Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to pay it when it disappears because of the homeless problem, or you're going to pay it
• Who pays for all this?
• They ended up having to pay $125,000 in legal fees.
• My dad has to pay; his water bill went up over $100.
• My dad has to pay his water bill went up over 100 bucks.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from the prior February meetings and then took up several measures. HCR 2013, designating June 2026 as “Celebrate Life Month” in Arizona, drew emotional testimony from Crystal Cooper and Bella Stockton about their lives with spina bifida and support for the resolution. Senator Kennedy and others questioned the purpose of the resolution, arguing the state should focus on concrete supports for families, but the motion passed 4-1 with two not voting. Members then advanced HB 2327, which clarifies protections for eligible persons’ identifying information in county recorder records, with an amendment excluding voter registration records; it passed 5-0 with two not voting. HB 2258, adding La Paz County to the Tourism Advisory Council’s geographic area, also passed unanimously among those voting. HB 2397, expanding HOA/COA disclosure requirements for prospective buyers, was amended twice and passed 5-1; supporters said it would improve transparency about assessments and defects, while opponents warned about cost and administrative burdens, especially for smaller associations. HB 2015, imposing penalties for late federal/state financial reporting by state organizations, passed 4-2 despite concerns that the automatic penalties were too harsh and could be out of agencies’ control. The committee also approved HB 4049, allowing DCS to hire its own counsel and directing the Attorney General to represent the state’s interest in certain cases involving alleged DCS misconduct, though some members argued current law already addresses conflicts and that DCS had not been consulted. HB 4087, authorizing placement of a Barbara Love memorial in the governmental wall, passed without opposition. HB 2100, allowing counties to authorize certain small land subdivisions, passed 4-2 amid debate over water adequacy and the risk of “wildcat” development. HB 2460, preempting local fees and penalties tied to abandoned or stolen movable business property such as shopping carts, passed 4-2 after extensive testimony from cities, retailers, and advocates over local control, costs, and theft prevention. Finally, HCR 2056, a proposed constitutional amendment recognizing a right to refuse medical mandates, began hearing testimony; supporters framed it as bodily autonomy, while opponents, including pediatric and public health advocates, warned it would weaken vaccine requirements and outbreak protections for schools and children.

Transcript Highlights:

• The local sales tax from Minot pays for that portion of the project.
• Who pays for deferred maintenance? Because that's a big topic.
• So who pays for that? Yes.
• If they need $50,000 to pay the engineer, they're only paying $50,000 or paying interest on that $50,000
• So they're only paying interest on that $50,000.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met to review several interim studies and receive updates from the Department of Water Resources. The committee approved the March 26, 2026 minutes, observed a moment of silence for the late Representative Conmy, and welcomed Representative Hansen to the committee. Staff then reported that the watershed management study and the stormwater/wastewater study had both satisfied the presentation requirements in their study directives, with no further required testimony unless members wanted additional information. The department’s main presentation focused on major water projects and agency operations. Reese Haas and staff updated members on the NAWS project, the Southwest Pipeline Project, Devils Lake outlet operations, low-head dam safety work, floodplain management repository implementation, data center water use, and the 2027 Water Development Plan. Members asked detailed questions about NAWS funding sources, remaining project costs, capacity concerns for All Seasons and other users, and whether current construction is being designed for future demand. The department said NAWS remains on track for substantial completion by October, that remaining NAWS funding will come from a mix of federal, state, and local sources, and that current construction is designed for ultimate capacity while some future components will be adjusted for increased demand. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to the department’s cash management, Resources Trust Fund revenues, carryover balances, and the State Water Commission’s cost-share program. The department reported $340.6 million in carryover remaining, explained that much of it is already obligated to long-term projects, and noted that oil price forecasts and stripper-well exemptions will affect future revenues. Members raised concerns about large carryovers, affordability for local sponsors, and whether the state should continue obligating money multiple bienniums ahead. The department said it is working with the commission on a revised prioritization framework, including high/moderate/low project categories and a two-tier pre-construction/construction approach, to better manage obligations and affordability. The committee also reviewed Deloitte’s finalized studies on regional governance/finance and cost-share policy. Deloitte presented options for Southwest, NAWS, and Red River governance, with stakeholders generally favoring keeping NAWS largely as is, using the current Southwest model with improvements, and pursuing a more structured governance option for Red River. On cost share, the department said Deloitte’s recommended package would cover projected needs through the 2030s, but would require policy changes such as lower percentages for some project types, a 25% replacement-project rate with a cap, and possible bonding or delayed reimbursement strategies. No votes were taken on these policy questions, and the chair indicated the committee would continue the discussion at future basin meetings and the September Water Topics meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pay the fees. We don't pay the fees to buyboard; the vendors pay the fees to be part of buyboard.
• paying.
• have a reserve, or hopefully would have a reserve to pay claims.
• It's an asset of the fund that then goes to pay claims.
• because they're paying their fair share.

Bills: SB 13, SB 27, SB 57, HB1325, HB1655, HB3312, HB5526, SB13, SB57, SB207, HB441, HB591, HB5019, SB27, SB843

Keywords: lobbying, public funds, political subdivision, local government, county association, municipal lobbying, registered lobbyist, Texas Legislature, taxpayer lawsuit, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, government finance, county dues, state association of counties, sheriffs association, law enforcement officers, legislative advocacy, bill tracking, legislative alerts, Government Code Chapter 556

Transcript Highlights:

• They're already paying.
• Um, and as far as paying for it, I mean, I pay registration on my car.
• Um, and as far as paying for it, I mean, I pay registration on my car.
• Um, and as far as paying for it, I mean, I pay registration on my car.
• Optional pay-in.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• scales, not pay raises.
• Well, this $73 million is not going into Franklin County, and that's way above my pay grade.
• And the players won't like what I'm about to say, but we do not need to be paying them.
• Of that, $10 million goes to the pay plan.
• Then we're going to use the $70 million to pay for the 52,000 students. Is that correct?

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You see, I'm like under my where I work I live in a house where I have to pay $700 and pay for groceries
• I make good money to pay all my bills and keep up with my car payments.
• If a client doesn't cancel, the pay isn't enough to fuel my busy lifestyle.
• Skills or help them pay for stuff.
• They had to pay the minimum wage at a minimum. So, they kind of closed the door.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So students are paying, schools are paying $40 or less for every IDLA class that their students are enrolled
• So the pay that they receive is for the work they do at IDLA.
• Why are we paying twice for the same student? The taxpayers are paying twice for the same student?
• Why are we paying twice for the same student? The taxpayers are paying twice for the same student?
• Is it something that the state still pays the $445?

Summary: The committee first considered RS 33030 C2, introduced by Representative Doug Pickett, which would add transparency and accountability requirements for virtual education programs, especially Idaho Home Learning Academy. He said the proposal would require school board approval of contracts with education service providers, confirm Idaho residency for students, require state standards for curriculum, disclose services and costs, address conflicts of interest, prohibit direct payments to parents, require certified teachers, and define eligible uses for supplemental learning funds. The committee voted to introduce the RS. Superintendent Jeff Simmons then presented on Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA), describing it as the state virtual program created to provide choice, access, flexibility, quality, and equity through supplemental online courses. He said IDLA is funded mainly by a per-enrollment state appropriation and course fees, serves all students statewide, uses Idaho-certified teachers and principals, and offers a broad catalog including core classes, electives, dual credit, CTE, credit recovery, LaunchPad literacy support, and open educational resources. Anthony Butler, superintendent of Cambridge School District, testified that IDLA has been valuable for a small rural district by expanding course offerings, supporting dual credit, credit recovery, and helping students stay on track to graduate. Members questioned Simmons extensively about IDLA’s original purpose, its growth in budget and enrollment, teacher pay, audits, accountability, use by homeschool and private school students, and whether the program is serving rural students as intended. Simmons said the program remains supplemental, that most courses are asynchronous, that teachers are part-time and paid per enrollment, and that IDLA undergoes annual independent audits and reporting. He also said a proposed $10 million cut would significantly reduce services, likely affecting rural schools and programs like LaunchPad. The committee did not take a vote on IDLA during this portion, but the chair indicated further budget discussions would continue later.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> money on top of property taxes paying money on top of property taxes paying for<00:15:27.199><c>
• 00:15:48.240><c> that</c><00:15:48.480><c> money</c><00:15:48.880><c> already</c><00:15:49.199><c> pays
• </c><00:15:49.519><c> for</c> but that money already pays for but that money already pays for something
• more while providing less and to pay more while providing less and less<00:16:27.600><c> for</c><00:
• the highest price are working pay the highest price are working Vermonters<00:28:44.080><c> and</c><

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're just simply going to be paying those out.
• The victim pays for those experts.
• And if you wrongfully deny it and you fail, you pay not only for your expert, but you pay for our expert
• The victim pays for those experts.
• And if you wrongfully deny it and you fail, you pay not only for your expert, but you pay for our expert

Summary: The House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on HB 2095, which would create training requirements for law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges on negligent driving involving vulnerable users of public ways, and would establish a rebuttable presumption of negligence in certain civil claims when a vulnerable user is injured or killed in a protected area such as a sidewalk, crosswalk, bike lane, or similar designated space. Staff explained that the bill also allows recovery of actual damages, statutory damages, attorney’s fees and costs, and, in limited circumstances, punitive damages if the defendant has previously injured or killed three or more vulnerable road users. Members questioned the unusual nature of punitive damages, the burden-shifting presumption, the three-incident threshold, and whether the education component was tied to the bill’s purpose. The prime sponsor said the training is meant to improve reporting and understanding of existing vulnerable-road-user laws, and said the bill was intended to narrow liability to protected areas and could be amended further, including on the punitive-damages threshold. Supporters, including a widow whose husband was killed while bicycling, Washington Bikes, trial attorneys, a bicycle commuter advocate, and a physician, argued the bill would better protect pedestrians and cyclists, improve police reporting, and reduce the burden on injured people and families who currently must prove negligence after serious crashes. They said the presumption would encourage safer driving and align Washington with similar frameworks used elsewhere. Opponents, including defense lawyers, the Association of Washington Cities, the Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, the Washington Trucking Associations, and the Washington Liability Reform Coalition, said the bill would expand litigation, create uninsurable risks through fee shifting and punitive damages, and could draw cities, businesses, and taxpayers into lawsuits. Some opponents also urged narrowing the bill to individuals and clarifying the protected areas and training requirements. No vote was taken; the chair closed the hearing and encouraged follow-up and amendment requests before executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm really pleased to be before you today to talk about the Pay It Forward program.
• That repayment can be used to collect funds to pay for the next cohort of recipients.
• The pay-it-forward program is quite simple. Participating students receive tuition-free education.
• These contributions go into the state's pay-it-forward account.
• of students the same tuition-free access through their participation in pay-it-forward.

Summary: The Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee held a work session on higher education funding and then public hearings on House Bill 2148 and House Bill 2132. In the work session, OPR staff Kate Henry reviewed enrollment trends, tuition policy, financial aid programs, and funding sources for Washington’s public colleges and universities. Members asked about FTE versus headcount, tuition growth, the Washington College Grant, College Bound, and the Workforce Education Investment Account. Henry explained how state appropriations, tuition, and financial aid interact, and noted that higher education makes up a significant share of the state budget. No votes were taken during the work session. House Bill 2148 would create a “pay-it-forward” graduate student aid program administered by the Student Achievement Council, allowing students to receive tuition support and later make income-based contributions for up to 15 years to fund future students. Sponsor Rep. Reid said the bill is intended to offset the loss of federal graduate loan options and support workforce needs in fields like nursing, teaching, and research. Committee questions focused on repayment terms, possible caps, interest, and program capitalization. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with students and advocates arguing the bill would expand access to graduate education and avoid predatory private debt. House Bill 2132 would limit disclosure and retention of personally identifying and financial information from WASFA applications, generally requiring the Student Achievement Council and institutions to stop retaining that information after one year following the award year unless needed for an audit or appeal. Rep. Leavitt said the bill is meant to reduce unnecessary long-term retention of sensitive student data and improve privacy and security. Supporters, including student leaders and immigrant-advocacy groups, said the bill would protect vulnerable students and increase trust in the aid process. Some members raised concerns about whether shorter retention could affect future record needs, including immigration-related documentation, but the sponsor said students can keep their own records and that the bill preserves audit authority. The hearing ended without a vote, and the chair noted an upcoming busy schedule and cutoff deadlines.

Transcript Highlights:

• People in his situation will pay historically. All the data you need to call Doug.
• Them can't pay, and some of them can. Some of them cannot.
• So, we want to launch a pay for performance program this year.
• for our kind of pay for performance program.
• It really is paying for overtime costs associated with that or paying overtime costs to be sure that

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Paying attention to it.
• Federal employees we might lose if back pay is not an option.
• that back pay has always...
• Back pay always did happen.
• You know what all this boils down to is taxpayers' money and which taxpayer pays for it.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are instances where that is true, but there's also the value of not having to pay for it.
• And you're going to private markets where right now you're paying exorbitant costs. Interest rates.
• if you use 5,000 gallons. thousand gallons a month, you're paying X now, you're going to pay Y later
• that we hear is the cost associated with those rate pay cases.
• These are working-class people; they're working every day to pay their bills.

Bills: HB29, HB685, HB1633, HB1689, HB1690, HB1918, HB2010, HB2500, HB2608, HB2626, HB29

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• One, pay rent for the space. Two, pay 6% sales tax. Three, pay the restaurant hospitality tax.
• One, pay rent for the space. Two, pay 6% sales tax. Three, pay the restaurant hospitality tax.
• Pay a waste collection fee.
• Three, pay the restaurant tax. Three, pay the restaurant hospitality<01:10:06.440><c> tax.
• Pay a field Pay an occupational license.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you required by Medicaid to pay a premium to get Medicaid right now?
• patients where they have to pay a co-pay for certain services.
• My understanding was that those vendors—why are we paying them extra to pay for their staff, because
• receiving pay raises.
• They don't have to pay rent.

Summary: The House convened on the final day of session, observed a moment of silence for the Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and for Representative Rosenwald’s father, then swore in and seated new members Boyles and Hodgers. The Speaker also outlined the chamber’s end-of-session priorities, including action on the budget and related conforming bills. The House then took up H.J.R. 5019, a constitutional amendment to expand Florida’s budget stabilization fund by raising the cap, requiring annual transfers, and allowing withdrawals for critical state needs. After sponsor explanations and questions about what would qualify as a critical need and how the fund might respond to possible federal funding cuts, the House adopted an amendment that added more flexibility for suspending transfers and withdrawals. The joint resolution then passed on final passage. Members next considered HB 7031, the tax package conference report. The bill repeals the business rent tax and aviation fuel tax, delays the natural gas fuel tax, creates or extends several sales tax exemptions and holidays, and makes changes affecting property taxes, local taxes, pari-mutuel taxes, and revenue distributions. Debate focused heavily on the new permanent exemption for ammunition and hunting-related items, the elimination of recurring housing trust fund and transit-related distributions, and the shift of some funding from recurring to nonrecurring status. Supporters argued the package provides tax relief and preserves annual budget flexibility, while opponents criticized the ammunition exemption and the reductions in recurring housing and transit support. The conference report was adopted and the bill passed. The House then passed HB 5017, which creates a debt reduction program funded by a recurring transfer from general revenue to retire state bonds early, and HB 5015, the state group insurance conforming bill, which directs DMS to develop a formulary management plan and codifies the administrative health insurance assessment. Finally, the chamber began explanation and questions on the General Appropriations Act conference report for fiscal year 2025-26, described as a $115.1 billion budget that is down from the current year and includes more than $12 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs summarized major budget areas, including K-12 education, health care, transportation and economic development, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and information technology, highlighting funding for school choice, Medicaid, housing, transportation infrastructure, Everglades restoration, workforce programs, cybersecurity, and technology modernization.

Transcript Highlights:

• They pay dues, and we know what they do; they pay dues to associations.
• Are the folks causing the problem paying that cost?
• How much would Halliburton pay for this? The Gulf of Halliburton?
• Those retail electric providers pay us, whether you pay them or not.
• And I can't pay you, and then my lights get cut off, right?

Bills: HB45, HB755, HB 1232, HB1555, HB2460, HB2702, HB2973, HB3120, HB3225, HB3314, HB3356, HB3371, HB3634, HB3638, HB4247, HB4283, HB4290, HB4302, HB4503, HB4511, HB4565, HB4581, HB4627, HB4632, HB4660, HB4668, HB4960, HB5042, HB45

Keywords: housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money, HB 1232, whistleblower, whistleblower protection, public employee, retaliation

Transcript Highlights:

• You would ask for how they're going to pay for it.
• Who's going to pay for that, the HUD or me? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• To pay the difference between what Section 8 paid and the rent.
• Everybody can pay now. Everybody can qualify right now.
• Does that mean that we're going to pay for 100% of their tuition?

Transcript Highlights:

• do have essentially complete control of teacher pay.
• of rights that has across the board teacher pay raises and funding initiatives for additional pay streams
• You did see that the governor announced your pay is an emergency item.
• Well, to that point of the teacher. pay raise.
• The public schools who are paying for these ATC and SAT scores.

Bills: SB2, SJR36, SB2, SB2, SR29, SB2

Keywords: Maverick County, recognition, economic development, Texas Senate, community celebration, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:23:45.120><c> someone</c> rate is I'm sure they be paying someone rate is I'm sure they be paying
• </c> find Qualified workers trying to pay find Qualified workers trying to pay them<01:11:33.239><c>
• </c> pocket to keep up with hiring to pay pocket to keep up with hiring to pay their<01:13:08.000><c>
• </c> making sure the companies were paying making sure the companies were paying their<01:28:27.159><
• </c> business the the the utilities to pay business the the the utilities to pay this<03:23:24.319><c

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 135, introduced by Representative Michael Harrington. He said the bill would codify a portion of the New Hampshire Constitution to bar New Hampshire businesses from being required to collect sales or use taxes for other states unless Congress mandates it, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision created an onerous compliance burden for businesses. He described the patchwork of state and local sales tax rules, thresholds, and product exemptions as extremely complex and said the bill was intended to push the issue back toward Congress and the courts. Members questioned whether the bill’s reference to a “foreign government” would apply to other U.S. states, whether the proposal would conflict with the Supremacy Clause, and whether it would create standing for businesses to challenge Wayfair. Harrington responded that “foreign government” meant any government other than New Hampshire, that he believed the state could challenge the decision in court by passing a law contrary to Wayfair, and that businesses were already being harmed by compliance costs. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill was an unfunded mandate or simply a private compliance burden, and Harrington argued that the state itself would not be collecting the taxes, but businesses would still face recordkeeping and administrative costs. Sam Garland of the Department of Justice then testified. He said the department was not taking a formal position on the bill, but offered technical comments. Garland acknowledged that Wayfair created significant compliance burdens and noted that states have become somewhat more uniform, with all states now having a $100,000 economic nexus threshold, though not all use the 200-transaction threshold and local tax variation remains substantial. He said the department’s concerns were legal, describing the issue as uncharted constitutional territory involving both vertical and horizontal federalism. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• property taxes for people buying new homes are way beyond what normal people, or what other people, pay
• I was there last week, or two weeks ago, and I was paying $6.75 a gallon for gas.
• And already working families feel that they are already paying enough tax.
• paying their share of tax burdens for many different areas.
• So we have money, apparently, and we need to make sure that we are paying for what we decided.

Summary: The Senate committee heard AB 1768, which would authorize Los Angeles County and Contra Costa County to place local sales tax measures before voters to help offset federal funding cuts affecting Medi-Cal, nutrition assistance, and related health and safety-net services. Assembly Member Brian and supporters argued the bill would preserve local control and allow voters to decide whether to raise revenue to prevent clinic closures, layoffs, and service reductions. Testimony in support came from the California Primary Care Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, labor organizations, Contra Costa County, and others, while the cities of Glendale and Burbank opposed the measure. Committee discussion focused on whether the bill was an appropriate response to federal cuts or an unnecessary tax increase. Supporters said the measure did not impose a tax directly but simply let county voters decide how to respond to the funding losses. Opponents argued California and local governments should address spending and affordability concerns without additional taxes, and questioned whether the federal cuts were the sole cause of the budget pressure. Several members also raised broader concerns about cost of living, health care financing, and local versus state responsibility. Senator Arreguín moved the bill for a due pass recommendation. The committee voted 5-2 to send AB 1768 to the Senate floor, with Senators Choi and Seyarto voting no. The bill was briefly held on call before the final tally was announced and the measure was reported out.