Video & Transcript Research : 'vacancy'
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FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
October 8, 2025 - 10:30 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- WE WERE AT 17% VACANCIES AND WHERE DOES THIS IMPACT IS THE MOST?
- PEOPLE SACRIFICING EVERY DAY READ THE INVESTMENTS YOU MADE HAVE ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO LOWER OUR VACANCY
- YOU PROVIDE US WITH RATES, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU THE RESULTS, WE'VE BEEN AGGRESSIVE IN FILLING VACANCIES
- WE BELIEVE IN ORDER TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS WE NEED TO BE WE NEED TO BE AROUND THE SIX OR 7% VACANCY RATE
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- start with one thing I notice on your member representation y'all still have one two three four vacancies
- that's correct where do y'all stand on filling those vacancies so the commissioner and TDI appoint those
- You know, also about these vacancies, why are these vacancies there?
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
February 5, 2025 - 03:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- We were, four years ago, at a 20 percent vacancy rate. We were hemorrhaging.
- have made investments in our workforce over these last few years that have enabled us to lower our vacancy
- What I'll tell you is we're not at an optimum place with vacancy rates yet.
- We are trying to get that 8 percent vacancy rate.
Summary:
The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met to continue its review of hurricane impacts and state response. The committee first heard from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which described its four core functions—preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation—and highlighted its 24/7 State Watch Office, regional training efforts, and disaster assistance work. Deputy Executive Director Keith Pruitt detailed the state’s 2024 storm response, including Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, citing large-scale mission support, flood-control deployments, meal and water distribution, power restoration, debris removal, and billions in disaster funding and mitigation dollars. He also discussed debris management challenges and recommended that local governments update and exercise debris plans and maintain contingency contracts.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 2477 addresses a growing issue in Texas cities: high office vacancy rates and severe housing
- Since the pandemic, office buildings and major urban centers have become underutilized, with vacancy
- Since the pandemic, office buildings and major urban centers have become underutilized with vacancy rates
- in the future, substantial... ...office buildings that have probably, in the future, substantial vacancy
- couple questions of the author. ...office buildings that have probably, in the future, substantial vacancy
Summary:
The Senate took up and passed Senate Bill 945, which concerns political shareholder proposals by insurers and insurance holding companies. Senator Hughes argued the bill would protect Texas-based insurers from activist shareholder pressure, especially proposals aimed at limiting insurance coverage for oil and gas companies for ESG or political reasons. The motion to suspend the regular order was adopted over objection, and SB 945 passed to engrossment on a 20-10 vote with one present not voting.
The chamber also passed Senate Bill 1117, allowing any Texas-licensed dentist to administer botulinum toxin in oral or maxillofacial regions for aesthetic purposes, and House Joint Resolution 98, renewing Texas’s application for an Article 5 Convention of States to propose amendments on fiscal restraints, federal power limits, and term limits. Both measures advanced after debate and roll-call votes; SB 1117 passed unanimously after suspension of the three-day rule, and H.J.R. 98 was adopted on a 17-14 vote.
Members then approved several other measures, including the committee substitute for House Bill 142 on HHSC’s Office of Inspector General and Medicaid overpayment recovery, Senate Bill 2373 on AI-enabled financial fraud and deepfake/phishing schemes, Senate Bill 2221 on fraudulent UCC financing statements, and Senate Bill 2681 on the basis for third-party voter-registration challenges. The Senate also adopted a resolution authorizing a Texas Life Monument replica at the Capitol complex, and passed S.J.R. 59 creating funds for Texas State Technical College capital needs.
The body debated and passed Senate Bill 946, which would bar credit discrimination against organizations based on social, political, religious, or similar value-based considerations and require credit decisions to rest on creditworthiness. Senators raised concerns that the bill could create a special protected class for non-human entities or conflict with existing state policies, but the bill advanced to engrossment on a 20-11 vote. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 2477 to ease office-to-residential conversions in large cities after adopting an amendment negotiated with municipal stakeholders, and began consideration of Senate Bill 715 on ERCOT reliability requirements for generators, including existing generation, with extensive debate over impacts on renewables, power purchase agreements, and grid reliability.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Feb 1st, 2025
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- These vacancies additionally tax our Albuquerque Clerk's Office staff, who've taken on more and more
- Update them on our vacancy rate and our reversion rate, please.
- We have a low vacancy rate of 8.1%, and we've had tremendous fiscal stewardship of our budget.
- However, when we bring down those vacancy rates, we have a problem retaining those employees.
- Recently, within three months, we had three vacancies on our bench.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
EDN Info Briefing - Thu Jan 16, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- If there are teacher vacancies, there are usually educational assistant vacancies, and so how can we
- Filling vacancies is one thing, but are we counting emergency hires as filling a vacancy, someone who
- So for us, the vacancy is still there even if you fill all 1,200 positions if you're filling them all
- <01:30:06.440>
and <01:30:06.600>and made an effort to fill vacancies and and made - filling vacancy is one thing<01:30:12.159>
but <01:30:12.320>are <01:30:12.480>we
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division III (03/04/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- We currently have about a 15% vacancy rate across all of those programs within the division.
- We currently have about a 15% vacancy rate across all of those programs within the division.
- unfilled we have about a 15% vacancy unfilled we have about a 15% vacancy rate<00:20:52.480>
- you could post 100 positions vacancies you could post 100 positions um<00:26:03.120>
we <00:26 - It's up on 29 Hazen Drive. vacancy rates those are either vacancy rates those are either established<
Summary:
The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health.
The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate.
Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Education Funding (02/07/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- Vacancies, yeah, of course there wouldn't be a vacancy because they haven't vacated.
- Vacancies, yeah, of course there wouldn't be a vacancy because they haven't vacated.
- Vacancies, yeah, of course there wouldn't be a vacancy because they haven't vacated.
- Vacancies, yeah, of course there wouldn't be a vacancy because they haven't vacated.
- Vacancies, yeah, of course there wouldn't be a vacancy because they haven't vacated.
Summary:
The committee first heard HB 659, which would establish the New Hampshire College Graduate Retention Incentive Program. A Department of Revenue Administration analyst explained technical issues in the bill, focusing on whether the incentive is intended to operate as a rebate or a tax credit, how it would be administered, and how it would interact with the business enterprise tax and business profits tax. She said the bill’s language was unclear on the administering agency, effective tax years, caps, and carry-forward treatment, and noted that reducing BET can also reduce the BET credit against BPT, though not on a one-for-one basis. Committee members asked follow-up questions about the BET/BPT interaction, administrative costs, and whether the Department of Business and Economic Affairs would need additional staffing. Andrew Horn then testified in support, saying the bill is meant to address the large number of New Hampshire college graduates who leave the state after graduation by encouraging them to stay and by incentivizing businesses to hire them. The chair closed the hearing on HB 659 after no further public testimony.
The committee then took up HB 770, a bill to establish a program allowing New Hampshire high school students to earn tuition credits at state higher education institutions through community service. Representative Schultz described the bill as a “triple play” intended to increase volunteerism, expand service and internship opportunities for students, and make college more affordable. Ryan Casey, a junior at Bishop Brady High School, testified that the proposal would help students reduce future loan debt while benefiting communities and encouraging young people to attend college in New Hampshire. Committee members asked about eligibility, including why private and preparatory school students were excluded, whether public school students would qualify, whether mandatory service hours would count, and how the bill’s references to education and business eligibility should be read. Schultz said the exclusion of private and prep schools was intended because public school students are more clearly New Hampshire residents, and she noted that mandatory school service hours had been excluded in revisions. The Department of Education then testified that the program would require significant administration, estimating at least three full-time staff, software or tracking systems, and rulemaking to oversee volunteer sites, schools, student eligibility, and tuition credit distribution. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the hearing remained in testimony phase.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Looking at if there's vacancies there as well.
- Looking at if there's vacancies there as well.
- Looking at if there's vacancies there as well.
- Looking at if there's vacancies there as well.
- there's vacancies there as well. there's vacancies there as well.
Bills:
SB2982, SB2367, SB2818, SB2944, SB2022, SB2240, SB2986, SB2547, SB2401, SB3031, SB3035, SB3032
Keywords:
foreign influence, campaign finance, contributions, state elections, transparency, election integrity, Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, Ala Wai Harbor, DLNR, BLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Board of Land and Natural Resources, state boating facility, small boat harbor, public-private partnership, PPP, marina management, harbor lease, fast lands, submerged lands
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on several measures, beginning with SB 2982 on campaign finance, which would prohibit foreign entities and foreign-influence businesses from making contributions and expenditures. The Attorney General’s office testified first, followed by the Campaign Spending Commission, which supported the bill but asked for clarification on constitutional review authority and additional implementation time for certifications, forms, and procedures. Common Cause also supported the measure, arguing it would help protect elections from dark money and foreign influence. No vote was taken.
The committee then took up SB 2367 on a state boating facilities lease program for the Ala Wai small boat harbor. DLNR supported the bill, while UPW opposed it, warning about privatization of a public asset and possible job displacement. Several members of the public supported the concept but urged amendments to protect public access, affordability, youth ocean programs, and state employee jobs. Committee members questioned DLNR about the scope of the lease, the role of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and whether public access and existing concessions would remain protected. DLNR said current leases would remain, the board would retain approval authority, and employees would not necessarily be displaced, but members indicated more discussion and possible amendments were needed.
For SB 2818 on boating penalties, DLNR testified in support and there was no opposition testimony. The committee also heard SB 2944 on conservation, which would require wildlife viewing guidelines that substantially conform to NOAA guidance and reporting requirements; DLNR said it stood on its written testimony. SB 2022 on water code penalties drew support from DLNR’s Commission on Water Resource Management, which said the bill’s two-tiered penalty structure would preserve deterrence while keeping the current $5,000 penalty for first-time or non-harmful violations. The Board of Water Supply submitted comments, and Ulupono Initiative supported the measure as a needed enforcement tool. Committee members discussed whether the higher penalty ceiling should be phased in and asked for stakeholder input on the amount of the penalties.
Finally, the committee began SB 2240 on land use, which would require water availability certification from the Commission on Water Resource Management before a district boundary amendment proceeds to the Land Use Commission. DLNR supported the bill and said it often reviews project documents that lack sufficient information on water needs and availability, so the measure would allow earlier review and comment. The committee also indicated it would seek amendments and further feedback on the water penalty bill before it moved to the next committee.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- CYFD continues to see consistently high staff turnover, vacancy rates, and case backlogs.
- And this... ...to see consistently high staff turnover, vacancy rates, and case backlogs.
- The vacancy rate in the department is 5% higher than it was when Representative Martinez and I were at
- and they promised three years ago that they were doing these rapid-hire things and getting these vacancies
- I don't think you can have those vacancies filled as long as the department is operating with the kind
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- Patient's Compensation Fund and also for employee health benefits and to address the agency's unfunded vacancy
- And the next question is, what is your vacancy rate now? Mr.
- District 1 in Las Cruces has the lowest vacancy rate for the department right now.
- And then what has been your average vacancy rate over the last five years?
- And whether there's a vacancy in their funded FTEs, where does that money go? Mr.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- And you've got to fill vacancies, right?
- You've got how many vacancies on that now, and for how long? Mr.
- Chair, members of the committee, we have seven vacancies, and a lot of them are in leadership roles that
- So, vacancies out of how many? Out of 20? So it's a good, you know, members of the board.
- We have two vacancies on the board right now. Yeah.
Keywords:
interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- And you've got to fill vacancies, right?
- You've got how many vacancies on that now, and for how long? Mr.
- Chair, members of the committee, we have seven vacancies.
- So, vacancies out of how many? Out of 20. So it's a good, you know, members of the board.
- We have two vacancies on the board right now. Yeah.
Keywords:
interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh and and uh vacancy rate at the time.
- So we went from a 26% vacancy rate to a 12%, 13% vacancy rate in air quality.
- So we went from 26% vacancy rate half.
- c> air to a 12% 13% vacancy rate in air to a 12% 13% vacancy rate in air quality. quality. quality
- <01:38:25.280>
uh vacancy right now we're at about 5%. uh vacancy right now we're at about
CT
Connecticut 2026 Regular Session
Finance Advisory Committee June 4th Meeting Jun 4th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Okay, and I just want to follow up on Representative Walker talked about positions and vacancies.
- Could you share what are your hardest vacancies to fill?
- overtime or contracts in order—I mean DSS—relying on overtime and contracts to help out with the vacancies
Summary:
The Finance Advisory Committee approved the minutes from its May 14, 2026 meeting and then considered four fiscal transfers. FAC 2026-9 for the Office of the State Controller transferred $4.345 million among fringe benefit accounts in the General Fund and Special Transportation Fund. Members questioned several employee benefit accounts, including active and retiree health care, Social Security, higher education alternative retirement, and OPEB; agency staff explained the transfers were based on updated year-end projections, with some accounts showing surpluses and others needing additional funds. The item was approved, with two no votes noted.
FAC 2026-10 for the Military Department transferred $150,000 from the Honor Guards account to personal services and Governor’s Guard accounts to cover operational needs, and it was approved without opposition. FAC 2026-11 for the Department of Social Services transferred $3.3 million among accounts. Most of the discussion focused on a surplus in the substance use disorder waiver/reinvestment account, lower-than-expected TANF/TFA caseloads, federal family planning backfill requirements, and staffing challenges in eligibility operations. DSS said some funds remained unused because a residential care vendor did not enter into a contract, some reserves were intended for future multi-year investments, and eligibility staff require 12 to 18 months of training; the item was approved.
FAC 2026-12 for the Department of Children and Families transferred $3.05 million among accounts for year-end operational needs. Members asked about closures of day treatment and community-based prevention programs, and DCF said children were transitioned to other providers without service interruption, with closures driven by provider decisions and financial viability. DCF also explained that some prior funding had been used as gap funding and that ongoing support had been built into the budget. The committee approved the transfer and then adjourned.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Apr 8th, 2025 at 02:00 pm
Appropriations - Education and Environment Division
Transcript Highlights:
- To explain that vacancy, we last session had a couple of new requests specific to talent attraction,
- And so for us, we had that vacancy, and we weren't Several years.
- And so for us, we had that vacancy and we weren't exactly sure what to do with it for a few months of
Bills:
SB2018
Keywords:
funding, commerce, autonomous technology, workforce development, economic growth, grant programs, 908, all
Summary:
The committee took up Senate Bill 2018, the Department of Commerce budget, and walked through the long sheet and a series of proposed changes. Members discussed restoring a vacant workforce FTE that Commerce said it could fill soon, monitoring federal funding delays but reporting no known cuts, and adjusting several one-time items including Operation Intern, the North Dakota Development Fund, the Global Talent Office, and tourism-related funding. The chair also proposed separating tourism marketing and Good Life funding again, rather than combining them, and members raised concerns about ensuring tourism dollars are used only for tourism purposes.
A number of program amounts were reviewed or adjusted in discussion, including UAS grants, Vantus/Beyond Visual Line of Sight funding, Grand Sky, Grand Farm autonomous agriculture grants, base enhancement grants, Native American small business grants, regional workforce impact grants, technical skills training grants, and tribal college workforce grants. Commerce officials explained that some grant language would be changed to require competitive RFP processes, and they clarified that the housing opportunity and community property improvement items were handled in other bills or programs. The committee also discussed apprenticeship efforts across state agencies and Commerce’s role in workforce development.
The committee reviewed carryover and exemption language for prior appropriations, including federal weatherization and energy funds, and Commerce said three one-time FTE tied to those federal programs should become ongoing because the federal dollars continue over several years. A motion to add $1.5 million for the North Dakota Safety Council failed for lack of a second. The committee then planned to return the next day to continue work on Commerce and take up the CTE budget, including a pending amendment related to CTE’s possible move from the 15th floor of the Capitol.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- I'd be worried about having to try to fill these positions when there's so many vacancies with existing
- So we would >> and<00:22:18.960>
the <00:22:19.120>vacancy <00:22:19.600>issue - <00:22:20.640>
I'd <00:22:20.880>be >> and the vacancy issue too. - I'd be >> and the vacancy issue too.
- <00:22:24.960>
with <00:22:25.120>existing vacancies with existing vacancies with existing
Summary:
The Committee on Health and Human Services opened its first hearing of the 2026 session and heard testimony on several bills, with the chair emphasizing one-minute testimony, written submissions, and live streaming. For SB 768, relating to an alternative water source income tax credit, the Department of Taxation said a drafting issue needed clarification on the $500 cap and estimated a revenue loss of $6.8 million per year beginning in fiscal year 2028. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Libertarian Party opposed the bill as an unnecessary subsidy and tax-code complication, while one supporter was noted. A member questioned the size of the projected loss and suggested future analysis of net fiscal impacts and methodology.
The committee then heard SB 389, which expands a general excise tax exemption to additional health-related providers and purchases. The Department of Taxation said the change would be a minimal code adjustment but would require public education; the Tax Foundation said the bill should be framed in light of the original physician-shortage rationale for the exemption. The Hawaii National Guard and Aloha Care supported the measure, along with several other organizations and individuals, while the Libertarian Party opposed it as favoritism and tax-code complexity. A member asked about administrative burden and potential tax impact, and the department said it did not yet have a calculation but was working on one.
The committee also heard SB 877, which would appropriate funds to increase Medicaid in-home services if federal matching funds are maximized, and SB 1139, which would direct DHS to expand Medicaid eligibility for children from birth to age five regardless of household income. DHS stood on written testimony for both bills, and Aloha Care, the Hawaii Medical Association, disability advocates, children’s advocates, and CARES testified in support, arguing the measures would improve access and family stability. The Libertarian Party opposed both bills, warning of higher long-term costs, entitlement growth, and reduced private-sector options. Members questioned the fiscal and programmatic differences between crisis and warm-line services during discussion of SB 787, a bill to fund a Department of Health warm line; the department said the warm line would serve noncrisis callers more cheaply than crisis staffing, and that about 34.7% of 2024 Hawaii CARES contacts were mild issues that could have been routed to a warm line. Supporters cited mental health needs after the Lahaina wildfire and the affordability crisis, while opponents argued the service duplicated existing resources and expanded government involvement.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Courts, Corrections and Justice Jun 30th, 2025
Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Our attorney vacancy rate is still really high. I think 17% as of the end of March.
- Our core staff vacancy rate was 5.9%, and I think that goes to Um, really trying to focus on people who
- Fonz is back there working on a 33% vacancy rate, uh, which is probably, uh, not very effective for his
- So, even just beginning with what are the vacancy rates. um, and law enforcement agencies across the
- We asked her about her, um, uh, vacancy rate because we asked everybody about their vacancy rate.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- And is how do you know how many vacancies there are statewide for those positions?
- We have 10 full-time vacancies out of 57 positions, and we have five full-time and part-time vacancies
- We have 10 full-time vacancies out of 30, and we have 15 part-time vacancies out of 34 part-time positions
- Senator Abbas, it's a great question about vacancy rates, and in my own district I've noticed lately
- it's a great question about vacancy it's a great question about vacancy rates<00:59:10.839>
and
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Informal House Session 12 Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- provisions of Section 141 of Chapter 54 of the General Laws appointing a time for the election to fill the vacancy
- provisions of Section 141 of Chapter 54 of the General Laws appointing a time for the election to fill the vacancy
Summary:
The House took up several routine matters reported by the temporary Committee on Rules. Members adopted resolutions congratulating Joseph G. Finn for his work to end homelessness in Massachusetts and recognizing February 3 as Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome Awareness Day. The chamber also adopted an order setting Tuesday, May 13, 2025, as the date for the special election to fill the vacant 6th Essex District House seat.
All of these items were handled by suspension of the rules and adopted without recorded opposition. The House then briefly recognized Governor’s Councillor Nora Dolan and her brother, Thomas Dolan, who was visiting the chamber.
Finally, the House adopted an order to adjourn and scheduled its next meeting for Thursday at 11 a.m., with a formal session and roll calls at 1 p.m. Democratic members were notified of a caucus at noon in Room A1.