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OK
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee Jan 22nd, 2026 at 09:00 am

A&B Education Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:
  • How's that moving us forward?
  • They may be using their math.
  • the products that we're using.
  • The others are using us. You can see how our enrollment has grown.
  • Traditional schools are using Horizon by chance, or could you get it to us?
Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee
NM
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Science, Technology and Telecommunications Sep 22nd, 2025

Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • It's pretty easy to use.
  • But what is it that you want us to do?
  • it's quintupling one of us?
  • So, what brings us here today?
  • We hope that this will lead us to the trust that we built with the people will allow us to do things
Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee
HI
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

HED Public Hearing - Wed Apr 9, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST

Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Is there anyone else matter before us.
  • So we use an enterprise system called Financial Edge, and that is a system we use to keep track of individual
  • Many times our donors will come up to us and give us feedback.
  • </c> many times our donors will come up to us many times our donors will come up to us and<00:23:49.840
  • </c> manager but the way that they asked us manager but the way that they asked us to<00:29:32.240><c
Committee: House Higher Education
Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard several Senate concurrent resolutions related to University of Hawaiʻi programs, audits, and workforce development. Testimony on SCR 50, which urged establishment of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Maui campus, was strongly supportive, with witnesses citing the state’s nursing shortage and Maui’s acute physician and nurse shortages. The committee later recommended passage with a technical HD1 amendment, and the measure was adopted unanimously by the members present. The committee also heard SCR 137, SCR 138, and SCR 142, all involving proposed audits. SCR 137 sought a performance audit of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation; the Foundation opposed it, and the chair recommended deferral after noting the legislative auditor’s view that the office lacks jurisdiction over the private nonprofit. SCR 138 proposed a management and performance audit of the Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy, and SCR 142 proposed an audit of the UH Mānoa athletics department. UH representatives provided comments on both, with athletics explaining existing NCAA-required financial audits, internal performance evaluations, and a strategic plan that includes self-review. The committee ultimately recommended passage of SCR 138 and SCR 142 with technical HD1 amendments. For SCR 192, which proposed a veterinary medicine expansion working group, UH and other witnesses discussed the idea of exploring a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, but the chair said a community college is not the appropriate venue for a doctoral program. The committee recommended substantial HD1 changes removing Windward Community College from the title and shifting the effort to the UH system level, adding the UH president or designee and a Hilo campus representative to the working group; the amended resolution was adopted. The committee also heard SCR 193, calling for community colleges to identify bachelor’s degree and workforce pathways aligned with regional needs, and SCR 203, which sought exploration of an Alzheimer’s disease research center and federal funding requirements; both drew supportive comments and no opposition. The meeting recessed briefly for lack of quorum, then reconvened for decision-making and adopted the chair’s recommendations on the measures considered.
ND
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Higher Education Funding Review Committee Mar 25th, 2026

Higher Education Funding Review Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • What do you want us to know?
  • good use and the right use?
  • And are we using them to good use and the right use. And I think this falls under.
  • I'll use one that's near and dear to my heart. I'll use law first.
  • And, for example, I'll use law. That got up to 14 percent. I'll use law.
Committee: Joint Higher Education Funding Review Committee
Summary: The Higher Ed Funding Committee met to review a proposed process for identifying and addressing low-producing academic programs, then moved into discussion of draft funding formulas for the university system. Lisa Johnson of the ND University System described how other states and systems define low-producing programs, emphasizing multi-year enrollment and completion thresholds, cost and workforce review, and the role of governing boards. She reported that North Dakota institutions already review programs in varying cycles, often use shared resources and stackable credentials to keep low-enrollment programs viable, and cited recent system actions over five years: 100 programs placed on inactivation, 75 terminated, and 384 new programs created. Committee members raised concerns about workforce-critical programs, duplication, exemptions, and whether the legislature or the State Board of Higher Education should drive the process. The chair said he wanted the board to bring a detailed proposal to the June meeting and suggested the legislature may use funding leverage, including a possible holdback, to encourage the review process. The committee then heard a Legislative Council presentation on a draft funding formula for UND and NDSU. The proposal used fall census FTE enrollment, with a placeholder rate of $7,000 per undergraduate FTE and $10,500 per graduate/professional FTE, plus incentives for completions in high-demand fields and research productivity. Alex from Legislative Council explained that the formula also included separate treatment for research funding, external grants, and capital building tiers, and that the MD program at UND would remain fixed funding outside the formula. Members questioned the use of the placeholder rates, the in-demand program list, the treatment of external grants, and how the proposal compared with current appropriations. The chair noted that the formula numbers were illustrative and not final budget amounts. A second draft formula for the other nine institutions was also reviewed. It used fall census FTE with no weighted economic factor, a higher undergraduate rate of $8,750 per FTE, and completion incentives for in-demand credentials and all other credentials. Members noted that the proposal would benefit some institutions, such as Bismarck State College, while reducing funding for others, such as Mayville State, and questioned whether the same structure should apply across institutions with very different missions and sizes. Committee discussion focused on fairness, hold-harmless concerns, and whether the nine institutions should be grouped differently. The committee did not take formal action, but the chair indicated the formulas would continue to be discussed later in the meeting and in future work.
NH
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (04/30/2026)

Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:
  • I only use this plant. The CBD nothing. I only use this plant.
  • You're taking this plant from me as well for being able to use it. I don't use opioids.
  • I don't use that stuff.
  • </c><00:41:22.319><c> out</c> regulate us can help to balance us out regulate us can help to balance
  • </c> of 18, certainly using these products. of 18, certainly using these products.
Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety
NH
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Finance Division II (03/17/2025)

Transcript Highlights:
  • It doesn’t allow us to use the funds for actually managing the program.
  • It doesn’t allow us to use the funds for actually managing the program.
  • I do use State Police some.
  • </c><01:05:52.039><c> the</c> that we use the national I use the that we use the national I use the National
  • Do you use drones? We do.
Summary: The Finance Division II work session focused on Fish and Game’s budget-revenue proposals and several statutory changes the department said it needs to support its operations. The department recommended raising the fisheries habitat fee and wildlife habitat fee to $5 each, estimating additional annual revenue of about $640,000 and $144,000 respectively. Members clarified that these are habitat fees added on top of licenses, not reduced by senior or youth license categories, and discussed the need for RSA changes to allow the revenue to be transferred into the Fish and Game Fund. The department also said it would work internally on any broader license fee increases through the commission process. The committee then reviewed proposals to cap several dedicated accounts and transfer excess balances to the unrestricted Fish and Game Fund. Those accounts included the fisheries and wildlife habitat funds and the game management account, with the department proposing a $750,000 cap on each and transfer of amounts above that threshold. The department said the cap was based on several years of expenditures and the fact that dedicated funds are often used as match for federal funds. Members asked for reports on fund activity and questioned whether the cap and mandatory transfer language should be “shall” or “may,” with the department indicating it would prefer “may” for flexibility. The committee also discussed a Pheasant Management Program account, where the department said current law limits use of the money to buying and propagating pheasants and it wants authority to use it for broader program management. A substantial portion of the meeting addressed Fish and Game’s environmental review unit and the transfer of ARPA-funded positions to DEES under the governor’s initiative. The department said four positions are currently ARPA-funded, that DEES supports keeping them in place through the end of the year, and that the transition will require time because environmental review work is intertwined across the agency. The department explained that before the ARPA positions, biologists handled the work and that current staffing has helped eliminate a backlog and meet deadlines. Members also discussed a proposal to expand environmental review fees beyond private developers to state, federal, municipal, and local governments, with the department saying it would need rulemaking and stakeholder input. Additional requests included authority to conduct raffles to raise funds, creation of a revolving account for donations and raffle proceeds, and repeal of the obsolete fish food sales statute because the vending machines are no longer functional and the account generates no revenue.
NH
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Finance (02/02/2026)

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> use the funds for this purpose. use the funds for this purpose.
  • </c> to use tanniff funds for this purpose. to use tanniff funds for this purpose.
  • Mark Pearson spoke to us. is in favor. Mark Pearson spoke to us.
  • use the funds?
  • </c> obligation to us. obligation to us. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Committee: House Finance
WA
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Agriculture & Natural Resources Dec 5th, 2025 at 10:30 am

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • HR1 also has significant impacts on Washington immigrants by limiting eligibility to US citizens, US
  • we trust you to help us understand the problem that those closures are creating for us.
  • And that's terminology that we use for the shorthand that has become BIPOC, but we use the term traditionally
  • So thank you all so much for joining us today.
  • So thank you all so much for joining us today.
Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources
Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on food systems and food security, with no public testimony. The first panel covered household food security and data. Marie Spiker of UW explained how food insecurity is measured, its health impacts, and the importance of reliable data, warning that the federal Census food security data is being terminated and that Washington’s WAFOOD surveys are a useful but non-representative complement. Katie Raines of WSDA described the state’s food systems work, including efforts to build shared data and dashboard monitoring, coordinate across agencies and partners, and strengthen the hunger safety net and local food supply chain. The committee then heard from Tracy Roof of the University of Richmond, who gave a history of SNAP/food stamps as both an anti-hunger program and an agricultural support tied to the farm bill. She described how the program evolved from Depression-era commodity distribution to a permanent federal-state program, how it became countercyclical during recessions, and how state policy changes and outreach increased participation. She also noted SNAP’s economic multiplier effects and said Washington’s enrollment is in the middle of the pack nationally, while future federal changes could reduce eligibility and shift more costs to states. A later panel focused on food security challenges and opportunities across the food system. The Washington Food Policy Forum, through Danny Madrone and Chris Elder, outlined its consensus-based recommendations on food insecurity, climate and water, regional infrastructure, farmland protection, and support for small and mid-sized farms. A joint industry panel from the Farm Bureau, Retail Association, and Food Industry Association emphasized agriculture’s economic scale, rising costs, loss of farms, retail theft, and the importance of local grocery stores and SNAP/WIC partnerships. State agency representatives from DSHS and DOH described current program impacts and risks: DSHS said federal H.R. 1 could require Washington to pay up to 15% of SNAP benefits and tighten eligibility, while DOH highlighted WIC, farmers market nutrition, fruit-and-vegetable incentives, and a new Medicaid waiver project, but warned that unstable funding and the end of SNAP-Ed threaten program continuity. No votes were taken.
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration Nov 21st, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • And they're depending on us.
  • I don't know what in the hell does it take to honor us. To honor us? What does it take?
  • Look at us. Vietnam veterans. Vietnam veterans here. Look at us.
  • You should have... ...us were dying and you tell us to be patient?
  • That brings us to $45 million.
Summary: The hearing focused on the long-delayed Southern California Veterans Cemetery project at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim, with members of the Assembly, Senate, City of Anaheim, Orange County, CalVet, DGS, and veterans organizations discussing next steps. Chair Sharon Quirk-Silva reviewed the project’s history, including the earlier Irvine effort, the 2021 Anaheim support resolution, county and state funding commitments, and the recent federal determination that the site meets criteria for a state veterans cemetery. Speakers repeatedly emphasized the need for a local burial site for Orange County’s large veteran population and the burden on families who currently must travel to Riverside, San Diego, or Los Angeles. The first panel featured veterans advocates and Gold Star family members who strongly urged immediate action. The American Legion, Gold Star Mothers, and the Veterans Alliance of Orange County said the cemetery is overdue and stressed that older veterans and grieving families should not have to wait longer. Several speakers described personal losses and the hardship of long travel to existing cemeteries, while also calling for CalVet and state leaders to move faster and communicate more directly with veterans groups. Assembly and Senate members responded with support, noting the bipartisan nature of the effort and the importance of honoring veterans and their families. The second panel, with Orange County officials, described the county’s support and the unique shared-use arrangement with the Orange County Cemetery District. Supervisor Don Wagner said the county has dedicated land and $20 million, and county and district staff explained that the public cemetery and state veterans cemetery can share roads, utilities, grading, and other infrastructure to reduce costs. They said the county is ready to transfer property to CalVet when appropriate and that collaboration could save tens of millions of dollars. The third panel from DGS and CalVet explained that a 2023 feasibility study estimated the state’s portion at about $126 million under earlier assumptions, but that a revised concept plan is now being developed to lower costs and update the timeline. CalVet said it remains committed to the project, while legislators pressed for clearer answers on what is needed to begin construction and how budget action in the coming year could help. No formal vote was taken; the hearing ended with public comments, many of which echoed the call to begin construction immediately and criticized the pace of state action.
ID
ID

Idaho 2026 Regular Session

Feb 11th, 2026

Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:
  • So if this does get passed, ...CMS approved us for.
  • Bernbaum, can you hear us? There you go. Can you hear us? Can you hear us okay?
  • Okay, can you hear us now? Okay, can you hear us now? You can you hear me? Yes.
  • Birnbaum, who came to us from his home in Utah, he gave us some interesting things to think about.
  • It's too much work, and we need to rely on the executive branch to give us the information for us to
Committee: Senate Health and Welfare
WA
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Finance Feb 6th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • been used.
  • , product, or service when used in this state.
  • The state sales and use tax rate is 6.5%.
  • So the ability to be able to use wastewater, recycle that wastewater from the data center, and then use
  • And I have heard for years that there should be nothing about us without us, but I didn't hear about
Summary: The committee heard several public hearings on tax and housing-related bills. HB 2451 on local tax increment financing was briefed as a negotiated trailer bill adding new limits and consultation requirements for increment areas, including restrictions on using areas that already have needed public improvements, earlier sunset rules, more detailed project analysis, and stronger notice, mediation, and arbitration procedures for affected taxing districts. Supporters from cities, ports, and fire districts said the bill rebalances the process and protects impacted jurisdictions; the hearing then closed. HB 2322 would change the alternative jet fuel tax incentive program by replacing the current production-capacity trigger with a fixed effective period beginning in 2031 and ending in 2046, while clarifying carbon-intensity requirements. The sponsor said the change adds certainty and supports cleaner aviation fuel. A refinery representative supported the program but asked for clarification to include Pierce County or define “blender,” while a climate-health opponent argued the bill subsidizes continued fossil-fuel combustion and should be rejected. HB 2590 would revise the limited equity cooperative definition and exempt such cooperatives from WUCIOA unless they opt in, while preserving the property-tax exemption requirements; supporters said it would reduce red tape and better fit cooperative housing, while members raised concerns about unintended restrictive membership rules and asked for fair-housing guardrails. HB 2655 would create a new sales and use tax exemption for construction and equipment at certain new data centers in eastern Washington, subject to labor, wage, apprenticeship, employment, and sustainability requirements. Supporters framed it as a jobs and clean-energy opportunity tied to hydrogen development and regional competitiveness, while opponents said it was a subsidy for large corporations and could strain water, power, and public revenues. The committee then moved to executive action and advanced HB 1983, the second substitute for HB 1974, the substitute for HB 2334, HB 2367, and the substitute for HB 2650, all with due pass recommendations. Amendments were adopted on HB 1974 and rejected on HB 2367; the other bills were advanced without amendment. Votes were recorded on each measure, with HB 1974 passing 10-4, HB 2334 passing 13-1, HB 2367 passing 11-3, and HB 2650 passing 14-0.
FL
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

December 2, 2025 - 01:00 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • THEY HAVE TO USE WHATEVER THEY MAKE.
  • I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE TRUST THESE NURSES THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY AND HELP US CARE FOR NOT ONLY
  • THEY USE SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.
  • I WANT NURSES DOCTORS HEALTHCARE WORKERS WE WANT THEM TO TAKE CARE OF US. WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF US?
  • WE CAN CALL THEM RURAL MARKETS WHERE THE PLAN WILL CONTRACT WITH US AT THE RATE THAT THEY GAVE US 13
WA
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Legislative Aviation Caucus Nov 21st, 2025 at 10:00 am

Transcript Highlights:
  • They're hosting us here in this room for the eating part, and Austin Frank is going to give us a welcome
  • That gives us room to grow at the airport.
  • Can you make this available to all of us, put it out there for those of us that have meetings with people
  • We know that's not unique to us.
  • to us.
Summary: The meeting was an Aviation Caucus gathering hosted at Paine Field and Boeing, with legislators, aviation groups, airport representatives, WSDOT, AOPA, Boeing, and other stakeholders introducing themselves and discussing aviation’s role in Washington. Representative Tom Dent opened by emphasizing the caucus’s purpose of educating lawmakers about aviation and aerospace, building relationships with legislators, and protecting the industry from policies he said could harm it. He highlighted a priority to repeal sections of a recent transportation revenue bill that imposed a luxury/privilege tax on aircraft, arguing airplanes are tools rather than luxuries and warning the tax could drive aircraft and business out of the state. Several speakers focused on the economic value of aviation. WSDOT Aviation Director Ann Richard said the industry’s story needs to be framed around broad public benefits, including business activity, medical access, emergency response, and wildfire support, not just recreation. John Dobson presented data claiming aviation and aerospace account for about 12.5% of Washington’s GDP, support hundreds of thousands of jobs, and generate substantial tax revenue, while also arguing that aviation infrastructure is underfunded and that aviation-related fuel taxes and other revenues should be redirected to aviation uses. Boeing representatives described the company’s Washington footprint, recent safety and training reforms, supplier and workforce investments, the permanent site at Moses Lake, and the Core Plus Aerospace workforce pipeline. The meeting also included advocacy updates on mental health in aviation and industry coordination. Brian Baumoff of the Pilot Mental Health Campaign described federal legislation aimed at improving the process for pilots seeking mental health treatment and a Washington proposal to provide leave support for pilots navigating medical certification. Haley Coffey of the Aerospace Futures Alliance invited attendees to an upcoming Hill Day to advocate for aerospace. AOPA’s Brad Schuster warned that the aircraft tax proposal and possible offsets like higher jet fuel taxes could have severe consequences. The caucus also recognized Harry R. Anderson with House Resolution 4645 for becoming the first person to both fly and sail solo to all seven continents. The meeting ended with a short quiz, reminders about badges, and instructions for the Boeing factory tour.
AR
AR

Arkansas 2026 Regular Session

LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Jan 8th, 2026

LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Transcript Highlights:
  • And Lord, just help us remember that we represent you and your kingdom, Lord, and let us do the people's
  • I can, you know, read journals, read publications, but for us, we have to use our local Arkansas smarts
  • Had the students stayed in, they would owe us, or do still owe us tuition and fees because we didn't
  • However, many students today use a VPN, which means our IP address changes often. ...today use a VPN,
  • For example, you know, we used our smarts and expertise, and then we used the expertise that we were
Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Summary: The House and Senate Legislative Audit committee met to approve prior minutes and review four higher education audit reports. Staff first presented the University of Arkansas System report, which included three findings that had been certified and referred to the Governmental Bonding Board, the attorney general, and the appropriate prosecuting attorney: unauthorized purchases at UAPB totaling about $37,000, a fraud scheme involving falsified FAFSA/transcript records at East Arkansas Community College with about $66,000 in losses, and unallowable charges in the Veterans Upward Bound program at UA Fayetteville totaling $8,500, of which $6,700 was recovered. Committee members praised the institutions’ internal audit and management teams for identifying the issues and asked detailed questions about how the fraud was detected, especially the online student identity-theft scheme at EACC and the safeguards now being used to verify student identity and prevent similar cases. EACC officials explained that the fraudulent admissions involved online applicants using falsified transcripts and identity-theft tactics, that 39 suspicious students were identified, and that seven slipped through far enough to receive federal aid, resulting in a $2,500 reimbursement obligation to the university. They said the college now uses a cross-departmental student validity team, extensive red-flag protocols, direct outreach to high schools, ID verification, and other checks, and that the issue has been shared across the UA system and with other campuses. UA Fayetteville also clarified that no veterans were harmed by the Veterans Upward Bound finding; the program was closed and students were redirected to other veteran support programs in the state. The committee then deferred the Northwest Arkansas Community College report. Staff next summarized two additional reports, from Southeast Arkansas College and Southern Arkansas University Tech, which contained only financial statement misstatements corrected during audit fieldwork; SAU Tech also had a finding involving unauthorized withdrawals that the college discovered and recovered. With no further questions, the committee voted without objection to file the reviewed reports and adjourned.
TX
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session (Part II): Joint SessionJoint Session with the House of Representatives; Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock delivers the biennial State of the Judiciary address. Feb 26th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Would all those in law enforcement who are here with us please stand and let us honor you.
  • So for all of us in these powerful positions that God has given us, it’s our job to point out the imperfections
  • But let us proceed in doing that with humility, with gratitude, But let us proceed in doing that with
  • And using that authority, as well as authority you've given us, we're gathering data to help us identify
  • May God be with us as He was with our fathers.
Bills: SB26 , SB28 , SJR36 , SB26 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB28
Summary: The House and Senate met in joint session under HCR 5 to hear an address from Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock, with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick introducing him. The session included recognition of the justices, judges, law enforcement officers, and interpreters present, and it also marked the formal completion of the joint session once the address ended. Chief Justice Blacklock said the state of the judiciary is strong, while paying tribute to former Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and thanking Governor Abbott for his appointment. His remarks focused on judicial administration and public safety, including a call for a 30% increase in district judge salaries, which he argued is needed to attract and retain qualified judges. He also urged support for law enforcement, backed efforts to keep violent offenders in custody pending trial, and said the court is gathering data to identify underperforming judges and use constitutional remedies where necessary. Blacklock emphasized that Texas courts should interpret statutes and the constitution according to text and original meaning, rejecting the “living constitution” approach. He highlighted reforms to improve efficiency and reduce litigation costs, including changes to docketing practices, civil procedure, and the regulation of legal services, and he urged the State Bar to remain politically neutral. He also discussed family law and child welfare, arguing for stronger legal representation for parents and suggesting repeal of Family Code subsection O, which he said can unfairly lead to termination of parental rights. The joint session concluded after his remarks, and the House stood at ease as guests departed.
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee Apr 22nd, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • So this is bad faith to us.
  • , or pushing us, to achieve that metric.
  • Or, geez, we're still using generators that are using so much diesel and they're creating so much, then
  • Or, geez, we're still using generators that are using so much diesel, and they're creating so much, then
  • Then the legislature can determine, okay, do we use liquid fuels? Do we use gaseous fuels?
Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on clean energy, electrification, and grid planning. AB 1813 (Ward) would revise California’s community renewable energy program to better support community solar and storage, especially for renters and low-income customers, by tying credits to avoided costs and requiring at least 51% low-income participation. Supporters said the current CPUC program is unworkable and has stalled development; utilities raised concerns about cost shifts, CCA impacts, and the bill’s late substantive amendments. The bill was discussed but no vote was recorded in the excerpt. AB 2313 (Berman) would create a gas service line replacement alternative program allowing customers facing planned gas line replacement to instead choose electrification and receive an incentive. Supporters argued it would reduce long-term gas infrastructure costs and give customers more choice, while opponents warned it could divert money from safety-related gas replacement work, create affordability issues, and conflict with the recently approved SB 1221 pilot. Committee members pressed the author on safety, funding sources, and renter impacts; the author said the bill includes emergency replacement exemptions and is intended to lower costs for remaining ratepayers. AB 1975 (Schultz) would require the CPUC to develop a grid utilization metric and consider expanded grid management programs to better use existing distribution infrastructure and reduce the need for costly upgrades. Supporters said better utilization could save ratepayers billions and help integrate batteries and flexible load; utilities generally opposed rigid utilization targets but were open to further discussion. The committee passed AB 1975 on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 2612, on plug-in photovoltaic systems, passed 9-0 to Appropriations after supporters said it would expand access to low-cost solar and utilities requested clarification that they would participate in the standards process. AB 1849 (Pappin) would direct CARB to study the need for decarbonized gaseous fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors and for grid reliability. Supporters framed it as a technology-neutral assessment for sectors like industrial heat and backup power; opponents argued it was biased toward a preferred fuel pathway and duplicated existing state studies. After a lengthy exchange over the lack of a statutory definition for “decarbonized gaseous fuels,” the bill passed 10-0 to Appropriations. AB 2088 (Pappin) would authorize investor-owned utilities to own and operate thermal energy networks, with safeguards for safety, workforce, and ratepayers. Supporters described TENs as efficient, low-emission heating and cooling systems that can use geothermal energy or waste heat; the bill passed 9-0 to Appropriations.
LA
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Mar 16th, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • So most of us probably already have all that contact information. active in bringing us in.
  • But we're not going to use it.
  • But we're not going to use it.
  • You know, if there’s a will to send us some more, I’ll certainly take it and they’ll stand us.”
  • It is a fundamental responsibility of us, not you, of us as legislators to, if there are issues of us
Committee: House Appropriations
Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation on LSU Health Care Services Division and Lallie Kemp Medical Center. Staff reviewed HCSD’s roughly $74.7 million budget, much of it tied to legacy obligations for former LSU hospital systems and support for Lallie Kemp. Committee members asked about prisoner care, risk management costs, declining admissions and emergency visits, and the hospital’s 340B drug program. Lallie Kemp officials explained that prisoner care serves multiple state and local facilities, that lower admissions largely reflect more patients being placed in observation status, and that the in-house 340B program provides major savings to patients and the prison system. Members also asked about care for unhoused patients and the hospital’s discharge practices, and the hospital said social services works to find placement when possible. The committee then moved to the Louisiana Department of Health budget, which was presented as just under $23.5 billion, with Medicaid making up more than 90 percent of the total. The presentation covered the Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health, Office of Behavioral Health, Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, and Medicaid. Major items included the new Rural Health Transformation Program, the transfer of several functions from DCFS to LDH under the One Door initiative, changes to SNAP administration, and large Medicaid adjustments driven by enrollment, utilization, and federal policy changes. Testimony also highlighted the statewide crisis hub and 988, the commodity food program for seniors, women’s health and maternal outcomes, and the department’s efforts to modernize technology and reorganize services. Members questioned LDH officials on a wide range of budget and policy issues, including the rural health grant, crisis services, Medicaid redeterminations, provider taxes, physician and hospital supplemental payments, nursing home rates, HCBS funding, and the impact of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. LDH said the rural health grant would support workforce, technology, and care-delivery improvements; that the crisis hub and mobile crisis units are being expanded to improve access and reduce emergency room use; and that the department is working to keep the SNAP error rate below 6 percent to avoid a projected state cost increase. Officials also said they expect to return next year with additional funding requests for HCBS and other programs, while emphasizing that current budget changes are largely meant to realign funding with actual expenditures and new federal requirements. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.
HI
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

HRE, WTL-HRE, HRE-LBT Public Hearings 03-18-2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • gets us.
  • us.
  • </c><00:21:18.559><c> picking</c><00:21:18.880><c> a</c> us forward instead of just us picking a us forward
  • Can I use a previous Can I use an Okay.
  • </c> should be pitching it to us. Okay? should be pitching it to us. Okay?
Summary: The committee heard three University of Hawaiʻi-related measures. HB 718 HD1 would appropriate funds for faculty and staff positions at the John A. Burns School of Medicine in cardiovascular, law, biology, tropical medicine, quantitative health/biostatistics, and environmental health and safety. Testimony was in support, including from university representatives and others who submitted written testimony. Members asked whether the positions were additional and how they would affect enrollment; the university said the hires would teach medical students and conduct biomedical research, helping increase the class size to about 77 and eventually 80, and noted a workforce paper requested by the committee would be provided soon. The committee then discussed SB 1170 HD1, which would grant resident tuition at any UH campus to certain graduates of Hawaiʻi high schools enrolling in undergraduate programs. UH supported the bill and said it had adjusted its testimony in response to prior committee concerns. Members focused on the proposed four-year window, asking why that timeframe was chosen and whether the change was needed at all. UH explained that four years would allow students who left the state to return and still complete an undergraduate degree or prepare for graduate school, and said the bill would help students who come back after one or two years but otherwise would have to wait a year to reestablish residency under current rules. UH also said it was discussing possible administrative rule changes as an alternative if the bill did not pass. Finally, the committee heard HB 1300 HD1, which would fund a University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center pilot study on cancer disparities among Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos, and people living near landfills in Nanakuli, focusing on social determinants of health, lifestyle, environmental exposures, and resilience factors. Testimony from researchers and advocates strongly supported the measure, saying the study could help explain cancer disparities and support future research funding. Members questioned the cost, the reliance on future federal or foundation funding, and the practical outcome of the study. The Cancer Center said the pilot would cost about $500,000 per year for two years, with later funding sought from federal, nonprofit, or private sources; it said the study would produce longitudinal data that could help identify at-risk groups and provide evidence for policy decisions, though members expressed concern that the project needed a clearer end goal and stronger case for public investment.
MN
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Capital Investment - 03/04/25

Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:
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  • </c> ratings data our average rating for US ratings data our average rating for US state<00:13:53.480
  • </c> table that compares Minnesota to the US table that compares Minnesota to the US on<00:16:57.000>
  • us to different assessment levels.
  • us do that by helping us think through us do that by helping us think through and<00:29:03.240><c> visualize
Committee: Senate Capital Investment
MA
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Transcript Highlights:
  • So thank you all for joining us.
  • Please talk to us when you testify.
  • Joining us virtually. Is she on? Yep. Joining us virtually is Senator Creem.
  • Congestion affects us all.
  • He's joining us virtually.
Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy
Summary: The committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy heard testimony on several transportation and clean-fuel bills. Supporters of H. 3535 argued for delaying or pausing enforcement of Massachusetts’ zero-emission vehicle sales mandate, saying the current ACC2 timeline is unrealistic given low ZEV sales, limited charging infrastructure, dealer inventory concerns, and potential economic impacts on dealerships, consumers, and tax revenue. Opponents of that approach, including automakers and clean transportation advocates, said the state should stay on course with electrification and that the mandate is necessary to meet climate goals. The committee also heard support for H. 3570/S. 2326 to update vehicle emission standards for municipal and utility fleets, with municipal utility representatives saying current electric truck technology, charging access, and costs make the rules impractical for critical public services. A major portion of the hearing focused on S. 2246, the Freedom to Move Act, which would require MassDOT and regional planning agencies to set vehicle miles traveled reduction goals and align transportation spending with climate targets. Supporters said the bill would better coordinate transportation planning, encourage transit, biking, and walking, and help Massachusetts meet emissions goals while saving money and improving public health. Some committee members raised concerns that the bill could duplicate existing transportation climate mandates and could disadvantage rural residents who must drive long distances; witnesses responded that the bill is meant to add coordination and flexibility, not impose a one-size-fits-all solution. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3448, which would set deadlines to electrify school buses and public fleets and create programs for private fleet electrification. Advocates said fleet electrification is a practical way to cut emissions, improve air quality, and save money over time, especially for schoolchildren exposed to diesel exhaust. Several witnesses also supported low-carbon fuel standard bills H. 3576 and S. 2251, arguing they would reduce fuel carbon intensity and generate revenue for charging and clean-fuel investments. Others, including a coalition opposed to private jet expansion, objected to the bills’ treatment of sustainable aviation fuel, saying it is not scalable, is expensive, and could create land-use and food-supply tradeoffs. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the hearing excerpt provided.