Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Now, this act covers both a budget and a policy request. Our budget is what I'll cover first.
• </c><00:08:09.880><c> You</c> are than some with similar budgets.
• You are than some with similar budgets.
• </c> states have smaller Medicaid budgets states have smaller Medicaid budgets than<00:08:14.280><c>
• </c> budget. Uh-huh. budget. Uh-huh.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:35:43.839><c> as</c> program both in terms of its budget as program both in terms of its budget
• We then subtract 50% of their budget.
• </c> first slides, um, $247 million budget. first slides, um, $247 million budget.
• Um, and that's a larger budget so.
• It's an overall budget and vacuum.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our budgeting process is complex.
• </c><00:58:55.039><c> drivers</c> course are our major budget drivers course are our major budget drivers
• That's a different discussion: is that in our budget, or is that an education budget?
• or is that an education budget or is that an education budget<01:11:18.600><c> Senator</c><01:11:18.960
• Senator a this is in this is in budget Senator a this is in this is in our<01:11:21.040><c> budget</

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So when we're talking about the base, Minnesota budgets on a base budgeting system.
• </c> uh Minnesota budgets on a base budgeting uh Minnesota budgets on a base budgeting system<00:03:06.560
• </c><00:03:10.239><c> it</c> zero each time it sets a budget it zero each time it sets a budget it operates
• </c> base upon which you will set your budget base upon which you will set your budget this<00:03:39.920
• </c> and then you will set the base budget and then you will set the base budget for<00:03:45.519><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We will be recommending funds budgeted to be spent in Q4 be reallocated to projects with gaps who can
• Pass to the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget.
• The Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget, with a vote of 21 to 0, will report out to do pass
• to the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget.
• Will declare the motion to have passed to move on to a Joint Committee on Appropriation and Budget.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reappropriations, but it does make me a little nervous anytime we move something out of the operating budget
• And second to that, obviously moving $186 million out of the operating budget to 17 does significantly
• ... ...moving $186 million out of the operating budget to 17 does significantly decrease what our operating
• budget looks like, but really we’re just moving $186 million from the operating budget to 17.
• And again, after last year, I’ve had this conversation: not watching all the budget bills make it to

Summary: The committee took up a series of capital and reappropriation bills, with the chair explaining proposed reductions or removals of funding that had not been spent or were no longer expected to be needed. Discussion focused on projects such as railroad grade crossing work, Mississippi levee stabilization, strategic mining, the Missouri Housing Trust Fund, tornado-related reappropriations, the Kansas City Behavioral Health Hospital, Camp Avery, and a Columbia-area highway/interchange project. Members asked for clarification on several items, including the strategic mining line item, the Columbia/Highway 63 project, and the treatment of older projects that had been appropriated in 2023 but had little or no expenditure. The chair said his general approach was to pull back funds that had not been used unless there was a clear, imminent need, and noted that some projects had grown significantly beyond original estimates. House Bill 2017 was amended and advanced after discussion of moving storm-related funding into reappropriations and concerns about taking large amounts out of the operating budget. The committee then adopted substitutes and voted House Bill 2017 do pass by a 28-1 vote, House Bill 2018 do pass by a 28-0 vote, House Bill 2019 do pass by a 29-0 vote, and House Bill 2020 do pass by a 28-0 vote. House Bill 2019 included a $10.7 million increase for a DSS youth services facility in the St. Louis area, described as a new treatment-oriented youth center in Bellefontaine, with members noting the project had risen from an earlier estimate of about $7 million to roughly $18 million total. House Bill 2020 involved final ARPA-related adjustments, including a small reduction and moving FTE language back to another bill, with the chair explaining that remaining unspent ARPA dollars would ultimately be directed to the foundation formula if not otherwise obligated and spent before the deadline.

Transcript Highlights:

• Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff must adjust the CSF per-pupil calculations to exclude the weighted
• There are severe impacts toward budgeting, toward overall budgeting.
• a district spend at least 60% of operational funding on teacher pay, but operational funding and budgets
• And operational budgets also fund curriculum development, teacher training, technology services, special
• They want teachers who are actually compensated and given classroom supply budgets, right?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Government considered only SCR 1032, along with a strike-everything amendment. The amendment would require school districts, subject to voter approval, to dedicate at least 60% of operational spending to teacher pay, with a phased-in increase beginning in FY 2028 for districts below that threshold. It also ties compliance to Classroom Site Fund eligibility, requires unexpended CSF monies to revert if a district is found out of compliance, and allows limited waivers from the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The sponsor argued the measure would correct what he described as a long-term misallocation of education funding and give voters a chance to prioritize teachers. Supporters, including representatives from Heritage Action, the Goldwater Institute, and the Center for Arizona Policy, said district spending has risen while teacher pay has remained flat in real terms, and argued the measure would increase transparency and accountability and ensure more money reaches teachers. Opponents, including a representative of the Rural Arizona School Coalition, said the proposal would be difficult for rural districts to meet and would squeeze out other necessary costs such as fuel, insurance, facilities, and minimum wage increases. A committee member also raised concerns that the measure could harm special education and other student support services by forcing districts to shift funds away from those areas. During discussion, the sponsor said charter schools were not included because he viewed them as private businesses, despite a member noting state law defines them as public schools. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then approved SCR 1032 as amended. The final vote was 4 ayes, 3 nays, and 0 not voting, sending the measure out with a do pass as amended recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's where, of course, budget busters and those kinds of things absolutely come into play, into
• So it becomes a big budget issue all the way around.
• They're all additions to the existing budget. So I think we have to prioritize what we can do.
• And maybe, Budget.
• And I have heard from Colby Brown that, as they consider their next budget, there’s a hole in that budget

Summary: The committee first approved the previous meeting minutes and then heard a detailed annual report from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and policy issues. He explained the committee’s review process, confidentiality protections, and national and North Dakota data showing that most maternal deaths are preventable and that mental health conditions, substance use, cardiovascular issues, infection, hemorrhage, and embolism are the leading causes. Members asked about suicide, domestic violence, midwife training, home births, and whether pregnancy testing at death scenes should be expanded; Dr. Arnold said better coroner education, more investigation of unexplained deaths, and possible post-mortem pregnancy testing could improve case identification, especially in rural areas. He also noted that deaths often occur well after 42 days postpartum and that mental health-related deaths remain a major concern. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark on cigarette reduced-ignition-propensity standards and related fire prevention issues. He recommended updating the state’s cigarette propensity law to current national standards and also raised a separate recommendation to require fast-breakaway oxygen tubing for home oxygen users, citing fatal fires linked to smoking around oxygen. Members asked about implementation, cost, insurance coverage, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Dr. Clark said he would provide follow-up information and was willing to help with any legislation, but no agency bill had yet been planned. Next, Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services reported on the North Dakota Stroke System of Care. She described the statewide network of stroke-ready hospitals, registry-based quality improvement, and performance data showing continued improvement in stroke recognition, imaging, thrombolytic treatment, transfers, and EMS pre-notification. She highlighted new quality measures for inter-facility transfers and intracerebral hemorrhage care, and said the system remains strong but depends on continued legislative and hospital support. Committee members asked about participation by the VA hospital and were encouraged to consider outreach to include it more fully in the stroke system. Finally, the committee began a presentation on prior authorization and non-opioid pain treatment from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to non-opioid acute pain medications, especially in the 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window when pain is most severe, and said delays can push patients toward opioids. He emphasized that prior authorization has a role in utilization management but should not create barriers in acute pain care, and he noted that current use of the company’s non-opioid product remains very low. The discussion was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there objection to the gentleman taking these budget items up in block?
• This is the budget for the Board of Cosmetology and Barbering.
• "This is the budget for the Board of Nursing Home Administrators.
• This is the budget for the Board of Psychology. Final action came in at $170,687.
• This is the budget for the the changes.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 18 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, uh, we know that this committee has a very small budget target every budget year, and uh I would
• budget target every<00:31:32.240><c> every</c><00:31:32.640><c> budget</c><00:31:32.960><c> year</c><
• Um that's probably not into our budget.
• But will take up the budget provisions.
• Uh, File 3096, which is our budget bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. included in the governor's banian budget included in the governor's banian budget request<
• </c><00:33:06.480><c> wise</c> legislation as far as the budget wise legislation as far as the budget
• If you add something new to your budget, something has to give. So keep that in mind.
• If you really want this, then something on your budget might get cut for it.
• If you really want this, then something on your budget might get cut for it.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He said they do need to keep it up with inflation because it is eroding the budget.
• He said they do need to keep it up with inflation because it is eroding the budget.
• </c><00:29:10.159><c> and</c> eroding you know overall our budget and eroding you know overall our budget
• That has been demonstrated by the budget that comes out of Washington, D.C.
• </c> address uh our budget address uh our budget and<00:54:52.720><c> my</c><00:54:52.960><c> colleague

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in a revenue estimate work session to approve an LSR codifying the committee’s revenue estimates. Members reviewed the process for turning the LSR into a House Resolution and discussed how the adopted estimates would be used to amend House Bill 1. After a brief question-and-answer about current revenue splits and the governor’s proposed video lottery and tax-split changes, the committee voted 19-0 to approve the revenue estimates. The committee then moved into executive session on HB 669, which would require all revenue from the statewide education property tax to be deposited into the education trust fund and set an equalized statewide tax rate. Supporters argued the bill would better direct education funding, while opponents said it was unnecessary or duplicative. The committee voted 12-7 to retain the bill (ITL), and a minority report was noted. Next, the committee considered HB 290, which would raise cigarette and electronic cigarette taxes and create a study committee on tobacco and nicotine taxes. Testimony focused on revenue needs, inflation, public health, and concerns that a higher tax could reduce sales or drive purchases across state lines. The committee voted 11-8 to ITL the bill, with a minority report. The committee also ITL’d HB 402, dealing with whether Education Freedom Account payments are taxable income, after debate over unintended consequences and whether the bill’s language was misleading; that vote was 11-8 with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened HB 483, and Representative Tierney moved ITL, arguing the bill’s requirement that the scholarship organization be incorporated in New Hampshire would likely violate the Commerce Clause; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Marine Lemo, estimates that a pension obligation bond would generate an additional $10 million in budget
• the city expects the legislation would provide immediate relief on the city's strained operating budget
• Marine Lemo, estimates that a pension obligation bond would generate an additional $10 million in budget
• , the city expect the legislation would provide immediate relief on the city's strained operating budget
• Thank you for your consideration. immediate relief on the city's strained operating budget.

Bills: H5426, H5434, S3084, S3087, S3088, S3092

Keywords: North Attleborough, town charter, home rule charter, municipal government, local option, charter amendment, Parks and Recreation Commission, Park Commission, write-in candidate, sticker candidate, ballot access, town election, bylaw, ordinance, board membership, local approval, Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, planning board, associate members

Transcript Highlights:

• And in the face of a structural budget deficit, as we've been talking about this week, of course, cuts
• deficit and the legislative budget plan proposes to underfund schools by $3.9 billion.
• The Legislature needs to look at all options to stabilize the budget and prevent cuts in the future.
• If California examines every line item in the budget every year, the least we can do is examine the huge
• , they may do things. ...disturbing, considering we know that when people are on a tight budget they

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Infrastructure needs are growing, and local governments are struggling to close budget gaps.
• Over time, these financing costs can consume a significant share of project budgets.
• For instance, ridding our education workforce of housing insecurity can help see decreases in our budgets
• for social safety nets, our health care programs... ...in our budgets for social safety nets, our health
• are maybe more long-term investments that we can make because it's for the overall benefit of our budget

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met and first approved the consent calendar, which included AB 2028, AB 2425, and committee bill AB 2795, all sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee also noted that AB 2558 and AB 2746 had been pulled from the agenda. The chair reviewed hearing procedures, including acceptance of written testimony and rules against disruptive conduct. The committee then heard AB 2116, which would require registration and basic conduct standards for certain small-business financing providers, including merchant cash advance companies, and prohibit confessions of judgment and power-of-attorney provisions before default. Supporters argued the bill would close an oversight gap and improve transparency for small businesses; a small business owner testified that a purported 13% loan turned out to have a 235% APR. Opponents said the bill mixed consumer and commercial regulation and could restrict access to capital, though they supported banning confessions of judgment. The bill passed on a roll call vote and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2243, by Assembly Member Haney, proposed creating a state bank commission to study whether California should establish a state bank or other public financing tools. Supporters said a public banking model could reduce borrowing costs, keep more public money in-state, and better finance housing, infrastructure, and other public priorities; opponents from banking groups raised concerns about taxpayer exposure, deposit guarantees, and the use of public funds and existing lending structures. The bill passed and was sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 2350, which would set guardrails on rent-now-pay-later products for rental housing; supporters said these products can lead to high fees, debt, and eviction risk, while industry groups opposed the bill unless amended. AB 2350 passed as amended and was sent to Appropriations. At the end of the meeting, the committee completed roll calls for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Infrastructure needs are growing, and local governments are struggling to close budget gaps.
• Over time, these financing costs can consume a significant share of project budgets.
• for social safety nets, our health care programs, ...in our budgets for social safety nets, our health
• How do you see this working in terms of the state budget and being the fourth or fifth largest economy
• are maybe more long-term investments that we can make because it's for the overall benefit of our budget

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, we're your committee on joint budget committee? From select committees.
• Members, before we move on down to the budget calendar, Representative Warren, for what purpose?
• Members, before we move on down to the budget calendar, Representative Warren, for what purpose?
• Representative Johnson will now present the budget calendar. Johnson, you are recognized.
• This is within their own budget.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, and received a Joint Budget Committee report on several bills. The chamber also recognized guests, including state troopers, a doctor of the day, visitors from civic and advocacy groups, and students from the Arkansas School for Math, Science, and the Arts. The House adopted House Resolution 1034, supporting Arkansas poultry producers in the Illinois River watershed and urging good-faith negotiations, by a 97-0 vote. It also adopted House Concurrent Memorial Resolution 1001 honoring Bishop Kenneth Liddell Robinson, Sr., by a 98-0 vote. The House then considered several amendments to appropriation bills, including changes affecting the Department of Education, public safety, county jail reimbursement language, Agriculture fee waivers, the Drug Task Force, pregnancy help organizations, and tire recycling fees. All of those amendments were adopted without recorded opposition. The chamber then moved through a budget calendar, with leadership explaining that some bills were general appropriations, some were reappropriations for ongoing capital projects, and four were supplemental appropriations. On final passage, House Bill 1006 passed 87-5; House Bill 1053, the appropriation for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, failed 71-19; House Bill 1086 passed 96-0; House Bill 1087 passed 81-8; House Bill 1088 passed 97-0; House Bill 1094 passed 96-1; House Bill 1084 passed 96-0; House Bill 1097 passed 75-16; and House Bill 1098 failed 0-85 after Representative Henley spoke against it and said leadership had not responded to questions. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 11 a.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will be recommending funds budgeted to be spent in quarter four be reallocated to projects with gaps
• we'll declare the motion to have passed and move on to the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget
• I declare the motion to have passed and will move on to the Joint Committee on Appropriation and Budget
• I declare the motion to have passed, and we’ll move on to Joint Committee on Appropriation and Budget
• So all of our members will, at least on the appropriation budget, we'll see these bills, and then we'll

Summary: The Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding met for what leaders described as likely its final meeting, with a quorum present from both chambers. Chairs reviewed the ARPA/SLFRF process, noting the large volume of requests received, the need to meet Treasury’s December 31, 2026 paperwork deadline, and the committee’s role in reallocating excess or at-risk funds to projects that can be completed in time. Working groups reported on progress across education/economic development, transportation/rural development, government transformation, and health and human services, with most projects on track but some funds needing to be reclassified or redirected. The committee approved a series of motions, generally by unanimous or near-unanimous votes, to reclassify excess funds and appropriate interest earnings to existing obligated projects. Actions included reallocations from the Department of Commerce and the Office of Emergency Management, and interest-fund appropriations for wastewater and water infrastructure, Boys & Girls Clubs, the YWCA, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, and the Department of Human Services. Members also authorized the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the Healthcare Workforce Training Commission to reallocate remaining funds to existing projects. In the health and human services portion, the committee approved funding for the Oklahoma Healthcare Workforce Training Commission, the OSU Medical Authority’s Human Performance Project and Pharmaceutical Expansion Program, the University Hospitals Trust Authority’s Child Behavioral Health Project, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for Griffin Memorial bed replacement, and the State Department of Health for the Rural Hospital Rebuild Program. Members asked questions about whether funds were going to new or existing projects and about broadband progress, and staff explained that the reallocations were intended to fill gaps in already obligated projects. The meeting ended with closing remarks thanking members and staff for their work and noting the measures would continue through the appropriations process before final action by the full chambers.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, first bullet to protect this: protecting the Soil and Water Conservation Commission budget for the
• The budget right now for the Soil and Water Conservation Commission, I think, is somewhere in the order
• to what it looks like in statute for these two agencies to be formed, and then prepare a combined budget
• So combining budget 215 and 360 into a budget, and then bring a legislative packet and the combined budget
• But if, when all the budgets are combined going forward, there's any extra money we can find to go towards

Summary: The Senate Agricultural Committee approved the minutes from its February 17 and February 19, 2026 meetings and then heard a presentation from the Department of Water Resources and the Langdon Group on a proposed merger of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission into the Department of Water Resources. The presenters described an eight-to-ten month evaluation process that included stakeholder interviews, a broad survey, and a workshop, and said the goal was to preserve the commission’s non-regulatory identity while gaining administrative efficiencies and technical support. They recommended placing the merged commission within IDWR, retaining commission oversight of programs and funding, preserving branding and legislative reporting, and formalizing a conservation partnership framework to protect the voluntary nature of the commission’s work. Committee members asked about the cost of the study, which was reported at about $90,000 total, split between the two agencies, and about expected savings. Director Weaver said the current legislation and fiscal note anticipate about $110,000 in immediate personnel savings from eliminating the administrator position, with additional modest savings possible over time in operations, equipment, IT, and office space. He also explained that the bureau chief would be hired with commission participation in the selection process, similar to the existing relationship with the Idaho Water Resource Board. Weaver said the merger has received broad support from stakeholders, including the Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts, while the Idaho Farm Bureau had initially opposed it but later became neutral. He said the next steps are to complete the pending legislation, work through the executive agency legislative services process, and return with additional statutory changes and a combined budget in 2027. The meeting ended with a brief water supply update noting statewide snowpack at about 74% of normal and concerns about a warm forecast and possible drought conditions later in the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• , the current budgets, were premised on what is allowed in current law...
• That means that those budgets, the current budgets, were premised on what is allowed in current law.
• The annual budgets and other decisions about these amenities are not turned over to the board that is
• the developer may not exceed the members' proportional share of expenses set forth in the annual budget
• Residents face liens and foreclosures without access to budgets, reserves, or proof that fees reflect

Bills: S0936, S1724, S1014, S1498

Keywords: temporary door locking device, emergency safety, building code, training programs, fire exit security, utility services, municipal agreements, public meetings, rates and fees, public service commission, municipal utility, water service, wastewater service, property owners, annexation, civil action, community associations, condominium, homeowners associations, structural integrity

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and took up four bills. First, it considered SB 1724 on municipal utility services. Senator Martin offered a late-filed delete-everything amendment that would require annual customer meetings for extraterritorial utility customers, cap use of gross utility revenues for general government at 10%, eliminate a 25% surcharge on customers outside city limits, reduce the rate differential cap from 50% to 25%, remove municipal natural gas utilities from the bill, and preserve certain existing bond-related surcharges until debt is retired or refinanced. The League of Cities raised implementation concerns about the July 1, 2026 effective date and the need for rate studies and budget adjustments. The amendment was adopted and the committee reported CS/SB 1724 favorably. The committee then heard SB 936 on temporary door locking devices from Senator McLean. The bill would define temporary door locking devices, allow them to be installed at any height, require the Florida Building Commission to add standards to the Florida Building Code, and require their use to be incorporated into safety plans, drills, and training. With no opposition or amendments, SB 936 was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 1014 by Senator Mayfield, which would prohibit municipalities from refusing water or wastewater service solely because a property owner will not annex, and would require service expansion when a property is near a municipal main line, not served by another utility, and the utility has capacity. A committee amendment narrowed the bill to properties near a main line and reduced the distance threshold from 2,000 meters to one-half mile. The Florida League of Cities opposed the bill as amended, citing concerns about property size, annexation conflicts, enclave creation, and possible revenue impacts, but the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 1498 on community associations from Chair Bradley. A strike-all amendment revised technical provisions on video conference recordings, turnover inspection reports, SIRS references, and electronic voting, and added two major policy changes: requiring associations to provide records to law enforcement and prosecutors and creating a second-degree misdemeanor for willful refusal, and prohibiting mandatory club or amenity fee schemes controlled by developers or third parties that generate profit beyond proportional expenses. Testimony in support described homeowner disputes involving concentrated board control, lack of transparency, and mandatory fees in communities such as Rosedale. The amendment was adopted and CS/SB 1498 was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, Senator Bracey Davis asked to be recorded voting in the affirmative on tabs 1, 2, and 3, and the committee adjourned.