Transcript Highlights:

• challenges they face with proactive interventions, strong public-private partnerships, and rigorous evaluation
• stronger accountability, and We urge Congress to establish enhanced standards for data collection and evaluation
• A recent RAND report found that few of these programs have undergone on rigorous, independent evaluation
• As the only program of evaluated by a third party, O2O stands as evidence that community-led efforts
• additional resources to nonprofits that demonstrate measurable, positive outcomes, and to require evaluation

Keywords: veteran services, homelessness, unemployment, VA funding, mental health, congressional oversight, testimonies, American Legion, Dole Act, suicide prevention

Summary: This meeting focused on veteran services, emphasizing the urgent need to address the alarming rate of unemployment and homelessness among veterans. Numerous testimonies were presented detailing the impact of mass furloughs and cutbacks at the VA on personnel, notably veterans who were serving as employees. Various representatives expressed deep concern over how these firings could drastically affect the quality of care available to those who have served the nation. There was a strong call for Congress to bolster funding for existing programs aimed at alleviating veteran homelessness and improving overall care quality, especially in mental health services.

Transcript Highlights:

• The requirements of state agencies are laid out in 212A:9, where state agencies must evaluate and take
• and take actions that are must evaluate and take actions that are designed<00:41:26.319> to<00
• of impacts to threatened evaluation of impacts to threatened endangered<00:41:52.319> species
• You know, I don't, we don't have the capacity to be evaluating land use transfers and then following
• loop for evaluating its effectiveness. loop for evaluating its effectiveness.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Site Evaluation Committee has responsibility for the siting of energy facilities.
• Now, some of that is the extra $300,000 for the Site Evaluation Committee, right?
• It wasn't part of the PUC before, when the Site Evaluation Committee was its own agency.
• what is all right under evaluation what is all right under evaluation committee<01:26:41.400>
• Some was lapses, some was the site evaluation, and some was filling vacancies. Yeah, okay.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard the Banking Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 budget presentation from Commissioner Amelia Galeri. She described the department as a self-funded consumer protection regulator overseeing two main areas: the Banking Trust Division, which supervises state-chartered banks, credit unions, and trust companies, and the Consumer Credit Division, which oversees more than 7,000 licensees including mortgage and money transmitter businesses. She said the department’s budget is about 86% salaries and benefits, with 53 positions all filled, and explained that the agency funds itself through fees, fines, and end-of-year assessments on regulated entities. Galeri said the department is facing workload growth from several directions: continued growth in the trust industry, increased fintech supervision, and a new requirement to regularly examine auto dealers that take finance applications, which adds about 300 exams over two fiscal years. She said the department was directed to flat-fund its budget based on 2025 levels but was allowed to increase travel and training. To stay within that limit, she said the department reduced office space, went paperless, converted administrative and licensing positions into examiner positions, and expects to defund an embedded DOJ database administrator position once a new SharePoint system is fully implemented. Members asked about how the department’s revenue and assessments work, including whether fees were increasing and how much existing banks would pay. Galeri said fees are not being raised, most banks pay little or no fines, and assessments are based largely on asset size, with trust companies paying the bulk. She also explained that fines are set by statute, generally capped at $2,500 per violation for consumer credit entities, and said she would not recommend increasing that cap. The committee then voted to accept the Banking Department’s budget proposal as presented in HQ1, with a motion and second and no discussion. The transcript then moved to the Department of Energy budget. Commissioner Jared Chakin and Chief of Operations Lenny Radio discussed federal program funding, including LIHEAP fuel assistance and weatherization. They said the apparent drop in fuel assistance funding from FY 2024 actuals to the budgeted amount is due to the loss of ARPA and CARES Act supplemental funds, while weatherization remains a federally constrained program with a waiting list and limited flexibility. Members also asked about a proposed transfer from the renewable energy fund; staff said the transfer would still allow the department to carry out its statutory duties for the year, though the committee deferred deeper discussion until House Bill 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• The families who cannot pay hundreds of dollars for evaluations.
• hundreds of dollars for evaluations. hundreds of dollars for evaluations.
• score just high enough on re-evaluations score just high enough on re-evaluations even<01:03:46.559
• deserves access to affordable evaluation deserves access to affordable evaluation and<01:05:11.280
• <02:08:12.719> portion, evaluation portion, evaluation portion, there<02:08:14.960> was

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So they would obviously need to work with the PFFA to evaluate who their active members are and who belongs
• So they would obviously need to work with the PFFA to evaluate who their active members are and who belongs

Bills: HB41

Keywords: Firefighters' Retirement System, FRS, retirement board, board of trustees, firefighter pension, public pension, retirement system governance, active members, service credit, Professional Fire Fighters Association, PFFA, Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association, fire chiefs, retirees, beneficiaries, DROP, Deferred Retirement Option Plan, board elections, vacancies, Louisiana retirement law

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we can include that in our evaluation and the work that we're doing right now to make sure that
• So if we can include that in our evaluation and the work that we're doing right now to make sure that

Summary: The commission heard updates on several Capitol accessibility and planning projects. A study of the ADA chairlifts at the Capitol was completed, and the consultant recommended replacing the lifts in the legislative library, House chamber, and Senate chamber because of compliance and functional issues. Preliminary cost estimates were about $400,000, with design expected to take a few months and construction another month or two. Members asked whether the replacement would fit into the broader capital master plan, and staff said the locations appear unlikely to be heavily affected, but that would be confirmed during design. The group also discussed the updated capital master plan and the pending owner’s representative procurement. The Office of Administration has the RFQ prepared, but it will not be released until budget authority is available; the commission had previously approved moving forward subject to appropriations, and members noted that delays will increase costs. Staff said they are waiting on the FY26 budget before proceeding. An update was given on the Governor’s Council on Disability’s digital wayfinding project. The team is working on the technical architecture, content process, and governance framework, and at this stage the commission is only expected to approve signage rather than fund the project. Members raised questions about long-term maintenance, software updates, and responsibility for ongoing costs, and staff said those details are still being worked out. The commission also emphasized that House and Senate leadership and administrative staff should be shown the proposed signs before implementation. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which passed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, the expectation that Jewish studies or Holocaust history educators should be evaluated on their
• You can be evaluated in a negative way by your peers. ...and there are too many disciplines that have
• You can be evaluated in a negative way by your peers. ...and there are too many disciplines that have
• You can be evaluated in a negative way by your peers. ...member without tenure, where you can be dismissed
• You can be evaluated in a negative way by your peers and fail to attain that brass ring.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Anti-Semitism met for its 11th meeting and approved the minutes from its August 7 meeting. Co-chairs said the commission had recently completed preliminary K-12 recommendations and would continue work on higher education, with additional topics such as workplace issues, the medical sector, and the arts to be addressed before the November 30 reporting deadline. They also said another public comment meeting would be held this fall. The first testimony came from Dr. Mark Posnansky of Harvard Medical School, who described anti-Semitism affecting STEM, research, and higher education. He said Jewish and Israeli students and faculty reported ostracism, gaslighting, intimidation, discrimination, and hiding Jewish identity, and he urged clear leadership statements, mandatory anti-Semitism education, and stronger reporting and discipline procedures. Commissioners asked about Harvard training, spillover into teaching hospitals, and whether anti-Semitic climates were causing students to leave; he said some students had turned down opportunities because of the environment and that concerns also affected healthcare settings. Lindsey Gabbo, a Harvard Law student and mother, testified that campus discourse after October 7 had made Jewish and Zionist students feel isolated and unwelcome, with protests, defaced hostage posters, and a student council BDS vote contributing to the climate. She said Harvard had sent some emails acknowledging anti-Semitism but that she had not seen meaningful steps to restore dialogue, and she argued the school needed more structured venues for conversation. Commissioners also asked about campus security, the effect on students’ mental health, and the impact of chants and protests that she said many Jewish students understood as calls to violence. A panel of concerned Jewish faculty and staff then offered contrasting views. Professor Jeremy Menchick argued the commission should use data carefully, include non-Zionist Jews in its analysis, and avoid reinforcing divisions within the Jewish community. Professor Hilary Lustick described restorative-practice approaches and said structured dialogue could address conflict without immediate punishment. Professor Jonathan Feingold warned that anti-Semitism was being weaponized by the Trump administration and right-wing groups to attack universities and DEI, and he urged the commission not to adopt approaches that could be used to undermine civil rights institutions. Commissioners pushed back on claims that the problem was being exaggerated or reduced to a “problem” rather than a “crisis,” and the discussion ended with continued debate over data, context, and how to balance anti-Semitism concerns with broader civil-rights protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• having conversations with our federal partners and made the clear decision that we needed a NEPA re-evaluation
• In the re-evaluation, there was recognition that the issues that the Columbia River Crossing sought to
• Also, the range of alternatives that were initially evaluated in CRC were still valid.
• The traffic and revenue team will look at that, evaluate those.
• those proposals using an independent evaluation team, and the highest-scoring proposal would be the

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then continue to evaluate those site-specific analyses.
• And then continue to evaluate those site-specific analyses.
• ultimately package all of that up into a final report by December of this year and have it to you all to evaluate
• , you all and your colleagues, to evaluate as the 227 legislature convenes.
• Okay, yeah, but we can take it back to the team and see if there's, that's a use case we can evaluate

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving forward, just in terms of the implementation, is there a way to evaluate that process?
• ways of doing things, whether that's centralizing certain processes into headquarters or really evaluating
• So we've been pulling all over to try to get resources to help support our data evaluation manager and
• So we've been pulling all over to try to get resources to help support our data evaluation manager and
• We have a contract with San Diego State University in order to do some research and evaluation on our

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Without clear data, it is nearly impossible to understand the full scope of the problem or evaluate the
• of<00:14:48.000> the<00:14:48.120> problem<00:14:49.000> or<00:14:49.200> evaluate
• <00:14:49.839> the of the problem or evaluate the of the problem or evaluate the solutions
• that when they do come to committee, they have the fiscal information in front of us so that we can evaluate
• that when they do come to committee, they have the fiscal information in front of us so that we can evaluate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, low-performing and certificate programs will undergo regular evaluation by presidents and
• If we can re-evaluate the way that recalibrate the way that we look at the core curriculum, bring in
• One, to propose that faculty, for example, we go under to seek for tenure. we are evaluated by our peers
• students' skills. in critical thinking, quantitative or qualitative reasoning, writing and the evaluation
• Faculty teaching is assessed regularly, and students offer evaluations for each course and. instructor

Bills: SB37, SB1489, SB452, SB724, SB1067, SB1741, SB1273

Keywords: higher education, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council, ombudsman, faculty governance, decision-making, transparency, public meetings, department head, employment approval, public institutions, institutional oversight, education, funding, accountability, state budget, school performance, employment, Texas legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• So if I can just add a quick follow-up to the group: how are departments measuring and evaluating if
• How are departments measuring and evaluating if previously funded projects are having the intended effects
• has a 20-year grant agreement, and our staff are working with the grantee to regularly assess and evaluate
• We may want to hold some of that back and try to be able to evaluate programs.
• We may want to hold some of that back and try to be able to evaluate programs.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on water and coastal resilience heard an overview of the governor’s Proposition 4 spending plan, with presentations from the Department of Finance, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Department of Water Resources, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and later coastal agencies. Members discussed the water chapter’s major allocations for drinking water and wastewater, recycled water, tribal water infrastructure, groundwater recharge and SGMA implementation, dam safety, flood protection, integrated regional water management, Salton Sea projects, and water data/stream gauges. The LAO noted that many programs are established and have clear funding processes, but some newer or less-defined programs may warrant more detailed future budget requests and reporting. No votes were taken on the agenda items. Members raised concerns about groundwater subsidence, water deliveries from the Delta, the pace of water storage investments, instream flows, and whether bond dollars were being used to backfill General Fund reductions. Administration witnesses said groundwater recharge spending is being paced because prior years already funded substantial SGMA work, that Delta operations are governed by water quality, salinity, and species requirements, and that Proposition 1 storage projects have moved slowly because they are locally led and require permitting and financing. The Water Board and DWR said they use public needs assessments, annual plans, and existing grant processes to prioritize projects, and Finance said some General Fund programs were shifted to Proposition 4 to help balance the budget. Members also asked for clearer public tracking of bond spending and more concise future reporting. In the coastal resilience portion, the Ocean Protection Council and Coastal Conservancy described Proposition 4 funding for sea level rise adaptation, coastal flood management, habitat restoration, public access, and San Francisco Bay projects, with a multi-year rollout based on project readiness and recent large state investments. The Conservancy said it would use its existing rolling grant process, while OPC said its sea level rise grants would build on existing programs and new technical assistance. The Department of Fish and Wildlife explained its proposed use of bond funds for climate-ready fisheries, hatchery modernization, salmon monitoring, whale- and turtle-safe fishing gear, and a specific hatchery operations request tied to the Friant settlement. The LAO said the coastal chapter’s proposed first-year spending is relatively modest but generally reasonable given staffing and project readiness, while members emphasized oversight, transparency, and coordination across agencies and jurisdictions.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the current testing framework used by wholesalers has been proven to be false through recent evaluation
• What this bill does is modernize the evaluation of traffic impacts by focusing on peak-hour traffic,
• It directs DelDOT to use modern technology and data-driven tools to monitor traffic, evaluate roadway

Bills: HB373

Keywords: infused beverages, THC, alcohol control, regulation, non-intoxicating cannabinoids, marijuana, legalization, taxation

Summary: The Senate Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee met in hybrid format and heard testimony on several bills. HB 373, as amended, would regulate hemp-derived THC-infused beverages by defining the products, limiting them to 10 mg of Delta-9 THC per container, restricting sales to package stores and licensed marijuana retail stores, requiring testing and labeling, and imposing a 50-cent per container tax; the sponsor said the bill is intended to create guardrails and protect youth, and a wholesaler representative testified in support. HB 398 would allow racinos to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. and remove local authority to require earlier closing times; the sponsor and Bally’s representative said it would help Delaware remain competitive and increase revenue, and no opposition was heard. HB 433 would let municipalities and counties extend last call for bars, restaurants, and clubs from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.; a witness from Connect Delaware supported it as a competitiveness and retention measure, emphasizing that it is permissive rather than mandatory. The committee also heard extensive testimony on HB 441, which would ban cryptocurrency kiosks/crypto ATMs in Delaware and require existing machines to be removed within 90 days. The sponsor and supporters, including AARP, the Delaware Department of Justice, and the League of Women Voters, argued the machines are heavily used in scams, especially against older adults, and that regulation has not been effective. CoinFlip opposed the bill, saying it is a regulated operator, that the fraud statistics are overstated or incomplete, and that Delaware should instead adopt a regulatory framework and amendment. HB 465 would update the criminal code to formally define virtual currency and incorporate it into theft, money laundering, racketeering, and search-and-seizure provisions; the sponsor said it would align Delaware law with modern crypto-related crimes, and no opposition was presented. The committee then heard HB 467, which would prevent landlords from requiring renters to buy insurance from a specific company while still allowing them to require coverage meeting lease terms; the sponsor described it as a consumer-choice bill and there was no public opposition. HB 435 would require payment parity for certified registered nurse anesthetists and physicians when the same services are provided; the sponsor, nurse anesthetists, the Delaware Health Care Association, the Department of Insurance, and ChristianaCare supported it as a workforce and access-to-care measure, with no opposition. Finally, HS 1 for HB 450, the Road DE Act, would overhaul permitting and traffic-impact review, emphasize peak-hour traffic, set density standards in growth areas, create a transportation impact fee, and direct some revenue to open space, farmland, and coastal restoration; realtors, builders, environmental groups, engineers, and GEAR supported it as a way to speed permitting, reduce sprawl, and improve infrastructure planning. The committee adjourned after public comment; no votes were recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• H711 secures progress like ours by making job performance and comprehensive evaluations the primary factors
• H711 secures progress like ours by making job performance and comprehensive evaluations, the primary
• as a factor in professional status, and then it moves into things like years of service, then to evaluation

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its 13th hearing, chaired by Senator Jason Lewis and Representative Gordon, and heard testimony on a large slate of bills covering personnel and miscellaneous education issues. The first major topic was House Bill 711 and Senate Bill 327, the “So All Students Thrive” proposal, which would change reduction-in-force rules so districts could consider teacher effectiveness, student impact, staffing needs, and diversity-related factors alongside seniority. Supporters from Educators for Excellence, including teachers and a former school committee chair, argued that current seniority-based layoff rules can push out effective early-career educators and harm efforts to build a more diverse workforce. Committee members raised questions about tenure, union involvement, and how the bill would interact with the Educator Diversity Act and local contract negotiations; members generally said they shared the goal of diversifying the educator workforce and encouraged continued collaboration and feedback. The committee then heard testimony on House Bill 658, which would require educator training on gifted and advanced learners. Parents, teachers, researchers, and advocates said Massachusetts lacks required preservice or professional development on gifted education, leaving many advanced students unchallenged and underserved. Witnesses described students who are bored, under-identified, or even discouraged in school, and argued that training would help teachers recognize and support gifted students, including students of color, multilingual learners, low-income students, and students with disabilities. Testimony also supported related prior bills on advanced learners and emphasized that the state should act on a 2019 DESE report recommending such training. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 736 and Senate Bill 435, which would establish de-escalation training for school transportation. The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council said the measure would improve safety for students and bus operators, fill a gap in current school bus driver certification requirements, and better support students with disabilities. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4720, concerning the Athol-Royalston Regional School District’s state bailout-related reserve requirements; the superintendent said the district has long maintained fiscal stability but is still forced to leave over half a million dollars unspent each year, limiting resources for a high-poverty student population. After testimony concluded, the chairs read the full list of bills on the agenda, thanked the committee and staff, and the hearing was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• service-exempt positions, including research scientists, staff at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
• exempt positions, including research scientists, staff at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
• . including research scientists, staff at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and other

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Employment Relations met on May 8, 2026, to receive updates on upcoming collective bargaining for the 2027–29 biennium. OFM’s Jenny Sheehan reviewed the state workforce, noting that most employees are represented, the workforce remains constrained by hiring limits and civil service rules, and bargaining goals include financially feasible agreements, maintaining labor relations, supporting an inclusive workplace, and addressing issues such as AI use, leave, and immigration-related workplace protections. She also outlined the bargaining calendar, the role of the June revenue forecast in determining what compensation proposals can be funded, and the need to reach tentative agreements by September 2026 for October 1 submission and legislative consideration. She described recent bargaining themes from unions, including limits on AI, expanded leave, access to union members in hybrid workplaces, and classification changes, and she summarized prior-cycle costs, including about $1.2 billion in general funds and $1.7 billion in total funds for 2025–27 awards, excluding the delayed WPEA agreements that were later funded after a return to bargaining. The committee then heard from Western Washington University and the University of Washington on higher education bargaining. Western described its locally bargained contracts, the importance of re-opener clauses tied to state budget decisions, and concerns about the instability of the state “fund split,” which shifts compensation costs between state funds and tuition revenue. Western also emphasized that student employees are increasingly central to retention and urged inclusion of student compensation in the wage base. UW similarly described its large and diverse workforce, the split between RCW 41.56 and 41.80 bargaining frameworks, and the reliance on state funding, tuition, and other revenue sources to cover compensation increases. UW highlighted the financial strain of the fund split, the lack of state funding for academic student employee compensation, and the impact of rising ASE costs on class sizes and the university’s teaching and research missions. OFM also presented on Washington Management Service bargaining, explaining that only certain WMS employees are covered, that bargaining began in 2024, and that current agreements include addenda for WMS-specific provisions. The presentation noted that WMS bargaining is still limited in scope, with only a few represented units, and that compensation bargaining generally covers band minimums and maximums rather than all salary levels. Finally, OFM reviewed interest arbitration rules for certain state employee groups, explaining that arbitration is available for some essential-service and statutorily covered employees, that arbitrators decide disputed contract language based on statutory criteria, and that awards still must be found financially feasible by OFM. Committee members asked about PFML treatment, the timing of arbitration, and the budget pressures facing bargaining, and the meeting adjourned without any votes or formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3178 creates a standard depreciation table for county assessors to use when evaluating farm
• One of my concerns is that when we look at property tax or assessment and evaluations, I I applaud the
• to address some of the inconsistencies we're seeing in different counties from county assessors' evaluations

Bills: HR1038, HB3263, HB3127, HB2997, HB3115, HB2123, HB3587, HB3028, HB2035, HB3369, HB3620, HB3621, HB3622, HB3624, HB3175, HB3173, HB3178, HB1979, HB4476

Keywords: Oklahoma Youth Expo, OYE, 4-H, FFA, agriculture, agricultural education, youth expo, livestock show, junior livestock, scholarships, youth leadership, Oklahoma City, rural communities, ag mechanics, engineering contest, farm youth, student recognition, ceremonial resolution, house resolution, livestock competition

Transcript Highlights:

• And this could be for or against the actual evaluation of that property.
• The next three bills are a result of the incentive Evaluation Commission work.
• One Question, and I'm sorry I didn't ask the evaluation commission this, but I didn't get through all

Bills: SB1280, SB1392, SB1393, SB1395, SB1400, SB1405, SB1832, SB1839, SB1989, SB2001, SB2143

Keywords: excise tax, oil tax, natural gas tax, state revenue, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, income tax, tax credit, aerospace sector, employment, economic development, adaptive reuse, affordable housing, urban renewal, economic impact, program, housing, revitalization, urban development, income tax credit, manufacturing

Transcript Highlights:

• This process, as it's done now, actually speeds up the process by which we can evaluate whether those
• This process, as it's done now, actually speeds up the process by which we can evaluate whether those
• There is a real process in which that sort of evaluation happens.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an original contract for medical consultant examinations, reviews, and evaluations.
• this is to assist the UA System on planning and strategy development initiatives, and this is for evaluation
• This is an original contract for medical consultant examinations, reviews, and evaluations for medical

Summary: The review subcommittee met to consider a supplemental agenda, methods of finance, an alternative delivery project, discretionary grants, and a large slate of construction, out-of-state, and in-state contracts. The supplemental item was a $2.6 million out-of-state contract with Tyler Technologies for a mobile app that would let citizens access state services through a single sign-on, initially for DFA vehicle and licensing services, with possible expansion to other agencies. Members also reviewed five methods of finance, including University of Arkansas projects for roof and cooling tower replacements, a new $100 million academic classroom building at U of A Fayetteville, a police department renovation at UA Fort Smith, and a boiler/chiller replacement at Hope-Texarkana. Questions focused on project timing, why some items were being reviewed after work had begun, and the high estimated cost of the Fayetteville classroom building; DFA explained that projects under $250,000 are not reviewed and that the larger project was still in design and would later seek a guaranteed maximum price. The committee also reviewed two DHS discretionary grants: one for targeted youth advocacy in southwest Arkansas and another adding $582,000 for family-centered treatment training and implementation. In the services contract section, members discussed construction-related contracts, including an ASMSA electrical scope increase tied to three-phase power requirements and the U of A Fayetteville architect contract for the classroom building. Out-of-state contracts included major items such as ACT Education’s $17 million amendment to provide required pre-ACT testing for 9th and 10th graders, a $12.5 million DFA contract for rural health transformation grant management, DHS’s $16.5 million EBT services contract with updated chip-card and fraud-prevention features, and ADH’s special procurement for the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. The committee also reviewed U of A system consulting contracts for financial advisory and sponsorship strategy work, with university officials saying the outside expertise was needed for specialized planning and revenue-generation efforts. In-state contracts covered corrections reentry services, nursing board investigations, foster care and child welfare services, DHS office janitorial work, emergency management radio system expansion, veterans’ home nursing staffing, and UAMS grants consulting. A lengthy exchange centered on the Department of Corrections’ reentry housing contract, with members pressing officials about vacant beds and urging fuller use of the program, while corrections staff said placements depend on screening and eligibility. Another discussion addressed the balance between out-of-state and in-state contracting, with a member noting the large dollar volume going to out-of-state vendors and asking whether Arkansas vendors receive any preference; State Procurement said current law does not allow an in-state preference. The committee approved the supplemental agenda, the methods of finance, the alternative delivery project, the discretionary grants, and the contract lists, and then received routine reports and an emergency action report before adjourning.