Transcript Highlights:

• For instance, we had federal surplus helicopters that we've taken out of service because they're very
• It allows for the surplus of certain state-owned lands which have been determined by professionals to
• Moving to surplus lands, what is the magic behind the date of January 1, 2024?
• And when they deal with surplus lands, they're going to be on the hot seat, and they should be.
• And when they deal with surplus lands, they're going to be on the hot seat, and they should be.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture received a presentation from Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan on the agency’s wildfire response, forest management, and emergency support roles. He described the service’s four regions and 14 districts, its year-round wildfire response, use of bulldozers, helicopters, and drones, and the current high fire danger due to drought conditions. Dolan also highlighted prescribed burning, fuels mitigation, state forest management, the pine seedling nursery, and the agency’s role in hurricane response and incident management. Members asked about equipment loans and whether more prescribed burning could reduce wildfire impacts; Dolan said Florida already leads the nation in prescribed fire and emphasized public education and fuels reduction. The committee then considered and unanimously reported favorably Senate Bill 386, which creates a farm-equipment consumer protection process similar to a lemon law, allowing purchasers to seek repair or replacement of defective major farm equipment at no cost. The committee also took up Senate Bill 290, the Agriculture and Consumer Services omnibus bill. The bill would modernize fair association rules, preempt local bans on gas- and diesel-powered farm and landscape equipment, allow surplus of certain state-owned lands for bona fide agricultural use while excluding parks, forests, and wildlife lands, create a veterinary loan repayment program, make Farmers Feeding Florida permanent, expand Forest Service training opportunities, criminalize signal-jamming devices, increase penalties for CDL and English-proficiency exam cheating, restrict certain door-to-door solicitation, protect food safety inspectors, clarify biosolids rules, and add criminal and vendor-list penalties for contractors who fail to pay subcontractors. The committee adopted three amendments to align dates and technical language and to authorize native seed research and marketing through the Florida Wildlife Foundation. Testimony on SB 290 included support from several industry groups, concerns from the Home Builders Association about the new contractor-payment criminal penalties, and opposition from a citizen worried about the new surplus-land process for conservation lands. Despite concerns, CS/SB 290 was reported favorably. Finally, the committee unanimously recommended confirmation of the appointees listed on tabs 4 and 5, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:53:09.880> statement and fishing game Surplus statement and fishing game Surplus statement
• into it too when we get to the Surplus into it too when we get to the Surplus statement statement
• can move to the highway fund Surplus can move to the highway fund Surplus statement the<03:19:17.640
• me line 15 uh the transfers from Surplus me line 15 uh the transfers from Surplus I<03:19:42.640
• So it’s the same idea there: it’s using surplus to balance these two years.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education. Department of Education testimony said the bill’s definition would conflict with the federal definition and be unusually restrictive, potentially affecting curriculum, educator training, and many existing state requirements. The department said it could force a broad overhaul of school programs and create a need for at least one new state position, with local districts likely facing significant unbudgeted costs. Members raised concerns about impacts on federal pass-through funding, curriculum materials, and whether the bill was workable at all. Several members said the proposal would be too costly and difficult to implement, especially during a tight budget cycle. Representative Papovich moved to retain HB 129, and the motion passed 7-0. Members who supported retention said they wanted to set the bill aside because of the scale of the concerns, while also stating they did not support the bill as written. The committee then opened HB 133, dealing with DMV follow-up on residency and licensing issues tied to voting and other interactions. Department of Safety/DMV officials said the bill would require a $40,000 technology update plus a full-time position to handle manual correspondence and review of possible matches, and that postage was not included in the fiscal note. They said the bill’s 60-day residency trigger is vague, that the DMV would be acting outside its normal role by investigating status after the fact, and that the measure could create privacy and operational problems. Members questioned whether the bill would effectively force people to buy a driver’s license to vote, whether non-driver and voter ID options would avoid that concern, and whether the Secretary of State rather than DMV would be the more appropriate agency to handle any follow-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• Given the size of these surplus funds, and since this is the first time we are using this type of revenue
• Now with this large pot of one-time surplus funds, we have a unique opportunity to further that progress
• We are pleased to be here today to present our supplemental budget for surplus fair share revenue from
• The fair share revenue is already delivering results, and the surplus allocation allows us to go even
• And I know we're here to talk about today the FY25 supplemental with the surplus set.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 55, the governor’s FY25 supplemental budget proposal to spend about $1.3 billion in surplus Fair Share revenue. House and Senate chairs framed the bill as a one-time opportunity to invest fairly in education and transportation, while also noting the need to protect the state’s long-term fiscal balance. Administration officials said the proposal should be considered alongside the FY26 budget and related bills, since the governor’s broader Fair Share plan aims for roughly an even split between education and transportation over time. Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt, and Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler outlined the administration’s priorities. Transportation funding would go mainly to the MBTA and related reserves, including money for the Federal Transit Administration reserve, MBTA stabilization reserve, low-income fares, winter resilience, RTA workforce support, MassDOT workforce and project delivery, and micro-transit grants. Education funding would support universal preschool expansion, early education and care capacity, early literacy tutoring, adult basic education and ESOL, early college and career technical education, MyCAP expansion, and special education circuit breaker funding. The administration emphasized that many of these investments are one-time or multi-year measures designed to address current needs without creating unsustainable recurring costs. Committee members raised concerns about regional equity, especially the large share of transportation money going to the MBTA versus regional transit authorities and rural areas. Several members asked for more detail on how the proposal would benefit Western Massachusetts and other non-MBTA regions, and whether micro-transit and Chapter 90-related investments would be sufficient. Education questions focused on special education reimbursement shortfalls, federal funding cuts to school districts, and how CTE and vocational investments would align students with workforce needs. The administration said it would provide additional data on MBTA versus RTA investment and explained that the special education circuit breaker and transportation reimbursement changes were intended to improve predictability and relief for districts. After the administration panel, Jessica Tang of AFT Massachusetts testified in support of using Fair Share funds to protect public education amid federal uncertainty and cuts. She argued that schools are facing a fiscal cliff, that vulnerable students would be hit hardest by funding losses, and that the Fair Share revenue should be used to preserve services and support students’ needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• lines coverage um so that's Surplus lines coverage um so that's that's<00:24:19.559> at<00:24
• lines because of coverage via Surplus lines because of the<00:25:14.600> costs<00:25:15.000><
• much more of them are not un Surplus much more of them are not un Surplus lines<00:26:07.960>
• <00:47:21.440> lines and that's done via the Surplus lines and that's done via the Surplus
• <01:11:21.400> lines what's accomplished in the Surplus lines what's accomplished in the Surplus

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not a surplus if you haven't paid your bills yet.
• But this surplus is here now. We're here now.
• And so we've been working for months on returning the surplus to the taxpayers.
• We've known about the surplus since at least January. to the taxpayers.
• We've known about the surplus since at least January.

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This supplemental appropriates $2 million from the unappropriated surplus balance of general revenue
• This supplemental appropriates 132,000 from the unappropriated surplus balance of general revenue to
• This supplemental appropriates $1 million from the unappropriated surplus balance of general revenue
• This supplemental appropriates $4,960,630 from the unappropriated surplus balance of general revenue
• to a new current expenses surplus appropriation within the Department of Health Facilities, William R

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the journal, and spent much of the day recognizing pages, guests, school groups, and civic organizations visiting the chamber. Several communications from the House and committee reports were received, and a petition on support for new electric transmission lines was referred to the Committee on Energy, Industry, and Mining. Senate Resolution 61, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse Obergefell, was referred to the Committee on Rules, while other resolutions and bills were held over or referred as required. The chamber then acted on a large number of measures, including concurrence in House amendments to Senate Bill 137 on parole eligibility for second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter, and a conference committee was appointed on House Bill 4026 regarding integrated resource plans. Numerous House bills were advanced or passed after committee reports, covering topics such as industrial access roads, local airport hangar financing, college campus safety, youth and handicapped hunting, missing persons records, driver’s licenses, adjudicatory alternative dispositions, chronic absenteeism, party-switching deadlines for candidates, teacher/school personnel/state police pay raises, election official trainees, political committee filing notices, security personnel for the State Treasurer, post-secondary financial aid, legal practice rules, overseas voting, public officials’ residential information, homestead exemption, military juvenile jurisdiction, military interpersonal violence, kinship care subsidies, statewide prevention planning, contraband smuggling into federal prisons, forestry equipment taxation, microgrid and data center certification, transcript acceptance for students, emeritus medical licenses, higher education rule authorizations, board and commission reforms, managed care organization taxes, and deputy sheriff vacation carryover. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition, and several received title amendments. The Senate also passed a series of supplemental appropriations, many with immediate-effect motions adopted by the required two-thirds vote. These included funding for the Department of Commerce, Workforce West Virginia, Homeland Security divisions, Health Facilities, Administration, Human Services, the Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund, the Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Senior Services. Votes were overwhelmingly in favor, with only a few measures drawing one or more dissenting votes. One bill on tourism appropriations was referred to the Committee on Rules, and several second-reading bills were advanced, including measures on the West Virginia Collaboratory, business-ready sites, volunteer fire companies, religious organization eminent domain restrictions, electric load forecasting, and funeral service licensure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Trotsky legislation that would accomplish most of this, you put 90% of the surplus in there.
• balance... is not structural surplus.
• taxpayers who built this surplus that don't own homes and won't benefit from compression?
• We would argue for a majority of that $24 billion surplus.
• With another budget surplus, it is our responsibility.

Bills: HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB22, HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB22

Keywords: HB 8, school finance, compressed tax rate, maximum compressed tax rate, MCR, PYMCR, property tax, school district taxes, Education Code, Tax Code, state aid, school funding formula, local school taxes, Texas school finance, tax rate compression, public education funding, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property

Transcript Highlights:

• Hospital, and Mildred Mitchell Bateman Hospital, from the unappropriated surplus balance.
• This supplemental appropriates $8,704,000 from the unappropriated surplus balance of general revenue
• Sharp Hospital; and $4,404,000 to a new capital outlay, repairs and equipment surplus appropriation to
• This supplemental appropriates $10 million from the unappropriated surplus balance of general revenue
• to a new capital outlay, repairs and equipment surplus appropriation within the Division of Culture

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The West Virginia Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, and numerous introductions of honorary pages, guests, chaperones, and visitors, including a large McDowell County Day delegation. The Senate also received a governor’s executive message containing 76 nominations, which were referred to the Committee on Confirmation, and then set those nominations as a special order of business for 4 p.m. later that day. On legislation, the Senate rejected House amendments to Senate Bill 493 on open captioning for motion pictures and requested the House recede, saying the amendments changed the bill’s intent by making captioning mandatory and expanding its scope. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 587 on county officials’ salaries, adopted an amendment restoring county control over future pay increases while keeping a 5% raise, concurred in the House amendments as amended, and passed the bill 34-0 with immediate effectiveness. The Senate also fast-tracked and passed several supplemental appropriations bills, all by 34-0 votes and all made effective from passage: House Bill 527 for health facilities, House Bill 528 for the Department of Agriculture’s spay-neuter assistance fund, House Bill 5307 for the Division of Culture and History, House Bill 5317 for the Division of Natural Resources, and House Bill 5694 for the Department of Education. The Senate received House Bill 5286 on corrections and referred it to Finance. Finally, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 66 designating March 14, 2026, as McDowell County Day at the legislature, with remarks highlighting the county’s history and current economic efforts, and then recessed for 30 minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• , our carryover balance, is not structural surplus.
• who've built this surplus that don't own homes and won't benefit from compression?
• Leave, leave our surplus alone. I, I, I heard just a couple of times.
• Uh, we would, we would argue for, uh, a majority of that $24 billion surplus.
• With another budget surplus, it is our responsibility to return this money to the taxpayers.

Bills: HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB 22

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• , but that budget only increased the Rainy Day Fund by $3 billion in 2022-23. $100 billion surplus.
• I remember asking a new member orientation why we did not put more of the projected surplus aside in
• It's untested, and it's called the Projected Surplus Temporary Holding Account.
• In 2023, the state enjoyed a record-breaking $97.5 billion surplus.
• And unfortunately, in 2024, a $45 billion... ...surplus.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on proposals to reform California’s Budget Stabilization Account, or rainy day fund, ahead of the May Revision. Members and witnesses reviewed how Proposition 2 (2014) changed reserve rules, including mandatory deposits, a 10% cap on the fund, and limits tied to the Governor’s declaration of a budget emergency. LAO staff explained that California’s revenues are highly volatile, that current reserve rules are complicated by interactions with Proposition 98 and the Gann limit, and that under current law reserves would cover only about one-third of funding shortfalls in a benchmark scenario over 50 years. The LAO presented its report recommending a larger reserve target, including raising the cap to 50% by 2055 and pairing that with either broader, more flexible deposit rules or a simpler approach that deposits all excess capital gains. The Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to raise the cap from 10% to 20% and exempt BSA deposits from the state appropriations limit, while Assembly Member Valencia presented ACA 1, which would make similar changes and was described as an evolving proposal. Testimony generally supported saving more during boom years, but differed on how much to hardwire into the Constitution versus leave flexible, and on whether to broaden the deposit formulas beyond capital gains. Public witnesses and committee members raised additional issues, including whether reserve reforms should also address debt repayment, the treatment of unemployment insurance fund debt, and whether the Gann limit should be adjusted to better allow reserve growth. Supporters argued that stronger reserves would protect Californians from cuts during downturns and help the state weather volatility and federal funding threats. Some advocates warned that reforms should not come at the expense of current public needs, while taxpayer representatives cautioned against turning the BSA into a pass-through account that weakens constitutional spending limits. The hearing ended without a vote, with the committee chair noting the complexity of the issue and adjourning after public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• savings we can pick up on the surplus savings we can pick up on the surplus statement<00:45:32.079
• Since you have a surplus statements.
• surplus surplus statement,<01:13:56.080> okay?
• So, that surplus statement I I Okay.
• And you know, so that surplus things.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, with an $18 billion surplus that turned into a $6 billion deficit, there's lots of ways we can talk
• So, with an $18 billion surplus that turned into a $6 billion deficit, there's lots of ways we can talk
• the event of a surplus.
• The condition is that there has to be a surplus before we give that back.
• Now you can look at the surplus that we currently have, and it's not a structural surplus, so I would

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We heard last week in the budget forecast that the surplus is now $3.7 billion dollars.
• We heard last week in the budget forecast that the surplus is now $3.7 billion dollars.
• We just talked about the $9 billion in fraud and the $3.9 billion that we have in a surplus.
• We still have a short-term surplus. We still have a structural<00:21:08.000> imbalance.
• It's been spending our $18 billion budget surplus. It's been increased taxes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Minnesota Senate Republicans held a press conference unveiling a package of affordability and tax-relief bills aimed at property taxes, taxes on tips and overtime, and vehicle registration costs. Leader Mark Johnson said the proposals were meant to counter rising costs for wages, homeownership, and driving, and argued that Democrats’ policies had made life more expensive. Several senators echoed that theme, saying Minnesotans need immediate relief and that the state has room to act because of a reported surplus. Senator Michael Kunesh described a property-tax cap bill that would limit increases for cities and counties to inflation plus 50% of population growth, with higher increases requiring voter approval. He said constituents, including seniors, a disabled veteran, and young people, are seeing unsustainable property-tax hikes, and he argued that state and federal mandates have driven local costs. In response to a question about added county workload from federal SNAP and Medicaid changes, he said the solution is both to pause new mandates and to cap property-tax growth. Senator Karin Housley outlined a proposal to end state taxes on tips and overtime, with deductions up to $25,000 for tips and $12,500 for overtime, phased out at $150,000 for individuals and $300,000 for families. She said the measure would help workers keep more of what they earn and would not cost small businesses directly. Senator John Jasinski proposed rolling back vehicle registration tab fees to pre-2023 levels, saying Minnesota’s fees are far higher than neighboring states and that the change would save drivers money over time. Senator Julia Coleman also supported the package, saying the bills would provide practical relief for families facing high housing, driving, and work-related costs. No votes were taken; the event ended with questions from reporters about fiscal impacts, offsets, and whether the proposals would worsen the state’s structural budget imbalance.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the question is, what happens to the surplus?
• We're talking about the surplus.
• , how to split the surplus, what to do with the surplus.
• Now, honestly, very few people ask for the surplus.
• Now, honestly, very few people ask for the surplus, but they do have that ability to ask for the surplus

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the prior meeting, and heard budget presentations from the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the State Auditor. The Secretary of State’s office described its FY27 budget, emphasizing efficiency gains from technology, election security work, and business services. It said it is operating with fewer staff than a decade ago, but rising costs and outdated statutory fees are creating deficits in service of process and other operations. The office asked the committee to consider either increasing fees or allowing it to retain a larger share of business-service revenue, and it also proposed creating an Office of Entrepreneurship to help small businesses navigate state government, grants, permits, and related services. Committee members questioned the Secretary of State’s office about fee increases, the current 50-50 split of certain revenues with general revenue, and whether the proposed entrepreneurship office would duplicate existing services. The office said it would complement, not replace, Commerce, SBDC, or grant programs, and would report metrics and policy recommendations to the legislature. The Attorney General then requested a one-time $2 million special revenue appropriation to hire additional lawyers and support staff, citing increased litigation, federal and state legal work, and the need to defend new laws. He also discussed embedded DMV lawyers handling DUI revocation hearings and said the arrangement costs the office just over $200,000. The State Auditor reported that his office is largely self-funded through special revenue and said he wants to reduce reliance on general revenue over time. He highlighted savings from renegotiated leases and an open government contract, discussed the need for more auditors in the Chief Inspector’s Division, and described fraud recovery and P-card operations. A major topic was delinquent land sales: the auditor said the office sold about 17,000 parcels last year and believes online bidding and better marketing could generate substantially more revenue, with the surplus potentially shared among counties, the state, and other programs. Members also asked about securities fee changes, fairness hearings, fire department audits, IT/cybersecurity, and how surplus proceeds from delinquent land sales should be handled. The committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• This budget amendment places an overall surplus of $32.1 million into reserve and multiple appropriation
• The main driver of the surplus is declining caseloads. Follow-up, Representative Tant. Thank you.
• Meyer was curious, what is driving or what is predominantly responsible for that $32 million in surplus
• I think that's mainly good news, but just want to make sure. 32 million in surplus.
• there waiting for... ...be served when we say we don't know what the backlog is, and then we have a surplus

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• See, we have a $3 billion surplus."
• And what I've been telling Minnesotans is that surplus is spent. It's already encumbered.
• <00:08:21.360> And<00:08:21.520> what have a $3 billion surplus."
• And what have a $3 billion surplus."
• I've been telling motans is that surplus I've been telling motans is that surplus is<00:08:23.960

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The latest figures reflect an expected budget surplus of $2.47 billion for the current biennium, a roughly
• Uh, we have recognized challenges remain over the next four years, but we've grown the surplus.
• Uh, we have recognized challenges remain over the next four years, but we've grown the surplus.
• <00:02:28.480> a<00:02:28.640> deficit<00:02:29.440> and there will be a surplus
• or a deficit and there will be a surplus or a deficit and then<00:02:29.840> the<00:02:30.080

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You see... ...to the reserve and surplus accounts to be excluded from the limit until those funds are
• But the $98 billion surplus, we didn't pay off $20 billion. And... Same question again.
• But the $98 billion surplus, we didn't pay off $20 billion.
• And 2022, when we had that big $97.5 billion surplus, was an example of that.
• You know, where you use that surplus for every day.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a little bit of a surplus that we can use. And what is the surplus on that deficiency bill?
• So the overall surplus on the active appropriation account for the employee health...
• So the overall surplus on the active appropriation account for the employee health services is about
• The reason for the $2 million surplus, us being able to move that... ...investment activity.
• So it's not just $2 million, it's $2 million. ...causing the $2 million surplus there.

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The Finance Advisory Committee approved the minutes from its May 14, 2026 meeting and then considered four fiscal transfers. FAC 2026-9 for the Office of the State Controller transferred $4.345 million among fringe benefit accounts in the General Fund and Special Transportation Fund. Members questioned several employee benefit accounts, including active and retiree health care, Social Security, higher education alternative retirement, and OPEB; agency staff explained the transfers were based on updated year-end projections, with some accounts showing surpluses and others needing additional funds. The item was approved, with two no votes noted. FAC 2026-10 for the Military Department transferred $150,000 from the Honor Guards account to personal services and Governor’s Guard accounts to cover operational needs, and it was approved without opposition. FAC 2026-11 for the Department of Social Services transferred $3.3 million among accounts. Most of the discussion focused on a surplus in the substance use disorder waiver/reinvestment account, lower-than-expected TANF/TFA caseloads, federal family planning backfill requirements, and staffing challenges in eligibility operations. DSS said some funds remained unused because a residential care vendor did not enter into a contract, some reserves were intended for future multi-year investments, and eligibility staff require 12 to 18 months of training; the item was approved. FAC 2026-12 for the Department of Children and Families transferred $3.05 million among accounts for year-end operational needs. Members asked about closures of day treatment and community-based prevention programs, and DCF said children were transitioned to other providers without service interruption, with closures driven by provider decisions and financial viability. DCF also explained that some prior funding had been used as gap funding and that ongoing support had been built into the budget. The committee approved the transfer and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a surplus, a modest surplus, and I hope that we are very, very frugal in the session.
• We have a surplus, a modest surplus, and I hope that we are very, very frugal in the session. beholder
• We have a surplus, a modest surplus, and I hope that we are very, very frugal in the session. in eight
• We have a surplus, a modest dollars.
• We have a surplus, a modest surplus,<00:10:40.079> and<00:10:40.320> I<00:10:40.560>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all