Transcript Highlights:

• And I think the process, we have a good process currently. Mr. Chairman. Senator Patten.
• So it would have to be an automated process.
• So it was an automated process.
• There's another screening process.
• I do feel like that's a hang-up process. That is a statutory process, though, that was put in.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• The regular low-bid process works for many projects, and we use it, but some projects are different.
• At our district, we contract with both union and non-union contractors.
• Skilled and trained, as we all know, is in California law, specifically Public Contract Code Section
• for the Los Angeles Community College District, I went firsthand how the VATS Valley procurement process
• But I am also cautious just to make sure that we are being very thoughtful in this process as well.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several Senate measures focused on community college procurement, higher education access, and student support. SB 1154 by Senator Reyes would allow community college districts to use best-value procurement for public works projects over $1 million. Supporters, including San Bernardino Valley College, the San Bernardino Community College District, labor groups, and several districts, said it would improve delivery of complex facilities and align community colleges with other education systems. Opponents, including the Associated General Contractors, argued the bill’s skilled-and-trained workforce requirements and labor-compliance scoring would narrow the bidder pool and raise costs. The committee passed the bill to the Assembly Floor on a due-pass vote, with some members voting no or not recorded. SB 1255, also by Senator Reyes, would create a California Hispanic-serving institution designation. Supporters from HACU, the CSU Chancellor’s Office, UC, community colleges, and other education organizations said the designation would recognize campuses that serve large numbers of Latino and low-income students and strengthen accountability and student success. The committee approved the bill as amended and re-referred it to Appropriations, with one no vote. SB 1328, presented on behalf of Senator Cervantes, would require LGBTQ+ points of contact at satellite or branch campuses of CSU and community colleges, either through designated staff or regular office hours. Testimony emphasized gaps in access at remote centers and the need for confidential support; one member raised concerns about staffing, costs, and whether existing systems could meet the need remotely. The bill was passed as amended and sent to Appropriations. The committee also considered SB 960 by Senator Cabaldon, which would expand the circumstances under which community colleges could offer bachelor’s degrees in response to unmet workforce needs, especially where CSU programs are impacted or not realistically accessible locally. Supporters said the bill would help meet workforce demand and expand access for place-bound and adult learners. CSU and faculty representatives opposed unless amended, urging stronger partnership requirements, clearer workforce-need standards, and safeguards around duplication and Prop 98 funding. Members discussed impaction, regional access, and the role of partnerships; the bill was passed as amended and re-referred to Appropriations. Finally, SB 632 by Senator Otagan would extend the California College Promise fee waiver to part-time community college students enrolled in nine units. Supporters said many students cannot attend full time because of work, caregiving, and living costs, and the bill would better reflect student realities; the transcript ends during testimony on this measure, before any vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The regular low-bid process works for many projects and we use it, but some projects are different.
• At our district, we contract with both union and non-union contractors.
• Skilled and trained, as we all know, is in California law, specifically Public Contract Code Section
• As we think about these types of contracts, when we have contractors that do not have collective bargaining
• for the Los Angeles Community College District, I went firsthand how the VATS Valley procurement process

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there a grant application process that these researchers with the faculty apply for to fund these
• Yeah, I guess if you can explain more about the process of how you got to say where these funds go.
• But if they do a contract with you first and the dollar goes to you, how long do you have to spend it
• And the scaling process for growers is set up to handle traditional row crops.
• And the scaling process for growers have set up to handle traditional row crops.

Bills: HF3692

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: Farmer-Lender Mediation Act, mediation, agriculture finance, debt relief, civil law, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm grateful that you're here being involved in the process that is your legislature.
• Unless these weevils are eradicated before the cutting process takes place, they leave a slime on the
• The bill redefines the contracts after the fact, forcing insurers to assume a risk that they did not
• price. ...the contracts after the fact, forcing insurers to assume a risk that they did not price.
• I think it would be better to get input from communities across the state through the process that she

Bills: SB154 , SB187 , SB193 , SM3

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: insurance, wildfire, flood damage, natural disasters, property coverage, water projects, appropriation, New Mexico, finance authority, infrastructure, New Mexico Finance Authority, funding, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law

Transcript Highlights:

• process and and is an ongoing process process and and it's<00:40:32.320><c> it</c><00:40:32.640><c>
• SHIFT is a data-driven process.
• </c> is it is it a process worth continuing? is it is it a process worth continuing?
• </c> Um your comments on the shift process? Um your comments on the shift process?
• I've learned that process.

Keywords: 0:00:15 Call to Order and Roll Call 0:01:15 Maintenance Update 0:21:07 Approval of Minutes 0:21:32 Regional Offices 0:43:47 SHIFT Scoring 1:04:24 Local Assistance Road Program 1:16:41 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum and first received a maintenance update from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials James Ballinger and John Moore. They described how repeated disasters, including floods, tornadoes, and ice storms, have strained routine road maintenance and forced crews to focus on emergency response, snow and ice removal, pothole patching, ditching, signal repairs, mowing, striping, sign work, and other day-to-day upkeep. They said snow and ice costs have averaged about $60 million to $61 million annually in recent years, disaster response has totaled hundreds of millions of dollars over five years, and the cabinet often must carry those costs until FEMA or FHWA reimbursement arrives. They also said maintenance work is increasingly contracted out because of staffing and resource limits, and that competitive pay is needed to retain employees and contractors for around-the-clock emergency work. Members then discussed traffic roundabouts and other intersection designs. Senator Hickden asked about their cost savings and safety benefits compared with traffic signals, and cabinet staff said they would provide life-cycle cost figures later. They emphasized that roundabouts and related designs reduce serious injuries and fatalities, with serious injuries down roughly 70% to 80% and fatalities over 90% in their experience. Chair Douglas and others asked about roundabout sizing for trucks and farm equipment, and staff explained that designers tailor the inscribed diameter to local traffic needs and context. The committee also briefly discussed red-light running and traffic-light cameras, with members stressing the safety risks of drivers ignoring signals. The committee adopted the minutes from the prior meeting by motion and voice vote. It then heard from Sarah Jackson and Matthew Cole on the Real ID and driver licensing transition. They said the cabinet has expanded from almost no regional offices to 35, grown driver licensing staff from 89 to 400, and now issues about 1.3 million credentials annually. They reported improvements in office capacity, queue management, staffing, and compensation, including added workstations, new or expanded offices in Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown, and the use of contract staff. They said statewide average wait times have fallen to just under 30 minutes, and Kentucky’s Real ID adoption rate has risen to 42.9%. Members asked follow-up questions about driver testing and CDL scheduling. The presenters said all permit and CDL testing is coordinated through Kentucky State Police, with written tests available in most regional offices and CDL testing at a smaller number of KSP locations. Senator Douglas asked when the driver testing requirements were last updated, and the presenters said that was set by KSP. The discussion ended with additional questions about which regional offices lack KSP testing presence, but no further action was taken before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• process, and we are supportive of the batch process.
• RPG process that are now being incorporated in the batch process.
• that 180-day approval process.
• the process - month 12 of a 15-month process.
• One, refocus the batch process.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We went through the clemency process with them, as well as the postconviction process, as well as up
• Um as the clemency process with them.
• </c><00:06:55.759><c> as</c> well as the postconviction process as well as the postconviction process
• contract line.
• </c> our contract commodities and equipment. our contract commodities and equipment.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 15 January, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I I'll I'll part of the process.
• Won't go through this entire process, but there is a process in which we evaluate before we make an offer
• 35:01.119><c> but</c><00:35:01.599><c> uh</c> no process that's perfect, but uh no process that's perfect
• I just know what the process is.
• And these throughout the process.

Keywords: The first few minutes of this meeting was missed on the live stream. This upload restores those few minutes, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with Secretary Jeff Null and General Counsel Matt Wing of the Cabinet for Economic Development for an overview of the cabinet’s main economic development tools, strategy, and compliance practices. Null said the cabinet uses a data-driven approach focused on competitiveness, site readiness, wages, workforce training, and long-term assets such as roads, rail spurs, water, and sewer improvements. He emphasized that the cabinet tries to balance attracting new employers with supporting existing businesses, and said compliance is a core value of the agency. Null walked members through several programs, including the closing fund, Kentucky Business Incentive (KBI), Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training support, and the KIA sales-tax refund tool for construction materials and equipment. He said the closing fund has received $80 million over two years for projects generally involving at least $10 million in investment, though some flexibility exists. He also explained that Bluegrass State Skills funding is typically about $2,000 to $3,000 per job and can be used flexibly for training, including sending Kentucky workers to be trained elsewhere or paying trainers to come to Kentucky. He described KBI as a pay-as-you-go, incremental tax credit tied to actual jobs and investment, and said the legislature’s tiered refundable credit structure allows more targeted use of incentives in heritage and non-heritage counties. A substantial portion of the presentation focused on compliance and monitoring. Null said incentive agreements are written with commercial terms and spell out jobs, investment, wages, and training commitments. The cabinet requires regular reporting, invoices, and sampling, and can use clawbacks or suspend benefits if companies fail to meet obligations or lose required environmental permits. He said the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority reviews incentive applications in public meetings and often requires company representatives to answer questions before preliminary approval is granted. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The one that has the Louisiana contract right now is GovBid, or gov.com, or whatever.
• The local auctioneers cannot seem to be able to bid on it to get that contract.
• We respectfully request the opportunity to participate in the bidding process.
• In the old days, before COVID, the state of Louisiana, in fact, we at one time had that contract, went
• So we're not getting the most money for our equipment at auction the way the process is now.

Bills: HB316 , HB549 , HB646 , HB752 , HB824 , HB873 , HB1129 , HB1157 , HB1170

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: literacy, adolescent, teacher education, high-dosage tutoring, reading intervention, workforce development, training programs, Bayou Growth Opportunity, funding, employment, skills gap, qualified employer, credential recognition, government growth limit, recurring revenue, state finance, Louisiana Income Tax Elimination Fund, fiscal responsibility, legislative sessions, regular sessions

Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes a review process upon notice of agency denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of
• 00:02:53.319><c> a</c><00:02:53.480><c> review</c> it establishes a review it establishes a review process
• It authorizes the executive board to contract with specified federal agencies to receive federal grants
• with specified federal board to contract with specified federal agencies<00:07:17.720><c> to</c><00:
• It's been a joy to be part of this process.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Perils of a conference committee process Perils of a conference committee process thank<01:25:53.199
• It is basically giving DOT more flexibility over contracting and financing.
• It is basically giving DOT more flexibility over contracting and financing.
• It is basically giving DOT more flexibility over contracting and financing.
• above the threshold when needed through the existing process, giving that flexibility.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees first heard House Bill 229, which would establish a statewide speed restriction for motor vehicles under certain circumstances. Testimony on the bill was limited and came in support from the City and County of Honolulu’s transportation services, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. No one testified in opposition, and there were no questions. The committees then took up House Bill 860, which would grant immunity from liability to the state or counties when they repair or maintain a street whose ownership or jurisdiction is disputed between them. The Department of Transportation and the Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted written testimony, and the Hawaii State Association of Counties, Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee, Hawaii County Council member Heather Kimble, and the Iolani Homestead Community Association for Justice testified in support. The Ho Association for Justice opposed the bill, arguing the immunity was too broad and that the issue had already been addressed by prior legislation. In discussion, members raised concerns about liability and asked whether a different approach, such as extending the 2017 law transferring Oahu roads in limbo to the counties, would be acceptable; county representatives said that path could be considered if immunity were removed. House Bill 1161, which would authorize counties to use a road usage charge mechanism similar to the state’s, drew support from the Department of Transportation, the Energy Office, the Hawaii State Association of Counties, several county and city offices, and the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. Rental car companies and industry groups supported the concept but asked for amendments, including a flat fee instead of a per-mile charge, relief for plug-in hybrid vehicles, and a delayed implementation date. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii also supported relief for hybrids. Members questioned the rental car representatives about the flat-fee proposal, and they said a per-mile charge would be difficult to calculate and pass on to customers. At the end of the joint agenda, the committees deferred decision-making on HB 1161 to Tuesday, March 18 at 3:00 p.m., and the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee also deferred the three measures to that date and time. The Transportation and Culture and the Arts committee then began hearing House Bill 925, which would create a Performing Arts Special Fund, and House Bill 1378, which would establish a Performing Arts Grants Program and Special Fund and revise the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ responsibilities and funding sources. HB 925 received support from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and written support or comments from DBEDT, the Hawaii Arts Alliance, and others. HB 1378 drew extensive testimony and discussion focused on preserving arts funding while addressing concerns about the use of Works of Art Special Fund dollars for positions and programming. The Governor’s office said it supported the intent but had concerns; the Attorney General warned that the bill’s cap and transfer provisions were unclear and could affect the tax-exempt status of bond-funded dollars; and the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts opposed the measure, urging an audit, tracking of deposits, and a shift of positions and programs to general funds instead of changing the law. The chair explained that the bill was intended to protect arts funding while tightening the legal guardrails around bond-financed dollars and preserving federal support, and asked testimony to focus on new points as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• processed within 72 hours um the only processed within 72 hours um the only states<00:17:33.600><c> that
• What is the interaction for the workers on the farm and then in the processing plants?
• What is the interaction for the workers on the farm and then in the processing plants?
• What is the interaction for the workers on the farm and then in the processing plants?
• </c><01:24:18.400><c> and</c> current process and current process and then<01:24:20.120><c> for</c><01

Bills: HF601 , HF271 , HF1101 , HF979

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: agriculture, depredation compensation, livestock, crop damage, elk, wolves, wildlife management, skills path program, career and technical education, CTE, dual credit, postsecondary options enrollment, apprenticeship, apprenticeship readiness, dual training, work-based learning, career pathways, skilled trades, workforce development, high school to career

Transcript Highlights:

• I can promise you, going through this process... ...going through this process.
• They had their contracts with the old case management vendor.
• So the difference is that on a medical issue, you did mutually enter into a contract, right?
• So this is not a contract.
• You both now aware that there is an instrument moving in the process with the right title.

Committee: Senate Judiciary B

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, that public access cannot impede contracted revenue services.
• It is a contracted revenue-generating activity to do a timber sale on these lands, and as such, under
• There's actually a fairly complicated process of how money goes from the land assets and then through
• And so switching to that so that the thought process of managing those lands is for the beneficial use
• , once they are or the state for initial review, which starts the permitting process.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every job comes with a contract, forcing us to stay there for a couple years and non-competes that remove
• If we sign these contracts and take these jobs, these corporate companies will make us practice with
• As an upcoming vet who is vulnerable to being forced into contracts after graduation, I would be at risk
• We're trying to make sure nobody is displaced in the project throughout the process.
• We do have some concerns about the language and how it might apply to the existing designation process

Bills: S0302 , S0394 , S0480 , S0546 , S0636 , S0774 , S0796 , S1028 , S1050 , S1066 , S1120 , S1230 , S1288 , S1682

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government

Keywords: cybersecurity, information technology, data management, local government compliance, cloud services, state agency oversight, integrated governance, conservation lands, land exchange, state-owned land, Acquisition and Restoration Council, Florida water management, environmental protection, beach management, beach erosion, beach nourishment, coastal resilience, shoreline protection, critical erosion, critically eroded beach

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, if you'd like to explain your vote as we move through the process today, uh, I would ask you please
• Representative Johnson, you know the process. Sir, please come to the table and your guest.
• Representative Johnson, you know the process. Sir, please come to the table and your guest.
• So this won’t change that process any.
• ,</c><00:30:35.840><c> renewable</c> limited to one-year contracts, renewable limited to one-year contracts

Committee: House State Government

Keywords: Consideration of HB 220 00:02:49 Consideration of HB 467 00:09:50 Consideration of HB 516 00:19:50 Consideration of HB 589 00:27:16, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Data analytics are essentially the software and AI that we use to process this information.
• By how this data is being processed. Next slide, please. Video analytics.
• Lives sounded miraculous to me that none of them were killed in this process.
• : are the data retention policies that you normally have built into the contract?
• By default, it stays in the dashboard for the life of the contract.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why does that process? Will potentially trigger a wildfire.
• Why does that process? All these acronyms. Yeah, alphabet soup.
• And so those contracts won't be extending past 2026.
• of those stakeholder processes.
• So fusion, as you know, is the process that powers the stars.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy heard six budget-related items and took no votes, holding all items open for a future hearing. The first item concerned a climate bond expenditure plan for the California Transmission Accelerator Revolving Fund under SB 254. GoBiz, IBank, and the Department of Finance described a request for nearly $26 million and 10 limited-term positions to develop financing strategies and evaluate transmission projects, while the LAO said the proposal was broadly consistent with Prop. 4 but noted that the Legislature may want to provide more direction on program design. Senators questioned how the proposal would lower ratepayer costs, protect state funds, and ensure accountability for billion-dollar transmission projects. The second item covered trailer bill language to redirect funding among demand-side reliability programs. Finance proposed moving $22 million from the DEPA program to DSGS for summer 2026 and using CalSHAPE interest funds for ELRP or an equivalent CPUC program in 2027-28, with CEC and CPUC coordinating the transition. Senators and LAO questioned why CalSHAPE funds should not continue supporting schools, and several members argued DSGS has been more successful and should continue rather than be shifted to ELRP. CEC and CPUC explained that DSGS and ELRP serve different reliability functions and do not address public safety power shutoffs. Public commenters, including school groups and clean energy advocates, split between extending CalSHAPE for school HVAC/plumbing projects and preserving or expanding DSGS. The committee also heard on petroleum market oversight implementation under SBX1-2 and ABX2-1, with the CEC and its Division of Petroleum Market Oversight requesting additional staffing to support inventory monitoring, refinery resupply analysis, and market oversight. Senators pressed for details on investigations, refinery margins, gasoline price spikes, and the transportation fuels transition plan, while staff said the draft plan would be released soon and that DPMO’s work on branded versus unbranded gasoline remains ongoing. Finally, the CPUC presented three additional proposals: implementing AB 1207’s climate credit reforms, studying large-load/data center cost impacts under SB 57, and preparing for regional market participation under AB 825. The LAO repeatedly cautioned that some of these requests may go beyond statutory minimums and urged the Legislature to decide how much policy direction and staffing it wants to provide. Public commenters supported DPMO funding, opposed ending CalSHAPE, and strongly favored continued DSGS funding over a new ELRP structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• regulated insurance and then imposed a cost mandate on those regulated parties that the insurance contract
• , or I should say the health contract, would not be obligated to cover.
• , or I should say the health contract, would not be obligated to cover.
• This just allows them, as they are all part of the process of trying to, or the individual situation
• I think the hotline, my understanding, the hotline is the first step in the whole process.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all