Transcript Highlights:

• Far too long we have seen surplus after surplus pile up in our state coffers.
• It would be 105% of the surplus.
• constitution, I urge you to take the surplus into consideration.
• This is not a theoretical problem. $18 billion surplus.
• And we believe it's time to return surplus dollars.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're looking at a one-time appropriation is what you're asking for.
• Thank you. truly is just a one-time appropriation truly is just a one-time appropriation and<00:36:11.440
• <00:42:16.400> 27 actually a surplus and that the 27 actually a surplus and that the 27 fiscal
• You're asking for an appropriation out of this.
• You're asking for an appropriation out of this.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3403, authored by Vice Chair Rep. Kazowski, and first adopted an A1 amendment. The amendment made technical and implementation changes recommended by the Department of Revenue, allowed a small portion of funds for county and tribal administrative costs, and clarified timing and reporting for spent and unspent funds. After the amendment was adopted, the bill was moved to Ways and Means. Rep. Kazowski described HF 3403 as a $50 million emergency rental assistance measure to help stabilize households facing eviction, with $44 million directed to counties and $6 million reserved for tribal nations, administered through the Department of Revenue using the existing local homeless prevention aid formula. Supporters said the bill would provide immediate, targeted help to renters and landlords, prevent evictions, and reduce downstream costs to shelters, schools, employers, and health systems. Several testifiers, including representatives from Greater Twin Cities United Way, St. Louis County, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, social workers, a resident, and tribal housing leaders, said local resources were insufficient to meet rising need and emphasized the impact of federal immigration enforcement and related economic disruption on families, workers, and communities. Testimony highlighted sharp increases in rental assistance requests, rising eviction filings, depleted county funds, and the strain on nonprofit and mutual aid efforts. County and city officials said emergency rental assistance and related legal services had already prevented thousands of evictions, but current funding was not enough. Tribal testimony stressed disproportionate homelessness among Native Americans and supported the bill’s tribal allocation. During member discussion, Rep. Amani Hiltsley said the bill was an economic stabilization tool and requested a roll call vote, noting safeguards against fraud and the broader costs of inaction.

Bills: HR206, SB3083, SB2377, SB2816, SB3248, SB2436, SB2259, SB2928, SB2577, SB2697, SB2399, SB2665, SB2851, SB3102, SB2521, SB3157, SB3255, SB3016, SB2765, SB1432, SB17, SB2401, SB2972, SB3014, SB3032, SB3137, SB847, SB2261, SB2271, SB2272, SB2804, SB3007, SB3019, SB3250, SB2603, SB3022, SB2256, SB2147, SB2014, SB2114, SB2115, SB2117, SB2246, SB2519, SB3055, SB3095, SB3144, SB3264, SB2325, SB2211, SB3245, SB2090, SB2803, SB2866, SB2250, SB2497, SB2032, SB2487, SB3136, SB2756, SB2615, SB3262, SB2024, SB2177, SB2552, SB2319, SB2407, SB2153, SB2321, SB2805, SB3010, SB2892, SB2781, SB2489, SB2174, SB2169, SB3123

Keywords: Robert Bob Toyofuku, Hawaii legal community, House Resolution, commendation, honorary resolution, legal education, continuing legal education, CLE, William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii law school, Pacific Law Institute, attorney training, legal ethics, professional responsibility, legal mentorship, legal profession, court-annexed arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, appellate decisions, Hawaii Supreme Court

Transcript Highlights:

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

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

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

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:36:26.840> to<03:36:27.040> a that they've appropriated to a that they've appropriated
• The governing body should not be required to accept the surplus.
• If this truly is enabling that surplus, it should be may.
• the surplus.
• <04:30:23.640> vote majority is is not the appropriate vote majority is is not the appropriate

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, Minnesota's appropriation section.
• Senate-only language regarding insufficient appropriations for the state grant program and surplus appropriations
• Senate-only language regarding insufficient appropriations for the state grant program and surplus appropriations
• <00:13:30.480> un provision um making surplus un provision um making surplus un appropriations
• Um there appropriation to min state.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Just going over the surplus statement really quick.
• over the surplus statement really quick. over the surplus statement really quick. uh<00:05:23.680
• and appropriations in the general fund. and appropriations in the general fund.
• <00:06:20.639> as were estimated, your appropriations as were estimated, your appropriations
• surplus beginning into the next bianium. surplus beginning into the next bianium.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a member of Appropriations and I may need to leave today's hearing to add on votes if that committee
• year of bad news in 2025, May revision next week, it's hard to forget that the state had a record surplus
• I remember asking the new member orientation why we did not put more of the projected surplus aside in
• That's called the State Appropriations Limit at the state level.
• So with that, happy to take questions at the appropriate time.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> So they've been turning to surplus >> So they've been turning to surplus lines.<00
• surplus lines. surplus lines.
• coverage in surplus lines. coverage in surplus lines. >> Okay. >> Okay.
• the surplus lines market still suddenly the surplus lines market still wants<01:05:15.839> those<
• up in surplus lines market. up in surplus lines market.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint committees held an informational briefing on efforts to expand insurance capacity in Hawaii’s property market, especially for condominium and homeowners coverage. The Insurance Commissioner reviewed the background: a legislative task force, the governor’s emergency proclamation in August 2024, and Senate Bill 1044 in May 2025 led to new condo insurance products. He said the work over the past two and a half years was producing positive results and introduced representatives from HPIA and HHRF/HHR to provide updates. HPIA’s board chair and its administrator described the organization’s history, structure, and current products. HPIA said it was created in 1991 as a residual market for homeowners insurance, now writing four residential products: HO2 homeowners, renters, HO6 condo unit owners, and dwelling fire. They reported policy counts have grown again as admitted-market carriers tightened underwriting, and they discussed financial pressure from reinsurance costs, though those costs had declined in 2025 after different purchasing decisions. They also said the market has become more favorable overall, with some capacity returning and deductibles beginning to ease. Members focused much of their questioning on HPIA’s proposed higher dwelling limits. HPIA explained that the current $450,000 limit for homeowners and dwelling fire was set in 2023, but agents are now asking for a higher limit in the $650,000 to $750,000 range because construction costs have risen and many policies are not being submitted when the limit is too low. HPIA said it has the authority to raise the limit through a filing with the Insurance Division and expects more submissions if the cap increases. They also discussed the shift in the book of business from roughly 70% lava-zone coverage to closer to a 50/50 split between lava and non-lava risks. HPIA outlined strategic initiatives: a new policy administration system that went live October 1 and now allows online payments, online claims reporting, and electronic notices; a filed request to raise the homeowners and dwelling fire limit to $650,000 effective March 1 for new business and April 1 for renewals; an increase in the HO6 condo unit owners limit from $5,000 to $100,000; and a planned commercial property all-other-perils-excluding-hurricane condo product targeted for filing by January 31. No votes were taken, and the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to remind you, you watched an $18 billion surplus be spent.
• Democrats over the last two years did the exact opposite thing again, spending an $18 billion surplus
• I want to remind you, you watched an $18 billion surplus be spent.
• You watched an $18 billion surplus be spent.
• Democrats over the last two years did the exact opposite thing again, spending an $18 billion surplus

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House Republican leaders, led by Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth and Majority Leader Harry Niska, outlined their priorities for the upcoming Minnesota House session and said they intend to use an organizational majority to advance their agenda. They said their focus will be on stopping fraud, making government more accountable, reducing taxes and fees, and addressing affordability, energy costs, public safety, education, and permitting reform. Specific proposals mentioned included repealing the tax on Social Security benefits, rolling back automatic gas tax increases, repealing the nuclear moratorium, and changing state programs they said should be limited to people in the country legally. A central theme was the creation of a new House committee on fraud and agency oversight, which Republicans said will have subpoena power and be chaired by Rep. Kristin Robbins. They said the committee will investigate known fraud, review agency internal controls, and press agencies for information on staffing, office space, and cost savings. Rep. Jim Nash also described a proposed “fraud note” scoring system to rate agencies on whether they have implemented Office of the Auditor’s recommendations, with the goal of informing appropriations decisions. On education and public safety, Niska said Republicans want fewer mandates and higher standards in schools, citing low reading and math proficiency, and leaders said they want stronger accountability for repeat and juvenile offenders. They also said they expect committee chairs to be Republican, may reduce Democratic committee seats if Democrats do not show up, and are not planning a power-sharing agreement unless the chamber returns to a true tie. They discussed the pending court case involving Rep. Brad Tabke, a possible recall process for absent legislators, remote voting rules, and a special election timeline, while insisting they expect Democrats to appear on the first day of session and that they will proceed with organizing the House and electing a speaker on January 14.

Transcript Highlights:

• floating uh surplus floating uh surplus threshold threshold threshold creates creates creates uh
• <00:23:32.720> that one-time monies that had a surplus that one-time monies that had a surplus
• <00:26:08.320> plus business enterprise tax surplus plus business enterprise tax surplus plus
• Is there done with an appropriation.
• But under receive appropriate care.

Keywords: 9:00am HB 155 9:30am HB 1102 10:30am HB 1109 11:00am HB 1356 11:30am HB 1469 1:00pm HB 1323 2:00pm HB 1376, 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with unanimous committee approval of amendment 2026-2021S to HB 2. Senator Lang explained the amendment corrected a drafting error so that $2.5 million in state funds, matched with federal money for a total of $5 million, could be spent during the biennium rather than lapse at the end of the fiscal year. The money is intended to stabilize Medicaid per diem rates for county nursing homes, and members agreed without objection to adopt the amendment and continue working from the bill as amended by the Senate. The committee then discussed HB 155 and a proposed amendment, 2026-201H, dealing with the business enterprise tax. The House side described the proposal as a compromise that would raise the filing threshold from $250,000 to $375,000 and create a trigger that would reduce the BET rate by 0.05% for each $100 million in combined business tax surplus, down to a floor of 0.25%. Senate members opposed lowering the rate at this time, arguing that tax relief should focus on the filing threshold, which they said would remove filing burdens for about 3,500 small businesses, and that rate cuts should be considered in a budget cycle rather than an off-year. Concerns were raised that one-time revenues, such as tax amnesty receipts or federal repatriation-related surpluses, could unintentionally trigger reductions. Representative Sweeney later offered a revised approach by moving the effective date of the trigger mechanism to January 1, 2028, and said he was also willing to carve out tax amnesty revenues or adjust the effective date to avoid using one-time funds. The Senate remained unwilling to agree to a rate reduction, though it expressed openness to raising the filing threshold further. The committee ultimately did not resolve the business tax issue and recessed to continue discussions at a later time. The final item discussed was HB 1102, concerning an increase in the research and development tax credit paired with changes to state park fees. House members supported the R&D credit increase but opposed tying it to higher park fees, citing concerns about tourism, especially at border parks, and noting that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources had said it did not need the increase. Senate members defended the park fee changes as a fairness issue, arguing that New Hampshire residents should pay less than out-of-state visitors and that the department had not raised rates in many years. No vote was taken on this item during the discussion captured here.

Transcript Highlights:

• strictly in the uh u in the surplus strictly in the uh u in the surplus lines<00:05:13.520> uh
• I mean, even in the last... surplus line uh doesn't seem like the surplus line uh doesn't seem like the
• We probably would need an appropriation, at least a small one.
• of homes is that's your appropriation. of homes is that's your appropriation.
• I think the appropriate discount is.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The task force approved the minutes from the previous meeting and then reviewed the structure and statutory requirements for its final report. Staff explained that the report must go to the commissioners of commerce, housing finance, and economic development, as well as relevant legislative leaders, and must include a summary of task force activities, adopted findings and recommendations, tort reform recommendations to reduce insurance costs, any draft legislation, and other necessary information. A draft report, likely excluding recommendations and draft legislation, is expected to be circulated before the first January meeting. Most of the meeting focused on the Fair Plan and whether it could be expanded to help homeowners associations, affordable housing, and common interest communities that are struggling to obtain coverage. Supporters said these groups are facing availability problems and often end up in the surplus lines market, which lacks the consumer protections of the admitted market. They argued the Fair Plan could serve as a third-market option with stronger protections and better access, especially for properties that are having difficulty getting quotes. Several members and witnesses raised concerns that the Fair Plan was never intended to be a broad affordability solution and warned against using it to artificially lower prices below risk-based levels. They said doing so could shift losses onto other policyholders through assessments and potentially weaken the broader insurance market. The Fair Plan administrator explained that any expansion would require substantial research, staffing, actuarial and underwriting expertise, reinsurance planning, IT changes, and likely assessments or other capitalization decisions, and that the plan would need to focus on a limited subset of properties rather than the entire market. No votes were taken on policy recommendations, and the discussion ended with agreement that more information and scoping work are needed before any formal recommendation is made.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are not having a typical end of session, and it seems appropriate given that this freshman class's
• Cantella, Secretary, by Rules Appropriations, appropriation towards an Economic Development Committee
• Yes, they would have... to allow them to use surplus facilities or vacant facilities. Rep. Gantt.
• We can have a school that is in a school that falls under underused, vacant, or surplus property.
• The appropriation included in the Senate amendment out of their bill pot.

Bills: HJR 138, HB 42, HB 104, HB 129, HB 677, HB 426, HB 668, HB 1699, HB 2017, HB 2128, HB 2038, HB 3783, HB 3717, HB 2316, HB 3686, HB 2563, HB 3883, HB 4021, HB 2788, HB 2663, HB 3305, HB 3173, HB 3474, HB 1105, HB 3531, HB 3490, HB 3597, HB 1295, HB 3512, HB 3010, HB 3112, HB 4215, HB 3223, HB 3464, HB 3120, HB 4214, HB 4511, HB 3704, HB 4081, HB 4783, HB 4063, HB 2783, HB 4937, HB 5085, HB 2510, HB 3426, HB 4361, HB 1169, HB 2516, HB 2347, HB 4034, HB 4700, HB 3560, HB 5150, HB 3860, HB 3146, HB 3924, HCR 98, HCR 92, HB 1520, HB 1545, HB 5265, HB 1887, HB 1914, HB 2402, HB 2306, HB 2350, HB 3000, HB 3237, HB 3326, HB 3211, HB 1056, HB 2081, HB 2187, HB 3092, HB 3308, HB 3526, HB 3750, HB 4219, HB 4230, HB 4290, HB 5238, HB 4804, HB 4749, HB 245, HB 1465, HB 294, HB 793, HB 809, HB 3928, HB 334, HB 2037, HB 1973, HB 285, HB 4341, HB 1043, HB 1234, HB 1193, HB 1729, HB 2498, HB 1314, HB 1353, HB 3960, HB 3923, HB 2221, HB 2517, HB 2518, HB 2213, HB 5092, HB 3748, HB 5246, HB 4344, HB 1482, HB 4044, HB 2702, HB 4264, HB 2807, HB 2898, HB 3181, HB 3250, HB 2091, HB 2115, HB 2542, HB 2768, HB 3349, HB 4406, HB 1593, HB 1899, HB 3133, HB 3133, HB 4960, HB 3214, HB 2145, HB 1201, HB 5061, SB 29, SB 879, SB 65, SB 1745, SB 412, SB 412, SB 1746, SB 1238, SB 1341, SB 522, SB 1532, SB 1378, SB 1062, SB 2066, SB 1963, SB 2204, SB 1366, SB 2077, SB 1967, SB 1151, HB 1618, HB 2156, HB 2615, HB 2615, HB 2349, HB 1926, HB 569, HB 1762, HB 38, HJR 138, HB 42, HB 104, HB 104, HB 129, HB 677, HB 426, HB 668, HB 1699, HB 2017, HB 2128, HB 2038, HB 3783, HB 3717, HB 2316, HB 3686, HB 2563, HB 3883, HB 4021, HB 2788, HB 2663, HB 2663, HB 3305, HB 3173, HB 3474, HB 1105, HB 3531, HB 3531, HB 3490, HB 3490, HB 3597, HB 1295, HB 3512, HB 3010, HB 3112, HB 4215, HB 3223, HB 3223, HB 3464, HB 3120, HB 4214, HB 4511, HB 3704, HB 4081, HB 4783, HB 4063, HB 2783, HB 4937, HB 5085, HB 2510, HB 3426, HB 4361, HB 1169, HB 2516, HB 2347, HB 4034, HB 4700, HB 3560, HB 5150, HB 3860, HB 3146, HB 3924, HCR 98, HCR 92

Keywords: carbon tax, carbon emissions, greenhouse gas, climate policy, fuel tax, emissions tax, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, tax limitation, environmental tax, fossil fuels, energy policy, legislative taxing authority, ballot proposition, constitutional amendment, higher education, funding, financial allocation, state budget, Texas A&M University

Transcript Highlights:

• I respectfully ask for your aye vote when the time is appropriate. Thank you.
• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Appropriations. AB 795, Gonzalez.
• The motion is due pass as amended to the Committee on Appropriations.
• AB 1240, Ta, the motion is due pass to the Committee on Appropriations.
• AB 1240, Taw, the motion is due passed to the Committee on Appropriations.

Summary: The Governmental Organization Committee heard a series of bills focused largely on alcohol licensing, nonprofit funding, tribal grants, public transparency, and tobacco policy. AB 342 (Haney) would allow local governments to create hospitality zones with extended last-call hours on certain days; supporters argued it would boost tourism, nightlife, and major-event readiness, while opponents warned of alcohol-related harms and public safety risks. AB 684 (Patel) would subject the UC Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools to open-meeting requirements, with supporters saying admissions-related changes should be more transparent and allow schools time to adjust. AB 1008 (Addis) would authorize up to 10 new on-sale general licenses in San Luis Obispo County to meet tourism demand, and AB 1039 (Hart) would require state agencies to offer advance payments on new nonprofit grants and contracts, which supporters said would help cash-strapped nonprofits deliver services. AB 221 (Ramos) would revise the Tribal Nation Grant Fund to provide more predictable annual distributions to eligible non-gaming and limited-gaming tribes, and it drew broad support from tribal representatives and others. AB 795 (Jeff Gonzalez) would create a California commission for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, with supporters describing it as a privately funded, nonpartisan planning body. AB 828/AB 28 (Mark Gonzalez, as referenced in the transcript) would expand neighborhood-restricted liquor licenses in Los Angeles County to reduce costs and support restaurant recovery, and AB 1246 (Hoover) would increase craft distillers’ direct sales limits and address barrel-storage rules; both were supported as small-business measures. AB 1428 (Ta) would require reporting of all surplus and underutilized state land, and AB 957 (Ortega) would prohibit tobacco sales in pharmacies, with strong public health support. Several bills were voted out on motions to Appropriations, some with amendments, while others were held or left on call until quorum was established; the committee also adopted a consent calendar and left rolls open for absent members on multiple measures.

Transcript Highlights:

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

Bills: HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB 22

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Calendar item number three on page one: second reading of the bill, an act making appropriations for
• certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects, House Number 4005.
• I rise in support of House Bill 4005, an act making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2025.
• The legislation that is before you today aims to spend the FY24 surplus funds from the Fair Share surtax
• The remaining one-time surplus amounts to roughly $1.3 billion, and that is what is before you today.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and adopted two ceremonial resolutions: one commemorating the dedication of the Woburn Battle Road Memorial as part of the Massachusetts 250th celebration, and another recognizing May 1-7 as Elks National Youth Week. The chamber then took up House Bill 4005, a fiscal year 2025 supplemental appropriations bill using FY24 Fair Share surtax surplus funds, and ordered it to a third reading before later considering it for passage to be engrossed. During debate on the bill, the House heard a lengthy presentation in support of the proposal, which would direct about $828 million to transportation and $353 million to education. The transportation spending was described as primarily supporting the MBTA, including workforce and safety funding, reserve replenishment, station and infrastructure improvements, reduced fares, and reimbursement for tunnel closure costs, along with smaller amounts for regional transit authorities and unpaved roads. The education side included additional special education circuit breaker funding, vocational school capital, early education workforce supports, early literacy, universal school meals, higher education endowment matches, Green School Works, and ESOL waitlist reduction, with the Inspector General directed to review circuit breaker cost controls. Members then debated several amendments. One amendment related to a school athletics policy was modified by a further amendment calling for DESE analysis before implementation; both the further amendment and the underlying amendment as amended were adopted. A transportation amendment to shift $50 million from MBTA funding to Chapter 90 municipal roads was supported by members emphasizing rural road needs but was rejected on a roll call, 25-120. Another transportation amendment adding at least $300,000 for Route 93 mitigation costs in Medford was adopted, 133-20. The bill itself then passed to be engrossed on a roll call, 140-14. The House also observed moments of silence for former First Lady Kitty Dukakis and for victims of the Santo Domingo nightclub collapse, and later adopted an order to meet the next day at 11 a.m. before adjourning in memory of former Representative Philip W. Johnston.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's appropriation only. Any questions? Appreciate a good vote.
• They are all appropriations for next year. Take the time.
• This is House Bill 1066, the last of the appropriation bills.
• Senate Bill 67 is a University of Arkansas UAMS appropriation.
• But until it's a done deal, the money stays in the state surplus, the current surplus that we're in.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, granted several leaves, and received gubernatorial approval notices for multiple fiscal-session measures. The chamber then referred House Bill 1034 back to the Joint Budget Committee so pay raises could be stripped out and cybersecurity/bank-fee funding handled later. House Bill 1103, increasing the homestead property tax credit by $75, passed 94-0. Members then considered several budget amendments and appropriations. Amendments to House Bills 1007, 1022, 1036, and 1064 were adopted, and Senate Bill 76, a $2 million appropriation for county extension office capital improvements, passed 87-7. A batch of appropriation bills passed, but several individual bills failed, including House Bills 1023, 1035, 1053, and 1066. House Bills 1089 and 1090, supplemental appropriations for pregnancy crisis centers and waste tire cleanup, both passed. House Bill 1093, a corrections reappropriation bill that excluded use of funds in Franklin County, also passed 94-0. The most extensive debate centered on House Bill 1100 Amendment 1, which set out the RSA and one-time funding package. Supporters described major allocations for corrections, state police, LEARNS Freedom Accounts, Medicaid, vehicle purchases, and a proposed $300 million economic-development site-preparation and road package tied to a confidential project. Opponents criticized the secrecy, size, and policy approach of the incentive, while supporters argued it could bring jobs and broader economic benefits. The amendment passed 54-36-3. The House also passed Senate Bills 8, 16, 30, 63, 67, and 73, while Senate Bills 41 and 59 failed, and Senate Bill 10 passed after being briefly set aside for clarification. The chamber adjourned to 1 p.m. the next day, with committee meetings announced for budget and house management.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was not my surplus statement, okay?
• That was not my surplus statement, okay? The surplus statement..."
• "I've looked at your surplus statement. I understand where you are.
• That was not my surplus statement, okay? The surplus statement..."
• No, seriously, their surplus account.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II work session focused on Fish and Game’s budget-revenue proposals and several statutory changes the department said it needs to support its operations. The department recommended raising the fisheries habitat fee and wildlife habitat fee to $5 each, estimating additional annual revenue of about $640,000 and $144,000 respectively. Members clarified that these are habitat fees added on top of licenses, not reduced by senior or youth license categories, and discussed the need for RSA changes to allow the revenue to be transferred into the Fish and Game Fund. The department also said it would work internally on any broader license fee increases through the commission process. The committee then reviewed proposals to cap several dedicated accounts and transfer excess balances to the unrestricted Fish and Game Fund. Those accounts included the fisheries and wildlife habitat funds and the game management account, with the department proposing a $750,000 cap on each and transfer of amounts above that threshold. The department said the cap was based on several years of expenditures and the fact that dedicated funds are often used as match for federal funds. Members asked for reports on fund activity and questioned whether the cap and mandatory transfer language should be “shall” or “may,” with the department indicating it would prefer “may” for flexibility. The committee also discussed a Pheasant Management Program account, where the department said current law limits use of the money to buying and propagating pheasants and it wants authority to use it for broader program management. A substantial portion of the meeting addressed Fish and Game’s environmental review unit and the transfer of ARPA-funded positions to DEES under the governor’s initiative. The department said four positions are currently ARPA-funded, that DEES supports keeping them in place through the end of the year, and that the transition will require time because environmental review work is intertwined across the agency. The department explained that before the ARPA positions, biologists handled the work and that current staffing has helped eliminate a backlog and meet deadlines. Members also discussed a proposal to expand environmental review fees beyond private developers to state, federal, municipal, and local governments, with the department saying it would need rulemaking and stakeholder input. Additional requests included authority to conduct raffles to raise funds, creation of a revolving account for donations and raffle proceeds, and repeal of the obsolete fish food sales statute because the vending machines are no longer functional and the account generates no revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• it was determined that those surplus it was determined that those surplus funds<00:18:30.159>
• They're having an underwriter do it, which is not appropriate.
• <00:38:20.240> what the minimum and maximum um Surplus what the minimum and maximum um Surplus
• So it's important that we have appropriate reserve levels.
• appropriate appropriate regulations<01:45:02.480> and<01:45:02.679> that<01:45:02.880>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• trying not to create a new appropriation trying not to create a new appropriation I'm<00:59:40.280
• <01:01:15.319> or itself does not have an appropriation or itself does not have an appropriation
• in that bill general fund appropriation in that bill so<01:02:48.160> the<01:02:48.279> Surplus
• plan an appropriation adjustment of $80,000 a year.
• <01:07:54.160> for the there was a dollar appropriated for the there was a dollar appropriated

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II work session focused on organizing the committee’s remaining budget work and reviewing a set of recommended changes to House Bills 1 and 2. Mr. Landrian explained the committee’s tracking sheets and draft amendment package, noted that the division was being asked to find roughly $200 million in reductions, and said the governor’s lottery proposal in House Bill 2 could help offset part of that target. Members also discussed how revenue estimates tied to fee changes would be handled, with the chair saying the committee could seek Ways and Means input but would ultimately decide the estimates itself. The committee then considered four mostly technical amendments to House Bill 2. It voted unanimously to delete Section 81, which duplicated CCSNH dual and concurrent enrollment language already moving in House Bill 192; to delete Sections 143 and 144, which duplicated police standards and training extra-duty language already in House Bill 778; to adopt a correction to Section 151 that removed an inadvertently repeated sentence; and to delete Section 178 because the same Lottery Commission language already appears in House Bill 1. The committee also agreed to approve Section 4 of House Bill 1, the Lottery Commission boilerplate language, while deferring action on Section 2 of House Bill 1 until the university and community college budget is settled. A substantial portion of the meeting was spent planning upcoming work sessions and discussing possible revenue measures. The committee planned to invite Fish and Game on Monday to review a large set of follow-up materials and to discuss a possible amendment requiring hunters and trappers to pay the license fee before taking free training classes, with a second chance to retake the class if needed. Members also discussed possible fee adjustments for Safety and Fish and Game, including using dedicated-fund fees to reduce reliance on general funds and help stabilize the Highway Fund and Fish and Game Fund. The chair emphasized that all actions were recommendations until the committee’s final deadline and encouraged members to review draft language carefully before voting.