Transcript Highlights:

• SO, WE SPLIT THIS AND PUT THE AMENDMENT INTO TWO.
• SHALL LEGISLATION YOU KNOW WE DEVELOPED SIX DIFFERENT PREMIUM TEARS FOR PAYMENT OF PREMIUM AND WE ARE
• EMPOWER YOU OR MAKE MORE SPECIFIC TO THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR ELIGIBILITY NOT FOR PAYMENT
• >> YES, AS YOU REFERENCE THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT THE WAY IT IS 50 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS IS BEING SPLIT
• ACTUALLY INCREASED IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT WE RECEIVED AND THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE PAYMENTS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• off to a different agency and to split off to a different agency and I'll<00:10:10.560> just<
• That was a legislative decision on how to split those up. are a couple that say moved to dcyf with are
• Finally, the Housing Support Services Program provides payments on behalf of eligible persons to pay
• In order to be eligible for these payments, an individual must have county approval for residence in
• <01:11:08.840> and<01:11:09.080> identify payments and identify payments and identify underpayments

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met for an introductory overview of its jurisdiction and staff roles. Nonpartisan House Research and House Fiscal staff explained that they draft bills and amendments, prepare bill summaries and background research, answer legal and fiscal questions, and help track revenue and budget effects. They also distributed a Budget Overview Brief intended to condense the larger budget materials into a more usable format for members. Staff then walked through the Human Services budget and the committee’s areas of responsibility. They described the department structure, noting that DHS oversees administration, compliance, rulemaking, and county support, and that the overall Human Services budget is large, with medical assistance as the dominant program. They also explained recent and upcoming reorganizations: many children and family-related functions are moving to the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Direct Care and Treatment is becoming its own agency, and some homelessness-related functions remain at DHS. Staff reviewed how the budget is organized by program and budget activity, the difference between direct appropriations and standing appropriations, and how forecasted programs and “tails” work in the budget process. The presentation also covered Medicaid financing and long-term care. Staff explained the federal-state FMAP match, including Minnesota’s current 51.16% federal match for most Medicaid spending, the CHIP match, and the 90% federal share for the expansion population. For long-term care, they outlined Medical Assistance services for elderly and disabled people, state-funded long-term care supports, and Board on Aging programs. They highlighted the personal care assistance program’s phaseout and replacement by Community First Services and Supports, and reviewed the five home- and community-based waivers. Members asked one question about refugee resettlement funding, specifically whether it covers flights; staff said they would need to follow up on the exact use of the federal funds. No bills were heard, and no formal votes or other committee actions were taken during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that means most of our seniors, about two-thirds of them, are making those lump sum payments.
• , they don't have a mortgage payment, but their insurance and their property taxes.
• The ones who are paying their lump sum payments, are they taking advantage of an early payment discount
• I don't know that we could do age, but we could get you some data on the timing of payment.
• You had made mention there about authorized payments from state forest timber sales.

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes met for an educational session focused on how Florida funds public schools and how property taxes are assessed and levied. Dr. Jim Zengali of the Department of Revenue explained the FEFP school funding formula, noting that it is built on weighted student counts, a base student allocation, and programmatic add-ons such as transportation, exceptional student education, school safety, and mental health. He said school funding is roughly split between state general revenue and local property taxes through required local effort, with additional discretionary and capital outlay millages contributing to total school funding. He also described the Department of Revenue’s role in certifying property rolls at fair market value and reviewing them for substantial compliance, including the so-called “nuclear option” if a roll is not approved. Members asked about trends in millage rates, county-by-county funding differences, the effect of growth and enrollment changes, and how property appraisals are reviewed. Zengali said aggregate millage for school funding has declined over the last decade while revenues have still increased, and he agreed to provide additional data on county trends, parcel strata, student growth, and enrollment impacts. He also clarified that school funding is equalized so students receive similar resources regardless of county wealth, and that federal funding plays only a small role in the FEFP. Amy Baker of the Joint Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research then discussed existing homestead benefits. She said about half of Florida’s parcels are homestead properties, most fall in the $250,000 to $500,000 value range, and many seniors without mortgages pay property taxes in lump sums rather than through escrow. Baker explained that Florida’s homestead tax burden is middle-of-the-pack nationally and that the main benefits are Save Our Homes and portability on the differential side, plus the $25,000 homestead exemption and related exemptions on the exemption side. She said these benefits reduce taxable value substantially, with homestead properties receiving a large share of the reductions, and noted that the committee requested follow-up data on exemption usage, portability timing, senior exemptions, and county-level patterns. The final presentation, by Lizette Kelly of the Department of Revenue, covered millage rates and the TRIM process. She reviewed the history of truth-in-millage notices, required taxpayer mailings, public hearing notices, and later changes that tied local millage resets to rollback and majority-vote rates. Kelly explained the difference between proposed and adopted millage, the rollback rate, and the majority-vote rate, and described how taxing authorities include counties, cities, special districts, and MSTUs. She also outlined how county taxable value is calculated from just value through assessment differentials and exemptions, and how certain exemptions, such as the additional senior exemption, apply only to the taxing authority that adopted them. No votes were taken during the meeting, but members requested several follow-up data reports for later discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a split vote. I think the vote was seven to six.
• <00:09:39.360> vote<00:09:40.000> I voted on that it was a split vote I voted on that
• it was a split vote I think<00:09:40.279> the<00:09:40.440> vote<00:09:40.640> was<
• <00:10:01.360> vote<00:10:01.880> um and again it was a was a split vote um and again
• it was a was a split vote um and<00:10:02.120> so<00:10:02.279> once<00:10:02.480>

Keywords: 0:01– Meeting start/roll call 0:34 – Approval of minutes 0:48 – Welcome of new committee members 1:34 – Council on Postsecondary Education 25:17 – Teachers’ Retirement System 27:00 – Kentucky Public Pension Authority 29:04 – Board of Veterinary Examiners 31:40 – Board of Nursing 34:01 – Board of Emergency Medical Services 36:15 – Fish & Wildlife Resources 40:34 – Department of Corrections 56:00 – Department of State Police 58:05 – Department of Criminal Justice Training 59:22 – Transportation Cabinet 1:00:18 – Department of Education 1:01:23 – Department of Employment Services 1:04:17 – Department of Workplace Standards 1:05:25 – Department of Housing, Buildings & Construction 1:06:59 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Sanitation) 1:13:50 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Trauma System) 1:17:46 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Radon) 1:18:30 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Medicaid Services 1:19:15 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. of Aging Services 1:20:36 – Other Business/Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and welcomed new members before taking up Council on Postsecondary Education regulations 13 KAR 2:120 and 13 KAR 2:130. The regulations, as amended by staff and agency amendments, update public university and KCTCS performance funding models to conform to 2024 Senate Bill 191 and the performance funding work group’s recommendations. Changes discussed included replacing the underrepresented minority metric with an underrepresented students metric defined as first-generation students, adding an adult learner metric, increasing the low-income degree premium, adjusting small-school and nonresident credit-hour weights, revising data aging and progression metrics, and adding STEM+H criteria in 13 KAR 2:120. Travis Pal of the Council on Postsecondary Education explained that the changes reflect the work group’s three-year review process and that the work group ultimately voted to define underrepresented students as first-generation students and to apply half-weighting between research and comprehensive universities for the new metric. Michael Frasier of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition and Eastern Kentucky University student government opposed 13 KAR 2:120, arguing that the regulation improperly applies weights where the statute does not clearly authorize them and that the funding changes disadvantage comprehensive universities and vulnerable students. He asked the committee to find the regulation deficient or, alternatively, recommend legislative clarification and a revised fiscal analysis. Pal responded that weighting has been part of the model since 2017, that CPE was following the statute and work group recommendations, and that the model could be changed by future legislation. Members asked about the timing of the broader performance funding review, and Pal said the full model is reviewed every three years, with the next work group cycle beginning in 2026. No motion to find the regulation deficient was made, and the committee allowed the regulations to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The committee then approved a staff amendment to Teachers’ Retirement System regulations 102 KAR 1:195 and 102 KAR 1:340, which require annual reporting of accumulated sick leave, leave policies, and salary schedules to TRS and make technical changes to the final average salary calculation and related definitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then if you look on page six, we've explained that it would go against utility tax payments levied
• There was a time we thought it could be split half and half.
• And then if you look on page six, we've explained that it would go against utility tax payments levied
• There was a time we thought it could be split half and half.
• levied in articles 3 4 of payments levied in articles 3 4 of chapter<00:02:19.280> 21.

Bills: HB245, HB138, HB151, HB152, HB245, HB138, HB151, HB152

Keywords: inhalants, controlled substances, butyl nitrite, nitrous oxide, amyl nitrite, health, public safety, pregnancy, pregnant defendant, incarceration, jail intake, pregnancy test, bail, pre-incarceration probation, supervised probation, electronic monitoring, electronic supervision, perinatal care, prenatal care, maternal health

Transcript Highlights:

• criminal Investigations Division and then item five is a new rider for contingent fee untracked payments
• item one is the only exceptional item that's outstanding for additional disabled veteran assistance payments
• Item five is the request to show unexpended balance authority at the The bond debt service payment, end
• article appropriations, and item six is request to show unexpended balance authority for the lease payments
• six it it looks a little complicated so in item a there or they have the funding, it's just shown split

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On the equalization side of things, that was originally implemented split between fiscal years 13 and
• The equalization portal ensures that we are always splitting the county...
• Would this replacement also do the payments to the child support parent, or is this just more case...
• >> This is the payment system. >> So this would be the payment as well. Yes.
• There a requirement that that stays out for a payment system as opposed to bringing it in?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The 2026-27 fiscal year includes $32.8 million for payment to the solution partner.
• The last payment is $32 million to the vendor. So I just wanted to clarify.
• The last payment is $32 million to the vendor. So I just wanted to clarify.
• So the state's not going to get the PTE payment.
• So the state's not going to get the PETP payment.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on State Administration heard several budget proposals from CDTFA, the Board of Equalization, and the Franchise Tax Board. The first panel focused on cannabis, hemp, flavored tobacco, and related enforcement. CDTFA requested ongoing funding to implement cannabis tax changes, enforce the new intoxicating hemp restrictions and flavored tobacco seizure authority, and continue compliance work. The department said it is targeting illicit product, protecting licensed businesses, and using referrals from the public and lawmakers to focus inspections. The LAO supported some of the proposals but urged the Legislature to treat them as part of a longer-term enforcement strategy and raised concerns about the use of General Fund support for cannabis enforcement. Public testimony on the cannabis item largely supported stronger enforcement and funding for the legal market. The committee also heard CDTFA’s request to reappropriate funds for an upgrade to the CROS tax collection system, which would improve taxpayer services, security, and software maintenance without adding new money. A separate CDTFA proposal would make all delivery network companies, such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, marketplace facilitators for sales tax purposes. CDTFA said the change would reduce confusion for restaurants and improve compliance, while the LAO questioned whether the proposal functioned more like a tax increase because it would also capture service fees. Members raised affordability concerns, but the proposal was framed by the administration as a parity and compliance measure. The subcommittee then considered a governor’s proposal for a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. Finance argued the credit would help decarbonize aviation and support in-state production, while the LAO recommended rejection, citing cost, uncertainty about environmental benefits, possible diversion of diesel excise tax revenues from transportation programs, and concerns about consistency with voter-approved transportation funding rules. Testimony from airlines, labor unions, airports, and refinery workers strongly supported the credit, emphasizing union jobs, refinery conversions, and emissions reductions, while fuel retailers and some others warned about fiscal risk and higher fuel prices. The chair and some members expressed support for the proposal despite the funding concerns. Finally, the BOE presented an IT modernization project for state-assessed property administration, saying the current system is outdated and manual and that a new system is needed to improve accuracy, cybersecurity, and workflow efficiency, especially with a likely increase in workload from new VoIP assessments. The LAO asked for more justification for the timing, but BOE said the urgency stems from aging systems and growing workload. BOE also requested modest funding to implement SB 293 changes to intergenerational property transfers and wildfire relief guidance, which the LAO did not oppose. The Franchise Tax Board began its presentation on the final phase of its Enterprise Data to Revenue modernization effort, describing the project’s rollout across audit, collections, legal, and filing enforcement workloads and noting it is now in a warranty period.

Transcript Highlights:

• We really, I mean, we were very focused on the payment error rate. That's good.
• We really, I mean, we were very focused on the payment error rate, to be honest.
• We know many of the drivers for the payment error...
• We know many of the drivers for the payment error rate.
• And right now it's split between the general fund and the affordability fund.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the payments the payments um<00:19:59.919> but<00:20:00.320> uh<00:20:00.559> they
• So, but at a very general level, 75/25 split.
• So, but at a very general level, 75/25 split.
• So, but at a very general level, 75/25 split.
• So, but at a very general level, 75/25 split. At a very general level, 75/25 split. Mr.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee met on February 6, 2025, for an update on emergency medical services (EMS) policy and implementation. Senator Seberger described the work of the EMS Task Force, which traveled statewide to hear concerns from providers about staffing, reimbursement, and retention. She said the task force led to the Sprint Medic model and two innovation zones in Otter Tail and St. Louis counties, and she urged continued monitoring and possible reconstitution of the task force to evaluate what is working and what could be expanded statewide. She also said future EMS work should continue to explore alternative response models and telemedicine, but that the most immediate need is additional funding, especially to address unpaid non-transport calls. Dylan Ferguson, director of the newly formed Minnesota Office of Emergency Medical Services, gave a detailed update on the office’s structure and priorities after the transition from the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board. He described the office’s three divisions, the appointment of deputy directors, the first meetings of the advisory councils, and work on a statewide EMS strategic plan. He also reviewed the $24 million emergency ambulance aid program, explaining its 40-40-20 formula, the emphasis on rural services, the reporting and spending deadlines, and the positive response from ambulance providers. He noted that the $6 million Sprint paramedic grant program is underway, with Otter Tail County moving forward and St. Louis County still finalizing its application. Ferguson also outlined the office’s budget request for modest staffing and contract-cost increases, two rulemaking efforts to update outdated ambulance vehicle standards and expand medication options for basic life support services, and ongoing data collection on workforce needs, violence against EMS providers, and ambulance crashes. He highlighted the paramedic scholarship program administered by the Office of Higher Education, saying nearly 300 scholarships have been awarded. Members and Senator Seberger praised the EMS reforms and emphasized that non-transport calls create significant unreimbursed costs, especially for rural and volunteer services, but no votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:31.560> There's um uh a payment to the uh MSFA.
• There's um uh a payment to the uh MSFA.
• <00:10:49.560> related<00:10:50.400> to Authority payment related to Authority payment
• payments to jurisdictions in Fillmore County with the 2024 and 2025 payments that were not made in those
• We approach instead of the 50/50 split.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What happens when we allow a payment to... ...womb.
• When does a reimbursement payment blur the lines into becoming an incentive?
• It was like monthly payments that helped me pay my bills at the time.
• So me and my youngest sibling were split up for nearly a decade. We had...
• So me and my youngest sibling were split up for nearly a decade.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Payment will go to problem gaming services.
• So under this split, the... money here's the splits detailed out money here's the splits detailed out
• He recommended splitting the difference and assuming a 15% middle, then splitting that revenue so the
• One is it talks about those splits, so we could put those splits in 728 if we want, because keep in mind
• > we<04:12:55.560> want could put those splits in 728 if we want could put those splits

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The public hearing opened on HB 728-FN, which would authorize video lottery terminals at charity gaming facilities and repeal historic horse racing licensing. Representative Om explained that the bill would convert the current historic horse racing terminals into true video lottery terminals/slot machines and change the revenue split, reducing the operator share from 75% to 70% while increasing the state share from 25% to 30%. He also noted the bill would increase the amount going to charities and other state beneficiaries. Former State Rep. Pat Brammy, who had served on the Charitable Gaming Study Commission, testified in support of the bill’s basic structure. He said a consultant’s report found historic racing machines cost facilities 12% to 18% more to operate because of totalizer and track-related fees, and that slot machines would be cheaper because there are more manufacturers and more competition. He argued that although the operator share drops by 5%, facilities could still benefit from lower operating costs, and he said the commission concluded that moving to slot machines would increase revenues to facilities, charities, and the state. He also said the bill would create a more stable stream of funding for problem gambling, since the current HHR “breakage” funding mechanism is limited and dependent on a single vendor. Brammy also discussed the commission’s concerns about market concentration in HHR machines, saying the commission found the market was dominated by only a few manufacturers and recommended legislation to address that issue under Article 83 of the state constitution. He interpreted the bill as allowing a phase-in of slot machines upon passage, with the remaining HHR provisions phasing out by January 1, 2028, and said facilities would likely transition as leases expire. Committee members asked about HHR contracts, machine programming, testing, and whether removing HHR would reduce competition; Brammy said he believed leases were likely short-term, machines are tested by a lab, and the legislature could decide whether the change is appropriate. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I just a little more clarity on the payment on that.
• <00:12:42.720> Thank clarity on the payment on that.
• We don't have anything like payments.
• That's what those payments are for.
• ><00:20:27.280> healthc<00:20:27.520> care payments are for that healthc care payments

Bills: HB0004

Keywords: medical assistance, birthing centers, healthcare, Medicaid, Wyoming, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That avoids double payments, it avoids incomplete payments, and helps us make sure we know where these
• If we go to a monthly payment instead of an every-other-week payment, how will that affect your cash
• Every other... ...where she is in order for the payments to go forward? Every other day.
• And all it takes is a split second to do a head-on or kill somebody, and really, really close.
• Well, now the officer in that split second is going to stop me and accuse me of something.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, doctor and guest introductions, and then took up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley described the bill as a major criminal justice and behavioral health reform measure that would expand pretrial mental health diversion, strengthen treatment-based probation conditions, broaden grant uses for mental health and substance abuse programs, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, require certain DOC mental health evaluations, and create a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in strong support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, data collection, and the Murphy family’s role in advancing the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then approved 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then received the Senate’s 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill, SB 2500, with Chair Hooper outlining a $117.4 billion budget that he said reduces spending, preserves reserves, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and reporting requirements. Committee chairs summarized their portions: K-12 funding at $34.7 billion with increases for FEFP, scholarships, VPK, school hardening, and school safety; higher education at $11.5 billion with workforce, nursing, reading, autism, and student aid investments; health and human services with a $1.8 billion increase for Medicaid, mental health, opioid response, disability services, and veterans programs; criminal and civil justice at $7.6 billion for corrections, juvenile justice, law enforcement, courts, and judgeships; transportation/tourism/economic development at about $18 billion including roads, housing, Visit Florida, and cultural grants; and agriculture/environment/general government with major Everglades, water quality, citrus, food bank, and agency IT funding. Members then questioned several budget items, especially education funding formulas, the shift of scholarship dollars below the line, the impact on public school districts, AP/IB and other accelerated program funding, the APD wait list, opioid settlement spending, arts grants, and the My Safe Florida Home and condo pilot programs. Chairs generally said scholarship and accelerated-program dollars were being restructured for transparency and flexibility rather than cut, that school districts would still receive funding based on enrollment, and that APD and other human services issues would continue to be worked out in conference. The budget discussion concluded with remarks praising staff and noting a 4% across-the-board pay raise for state employees and targeted increases for law enforcement and firefighters, followed by a recognition for FAMU Day at the Capitol.

Transcript Highlights:

• the general fund impact, so you can see the full Social Security subtraction and then you can see payments
• to counties with casinos see payments to counties with casinos and<00:03:27.040> tribal<00:03
• <00:03:43.720> so make um those statutory payments so make um those statutory payments so
• Other entities get their payment in kind of one lump sum.
• every other entity gets their gets split every other entity gets their payment<00:28:58.159> in

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 5 was heard in the Transportation Committee and moved by the author, Representative Jim Joy, to be referred to the Tax Committee. Joy described the bill as a package to make Minnesota more affordable by fully eliminating the Social Security tax subtraction, ending the motor fuels tax indexing, repealing the retail delivery fee, and studying vehicle registration/license taxes compared with neighboring states. Committee fiscal staff explained the bill’s fiscal effects across the general fund, highway user tax distribution fund, transportation advancement account, and metro county sales tax allocations, including that the delivery fee repeal would reduce Transportation Advancement Account revenue and that the bill would shift some revenue sources to offset losses. Several stakeholders testified. The Minnesota Grocers Association strongly supported repealing the retail delivery fee, arguing it is costly and complex for retailers to administer, especially small businesses, and that the costs are ultimately passed on to consumers. The Minnesota Propane Association also supported repeal, saying the fee is burdensome for propane businesses, that only a small share of deliveries are actually subject to it, and that compliance costs can exceed the fee revenue collected. Fiscal staff noted that delivery fee revenue forecasts have fallen below earlier projections, and explained that the fee is imposed on sellers with several exemptions, including a $100 transaction threshold and exemptions for some sales such as bars, restaurants, nonprofits, and certain small businesses. Opposition came from local government groups. The League of Minnesota Cities said it supported the Transportation Advancement Account and its 2023 funding sources, including the delivery fee and motor vehicle parts sales tax, and warned that the bill would prematurely alter a funding structure that cities rely on for predictable transportation revenue. The Minnesota Association of Small Cities said small cities had long lacked dedicated transportation funding and wanted a stable, ongoing revenue stream, but were neutral on the exact source as long as it was reliable. Metro Cities echoed support for stable, predictable transportation funding for metro-area cities. The committee took testimony and discussion only; no final vote was recorded in the excerpt beyond the motion to refer the bill to the Tax Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:27:00.920> It<00:27:01.040> split<00:27:01.480> the directly related to
• It split the directly related to this.
• It split the uh uh uh It<00:27:03.400> it<00:27:03.520> has<00:27:03.720> an<00:
• I have a question on the additional how the lease payments are structured.
• The nonprofit will pay for those lease payments, but it's basically a lease to themselves for the most

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's probably the terminology you're most familiar with is the per-pupil payment.
• And the purpose of deducting the Medicaid payment is not to... Of the situation.
• rather than the full payment.
• And even the payment models, or the per-pupil payment at the time, was just over 9,000.
• So as hopefully the legislature provides increases to the per-pupil payment, those transportation payments

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what do we know about how this kind of lump sum payment could affect their eligibility for Medicaid
• This is a $25,000 one-time payment to Just to put it very bluntly, whoever is still living in this group
• But that would be a kind of a bifurcated fund where Charter schools can apply for direct loan payments
• Why is that split out?
• So, it's only five that will split that $2 million dollars, which comes from this bill.

Bills: HB4030, HB4031, HB4032, HB4033, HB4034, HB4035, HB4036, HB4037, HB4038, HB4039, HB4040, HB4041, HB4042, HB4043, HB4044, HB4045, HB4046, HB4047, HB4048, HB4049, HB4050, HB4051, HB4052, HB4053, HB4054, HB4056, HB4057, HB4065, HB4067, HB4071, HB4072, SB1144, SB1145, SB1146, SB1147, SB1148, SB1149, SB1156, SB1157, SB1158, SB1159, SB1161, SB1162, SB1163, SB1164, SB1165, SB1166, SB1167, SB1174, SB1175, SB1176

Keywords: education funding, budget appropriations, public schools, teachers' retirement, early childhood education, aeronautics, infrastructure, funding, sustainability, Oklahoma, mining, operator fees, coal production, noncoal mining, department of mines, revenue, state budget, budgetary reform, financial legislation, fiscal accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• The problem is the rule cites the requirements in HC 6355 regarding certification for payment of foster
• End of next year, we're going to receive much lower payments from the federal government.
• Making it into smaller pieces. >> You could split it.
• Um, so yes, you could split it and, um, get it down to that size.
• problem by splitting. Is that right? problem by splitting. Is that right?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with routine business, including the Pledge of Allegiance, seating alternates, and approval of the minutes and consent calendar. Both were approved without opposition. The committee then moved to the regular calendar, beginning with Department of Environmental Services drinking water rules (2532). Staff noted that the final proposal deleted requirements that had been in the initial proposal, making the published notice technically inaccurate because it said there were no substantive changes. The agency responded that the requirements still exist in other rules, that regulated entities and the Water Council were notified, and that the public had notice through related hearings. After discussion about whether a new noticed hearing was needed, the committee approved the rule. The next item was Department of Administrative Services personnel rule 2510 on seniority and employee performance evaluation. Staff raised informational comments and one unclear comment about language that appeared to require a checkbox even though no form exists, and about evaluation categories that could overlap. The agency said the checkbox language should be removed, but defended the overlapping categories as part of a long-standing template used by agencies for the past 10 years. Members discussed whether the language was too ambiguous or could lead to inconsistent application, but the committee ultimately approved the rule with a condition striking the checkbox language in the affected sections. The committee then considered personnel rule 25109 on investigations, discipline, non-disciplinary communications, and non-disciplinary removal. Staff recommended clarifying language distinguishing license suspension from termination for cause, and questioned whether the sexual-harassment discipline language was too broad because the same conduct could fit multiple discipline levels. The agency agreed to add the suggested clarification for the license-suspension provision, but argued the sexual-harassment language should remain because another rule already provides the factors for determining the appropriate discipline and the agency needs discretion for fact-specific cases. The discussion included concerns about how non-verbal conduct might be treated, but the committee moved toward conditional approval with the agreed clarification and approval of the rest of the rule as written.