Transcript Highlights:

• new loans put in place and loan servicers.
• new loans put in place and loan servicers.
• new loans put in place and loan servicers.
• new loans put in place and loan servicers.
• new loans put in place and loan servicers.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:01:19.760><c> program</c><01:01:20.520><c> where</c> craft a loan program where craft a loan
• </c> get a really good fix in this loan get a really good fix in this loan program<01:02:07.840><c> space
• I can either work in the House on the loan, or I can come back next year and work on a loan.
• </c> have access to low interest rate loans have access to low interest rate loans for<01:03:46.160><
• So, would ask for and work on a loan.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bank loans when times like this hits. bank loans when times like this hits.
• I don't quite remember when getting a loan and you have to repay a loan is a handout.
• I don't quite remember when getting a loan and you have to repay a loan is a handout.
• I don't quite remember when getting a loan and you have to repay a loan is a handout.
• I don't quite remember when getting a loan and you have to repay a loan is a handout.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• We did, however, We did, however, see some student loan repayment funding distributed last year.
• This gap makes it difficult in a field where nationally 70% of workers have student loan debt.
• This gap makes it difficult in a field where nationally 70% of workers have student loan debt.
• An act relative to loan repayment program for human services workers would help...
• Personally, I carry $93,456.98 in student loan debt. Thank you. $93,456.98 in student loan debt.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting foster youth, child welfare oversight, homelessness services, juvenile justice, social work licensure, and human services workforce supports. Committee co-chairs Senator Robyn Kennedy and Representative Jay Livingstone opened the hybrid hearing by outlining testimony procedures and accessibility measures. Several members and legislators participated throughout the day, and many witnesses were invited to submit additional written testimony after speaking. A major portion of the hearing focused on House 227/Senate 105, which would protect federal benefits owed to children in foster care. Supporters, including advocates from Hopewell, the Disability Law Center, CPCS, the Children’s Law Center, More Than Words, Friends of Children, and youth witness Onyx Rosario, said DCF had already ended the practice of taking most Social Security and SSI benefits and now conserves them in accounts for youth, but argued the policy should be codified to prevent future reversals. Witnesses described how conserved benefits help with basic needs, housing, education, transportation, and transition to adulthood, and several noted the bill also adds financial literacy and transparency requirements. Senator Joan Comerford and others said the change would protect vulnerable youth, especially children of color, LGBTQ youth, and youth with disabilities. The committee also heard testimony on House 225, which would expand the grandparents-raising-grandchildren commission by adding appointments and helping with quorum and representation. The committee also took testimony on Senate 136, which would improve emergency housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness by easing documentation requirements, allowing use of existing state data to verify eligibility, requiring notice before benefit reductions, and creating an ombudsperson. Senator Adam Gomez and other supporters said the bill would reduce barriers for families in crisis. On House 262/Senate 148, an omnibus child welfare bill, witnesses supported provisions on data reporting, education coordination, and Office of the Child Advocate reforms, while CPCS raised concerns about expanded access to sensitive records and the OCA’s role in certain proceedings. The Office of the Child Advocate supported codifying current practices and also backed child fatality review changes in House 234/Senate 133. The committee additionally heard support for Senate 108, which would require attorneys and audio/video recording during juvenile custodial interrogations, and for House 247/Senate 116, which would update the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board to add supported lived-experience seats. Finally, the committee heard competing testimony on Senate 135, a bill to ensure parity in social work licensure. SEIU Local 509 and supporters argued the current exam requirement disproportionately harms Black, Latino, multilingual, and multicultural applicants and worsens workforce shortages, while the Association of Social Work Boards opposed the bill, saying the exam is a necessary public-protection measure and that removing it would conflict with interstate compact efforts. The hearing also included testimony in support of a loan repayment program for human service workers, with providers and workers describing low wages, high student debt, and the need to retain staff in essential services. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are certain that we won't need an additional loan.
• There's no scenario in which we would get an additional loan.
• Any of this current payment going back to pay that loan that we took out just a month ago?
• Those are costs for the program at this point, and so we will have to pay back that loan in June.
• Is this allocation paying back that loan? This allocation is not paying back that loan.

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 17 amends the beginning farmer loans to state that no loan may be less than $50,000.
• Section 22 amends the loan restructuring program to state that loans may not be less than $50,000.
• Section 24 amends the agricultural improvement loan program to state that loans may not be less than
• Section 28 modifies the farm opportunity loan program to reduce the purposes of the loans.
• <00:37:45.480><c> loans.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• That will be in the loan documents that each individual entity will have to sign for every loan.
• </c> loan itself. loan itself.
• get for every loan that is made.
• </c> loan fund will come at a later date. loan fund will come at a later date.
• As far as the loan is concerned and the maintenance of the loan or the capture of the money, they will

Transcript Highlights:

• Seven of these hospitals actually also hold a distressed hospital loan from the Distressed Hospital Loan
• actually also hold a distressed hospital loan from the Distressed Hospital Loan program.
• We are also asking for a general fund loan increase of 20%.
• So is this a loan authority?
• Another loan, because it was described in a different way, but it's not strictly loan authority.

Transcript Highlights:

• The maximum loan is $15 million.
• What's the interest rate of those loans? Mr.
• I, Chairman and Director, 1% loans. 1% loans, zero default rates. I'd like more detail.
• So we have made loans in those counties.
• They end up taking the application, they underwrite the loan, they close on the loan, and then we purchase

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• The California Dream Loan Program was established in 2014 to provide an affordable loan option for undocumented
• The benefits of the Dream Loan Program include a lower interest rate than most privately available loans
• for the entire loan amount or aggregate.
• “They can use private loans, but this is more beneficial to the student than using private loans.
• Dream Loan Program, I mean, what has— it’s been established to try to mirror that federal loan program

Summary: The committee first adopted its 2025-26 rules on a 7-0 roll call, then approved three consent items—AB 88, AB 240, and AB 313—on a due-pass motion to Appropriations. The hearing then moved to AB 648, which would give community college districts the same zoning authority as the UC and CSU systems to build student and staff housing on property they own or lease. The author and supporters argued the bill would help address severe housing insecurity and homelessness among community college students, while opponents and some members raised concerns about local control, zoning exemptions, and the impact on nearby communities. AB 648 passed the committee on a 5-2 vote and was sent to the Local Government Committee. The committee next heard AB 466, which would require California Community Colleges and CSU campuses to provide organ and tissue donor registry information during student orientation, and request UC campuses to do the same. Supporters shared personal stories about transplants and donation, saying college orientation is a good opportunity to increase registrations. Some members worried about information overload during orientation and suggested campuses have flexibility in how they present the material, but the bill advanced on a unanimous 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 326 followed, proposing campus-by-campus external audits of the CSU every three years and public release of the audits. The author, faculty supporters, and a student argued that systemwide audits do not provide enough transparency about how money is spent at individual campuses, citing examples of financial mismanagement and fee increases. CSU opposed the bill, saying it already conducts annual consolidated external audits and that campus-level audits would add cost without added benefit. After extensive discussion about transparency, audit scope, and implementation, the bill passed 6-1 to Appropriations. The committee then took up AB 335, which would create a California Black-Serving Institution Grant Program to support Black student success and broader underserved student services; supporters emphasized persistent equity gaps and low completion rates, while an opponent argued the bill needed to be carefully amended to comply with Proposition 209 and equal protection requirements. The transcript ends during that item’s discussion, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have some loan Higher Education. We have some loan Higher Education.
• loan loan assistance.
• Well, we did we did do the a loan. Well, we did we did do the a loan.
• There's no loan. They a $7,500 stipen. There's no loan. They a $7,500 stipen. There's no loan.
• They do not have student loans. They They do not have student loans.

Bills: HJR 4 , HJR 6 , HB 195 , HB 13 , HB 143 , HB 135

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a loan program, and in theory they'll be repaying the loan, and for that money to come back into
• then maybe go onto a CED loan or actually a bank loan at some point for expansion.
• ><c> and</c> theory they'll be repaying the loan and theory they'll be repaying the loan and for<00:36
• </c> Fund we're like pushing almost 20 loans Fund we're like pushing almost 20 loans now<00:37:58.440
• For our CED loan program, we basically leverage our money when we do a loan.

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with HB 934 on broadband and digital equity. Testifiers from the Lieutenant Governor’s office, the Office of Enterprise and Technology Services, DCCA, the University system, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and others generally supported the measure and emphasized the need to coordinate broadband efforts, fund operations, and expand access to high-speed internet, devices, and digital navigation services. The Chamber of Commerce and West Coast Comprehensive Health Center supported the bill but objected to HD1 language excluding broadband infrastructure for retail service, warning it could create unintended consequences and limit community-led or rural projects. The Lieutenant Governor explained the state expects roughly $400 million to $500 million in federal broadband funding, described the bill as consolidating efforts under a broadband office attached to the CIO, and said the office would focus on infrastructure, devices, and training. No vote was taken on HB 934 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 97 on travel insurance. The Insurance Division said it had no major problem with the product but requested technical changes to align with licensing requirements and noted the bill largely codifies practices already used in the industry. Industry witnesses from Allianz and the U.S. Travel Insurance Association said the measure would create a consistent framework, add consumer protections, and align Hawaii with the NAIC model adopted in many other states. Members questioned whether there was a specific problem the bill was solving, and the division responded that it was mainly a framework and form-review measure rather than a response to a known enforcement issue. The bill was discussed but no final action was reported in the excerpt. HB 448 on technology enablement drew broad support from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Food Industry Association, and other business representatives. Supporters said the measure would help businesses use technology such as digital platforms, e-commerce, robotics, and AR/VR to improve competitiveness, especially in tourism and other sectors. Committee members pressed for clearer scope, cost estimates, and assurances that local companies would be used; the agency said it would prioritize local-first contracting, use federal NIST-related support where possible, and estimated an initial request of about $200,000, though it could not give a firm total. Members expressed concern that the plan was still too undefined. The committee then began HB 455 on small business loans, where the Attorney General suggested explaining why a special fund is needed, and a witness from H Collaborative said the bill would help startup businesses that struggle most to access capital.

Transcript Highlights:

• It authorizes the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to use the proceeds of the loan to offer loans
• the repayment of the loan with interest and secures the repayment of the loan with the State Transit
• So this is a loan from the TIRCP program that needs to be paid.
• It's only a loan, and it's very modest.
• It is a loan that is being paid back by interest.

Summary: The Senate first took up two budget-related transportation bills. AB 107, a junior budget bill, was described as a technical measure that updates federal appropriations by about $15 million, exempts certain Proposition 4 funds from the Administrative Procedures Act to speed spending, and makes other technical corrections without adding new projects or General Fund spending. Some senators objected to the APA waiver as reducing transparency, but the bill passed 28-10. AB 117, an early-action trailer bill for Bay Area transit, authorizes a $590 million loan from the state’s transit and intercity rail capital program to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which can then lend the money to Bay Area transit agencies for operating support, with repayment and interest secured by transit revenues. Supporters called it an emergency bridge to prevent major service cuts at BART, Muni, AC Transit, and Caltrain; opponents raised concerns about ridership recovery, accountability, and consolidation. The bill passed 28-9. The Senate then confirmed two California Air Resources Board appointees: Sonoma County Supervisor Linda Hopkins and Riverside Mayor Patricia Locke Dawson. Both were supported by colleagues who praised their experience and backgrounds, and both confirmations passed. The body also adopted SCR 89, a resolution by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas opposing federal attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Supporters argued DEI is essential to civil rights, education, public service, and equal opportunity, while criticizing the Trump administration for dismantling related federal offices and funding. The resolution passed on a largely party-line vote after extensive floor debate. Finally, the Senate adopted SCR 78, commemorating the 84th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Senators from both parties spoke about the injustice of the internment, the resilience and military service of Japanese Americans, and the importance of remembering the history to guard against future abuses. The resolution passed unanimously, and the author then introduced survivors and guests in the chamber.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our loan servicing people work closely with our finance department.
• The Small Business Recovery Loan Fund was very high volume.
• When we loan service, we then have to take that information and transfer it over to our...
• For us to review elements of a loan.
• The maximum loan size is $17.5 million compared to $15 million on the housing side.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It also sets new student loan limits, capping Parent PLUS loans at $20,000 per year, and ending Grad
• PLUS loans altogether.
• The elimination of Grad PLUS loans removes an affordable loan option for more than 2,800 CSU graduate
• those loans.
• federal loans.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee held an oversight hearing on how federal actions are affecting California higher education, with opening remarks from the chair and members emphasizing the importance of state-federal shared governance and the need to protect access, affordability, and campus diversity. The first panel included leaders from the CSU, University of the Pacific, California Community Colleges, and UC, who described broad impacts from federal grant terminations, changes to student aid, loan limits, visa and immigration policy, and proposed reductions to research support. Testimony focused on the elimination of Grad PLUS loans, caps on Parent PLUS and Pell-related changes, the loss or suspension of hundreds of grants, and the resulting harm to student support services, research, workforce pipelines, food assistance, and health care training. UC and CSU representatives warned of major losses in research funding, indirect cost reimbursement, and student opportunities, while community college leaders highlighted uncertainty around federal grants and the need to maintain services for low-income, first-generation, undocumented, and other vulnerable students. Committee members asked how the state could respond, including through intersegmental partnerships, dual enrollment, transfer pathways, and support for basic needs and nutrition programs. Witnesses said California could help by sustaining financial aid, protecting minority-serving institution programs, and investing in research, housing, and workforce development. Several speakers stressed that federal changes were creating instability for students and campuses, and that the effects would likely be long-lasting, especially in health care, teaching, STEM, and social work pipelines. A second panel then focused on equitable access. The California Student Aid Commission described state efforts such as the $3.9 billion investment in aid programs, the Cal Grant system, the Dream Act, and possible reforms to better serve adult learners, foster youth, undocumented students, and students with dependents. The Los Angeles Community College District reported that federal cuts and policy shifts are discouraging students from applying for aid, threatening TRIO and MSI/HSI-funded services, and reducing support for basic needs, counseling, and workforce programs. The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and the CSU Academic Senate echoed concerns about FAFSA confusion, international student restrictions, grant losses, and the erosion of equity-focused programs. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and discussed possible state responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• loan fund.
• It isn't an operating loan program.
• And you do have to be financially solvent if you get this loan.
• Medical Facility Infrastructure Loan Fund.
• So if we give somebody a loan and CMS denies it, now who's on the hook, right?

Bills: HB1623

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1624, the “Universal Lunch Bill,” from Rep. Mike Nathie. He argued the proposal should be placed in Century Code rather than the Constitution so future legislatures can adjust it if state finances tighten, and said the bill would start the program a year earlier with a $65 million appropriation for one school year. DPI testified that the estimate did not include nonpublic schools that do not participate, and members questioned the impact on Title I, free-and-reduced applications, private-school accountability, breakfast mandates for schools that do not currently serve breakfast, and whether the funding could come from the DPI budget or other sources. Supporters, including North Dakota United, the North Dakota Catholic Conference, a pediatrician, and the American Heart Association, said universal meals improve student health and learning, reduce family costs, and are better handled in statute than by constitutional amendment. No opposition testimony was offered, and the chair closed the hearing for later work-session action. The committee then took up House Bill 1627, introduced by Rep. Tye Dressler, which would raise the income threshold for the state-funded school lunch program from 225% to 300% of poverty, with an estimated cost of about $7 million for 2026-27. Dressler said the bill is intended as a targeted, budget-friendly alternative to the ballot measure and emphasized that the state should maximize federal meal dollars while improving participation in the current program. Members questioned whether raising the threshold would actually increase utilization, whether a dollar amount would be clearer than a percentage, and how the change would affect federal reimbursements and application rates. DPI said it could quickly calculate additional percentage levels, and the chair closed the hearing, directing DPI to prepare more numbers for the work session. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 2403, presented by Sen. Schiable, to create a short-term bridge-loan program for financially distressed hospitals, centered on Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. The bill would authorize up to $5 million per loan, with a $10 million appropriation available on a first-come, first-served basis, and would run only through June 30, 2027. Schiable said the hospital’s debt and operating problems threaten local health care, ambulance service, and the community’s economy, and that the proposal was designed narrowly with Bank of North Dakota review to avoid creating a broad precedent. Committee members asked whether the appropriation could be reduced and whether the bank would still apply commercial feasibility and repayment standards; Schiable said yes, the bank would still evaluate the loan and could reject it if it was not sound.

Transcript Highlights:

• When the loan was approved, Aon was given a number of $200 million to bill into the loan, to their rate
• We must learn from what we did to the local government loan, and we must do better.
• The loan fundamentally isn't our problem.
• We are intensifying a crisis that this loan is intended to prevent.
• We support a loan.

Committee: Senate Senate Budget and Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• If that actual loan on the vehicle.
• </c><00:01:14.240><c> amount</c> tax collected again on the loan amount tax collected again on the loan
• I'm trying to understand how the loan part works.
• So now, instead of the parent having the loan under their name, the child has the loan under their name
• the loan amount.

Bills: SF0061 , SF0098 , SF0110

Committee: Senate Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• , credit cards, auto loans, and student loans.
• ,</c><00:10:27.120><c> and</c> loans, credit cards, auto loans, and loans, credit cards, auto loans,
• and in uh student loans. auto loans and in uh student loans. student<00:38:23.040><c> loans.
• </c> student loans. Pretty easy to explain. student loans. Pretty easy to explain.
• Uh credit cards and auto<00:38:45.599><c> loans.</c> auto loans. auto loans.

Summary: Minnesota Management and Budget officials presented the February 2026 budget and economic forecast, saying the state remains in a strong financial position but faces continued structural imbalance and significant uncertainty. Commissioner Aaron Campbell said the FY 2026-27 balance is now projected at more than $3.7 billion, up about $1.3 billion from November, and the FY 2028-29 planning period is projected to end with a $377 million positive balance. He emphasized that the improvement comes largely from higher projected revenues, especially individual income and corporate franchise taxes, but warned that the state is increasingly reliant on more volatile sources such as capital gains, interest income, and corporate profits. State Economist Dr. Anthony Becker said the national outlook improved slightly, with stronger projected GDP, consumer spending, and investment, but weaker payroll growth and ongoing trade-policy uncertainty. He noted that the forecast was complicated by missing federal data because of the federal shutdown, and that tariffs, immigration policy, equity markets, and possible AI-related shifts all present risks. Revenue projections were raised for the current biennium, including individual income tax receipts, sales tax revenue, corporate franchise tax revenue, and other revenues, while Becker stressed that federal funding threats, especially involving Medicaid and other entitlement programs, could materially alter the outlook. State Budget Director Anna Mingi said general fund spending in the current biennium is projected to be $68 million lower than previously estimated, but planning-year spending is up $152 million. The biggest spending changes came from education, where special education costs rose sharply after updated local spending data, and from human services, where a new prepayment review process for certain Medicaid benefits reduced projected spending by $133 million this biennium and $105 million in the next. She also said discretionary inflation is now estimated at $1.04 billion, up $104 million from November. Campbell closed by saying the state’s reserve remains at a record $3.8 billion and that Minnesota’s AAA bond rating and reserve policy help protect against downturns. He cautioned, however, that the long-term structural imbalance remains about $3.4 billion in the planning years, or $2.3 billion excluding discretionary inflation, and urged policymakers to offset any new spending with reductions. No votes or formal actions were taken; the meeting was a presentation and question-and-answer session on the forecast.

Transcript Highlights:

• It updates the agricultural loan program by lowering interest rates, increasing and standardizing loan
• It authorizes the agricultural loan program to issue lines of credit and creates a new class of loans
• </c> 1303 relating to agricultural loans 1303 relating to agricultural loans updates<00:21:25.919><c>
• loan loan limits and and standardizing loan loan limits and reducing<00:21:31.400><c> the</c><00:21:
• </c> to agricultural loans updates the a loan to agricultural loans updates the a loan program<00:43:

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committees heard several agriculture and food-system bills. SB 1562 would create a Combined Housing Operational Agricultural Mobilization Program to help bona fide farmers live and farm on agricultural lands and provide a tax credit for donated land. Testimony generally supported the goal of housing for farmers and farm workers, but raised concerns about placing the program within the Department of Agriculture, possible constitutional and drafting issues, land-quality standards, lease structure, and whether another agency might be better suited. The committees recommended passing SB 1562 with amendments, including clarifying DOA authority to acquire agricultural lands and establishing an advisory committee within the department; the recommendation was adopted. The committees also heard SB 1171 on providing monofilament netting through hardware stores to help slow coconut rhinoceros beetle spread, SB 1186 on creating a statewide interagency food systems coordination team and working group, SB 1250 on a Farm to Families program, SB 1303 on agricultural loans, SB 1395 on a climate mitigation and resiliency special fund, SB 504 on a local agricultural transportation cost reimbursement program, SB 1185 on reviewing and repealing obsolete agricultural laws, and SB 187 on funding permanent agricultural biosecurity positions. Most testimony on these measures was in support, with some suggested refinements: for SB 1186, a youth advisory seat and clearer performance benchmarks; for SB 1250, broader eligibility for food pantries, cold storage, and staffing support; for SB 1303, support for lower interest rates and expanded loan tools; for SB 1395, debate over the fund’s structure and revenue source; for SB 504, clearer eligibility for small and beginning farmers, cooperatives, and food hubs; and for SB 1185, interest in joining the working group but concern about overbroad deregulation. No roll-call votes were taken on the other measures in the excerpt, but the chair reported testimony counts on some bills, including 89 in support and none opposed for SB 1250, 13 in support and one opposed for SB 504, and 14 in support with one comment for SB 1395. SB 1303 and SB 187 also drew supportive testimony from the Department of Agriculture, farm groups, food banks, and industry organizations, with SB 187 emphasizing the need to make Act 231 biosecurity positions permanent and fully funded.