Transcript Highlights:

• The Talmud teaches that the world stands on three things: justice, truth, and peace.
• collaboration over conflict.<00:06:20.319><c> The</c><00:06:20.560><c> tomid</c><00:06:21.199><c> teaches
• The tomid teaches that the conflict.
• The tomid teaches that the world<00:06:22.479><c> stands</c><00:06:22.880><c> on</c><00:06:23.280><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Get them to know their culture, get them to speak their language if it's possible, and teach them the
• Get them to know their culture, get them to speak their language if it's possible, and teach them the
• </c><00:53:22.480><c> and</c> the uh afterare and the teachings and the uh afterare and the teachings
• As far as I know, our professional standards staff is the one that works through that background and
• You know, like they say,<04:25:02.319><c> you</c><04:25:02.560><c> can't</c><04:25:02.640><c> teach</

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• interact with veterans, requires interpreters for defendants in criminal proceedings, and sets new standards
• We are fully committed to meeting TCOLE's training, certification, and accountability standards.
• Currently, there is no standard... ...of SB 781. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members.
• It means the Commission on Jail Standards, who are tasked with creating standards for our jails, How
• Those two, the Graham standard, and I don't want to go too far down that road, but the standard police

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice heard a series of bills focused on criminal procedure, public safety, victim protections, and law enforcement administration. SB 1537 would require criminal-proceeding interpreters to meet the same appointment standards used in the Government Code, and SB 993 would let the Comptroller’s Criminal Investigative Division seek mobile-tracking warrants directly in motor fuel theft and related tax-fraud investigations. SB 693, as substituted, would create a criminal offense for notaries who notarize documents without the signer personally appearing, with a higher penalty when real property is involved, and would add continuing education for notaries. SB 1610 would tighten rules for civilly committed sexually violent predators at the Texas Civil Commitment Office, including penalties for new crimes and assaults on staff, sex-offender registration requirements, and removal of certain provisions from the filed version; the substitute reduced some of the harsher penalties and preserved parole/community-supervision eligibility. SB 836 would expand privacy protections for sexual assault survivors by limiting livestreaming of certain trials, allowing pseudonyms earlier in the process, and protecting forensic exam evidence and invasive recordings under protective orders. SB 1563 would require county jailers to receive training on interacting with veterans, with testimony emphasizing suicide risk, PTSD, and the need for better identification and support in jails. SB 906 would give the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo authority similar to other Texas tribes to commission peace officers under state law to enforce Texas laws on tribal land. SB 781 would standardize confidentiality rules for peace officers’ personal information and create a confidential departmental file system modeled on Chapter 143 civil-service practices, though members raised concerns about whether the bill could affect disciplinary records and existing disclosure rules. Testimony was largely supportive for the bills, especially from prosecutors, law enforcement representatives, victim advocates, and agency officials. Supporters of SB 693 described widespread deed fraud tied to improper notarizations; supporters of SB 836 stressed survivor privacy and the harms of livestreamed sexual-assault proceedings; supporters of SB 1563 said jailer training could help prevent veteran suicides and improve treatment; and supporters of SB 906 said state commissioning would improve public safety and coordination on tribal lands. SB 781 drew support from police and TCOLE witnesses who said the bill would extend confidentiality protections already used in civil-service departments, while some members questioned whether the bill duplicated existing law or could be read to shield misconduct information. Public testimony included opposition to SB 1610 from a civil-rights advocate who urged waiting for Sunset review, and opposition to SB 781 from a family member of a person killed by police, who objected to expanding confidentiality for officers. Several bills were left pending after testimony because the committee lacked a quorum or chose to hold them for later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• They discovered that for the past 30 or so years, we've been improperly teaching our kids how to read
• phonics, A well-funded reading program swept the nation, convincing teachers that phonics, which is teaching
• anything except slowing down, showing them the letters, and explaining how they go together, or perhaps teaching
• them—I don't know. ...showing them the letters and explaining how they go together, or perhaps teaching
• This legislation will also expand upon the 2024 pilot program for paid teaching apprenticeships in the

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, welcomed student ambassadors from Robinson Middle School in Lowell, and adopted several resolutions honoring the Gaudet family and Patricia Rappucci. Members also agreed to extend the reporting deadline for the Health Care Financing Committee on House No. 5505 and suspended Joint Rule 12 to send a condominium-related petition to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. The chamber then dealt with Senate No. 2619, the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act. The House did not concur with the Senate’s position and instead appointed a committee of conference. It also took up Senate No. 3064, the major climate and infrastructure bond bill known as the Mass Ready Act, which Ways and Means reported with a House amendment. After debate emphasizing resilience, clean water, PFAS remediation, coastal protection, agriculture, and municipal preparedness, the House adopted the amendment and ordered the bill to a third reading. Later, the House considered and overwhelmingly approved a conference report on H. 5511, the early literacy and teacher preparation bill. Supporters said it would require evidence-based reading instruction, restrict three-cueing methods, expand educator training, and support paid teaching apprenticeships. The report was accepted 152-0. The House then returned to S. 3064, adopted a consolidated amendment, and passed the bill to be engrossed by a vote of 151-0, before adjourning to meet the next day in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• They discovered that for the past 30 or so years, we've been improperly teaching our kids how to read
• A well-funded reading program swept the nation, convincing teachers that phonics, which is teaching kids
• anything except slowing down, showing them the letters, and explaining how they go together, or perhaps teaching
• Showing them the letters and explaining how they go together, or perhaps teaching them, and then in some
• This legislation will also expand upon the 2024 pilot program for paid teaching apprenticeships in the

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A board cannot supervise and manage an institution without authority over what it teaches and who it
• A board cannot supervise and manage an institution without authority over what it teaches and who it
• A board cannot supervise and manage an institution without authority over what it teaches and who it
• A board cannot supervise and manage an institution without authority over what it teaches and who it
• goes to the floor, because in recent years I've been told by the universities that those pursuing teaching

Bills: HB818, HB1063, SB28, SB64, SB142, SB234, SB482

Keywords: higher education, accountability, curriculum review, faculty governance, disciplinary procedures, SB 28, Act 233, associate educator program, associate teachers, teacher certification, alternative teacher pathway, education workforce, teacher shortage, minimum age, age requirement, Louisiana schools, Title 17, R.S. 17:7.8, educator pipeline, teacher recruitment

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a new organization with a powerful mission to engage Jewish youth in civic education and teach
• PEOPLE, IT IS A NEW ORGANIZATION WITH A POWERFUL MISSION TO ENGAGE JEWISH YOUTH IN CIVIC EDUCATION, AND TEACH
• AND IT WOULD BE KNOWN TODAY AS But that position teaches you something: it teaches you to fight for your
• It teaches you to prove yourself. And the Bronx has spent more than a century doing exactly that.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on March 9, 2026, approved the prior journal, and took up several procedural items, including substituting identical Senate Bill 6734A for Assembly Bill 4382A and adopting a resolution calendar with exceptions for Resolutions 1718 and 1723. The chamber also received amendments on another bill and heard multiple guest introductions, including students from Ahavas Bas Yaakov of Monsey and Dr. Angela Odoms-Young, who was recognized for her work on food and nutrition policy and health equity. A major portion of the session was devoted to Resolution 1680 commemorating Bronx Day. Senators Fernandez, Bailey, Myrie, Serrano, Sepúlveda, Krueger, and others spoke in praise of the Bronx’s history, diversity, culture, resilience, and contributions to music, fashion, sports, and civic life. The Senate also adopted Resolution 1718 recognizing Harriet Tubman Day, with remarks highlighting Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad, her Civil War service, and her later life in Auburn, and adopted Resolution 1723 marking the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday and emphasizing the continuing importance of voting rights protections. The Senate then passed a series of bills from the calendar. These included measures on general municipal law, public health, executive law, education, vehicle and traffic law, criminal procedure, labor law, and legislative law. Several members explained their votes on health-related bills: Senator Cleare spoke about period poverty and access to free menstrual products in educational institutions; Senator Webb supported a bill requiring hospital governing boards to include a registered professional nurse; and Senator Murray, joined by Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, described personal experiences with blood clots and pulmonary embolism in support of a bill creating a working group on the issue. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable negative votes, and the Senate adjourned until Wednesday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• great deal of these scholarship programs as far as the locale of where they are, quote unquote, teaching
• question, how are we ensuring that these children who we're paying taxpayers' money to and we're teaching
• them in areas that is not conducive for a learning environment, and the individuals teaching them, quote
• unquote, we don't know if they're actually teaching those children.
• basic skills, because individuals, whether qualified or not, those individuals weren't actually teaching

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then received and adopted, by a 39-0 vote, a committee report confirming 52 gubernatorial executive appointments to various state, regional, and local boards and commissions. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities, described as a broad “Rural Renaissance” package. Sponsor Senator Simon outlined provisions creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties facing population loss, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care support. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping grant language tied to new federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties generally supported the bill, though some raised questions about eligibility for certain rural areas and how funds would be accessed. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then took up CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General findings by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance-based business plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including changes to the stabilization fund and documentation requirements. Senators from both parties debated transparency, accountability, and implementation concerns, with some also urging future attention to declining-enrollment school districts and the quality of scholarship providers. The bill passed 38-0. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House, welcomed Palm Beach County visitors in the gallery, and adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• great deal of these scholarship programs as far as the locale of where they are, quote unquote, teaching
• question, how are we ensuring that these children who we're paying taxpayers' money to and we're teaching
• them in areas that is not conducive for a learning environment, and the individuals teaching them, quote
• unquote, we don't know if they're actually teaching those children?
• basic skills, because individuals, whether qualified or not, those individuals weren't actually teaching

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then received and adopted, by a 39-0 vote, a committee report confirming 52 gubernatorial appointments to various state, regional, and local boards and commissions. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad rural renaissance package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program, housing and transportation investments, and additional education and health care support. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping rural health provisions after Florida secured federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties spoke in support, though some raised questions about eligibility for certain rural grants and the distribution of federal funds. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then took up CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gaetz said the bill responds to the Auditor General’s findings by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, requiring student identification and verification, reducing scholarship organization fees, tightening payment and audit rules, and creating a stabilization fund for scholarship demand. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision from this bill and changes to enrollment documentation and withdrawal procedures. Senators debated the bill’s impact on accountability, public schools, and scholarship providers, but generally supported the reforms. The bill passed 38-0. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House, welcomed Palm Beach County Day participants, and adjourned until the following Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to get worse as new caseload standards are imposed.
• Again, as we brace for new caseload standards currently under review, meeting those standards would require
• This is a standard null and void.
• So the underlying bill had reduced those standard ranges.
• Trudeus Tangle staff to the Labor and Workplace Standards Committee.

Summary: The committee began with a public hearing on Substitute House Bill 1592, which would change how state public defense funds are distributed and, in the substitute version, keep current law on state funding responsibility while revising the allocation formula. Staff explained the bill would shift county and city distributions to a pro rata, caseload-based model, allow very low-density counties to request OPD to provide some or all public defense services, require additional data collection and reporting, and direct OPD to study caseload reductions and retention. Representative Peterson said the bill is meant to create a better structure for future state support of indigent defense without the very large cost of the original proposal. Testimony from counties, cities, OPD, defenders, and local officials was strongly supportive, emphasizing a statewide public defense crisis, rising local costs, staffing shortages, and the need for a fairer funding model. The committee then heard Substitute House Bill 1742 on environmentally sustainable urban design and Substitute House Bill 1906 on water system regulation and water rates. HB 1742 would create a center in Ecology to promote sustainable urban design, fund design competitions and grants, and establish an advisory council; the sponsor said the bill reflects a desire to support a pilot project through alternative funding, and there was no public testimony. HB 1906 would require more planning and notice for Group A water systems, add customer notice and right-of-first-refusal provisions for some ownership changes, and direct the UTC to consider external funding sources, capital planning, and rate smoothing when setting water rates. Water utility and PUD witnesses supported the goal of improving transparency and consolidation of failing small systems, while noting the substitute reduced some fiscal concerns. The committee also heard HB 2248 on Secretary of State corporate and charity filings, HB 2438 creating the SEED scholarship for early childhood education students, and HB 2515 addressing emerging large energy use facilities such as data centers. HB 2248 would redirect part of annual filing fees to the Secretary of State revolving fund, require initial reports from nonprofits and LLPs, and change trademark certificate procedures; the fiscal note showed modest revenue losses, and the division supported restoring the fee split for operational funding. HB 2438 would transfer $10 million annually from the GET account to fund scholarships and wraparound services for early childhood education degree seekers, with testimony from early learning advocates and a student describing workforce shortages and personal financial barriers. HB 2515 drew extensive testimony both for and against: supporters said it would protect ratepayers, water resources, and grid reliability by requiring tariffs, reporting, clean-energy requirements, and a fee on large energy users; opponents argued it singled out data centers, could hurt investment and jobs, and included unrelated labor and procurement provisions. After public testimony, the committee moved into executive-session briefing on several bills and amendments, including HB 1903 on statewide low-income energy assistance, HB 1909 on a court unification task force, HB 1982 on vacating certain convictions tied to treaty Indian rights, HB 2034 on LEOFF Plan 1 retirement changes, HB 2105 on employer notice of federal I-9 audits, HB 2210 on ranked-choice voting, HB 2215 on Climate Commitment Act fuel supplier obligations, and HB 2271 on post-consumer recycled content requirements. Staff summarized proposed substitutes and amendments, with several changes aimed at reducing or shifting fiscal impacts, narrowing agency duties, or striking provisions entirely.

Transcript Highlights:

• We as engineers can say all we want, it's safe, it's this meets our standard.
• It's this meets our standard. It's safe. It's this meets our standard.
• And there's all kinds of standards for that. So they need to be able to see that.
• So, they need to be standards for that.
• So, when we teach road design, we have a choice.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Adequacy standards.
• The Adequacy Planning Guide is the minimum standard.
• Under the adequacy standards, members, that is correct.
• For this particular district, when we've set standards and lived by those standards with other projects
• They're usually applicable for standards-based funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, more than 170 Polk State graduates are teaching in nearly 60 public schools in our county.
• Today, more than 170 Polk State graduates are teaching in nearly 60 public schools in our county.
• So I look at workforce where we can teach truck drivers—200 so far have graduated.
• I mean, I look at everything they have there and how we're teaching these kids there.
• I started out in New York teaching adults how to read and write for a literacy organization.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• help put together a Resiliency and Recovery Guide, and you received the executive summary of that, to teach
• I now serve as bilingual instructor for Weave. teaching the emprendimiento or entrepreneurship program
• We also teach development courses.
• One of our mantras at Volt is we want to teach teach the attitude and the aptitude for success.
• And so we teach some really successful training leadership courses as well.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• don’t let them nickel and dime you between, this is a MasterCard, this is a platinum, this is a standard
• This is a MasterCard, this is a platinum, this is a standard card. You know, make them bid a...
• small retailer, I could go and look: okay, oh, this is what Bread usually charges, this is what a standard
• And then standard consumer credit rates will be capped at a maximum of 1.25 for eight years.
• So, Paul wants to... no, teach me some more? No, Mr.

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses heard testimony from credit union, retail, banking, and payments industry representatives. Much of the discussion focused on proposals to exclude sales tax and tips from interchange fees, the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act and related litigation, and whether similar state action in Massachusetts would help small businesses or instead create a patchwork that burdens state-chartered institutions. Witnesses from defense and community credit unions argued interchange helps fund fraud prevention, cybersecurity, member services, and low-fee products, while retail and NRF representatives said merchants are paying significant swipe fees and that state laws like Illinois’s are aimed at reducing costs that are not being passed on to consumers. Several witnesses emphasized that the current payment system provides security, fraud protection, rewards, and access to credit, and that many of the costs merchants complain about are actually bundled processor or acquirer fees rather than interchange itself. Others countered that small businesses are struggling with rising overall costs and that Massachusetts should consider reforms such as allowing surcharging, improving transparency in merchant contracts, and studying collection costs. There was also discussion of the recent Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement, with industry witnesses describing it as meaningful relief for merchants and opponents saying it is temporary and incomplete. No formal votes were taken on legislation. The commission accepted oral testimony, noted that written testimony would be accepted through July 31, and concluded the meeting by unanimously voting to adjourn. The chair and members said they would continue gathering testimony and work toward recommendations, with the chair stressing the need to find a fair middle ground that supports both small businesses and the broader payments ecosystem.

Transcript Highlights:

• don't let them nickel and dime you between, this is a MasterCard, this is a platinum, this is a standard
• This is a MasterCard, this is a platinum, this is a standard card. You know, make them bid a...
• small retailer, I could go and look: okay, oh, this is what Bread usually charges, this is what a standard
• And then standard consumer credit rates will be capped at a maximum of 1.25 for eight years.
• Paul wants to... no, teach me some more? No, Mr.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses heard extensive testimony from credit unions, retailers, payment industry groups, and a credit card issuer. Much of the discussion focused on proposed state laws that would limit interchange fees on the tax and tip portions of transactions, especially Illinois’s Interchange Fee Prohibition Act and similar efforts in other states. Witnesses opposing the proposals argued that interchange helps fund fraud protection, cybersecurity, rewards, and access to credit, and warned that state-by-state rules would create a patchwork that could harm state-chartered banks and credit unions, raise compliance costs, and reduce consumer access to credit. Supporters of reform argued that swipe fees are a significant burden on merchants, especially small businesses, and that current pricing is opaque and often bundled with other processor charges. Several witnesses emphasized that the current payment system provides major benefits to merchants and consumers, including security, convenience, faster settlement, online commerce, and broader access to credit. One witness from Capital One said the industry’s losses from fraud and default are substantial and that interchange helps offset those risks; he also noted that merchants already have some tools, such as surcharging where allowed and negotiating clearer processor contracts. Retail representatives and the National Retail Federation countered that small businesses are under pressure from many costs and that interchange and related fees remain a real pain point, with some urging the commission to consider reforms that would return more money to businesses without disrupting the system. There was also discussion of the recent Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement, with industry witnesses describing it as a significant merchant win that includes temporary rate reductions, more surcharge flexibility, and the ability to decline certain card tiers. No votes were taken. The meeting concluded after all scheduled testimony was heard, with the commission chair saying the session had been productive and that the committee would continue gathering testimony and written comments before making recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The name standard is that they shouldn't be doing more than 250 autopsies per year to adequately do their
• Anyone who wants to come and learn, particularly about ethics, we want to teach them.
• They are standard employees that we would know as FTEs in state language.
• So let me tell you the standard pathway for a lot of our clients. We'll get them a deal.
• facility or any potential liability for the state of Oklahoma if those facilities aren't kept up to standards

Summary: The Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary heard presentations from several agencies. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported full National Association of Medical Examiners accreditation, major improvements in turnaround times, staffing growth to 18 forensic pathologists, and expanded rural coverage, but warned that a flat budget would leave it short of funds by August. The agency requested $4.5 million in recurring funding for professional staff and operations, citing rising supply, transport, IT, and facility costs, and said failure to fund the request would cause a catastrophic collapse. Members asked about cremation fees, other revenue sources, and the consequences of not funding the request; the chair said the recommendation would be forwarded but not necessarily adopted. The Council on Judicial Complaints said complaints against judges have roughly doubled since 2018, with most complaints involving dissatisfaction with judicial rulings rather than misconduct. The council emphasized its goal of responding within 90 days, its new judges college to prevent ethics problems, and the cost of removal proceedings. It requested an additional $125,000 on top of its current $300,000 appropriation to cover rising operating costs, a lease increase, judicial college expenses, and salary adjustments. Senators asked about case prioritization, turnover, staffing, and whether a specific courtroom incident could be investigated; the director said it would be an appropriate complaint to review. The Oklahoma Indigent Defense System described heavy caseloads in rural counties, a mix of satellite offices and county contracts, and a need to reduce attorney workloads, especially in Norman and Lawton. It requested funding for six resource navigators, a project manager, direct-care support, eight additional attorneys, internal training, and continued county contract funding, while also discussing possible diversion programs and grant opportunities. The Department of Corrections requested increases for county jail backup per diem and ICON maintenance, highlighted contraband interdiction, centralized visitation, mobile check-ins, and tablet-based efficiencies, and discussed an ICE detention contract at Watonga that brings in monthly revenue and jobs but is not counted in the budget request. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs presented a revised legacy-fund request tied to purchasing and remodeling a building shared with OSBI, saying the new plan would cost about $25 million total and save money compared with new construction; it also noted declining wire-transfer revenue tied to fewer grow operations and other enforcement changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• additional $50,000 to have... ...access to some of those dedicated funds that they use to go out and teach
• And then the last three things on there are some of our standard replacement items, as well as the rescission
• would do or what it would take to be able to answer the phones in a business-like manner, meaning standard
• Standard call times of four or five minutes and wait times of a similar time frame, and it would take
• we're going to be as efficient with those as possible, but it's maybe not going to be the highest standard

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation for the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), which is in the middle of a multi-year consolidation of IT staff and functions from other agencies. The analyst and administrator explained that ITS now has 243 authorized FTP, with more growth expected as Health and Welfare IT staff move over, and that much of ITS’s budget is driven by personnel, security, and pass-through technology purchases funded through dedicated revenues. The agency’s main 2027 requests included a personnel cash transfer to move costs off general fund and onto dedicated funds, $2.7 million for enterprise firewall/security upgrades, continued access to a federal E-CORE grant for an AI/data repository project, and funding for the Health and Welfare modernization/consolidation. Members asked about the grant, the 3% holdback, whether Health and Welfare’s budget would be reduced, the cost of delaying security upgrades, and why the agency’s FTP count has grown while overall IT costs are being centralized. ITS Administrator Alberto Gonzalez emphasized that the agency is defending against more than 100 million cyberattacks per month, with only a small fraction getting through, and said the firewall request was a critical security need. He said consolidation has produced efficiencies and a net reduction in IT personnel statewide, while also improving security and service delivery. He also explained that the agency is working on a possible policy change to separate continuously appropriated cash into a different fund for cleaner accounting. Questions from members focused on cybersecurity, bandwidth pressures from video/body-cam traffic, procurement speed, AI uses, and the rationale for office furnishings and equipment requests tied to the Health and Welfare move. The committee then moved to the Idaho State Tax Commission budget, another roughly $55 million portfolio with five programs and 447 authorized FTP. The analyst noted that the commission’s budget is heavily general-fund supported, but it also has several dedicated funds and large continuously appropriated flows tied to tax distributions and rebates. For fiscal year 2027, the commission requested additional dedicated-fund support for property tax outreach, $400,000 for GenTax automation, use of dedicated funds for the chief operating officer, replacement items, and the governor’s rescission. Chairman Jeff McRae said the agency returns more than $7.8 billion in revenue for about $55 million in spending, but warned the commission is at a “tipping point” where further cuts would reduce its ability to process revenue and serve taxpayers. Members questioned the commission about phone wait times, staffing levels, the multi-state tax compact, conformity work tied to the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” and the parental choice tax credit program. McRae said the call center would need about 45 staff to meet standard service levels but currently has about seven, and that conformity changes would require significant software, form, and testing work, likely with overtime and possible taxpayer filing delays. He also explained that the tax credit program was designed with electronic-only applications, income prioritization, audits, and criminal penalties to reduce fraud. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the meeting consisted of budget presentations, member questions, and agency responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was teaching at the time, but I've only got two spots and six requests.
• Subject to prison if she performs an abortion that is not indicated by whatever standards they profess
• It's a more workable standard for early lawful intervention for people experiencing severe mental illness
• Senate Bill 3 makes a focused update to New Mexico's mental health statute by clarifying the standards
• Fairer standards help courts and clinicians respond more effectively when recent behavior and functional

Bills: SB1, SB3

Keywords: interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• I was teaching at the time, but I've only got two spots and six requests.
• Subject to prison if she performs an abortion that is not indicated by whatever standards they profess
• It's a more workable standard for early lawful intervention of people experiencing severe mental illness
• Senate Bill 3 makes a focused update to New Mexico's mental health statute by clarifying the standards
• Fairer standards help courts and clinicians respond more effectively when recent behavior and functional

Bills: SB1, SB3

Keywords: interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce