Transcript Highlights:

• And this community contributes across our workforce, small businesses, and local communities.
• And this community contributes across our workforce, small businesses, and local communities.
• Chair, this is what I call the penny problem, and it also deals with a small issue of high-deductible
• This bill would provide a small savings on the administration cost by changing must to may, and that's
• <00:34:49.320> savings This bill would provide a small savings This bill would provide a small

Bills: HF4364, HF4821, HF4543, HF3945

Keywords: Central and Eastern European Affairs, ethnic council, advisory council, Minnesota state government, immigrant communities, refugees, humanitarian parolees, Ukraine, Poland, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Czech Republic, Baltic states, Slovakia, Slovenia, Kosovo, Russia

Summary: The committee first approved the April 7, 2026 minutes and then held an informal hearing on House File 4364, which would establish a Central and Eastern European Ethnic Council in Minnesota. Representative Jordan and testifiers Mykola Mager and Julia Miller described the large Central and Eastern European community in Minnesota, its contributions to the state, and the need for a formal advisory body to help address barriers to government services, support refugees, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and cultural understanding. Members expressed general support and noted the bill’s importance, but no formal action was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then took up House File 4543, a bill to create a centralized payroll reporting portal for prevailing wage projects. Representative Frazier said the bill would reduce administrative burden on project owners, improve transparency and accountability, and help prevent wage theft, misclassification, tax fraud, and insurance fraud. Testifiers from county, city, and contractor groups largely supported the idea of streamlining reporting, but contractor representatives raised concerns about employee data privacy, public access to sensitive payroll information, duplication of existing systems, interoperability with contractor software, and the need for stakeholder engagement. Members echoed both support and caution, and the bill was laid over as amended rather than advanced. Finally, the committee considered House File 4821, described by Chair Klevorn as addressing the “penny problem” and a related change to high-deductible insurance plans. The bill would authorize state agencies to round cash transactions because of the penny shortage and would change MMB’s obligation to offer certain high-deductible health plans from “must” to “may,” producing modest administrative savings. Members questioned the drafting of the rounding language and asked about cash transactions at state agencies and the handling of cannabis tax payments. The chair noted the bill had missed the deadline and would be caught by the chief clerk’s office; the discussion ended with the bill being laid over as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• every half a second or up to [clears throat] every few seconds, your smart television is taking very small
• Everything else in there is just a technical amendment that was provided by staff in fixing some small
• staff in fixing some small errors. staff in fixing some small errors.
• :45:14.640> today<00:45:15.000> functions<00:45:15.440> like<00:45:15.640> small
• Hospitals today functions like small Hospitals today functions like small cities, cities, cities

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I encourage you to look for the sunshine in the small moments and the big ones.
• I encourage you to look for the sunshine in the small moments and the big ones.
• I encourage you to look for the sunshine in the small moments and the big ones.
• I encourage you to look for the sunshine in the small moments and the big ones.
• I encourage you to look for the sunshine in the small moments and the big ones.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, I may have missed it, but how are we addressing the small cities and counties that are concerned
• Small cities, you know, do have smaller budgets typically.
• Kerrville is a small community growing up... Approximately 1.3% a year.
• That's a great concern for small cities, big cities, whoever.
• The elections and, you know, limiting what you can tell people from a small city perspective.

Bills: HB17, HB23, SB 10

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support, youth programs, community education, county population threshold, large county, local government revenue, leasehold interest, possessory interest

Transcript Highlights:

• As you can see from this graph, there's been growth with the recent small decline, which mirrors the
• As you can see from this graph, there's been growth with the recent small decline, which mirrors the
• As you can see from this graph, there's been growth with the recent small decline, which mirrors the
• It can really make a difference in some of the small communities we have in East Kentucky.
• make a difference in some of the small make a difference in some of the small communities<00:40:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet and the Kentucky Department of Tourism on the 1% Tourism Meeting and Convention Marketing Fund. Officials said Kentucky tourism is a $14.3 billion industry that welcomed more than 80 million travelers last year, supports nearly 97,000 jobs, and uses the fund solely for tourism marketing and promotion, not capital projects. They noted the fund received additional appropriations in the enacted budget and also supports several designated tourism-related initiatives. Commissioner Mike Manet described how the fund is used for paid media, public relations, international marketing, cultural heritage promotion, website content, regional matching grants, research, trade shows, and travel expenses. He said the department spent $10.8 million on paid media in 23 markets in 2024, focused on seven tourism pillars, and used research and advertising ROI studies to guide spending. He reported 180 PR placements, 3.2 billion earned impressions, 3% growth in international visitation, and 12% growth in international spending to $257 million. He also highlighted the African-American Heritage Trail and said the regional matching funds program distributed $2 million to 87 local tourism commissions. Members asked about the rise of AI in search results, how domestic and international visitor data are collected, how ad agencies are selected, and how regional matching funds are allocated. The commissioner said the department uses GPS-based and federal data, including National Travel and Tourism Office figures, and that ad agencies are chosen through an RFP process. Representative McDaniel raised concerns about bourbon tourism and Canadian visitation; the commissioner said Canadian travel is down significantly, bourbon-related visitation has softened, and the department is shifting more spending toward in-state and closer drive markets while emphasizing bourbon’s heritage story. Representative Fugate asked about eastern Kentucky tourism and ATV trails, and the commissioner said those trails are included in advertising, social media, and earned media efforts. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I got to serve on that work group as an AWC representative for small cities.
• on July 7th of this year, basically taking three miles of a rural two-lane state highway through a small
• They're not going to feel comfortable leasing to a small business in many cases because they don't have
• businesses that wouldn't necessarily require the small businesses to take on that 10-year lease that
• This is a pretty small budget study to look at whether there's cost savings available by having WSDOT

Summary: The meeting began with introductions from members of the Joint Transportation Committee and a presentation from the Association of Washington Cities and the public works directors of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland. The cities described the Quad Cities region as one of the fastest-growing in the state and outlined shared transportation priorities that align with the committee’s focus on safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They emphasized Vision Zero efforts, complete streets, ADA accessibility, regional trail and bike/pedestrian planning, and coordinated long-range transportation and land-use planning to manage growth. The city officials also discussed major funding and delivery challenges, including rising construction costs, project phasing, pavement preservation, right-of-way acquisition, and delays caused by state and federal permitting and review processes. They highlighted regional cooperation through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Good Roads, and local funding tools such as impact fees, transportation benefit districts, REET, tax increment financing, and state and federal grants. Specific projects discussed included Richland’s SR 240/Aaron Drive complete streets project and downtown connectivity work, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard improvements and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street corridor, I-182 bridge/interchange work, and a new north-south bridge study, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain corridor project, which officials said was awarded under budget and is scheduled to begin construction. Committee members asked questions about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens to pavement preservation projects. The city officials said new development is generally meeting sidewalk standards, but older infill areas remain a gap; that state right-of-way transactions can take much longer than expected; that apprenticeship requirements are common but harder for smaller contractors and local labor markets; and that low-bid contracting leaves little room to screen for performance history. They also said complete streets requirements are usually manageable on major projects but can be difficult to absorb in smaller preservation work. The committee then shifted to a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development, presented by Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark. The study examined TOD conditions in 33 cities in Snohomish, King, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties near rail and bus rapid transit stations. Freemark said Washington’s housing affordability crisis is severe, especially near transit, and found that high-cost cities have seen more development near stations but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and worsening affordability relative to income. He identified barriers including high debt costs, land costs, infrastructure costs, zoning and parking rules, and limited subsidies for affordable housing. He recommended more neighborhood infrastructure funding near stations, stronger affordable housing investment, and better use of public land, noting that HB 1491 and related legislation are already changing some local requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes $1 million annually for the Hawaii small business innovation research program, and these
• It includes $1 million annually for the Hawaii small business innovation research program, and these
• It includes $1 million annually for the Hawaii small business innovation research program, and these
• also provides a hand up with $6.2 million in fiscal 26 and $5.4 million in fiscal 27 in grants for small
• also provides a hand up with $6.2 million in fiscal 26 and $5.4 million in fiscal 27 in grants for small

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Small businesses might not have that. Larger businesses, they better.
• Small businesses might not have that. Larger businesses, they better.
• The SDO in general, we're front running across the country in terms of supporting small and diverse businesses
• Supporting small and diverse businesses, but this workforce piece is really like kind of the first of
• that this is a pilot program that's been developing, so the numbers are growing but still relatively small

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met virtually and in person for its June meeting. Members approved the March meeting minutes and heard a chair’s report on recent “Meeting the Moment” community conversations, including the successful Lowell event and plans for a July 14 Northampton event and an October National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebration at the State House. The October event will include a panel with MassAbility on artificial intelligence and its impacts on people with disabilities, with discussion of both accessibility benefits and risks such as bias and discrimination. A major presentation came from the Supplier Diversity Office on its Empowering Abilities in Contracting and Employment (EAC) program. Staff described the program’s evolution from a pilot launched after 2016 legislation to a statewide policy now included in new state contracts. The program aims to increase certification of disability-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, expand workforce participation by people with disabilities, and use vendor reporting to track progress toward a 3% workforce goal. The office reported about 292 active certified businesses, roughly 40 vendors currently on EAC contracts, and expectations that the number of participating vendors will grow to about 130 by November. Commissioners praised the program and asked about its reach, data, and potential replication in other states or institutions. The advisory council update highlighted broad engagement across topics including accessibility, employment, youth transition, housing, health equity, transportation, technology, AI, and supported decision-making. Members were asked to share fact sheets and resources for posting on the commission website, and two council members will help plan the October employment event. Subcommittee reports followed: the employment subcommittee reviewed transition-to-employment barriers, the disability employment tax credit, veteran services, and a SEED policy brief; the workforce supports subcommittee discussed apprenticeships and a May webinar on addressing workforce barriers through apprenticeships; and the long-term services and supports/health equity subcommittee heard about care coordination training resources and a presentation on post-COVID health care inequities for people with disabilities. The executive director also reported on ongoing work with state agencies, MassHealth-related conversations, caregiver and aging issues, and AI planning. The meeting ended with commissioner announcements on the Paul Spooner Generational Leadership Summit and a Medicaid summit, followed by adjournment by vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• moving the standard medical deduction amount to an appendix because this amount can change by a very small
• This has been approved by CMS, and I believe there is a small fiscal impact, about $500,000.
• There is a small fiscal impact to this as well. I believe it's $46,000.
• There is a small fiscal impact to this as well, about $46,000 per year. It's very small.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Nicole Murley from Delaware Bio virtually and also, in person, the Director of the Delaware Division of Small
• Nicole Murley from Delaware Bio virtually and also, in person, the Director of the Delaware Division of Small
• What this allows is more flexibility for the Delaware Division of Small Business when using federal grant
• funds to make sure that we're able to support Delaware's small business ecosystem as we continue to
• leader throughout our nation and Delaware being the desired domicile for businesses, and particularly small

Summary: The Senate received communications from the House listing numerous bills, substitutes, amendments, and concurrent resolutions passed by the House or returned to the Senate, and it also noted a Senate amendment being stricken from House Bill 190. Committee reports were read on a wide range of nominations and bills, including favorable reports on several executive nominations and legislation involving nurse preceptors, voting, agricultural/forestry grants, child care, Title IX coordination, vehicle security devices, dry needling, human remains disposition, child care assistance, autism-related oversight, nursing advancement, correctional oversight, massage and bodywork, probate letters, computer security breaches, automobile insurance, medical debt protection, and technical corrections. The Senate also assigned House Bill 300, House Bill 64, and House Bill 385 to the Finance Committee. The chamber confirmed several gubernatorial nominations by roll call vote, each receiving the required majority: Heidi J. A. Gilmore to the Marijuana Appeals Commission; Lee Wynne and Ruth J. Tucker to the Delaware River and Bay Authority Board; Jennifer R. Hallman and Lindsay E. Alexich to the Professional Standards Board; Jason M. Munion and F. Todd Kulata to the Environmental Appeals Board. The Senate also passed House Substitute 1 for House Bill 383, which changes overtime eligibility for certain DelDOT employees and clarifies covered positions, and Senate Bill 315 with Senate Amendment 1, which revises the Delaware Technical Innovation Program to give the Division of Small Business more flexibility in using federal grant funds. Consent Agenda M passed unanimously, including Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 319 on menopause and perimenopause coverage, House Bill 411 on alcohol/tobacco/marijuana enforcement, House Bill 271 on marijuana establishment spacing, House Bill 258 on alcohol licenses, House Bill 303 on juvenile probation/parole officers and DCYF employees, and House Bill 377 on Ocean View municipal election deadlines. Consent Calendar 63 also passed unanimously, including resolutions recognizing Day of Service, National Adoption Month, National Coaches Day, Free Speech Week, Women’s Equality Day, and Spirit of America 250, along with resolutions encouraging a veteran cemetery in Kent County, seeking plans for repurposing underused public buildings, and honoring Delaware Boys State. The Senate spent significant time on floor remarks about the Boys State delegates and on a tribute to emergency responders who helped save a seven-year-old child trapped by a seatbelt; the responders were recognized individually and thanked for their work. Additional remarks explained the purpose of the menopause coverage bill, the adoption month resolution, the free speech resolution, and the America 250 resolution. The session ended with no further business and the Senate recessed until June 18.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of the Treasury for a Small Business Credit Initiative technical assistance grant program.
• This is to provide resources so that very small businesses and socially and economically disadvantaged
• qualifying businesses that are involved in the capital program or other federal programs that support small
• So she's speaking to really just one small funding stream that's coming out of VOCA.
• saying we're around the same number we're going to get, but are we thinking there's going to be a small

Summary: The committee met to review a large slate of fiscal year 2026 and 2027 appropriation, transfer, and continuation requests across multiple sections. Early items included temporary appropriations for agencies such as Health, DHS, Education, Public Safety, State Police, Emergency Management, Aeronautics, Military, Economic Development, and Game and Fish, covering items like maternal health outreach, energy assistance repayments, Wynne High School tornado rebuilding, senior food services, cybersecurity, crime victim reparations, aviation grants, conservation incentives, and emergency tower maintenance. Members asked questions on several items, including DHS aging carry-forward funds and Treasury custodial banking fees tied to COVID-era balances; the committee also approved a disclosure by the chair on the Game and Fish-related item before voting to approve the section. The committee then approved continuation requests, CARES Act and ARPA reallocations, and federal grant appropriations. Notable discussion included the Boonville developmental disability project, ALIGN program reallocations at several universities, a small business technical assistance grant at UA Little Rock, and a Department of Public Safety highway safety grant, for which members requested more detail on operating expenses and professional fees. Additional approvals covered a transfer to the Merit Teacher Incentive program, restricted reserve fund transfers for military medical command and university projects, and a state central services deduction held at 2%. The Department of Commerce also received approval for a reallocation of positions and spending authority tied to its organizational realignment. Later sections included shared technology and higher education transfers, cash fund appropriations for school Medicaid reimbursements, corrections, youth mental health, narcotics detection canines, bike safety equipment, a state motor pool pilot, and law enforcement safety costs. The committee also reviewed budget classification transfers, including a Governor’s Office legal fee transfer related to a California lawsuit, and heard explanations about E-Rate reimbursements affecting the Office of State Technology. Members asked about VOCA funding levels for crime victim services and about the National Security Grant Program for nonprofits and faith-based organizations; officials said federal funding had declined from prior highs but appeared to have stabilized, and that the nonprofit security grant is an annual federal program. The meeting concluded with review of pay plan requests, DHS overtime funding for child protection caseloads, and a year-end adjustment request allowing DFA to make up to $1 million in transfers to close the books, after which the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I grew up in southern Utah, rural southern Utah, about 80 air miles north of Page, Arizona, in the small
• A big coyote is very similar to a small wolf, so we don't know at that point.
• We did not have livestock losses due to predators, but we did have livestock and small grain crop losses
• I believe that my engineering education and managing a small business bring analysis and risk management
• I believe that my engineering education and managing a small business bring analysis and risk management

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources Committee met to consider several board nominations, beginning with four nominees to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board. Michael Cravens, Jared Lyman, Nathan Reese (who submitted a written statement and did not attend), and Richard Williams each described their backgrounds in wildlife management, ranching, public lands, or conservation, and emphasized balance, pragmatism, and public service in selecting commission candidates. Members asked about their experience, perspectives on candidate evaluation, and the role of the board. Each nominee was advanced to the full Senate by separate motions, all approved on 7-0 votes with one member not voting. The committee then heard Darren Rasmussen’s nomination to the Arizona State Land Department Board of Appeals. Rasmussen discussed his long career in property appraisal at the private, county, and state levels, including work with county assessors and valuation training. Senators focused on his ability to bring transparency, statutory compliance, and consistency to state land appraisals and appeals. His nomination was also forwarded to the full Senate on a 7-0 vote with one not voting. Next, the committee considered the Arizona Livestock Loss Board nominees, Stephen Clark and Randy Dahl. Clark, who chairs the board, explained the board’s process for compensating ranchers for wolf depredation and described the distinction between confirmed losses and “probables.” Senators asked about reimbursement procedures, the range of Mexican gray wolves, and whether wolves had attacked humans in Arizona; Clark said there had been no human attacks in the state and that livestock losses had been compensated. Dahl was unable to attend but submitted a statement citing his farming background and business and engineering experience. Both nominees were confirmed by 7-0 votes with one member not voting. Finally, the committee heard from Carolyn Radajack and Stephanie Teske for the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. Radajack highlighted her prior service on the board’s investigative committee and her experience with disciplinary rules, while Teske emphasized her background as a sixth-generation rancher, veterinary assistant, and agriculture regulator, with a focus on rural livestock care and access to veterinarians. Senators discussed rural veterinary shortages, telemedicine, and the changing structure of veterinary practice. Both nominees were advanced to the full Senate on 7-0 votes with one member not voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're supporting businesses and small businesses and job creators.
• And then what we did... ...what we did is just implemented the small business credits that are H.R. 1
• It's great policy for small businesses, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the governor sign it
• We have over 600,000 small business owners. These are blue-collar workers.
• It delivers to the hardworking Arizonans of this great state, and to the small businesses, which I am

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• many students and residents about rural medicine in his clinic to give them an idea of practice in a small
• We're talking about tax relief that will help the 750,000... ...tax relief that will help the 750,000 small
• The small businesses are the backbone of Arizona's economy.
• Now, there are 600,000 small businesses that have between 1 and 20 employees.
• It's good policy for Arizona's economy, as it will benefit small businesses and make it easier for them

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We try to make them small fortresses and make it very difficult to get in.
• important to recognize that the community of superintendents and district administrative staff is a very small
• I don’t care who it is; I don’t care if it’s one little, small problem.
• So whether it’s a small system or a large system, there should never be any sort of excuse.
• Some mostly, three of them made up of small school districts, one made up of larger districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• little bit more detail with that, and you can see SNAP is, in the grand scheme of things, a relatively small
• Small amounts of SNAP benefits.
• I have a small gap by some question as to whether or not that federal ruling will be complied with by
• It only subjects TANGO to another subset of programs that are in those very small areas.
• And I think the more we understand how those things track and how even a small, significant action at

Transcript Highlights:

• fees on housing developers, are we increasing fees on other entities, schools, hospitals, large and small
• I'm pleased to be here before you as a co-sponsor of SB 466, a bill that is critical and crucial to small
• Like many other small communities in our region, we are facing a unique challenge.
• investment in new treatment plants and infrastructure that we estimate at over $65 million for our small
• No, I just mean, like, I was a small. I don't know. I just be like, I just had to be Tony.

Summary: The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee heard three bills after beginning without a quorum and later establishing one. SB 328 would cap DTSC hazardous waste generation and handling fees for infill housing and master development projects and set response timelines for cleanup reviews. Supporters said the current fee structure has made some housing and remediation projects infeasible, while opponents warned that capping fees for one sector could shift costs to other hazardous waste generators. The committee discussed the need for broader DTSC fee reform, and SB 328 was approved on a 7-0 vote and sent to the Committee on Revenue and Taxation. SB 754 would require manufacturers of disposable menstrual products to test for and disclose concentrations of certain contaminants, with DTSC able to verify results and publish them. Supporters framed the bill as a transparency and public health measure, citing recent studies finding toxic metals in tampons and emphasizing consumer right-to-know. Opponents, including manufacturers and hygiene product groups, argued the bill adds duplicative testing, vague requirements, and public disclosure that could be misinterpreted, and urged amendments. The committee members generally supported the goal of transparency, and the bill passed 5-2 with not voting members, moving to Appropriations. SB 466 would provide temporary legal protections for public water systems that are complying with approved chromium-6 compliance plans while they work toward the new drinking water standard. Supporters from Los Banos, Coachella Valley Water District, and other water agencies said the measure would help avoid costly litigation during a lengthy and expensive compliance period, especially for systems dealing with naturally occurring chromium-6. Committee members raised concerns about limiting recourse for harmed individuals and discussed possible alternative language, but the author said the bill would not affect state enforcement authority. SB 466 passed 7-0 and was sent to the Committee on Judiciary. The committee also adopted a consent calendar of additional measures by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just wanted to point out that on your desk you have small gift bags.
• And while they are very small gift bags representing Juneteenth, they were part of a fundraiser for the
• Powered by stagehands, sound techs, vendors, hospitality workers, lighting crews, local artists, small
• only Los Angeles and California, but throughout, means so much to our communities and to even the small
• last time I went there, you know, going to big festivals in Europe like Sonar in Spain, or dancing in small

Keywords: 988, house, 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
• district<00:13:38.720> who<00:13:39.040> was<00:13:39.200> a<00:13:39.440> small
• person in my district who was a small person in my district who was a small grain<00:13:40.000><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Paid family medical leave, we only had that small decrease in the tax on all Minnesota businesses, but
• There are some small areas we have to work through.
• There are<00:10:38.959> some<00:10:39.200> small<00:10:39.519> areas<00:10:39.839
• > we<00:10:40.160> have<00:10:40.240> to<00:10:40.399> work are some small
• areas we have to work are some small areas we have to work through.<00:10:40.959> We<00:10:41.120

Keywords: 1183, house