 1883, a small property owner supported rent escrow as a way to protect landlords from bad-faith nonpayment while preserving tenant rights. The committee also heard testimony on bills addressing discriminatory housing covenants, tenant oversight, and homelessness. On H. 1762/S. 1080, a housing advocate supported removing void restrictive covenants from deeds, describing the Dirty Deeds Project and the lingering harm of racist language in property records. On H. 1814, tenants and advocates described harassment, retaliation, security problems, and lack of accountability in subsidized housing, arguing for an Office of the Tenant Advocate within the Attorney General’s Office. On S. 1120, multiple witnesses supported a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness, saying it would affirm the right to rest and seek shelter, reduce criminalization, and extend anti-discrimination protections. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• HART is a small unit, but it does have the backing of the State Police behind it.
• Yeah, I totally understand that in disappearance, the HART unit seems to be very small and very limited
• So although they may seem small, Our curriculum for those officers.
• So although they may seem small, they have impact in every community because we bring them in to develop
• I'm not sure if the word should be “intellectual merits” or “merit,” and again, it's just a small piece

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism met to hear testimony from Chief James Hicks of the Natick Police Department, who chairs the Municipal Police Training Committee, and Chief Thomas Fowler of the Salisbury Police Department. They described the statewide civil-rights-officer model for hate-crime response, the HEART Unit, and MPTC training authority under POST, and urged the commission to recommend incorporating the IHRA definition of antisemitism into police training and to fund that effort. Commissioners asked about how law enforcement should handle antisemitic incidents that may not rise to crimes, the 2022 Mapping Project, masking during protests, and the role of HART; the chiefs said departments can update training quickly, that every department should have a trained civil-rights officer, and that HART’s expertise should be integrated statewide. The commission also approved the October 16, 2025 minutes after correcting an initial procedural error. The rest of the meeting focused on the draft report, especially the prefatory statement and the definition section. Commissioners broadly praised the report’s scope and the chairs’ work, but offered many edits aimed at tightening language, reducing advocacy tone, and clarifying the “Massachusetts way” of combating antisemitism. Several members wanted stronger emphasis on Massachusetts values, education, moral leadership, and the distinction between hate incidents, hate crimes, and statutory offenses; others urged clearer references to constitutional protections, First Amendment limits, and Attorney General review of legal statements. There was also discussion of whether to keep or remove references to alternative definitions of antisemitism: some commissioners argued that only the IHRA definition should be centered, while others said acknowledging other definitions was factually important and would reflect the range of testimony. Commissioners also raised specific substantive edits for later sections, including adding examples such as the 2022 Mapping Project, strengthening language on online intimidation, academic boycotts, and divestment campaigns, and clarifying that some conduct may be hateful even if lawful. In the higher education section, members praised recommendations on mandatory training, bystander intervention, trauma-informed responses, mental health supports, and campus climate surveys, while suggesting a few technical edits and additional best-practice examples. No final votes were taken on the draft report during this portion; the chairs said they would incorporate feedback into a revised draft before the remaining meetings and eventual vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there were a whole bunch of places where small numbers really matter.
• And there were a whole bunch of places where small numbers really matter.
• Lastly, Sunderland's single-family and small multi-family vacancy rate is virtually non-existent.
• To reiterate, Sunderland is a small transient community directly bordering Amherst, Mass.
• I mean, we're a small number, but, man, we need our numbers. Yeah, of course.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census met on December 8 at 9:32 a.m. to examine the dynamics that drive census undercounts and overcounts, with testimony first from Joseph Salvo and then from Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute. Salvo explained the Census Bureau’s two main evaluation tools: demographic analysis, which uses vital records, migration estimates, and Medicare data to produce a national benchmark, and the post-enumeration survey (PES), which compares a separate sample-based count to the census. He said the 2020 census showed a small national net undercount, but larger age- and race-based disparities, including the highest undercount among children ages 0 to 4, higher undercounts for men, substantial undercounts for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and overcounts among some older and college-age groups. He also described how self-response, non-response follow-up, administrative records, proxy responses, and imputation affected data quality, arguing that proxies and imputation were especially weak and that outreach remains critical for 2030. Committee members asked Salvo to clarify the methods and error bands, the role of international migration estimates, and how the PES differs from the census address list and LUCA. He explained that PES is based on a separate sample of blocks and can add units within sampled blocks, but it does not measure units missed entirely from the original address list; LUCA matters because it improves that list before enumeration. He also discussed age heaping, duplicate responses among older adults, and why group quarters and COVID-related disruptions complicated the 2020 count. Senator Driscoll briefly interrupted to describe Randolph’s successful appeal of its 2020 count after an undercount in disability care homes, and Salvo noted that the post-census group quarters review helped correct some missed facilities. Susan Strait then focused on Massachusetts-specific results. She said Massachusetts’ 2020 count was strong overall, with population growth above the national average and a PES-based finding that the state was overcounted by 2.24 percent, though she emphasized that this did not mean all areas were accurately counted. Using demographic analysis, she said Massachusetts had an estimated 4.15 percent undercount of children ages 0 to 4, with the largest county-level undercounts in Hampden, Suffolk, and Essex, and she linked higher child undercounts to lower educational attainment and female-headed households. Strait also reviewed operational metrics showing that Massachusetts had relatively strong internet self-response, but that non-response follow-up relied heavily on household interviews, administrative records, proxies, and imputation in different counties. She highlighted higher proxy use in college-heavy counties such as Hampshire and Suffolk, and said counties with more minority residents were more likely to have population-count-only cases and other indicators of harder-to-count populations. The hearing ended with discussion of how these findings could inform outreach and census planning for 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're a hardworking Californian or a small business owner, your taxes are going up.
• And one of the small things that we're trying to do to offset all that new spending is, yes, thank you
• And one of the small things that we're trying to do to offset all that new spending is, yes, follow the
• These are tools and products used by every single business in California, from local small businesses
• We need more people who work out of their garage, who think like entrepreneurs, who pioneer new small

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Another example: a district with a small high school with declining enrollment may want to talk with
• Another example, a district with a small Another example, a district with a small high<00:10:08.960
• We're going to start with a small group of facilitators here, as I understand it to date.
• We're going to start<00:26:01.720> with<00:26:02.200> a<00:26:02.320> small<00:26
• of facilitators start with a small group of facilitators here<00:26:03.960> as<00:26:04.080><

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a caucus of the whole on House Bill 955, described by House Education Chair Rep. Peter Conlin as the year’s education transformation bill. He said the bill is still evolving and must still go through Ways and Means, Appropriations, and the Senate. Conlin framed the bill as a response to declining enrollment, school building needs, future funding changes, and equity concerns, drawing on prior commission work, testimony, surveys, emails, and committee input. Conlin said H. 955 has two major structural pieces: it creates seven mandatory Cooperative Education Service Areas (CESAs) to provide shared services more efficiently at larger scale, and it requires merger study committees in all parts of the state to examine whether districts should voluntarily merge into pre-K through 12 union school districts. He emphasized that CESAs are service providers, not governing bodies, and that merger study committees are required to study merger but not to merge. He also said the bill includes startup grants for CESAs, fee-for-service funding, a guidance map for facilitator work, deadlines culminating in merger votes on November 7, 2028, and reporting requirements back to the General Assembly. Members asked about whether CESAs duplicate supervisory unions, how representation would work, whether the bill affects academic standards, what happens to articles of agreement, why some study groupings include only one district, how the process would work in practice, and what support facilitators would have. Conlin responded that CESAs are intended to add scale for specialized services rather than replace supervisory unions, that they do not govern schools, and that representation and structure could be adjusted as the bill moves forward. He said the bill does not change what is taught in schools, only governance and funding, and that any merger would still require new articles of agreement and voter approval. He also said the facilitator system would be supported by a lead facilitator and the existing CESA structure, and that some groupings may be revised based on local conditions. The committee also discussed cost savings and timing. Conlin said the bill is intended to reduce costs through shared services and larger-scale districts, and that the proposed delay in implementing a foundation formula is meant to allow time for mergers and related administrative work, including bargaining, records, and district consolidation. He cited the existing Vermont Learning Collaborative in southeastern Vermont as an example of a CESA already providing specialized services and saving member districts money.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Russell 3000 represents the small-, medium-, and large-cap domestic stocks, and a 1.6% return.
• You'll see that sometimes small caps will outperform large caps.
• Sometimes small caps will outperform large caps. Really, they should over long periods of time.
• Sometimes large caps will outperform small caps, sometimes international will outperform domestic.
• It's a really small number. That's our cost.

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and receive updates on the Legacy Fund transparency website and fund performance. Staff reported the website procurement was in contract negotiations, with a planned go-live around November 1, and that the site would provide downloadable, more transparent information on fund holdings, allocations, history, and legislative appropriations while protecting confidential data. The investment office then reviewed performance through January 2026, describing strong returns relative to benchmarks, noting real estate and fixed income as weaker areas, and explaining that the fund’s diversification and internal management had helped offset market volatility, including recent geopolitical impacts. Members also discussed the in-state investment program, especially the Bank of North Dakota’s CD-match allocation. Several members questioned whether the program had been static for years and whether the uncommitted balance should remain parked there if it was not being used. The committee voted to pause further transfers into the program until the Bank provides a report and the committee can consider possible statutory changes; the motion also requested a cost-benefit analysis from RVK, and it passed by roll call vote. In the afternoon, RVK presented its review of the investment policy statement as it relates to the in-state investment program. The consultant said it found no major policy impediments, and that implementers and stakeholders generally felt the program was proceeding as intended. RVK emphasized best practices such as third-party due diligence, competitive risk-adjusted returns, diversification, pacing, and exit strategies, while cautioning that required lower-return investments or spending commitments can create pressure on the fund’s long-term real value. The consultant also raised ancillary concerns about state-level concentration risk, the need to distinguish between public and commercial infrastructure, and the lack of a central repository for all state funding commitments to the same projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we do also want to just bring up the fact that our office is a small office, and due to that, because
• bring up the fact that our office<00:15:17.440> is<00:15:17.680> a<00:15:17.760> small
• > and<00:15:19.600> and<00:15:19.760> due<00:15:19.959> to office is a small
• office and and due to office is a small office and and due to to<00:15:20.440> that to that to
• but yes, we we would like to do it small but yes, we we would like to do it small scale<00:31:23.920

Bills: SB2479, SB2557, SB2861, SB3204, SB3324, SB3325

Keywords: criminal procedure, family violence, dating violence, child abuse, evidence admissibility, reduced sentencing, homelessness, reporting requirements, statewide office, housing solutions, kauhale projects, public oversight, SB2861, Hawaii, Office of Wellness and Resilience, OWR, Department of Human Services, DHS, Kakou Pilot Program, Kakou

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures related to criminal procedure, homelessness, family resilience, Medicaid-funded services, and school Medicaid reimbursement. On SB 2479 SD2, the Judiciary testified in neutral opposition with concerns that the bill could require imprisonment even for probation-eligible defendants, expand sentence reconsideration in ways that could undermine finality for victims, conflict with existing sentencing statutes, and require additional judicial resources. The Office of the Public Defender supported the bill’s intent but asked for language changes so people serving sentences could raise the new evidence in Rule 40 petitions and so probation would remain available in appropriate felony cases. Written testimony also included opposition from several county prosecutors and police, and support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The chair later deferred SB 2479 SD2, citing unintended consequences and problems with the bill. For SB 2557 SD1, which would require annual reporting by the State Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions, the office said it supported the intent but noted it already produces annual and quarterly reports, that some requested data is already available, and that staffing and cost constraints could make the new reporting burdensome. The State Council on Mental Health supported the measure and suggested narrowing the reporting language to data on individuals with serious mental illness or co-occurring behavioral health conditions, to the extent practicable and in collaboration with relevant agencies. A committee member asked about the availability of point-in-time count data, and the office explained that some figures may not be available every year and may need to be generated through HMIS. Dr. Jack Lewin testified in support, saying the data would be useful for understanding health care costs. The committee passed SB 2557 SD1 with amendments, including a deferral of the effective date. The committee also heard SB 2861 SD2 and SB 3204 SD1, both family resilience pilot program measures. For SB 2861 SD2, the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS supported the bill but requested amendments to clarify that the office’s role is planning and advisory, that DHS is a key partner, and that federal compliance safeguards are included. The chair raised concerns about overlap with DHS’s existing Ka Ohana program and asked for language to avoid redundancy while allowing the bill to cover other at-risk children; decision-making was deferred to the next hearing. For SB 3204 SD1, which would create a peer-navigator-based family resilience pilot, the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS supported the measure, with the office requesting a two-year pilot period, and both agencies and several advocacy groups submitted support. The committee discussed funding, the proposed five peer navigators, and whether the pilot should be limited to one or two geographic areas; no final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee also heard and supported SB 3324 SD1 on Medicaid home and community-based services, with the Department of Health emphasizing caregiver shortages and the cost-effectiveness of community care, and SB 3325 SD1 HD1 on public school Medicaid reimbursement, where DOE and the Attorney General requested clarifying amendments to reporting language and position titles.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so this isn't— I was just honored to be a small part of making this thing happen.
• that we've worked very hard to make this a good program, and it's an honor to be recognized and be a small
• this isn't uh I was just a honored to be this isn't uh I was just a honored to be a<00:18:18.160> small
• <00:18:30.720> part<00:18:30.960> of be recognized and be a small part of be recognized
• and be a small part of making<00:18:31.520> this<00:18:32.000> re<00:18:32.240> a

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The segment focused first on Senator John Marty’s bill, SF 3612, which would remove private insurers and HMOs from Minnesota’s state health care programs and replace them with a statewide administrative services model. Marty argued that managed care has created churn, coverage disruptions, and administrative waste in Medicaid and MinnesotaCare, and said the state should instead pay providers directly while investing more in care coordination, case management, and wraparound services through primary care clinics and county-based purchasers. He said the goal is better care, not just savings, though he also cited potential taxpayer savings and pointed to Connecticut as a model. He acknowledged the bill is not expected to become law this year and said a fiscal note and more details are still pending. Marty said the proposal has support from the governor and groups such as the American Cancer Society, but that his current co-authors are all DFL members. He expressed hope for bipartisan support and said the simpler system would also improve fraud detection and transparency. He addressed concerns about insurance-industry jobs by saying workers should be treated fairly and that retraining and dislocated-worker assistance would be part of the transition. He also said the broader goal is universal coverage for all medical needs, including mental health and dental care, without co-pays or deductibles. The second half highlighted Senator Jeff Howe and Minnesota’s Hometown Heroes Assistance Program for firefighters. Howe described the program as a statewide effort for roughly 20,000 career, paid-on-call, and volunteer firefighters that provides up to $20,000 in assistance for occupational illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, along with training, counseling, and family support. He said the program helps firefighters process trauma and has been recognized as the nation’s most comprehensive firefighter well-being initiative. Howe said the most recent version of the bill received unanimous bipartisan support in both chambers, and he suggested future expansions could include retired firefighters and possibly peace officers. The segment also noted a separate therapy approach using retired racehorses to help first responders work through trauma, with participants saying it has helped them stay on the job and manage anxiety and PTSD.

Transcript Highlights:

• we got into this classroom size and we started designing classrooms I think that were probably too small
• I think that were classrooms I think that were probably<00:14:30.680> too<00:14:30.839> small
• c> do<00:14:31.560> part<00:14:31.800> of<00:14:31.839> what probably too small
• to do part of what probably too small to do part of what we're<00:14:32.120> doing<00:14:32.400
• school districts get a staffs in small school districts get a tickler<00:31:37.560> on<00:31:

Bills: HB0034, HB0035, HB0036, HB0106

Keywords: HB0034, Wyoming retirement system, Wyoming Retirement Act, firefighter retirement, public employee retirement, retirement benefits, state pension, wildland firefighting, wildland firefighter, crash and rescue, Wyoming National Guard, Office of State Lands and Investments, Wyoming Retirement Board, correctional forestry crew, correctional crew supervisor, correctional forestry crew manager, general fund appropriation, state agency employees, service credit, benefit eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we've allowed that, but it's a very small amount. >> Okay.
• <00:32:06.080> very we've allowed that, but it's a very we've allowed that, but it's a very small
• small amount. small amount.
• >> yeah, >> yeah, >> yeah, >> was<00:34:43.520> a<00:34:43.839> small
• county at the time, >> was a small county at the time, >> um,<00:34:46.480> relative<

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 210; 29 January, 2026: 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Department of Mental Health presented its FY27 budget request and described its statewide responsibilities, including more than 600 grants totaling about $140 million, 11 community mental health centers, and state-operated programs for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disabilities. The request included $291.2 million in general funds, about $33.4 million above the current year, plus spending authority tied to ID regional programs and the IDD waiver. Major components included funding to enroll 250 additional people in the IDD home- and community-based waiver, a projected waiver rate increase, and added support for state-operated 24/7 programs facing staffing and operational shortfalls. The agency also asked to continue selected ARPA-funded services before those dollars expire, including 988 call center support, peer respite sites, court liaison positions, intensive community services for children and youth, and adolescent offender programs. Other requests covered salary adjustments and longevity increases for hard-to-fill positions, electronic health record support, IT security upgrades, a Jackson County crisis stabilization unit expansion from 8 to 16 beds, capital needs such as generator and boiler/chiller replacements, inflation-related increases for community mental health center grants, and restoration of general funds under a Joint Legislative Budget Committee recommendation. Officials emphasized that community-based care now accounts for 58% of funding and that the goal is to keep people out of institutions unless they need the highest level of care. Committee members asked about ARPA balances, forensic referrals, Jackson County’s request, and county support for community mental health centers. The department said about $25 million in ARPA funds remained and should be spent by September 30, with some delays due to reimbursement revisions. On forensic services, officials reported the new 81-bed maximum-security unit at State Hospital has cut the wait list roughly in half, but admission orders are up 51%, and some referrals may be unnecessary or used to delay proceedings. Members also discussed county contributions to community mental health centers, which the department said total about $9–10 million statewide, with most counties now meeting their obligations and only a few using small in-kind contributions.

Transcript Highlights:

• a lot of resource scarcity, limiting the number of families that can access it, and we pay a very small
• On a path of being strong small businesses as well. So I just wanted to add that. So going on to...
• In New Mexico, Head Start is not a small footprint.
• of those counties we have our home-based providers, and they are often best equipped to serve very small
• So they are small populations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Underutilized biomass from small-to-medium-sized forest diameter thinning and restoration byproducts
• Also, what do we do with the small diameter wood? While traditionally not interested...
• I would also say the 15 to 20 miles is more in line with some of our small sawmills, and the majority
• of our sawmills are small at this point.
• You're bubbling small air... Bubbles through it so that it stabilizes with respect to nitrate.

Transcript Highlights:

• we've seen harmful policy that will prevent access to health care and will weaken, essentially, our small
• /c><00:13:54.000> harmful<00:13:54.399> to<00:13:54.639> our<00:13:54.880> small
• workforce. it's harmful to our small workforce. it's harmful to our small businesses<00:13:55.680
• you<00:16:06.000> look<00:16:06.079> at<00:16:06.160> the<00:16:06.320> Small
• <00:16:06.560> Business when you look at the Small Business when you look at the Small Business

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• got kind of knocked out in a conference committee, but there was a constituent and basically these small
• And particularly, there was one person in my district who was a small grain buyer and he was just like
• c><00:25:25.039> grain<00:25:25.360> buyers<00:25:25.760> who basically these small
• grain buyers who basically these small grain buyers who don't<00:25:26.240> do<00:25:26.480><
• person in my district who was a small person in my district who was a small grain<00:25:53.919><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's actually a very small district, District 6B, and have served 11 years. This is my sixth term.
• It's actually<00:02:50.239> a<00:02:50.480> very<00:02:50.720> small<00:02:51.120
• > district,<00:02:51.599> District actually a very small district, District actually a
• We also are planning on small increases to zoo admissions to help offset.
• We also are planning on small budget.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The conference committee on the Environment budget for Senate File 2077 met to introduce members and staff, then walked through the Senate and House budget spreadsheets side by side. Nonpartisan staff explained that the Senate budget was built around a smaller general fund increase and more use of environmental and dedicated funds, while the House met its target through several reductions, including cuts to DNR, PCA, and Board of Water and Soil Resources appropriations. The committee reviewed major agency items for the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Zoo, and other accounts, including operating adjustments, permit-related funding, and transfers between funds. Several major differences were highlighted. For the PCA, the Senate included operating adjustments, permitting efficiency funding, composting grants, outreach funding, and a closed landfill investment fund approach that repeals an expiring statutory appropriation, while the House instead extends that appropriation for four more years. For the DNR, the Senate included operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, aquatic invasive species funding, trail grants, outdoor schools for all, abandoned watercraft enforcement, and a sustainable foraging task force; the House had fewer of these fee and policy items and used reductions to meet its target. The committee also noted Senate-only policy provisions on outreach to diverse communities, field citations and mercury certification for skin-lightening products, disabled veteran license fee changes, and a moratorium on foraging rulemaking until July 1, 2027. Agency testimony followed. The MPCA commissioner praised both chambers for recognizing core agency work and urged adoption of operating adjustments, the closed landfill fund access, and the air appropriation increase. The DNR assistant commissioner supported operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, and the veteran license proposal, but raised concerns about the Senate’s foraging task force language, saying it overweights consumptive users and could limit the agency’s ability to manage foraging without clear data. He also noted support for the land transfer funding and said the agency would continue working with the committee on unresolved issues. No votes were taken in this portion of the meeting.