Transcript Highlights:

• agency fee is unreasonable, it may be subject to judicial review by the 19th Judicial District Court, based

Bills: SCR12 , HB221 , HB509 , HCR58 , SB78 , SB25 , SB80 , SB132 , SB155 , SB157 , SB202 , SB228 , SB250 , SB414 , SB433 , SB479 , SB513 , SCR9 , SCR58 , SB65 , SB215 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , SB514 , HCR32 , HB17 , HB41 , HB73 , HB223 , HB244 , HB759 , HB906 , HB966 , HB1006 , HB1009 , HB1086 , HB1107 , HB1112 , HB1215 , HB1242 , SB217 , SB283 , SB469 , HB36 , HB42 , HB74 , HB119 , HB159 , HB259 , HB302 , HB414 , HB459 , HB776 , HB848 , HB956 , HB1017 , HB1028 , HB1095 , SB208 , SB312 , SB382 , SB389 , HB210 , HB258 , HB359 , HB368 , HB468 , HB552 , HB732 , HB784 , HB870 , HB953 , HB1117 , HB1236

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day

Bills: HB2391 , HB2294 , HB2374 , HB1997 , HB2147 , HB2185 , HB1641 , HB2195 , HB2023 , HB2031 , HB2033 , HB1937 , HB2586 , HB2575 , HB2030 , HB2115 , HB2233 , HB1801 , HB1546 , HB2132 , HB2102 , HB2356 , HB2457 , HB2292 , HB2554 , HB676 , HB1528 , HB2061 , HB2094 , HB2095 , HB2181 , HB2369 , HB2578 , HB2493 , HB1642 , HB1991 , HB1652 , HB2104 , HB2593 , HB1553 , HB1823 , HB1918 , HB1860 , HB2604 , HB2605 , HB2001 , HB2437 , HB1947 , HB2384 , HB2473 , HB2140 , HB1458 , HB2603 , HB2411 , HB1611 , HB2138 , HB2141 , HB2284 , HB1568 , HB1924 , HB1928 , HB2570

Keywords: tax holiday, school supplies, general excise tax, Hawaii, consumer savings, education, land transfer, public schools, Department of Education, property conveyance, Act 307, Kauai, Maui, shade trees, fruit trees, educational program, climate change, tree canopy, environmental education, native plants

Transcript Highlights:

• stable revenue, I think is interesting because it talks about our stable revenue being our instant games
• and the volatile revenue being our Powerball and Mega Millions games.
• Therefore, Revenue being our Powerball and Mega Millions games.
• And if you look at our current portfolio based on the returns, we're probably in the 90s now.
• So just from a teacher's perspective, it's been about $3.2 billion based upon the structure that the

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget met on February 19, 2026, and first received an unchanged fiscal status statement and five-year baseline projection from the Office of Planning and Budget. Members approved the fiscal status statement, and the baseline budget was noted as unchanged from the prior month. The committee also approved Facility Planning and Control’s request to add five higher education deferred maintenance projects to the Act 751 eligible list, and reviewed four change orders over $50,000 for informational purposes. The committee then approved the Louisiana Lottery Corporation’s fiscal year 2026-2027 operating budget. Lottery officials reported $610 million in projected gross revenue, emphasized 29 consecutive years without legislative auditor findings or management comments, and noted the corporation’s long-running transfers to the MFP and State General Fund. Members also approved the 2026-2027 operating budgets for LASERS, TRSL, the School Employees’ Retirement System, and the State Police Retirement System en bloc. The retirement systems described modest budget increases or decreases, strong investment performance, and continued progress in reducing unfunded liabilities; members discussed COLA prospects, UAL paydown, and the impact of surplus dollars on retirement debt reduction. The committee approved prior-year deputy sheriff supplemental pay expenditures of $20,262.32 and then approved several legislative intent clarifications for prior appropriations, including items for Tangipahoa Parish, Harahan, Allen Parish, Morgan City, and DeSoto Parish. It also approved the Water Sector Commission’s recommendation for an additional $2.8 million for four ongoing water and sewer projects. Several contract items were reviewed without action, including DEQ’s extension with RTI International, Tourism’s marketing contract amendments, and the Office of Risk Management’s Sedgwick claims administration amendment. The meeting concluded with adjournment after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• stable revenue, I think is interesting because it talks about our stable revenue being our instant games
• and the volatile revenue being our Powerball and Mega Millions games.
• Therefore, Revenue being our Powerball and Mega Millions games.
• And if you look at our current portfolio based on the returns, we're probably in the 90s now.
• So just from a teacher's perspective, it's been about $3.2 billion based upon the structure that the

Summary: The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget met on February 19, 2026, and first received unchanged fiscal status and five-year baseline budget reports from the Office of Planning and Budget; the fiscal status statement was approved without objection, and the baseline budget required no action. The committee then approved a request from Facility Planning and Control to add five higher education deferred maintenance projects to the eligible list under Act 751, and reviewed four change orders over $50,000 for informational purposes only. Members approved the Louisiana Lottery Corporation’s fiscal year 2026-2027 operating budget after testimony highlighted projected gross revenue of $610 million, 29 years without legislative auditor findings, and continued support for the MFP. The committee also approved, en bloc, the operating budgets for LASERS, the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana, the School Employees’ Retirement System, and the State Police Retirement System. Retirement officials described modest budget increases or decreases, strong investment performance, and ongoing efforts to reduce unfunded liabilities; members discussed the impact of surplus payments toward UAL debt and the possibility of future COLAs, including a 2% COLA if the legislature reaches the required two-thirds vote. The committee approved payment of $20,262.32 in prior-year deputy sheriff supplemental pay expenditures from the current-year budget. It also approved several legislative intent clarifications for prior appropriations, including changes involving Tangipahoa Parish, Harahan, Allen Parish, Morgan City, and DeSoto Parish School System-related funding. In addition, the Water Sector Commission’s recommendation for $2.8 million in additional funding for four ongoing water and sewer projects was approved. The remaining items were reviewed without action: an RTI International contract extension for DEQ air-quality filter weighing, amendments to four Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism marketing contracts to extend and supplement funding, and the fifth-year amendment to the Office of Risk Management’s Sedgwick claims administration contract, valued at $21.1 million. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are states that rely on broad-based... Iowa. Those are states that rely on broad-based taxes.
• We have 1.8 billion more in new spending based on that. We spent it. Mr.
• And most of those people are commission-based.
• Everything else is based on assumptions.
• It's based on love, trust, and faith, not what the tax code is.

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5831 , SB6244 , SB6044 , SB5109 , SB5877 , SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Bills: SB1432 , SB2024 , SB2043 , SB2060 , SB2069 , SB2153 , SB2259 , SB2319 , SB2321 , SB2338 , SB2360 , SB2396 , SB2405 , SB2407 , SB2544 , SB2550 , SB2552 , SB2578 , SB2580 , SB2607 , SB2614 , SB2671 , SB2800 , SB2805 , SB2816 , SB2835 , SB2877 , SB2892 , SB2928 , SB2934 , SB3063 , SB3199 , SB3233 , SB3325 , HCR8 , HCR10 , HCR11 , HCR13 , HCR14 , HCR18 , HCR19 , HCR22 , HCR24 , HCR31 , HCR32 , HCR33 , HCR35 , HCR54 , HCR62 , HCR63 , HCR66 , HCR67 , HCR82 , HCR83 , HCR85 , HCR91 , HCR93 , HCR94 , HCR96 , HCR98 , HCR102 , HCR104 , HCR105 , HCR106 , HCR110 , HCR111 , HCR116 , HCR117 , HCR118 , HCR121 , HCR122 , HCR123 , HCR124 , HCR125 , HCR127 , HCR128 , HCR137 , HCR139 , HCR140 , HCR141 , HCR144 , HCR146 , HCR162 , HCR165 , HCR166 , HCR173 , HCR178 , HCR179 , HCR180 , HCR181 , HCR182 , HCR185 , HCR189 , HCR191 , HCR192 , HCR193 , HCR194 , HCR200 , HCR202 , HCR6 , HCR36 , HCR42 , HCR43 , HCR44 , HCR53 , HCR57 , HCR61 , HCR64 , HCR69 , HCR84 , HCR101 , HCR103 , HCR107 , HCR112 , HCR126 , HCR136 , HCR154 , HCR161 , HCR175 , HCR186 , HCR187 , HCR188 , HCR197 , HCR203 , HCR204 , HCR206 , HB1870 , HB1588 , HB2429 , HB2386 , HB2583 , HB2361 , HB2270 , HB2137 , HB1643 , HB1682 , HB1692 , HB2078 , HB1553 , HB1667 , HB1700 , HB1728 , HB2293 , HB2096 , HB1959 , HB1511 , HB1961 , HB1858 , HB1897 , HB2088 , HB2093 , HB2279 , HB2314 , HB2505 , HB2433 , HB963 , HB1705 , HB1550 , HB469 , HB1334 , HB1710 , HB1737 , HB1753 , HB1881 , HB2309 , HB1713 , HB1741 , HB2062 , HB463 , HB1839 , HB1664 , HB2455 , HB2417 , HB1898 , HB1573 , HB1768 , HB1962 , HB2101 , HB1782 , HB2033 , HB1518 , HB1642 , HB1752 , HB2097 , HB2282 , HB1696 , HB1823 , HB1886 , HB2152 , HB2413 , HB2503 , HB1875 , HB1519 , HB1509 , HB1628 , HB1810 , HB1990 , HB2023 , HB2540 , HB1679 , HB1888 , HB2576 , HB2592

Keywords: Kalaupapa, Kalawao, Molokai, Maui County, county consolidation, Hansen's disease, leprosy, Department of Health, DOH, patient residents, former patients, public health, transition planning, jurisdiction transfer, county governance, historical preservation, cultural preservation, environmental remediation, community input, Kalaupapa Settlement

Bills: SB1432 , SB2024 , SB2043 , SB2060 , SB2069 , SB2153 , SB2259 , SB2319 , SB2321 , SB2338 , SB2360 , SB2396 , SB2405 , SB2407 , SB2544 , SB2550 , SB2552 , SB2578 , SB2580 , SB2607 , SB2614 , SB2671 , SB2800 , SB2805 , SB2816 , SB2835 , SB2877 , SB2892 , SB2928 , SB2934 , SB3063 , SB3199 , SB3233 , SB3325 , HCR8 , HCR10 , HCR11 , HCR13 , HCR14 , HCR18 , HCR19 , HCR22 , HCR24 , HCR31 , HCR32 , HCR33 , HCR35 , HCR54 , HCR62 , HCR63 , HCR66 , HCR67 , HCR82 , HCR83 , HCR85 , HCR91 , HCR93 , HCR94 , HCR96 , HCR98 , HCR102 , HCR104 , HCR105 , HCR106 , HCR110 , HCR111 , HCR116 , HCR117 , HCR118 , HCR121 , HCR122 , HCR123 , HCR124 , HCR125 , HCR127 , HCR128 , HCR137 , HCR139 , HCR140 , HCR141 , HCR144 , HCR146 , HCR162 , HCR165 , HCR166 , HCR173 , HCR178 , HCR179 , HCR180 , HCR181 , HCR182 , HCR185 , HCR189 , HCR191 , HCR192 , HCR193 , HCR194 , HCR200 , HCR202 , HCR6 , HCR36 , HCR42 , HCR43 , HCR44 , HCR53 , HCR57 , HCR61 , HCR64 , HCR69 , HCR84 , HCR101 , HCR103 , HCR107 , HCR112 , HCR126 , HCR136 , HCR154 , HCR161 , HCR175 , HCR186 , HCR187 , HCR188 , HCR197 , HCR203 , HCR204 , HCR206 , HB1870 , HB1588 , HB2429 , HB2386 , HB2583 , HB2361 , HB2270 , HB2137 , HB1643 , HB1682 , HB1692 , HB2078 , HB1553 , HB1667 , HB1700 , HB1728 , HB2293 , HB2096 , HB1959 , HB1511 , HB1961 , HB1858 , HB1897 , HB2088 , HB2093 , HB2279 , HB2314 , HB2505 , HB2433 , HB963 , HB1705 , HB1550 , HB469 , HB1334 , HB1710 , HB1737 , HB1753 , HB1881 , HB2309 , HB1713 , HB1741 , HB2062 , HB463 , HB1839 , HB1664 , HB2455 , HB2417 , HB1898 , HB1573 , HB1768 , HB1962 , HB2101 , HB1782 , HB2033 , HB1518 , HB1642 , HB1752 , HB2097 , HB2282 , HB1696 , HB1823 , HB1886 , HB2152 , HB2413 , HB2503 , HB1875 , HB1519 , HB1509 , HB1628 , HB1810 , HB1990 , HB2023 , HB2540 , HB1679 , HB1888 , HB2576 , HB2592

Keywords: Kalaupapa, Kalawao, Molokai, Maui County, county consolidation, Hansen's disease, leprosy, Department of Health, DOH, patient residents, former patients, public health, transition planning, jurisdiction transfer, county governance, historical preservation, cultural preservation, environmental remediation, community input, Kalaupapa Settlement

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen an increasing number of cases where... ...where governmental bodies withhold records based
• I don't think the commercial vehicle amount changes based on the passenger, does it? It does.
• I am now the CEO and chairman of StoneARX, which is a Texas-based real estate platform built on three
• And obviously, it's very much skills-based in terms of the focus.
• And those skills are not really the necessity of having to have a college degree, so to speak.

Bills: HB111

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• security clearance vetting process, guarding against insider threats, and protecting our industrial base
• Defense, and I wholeheartedly believe that he is the right person at the right time with the right skill
• How aggressive they're being in the North Pacific, in the Arctic, we need to reopen that base.
• And looking at that really, really critical base that used to be a sub-base, Senator Hirono is talking
• So thanks for showing interest in the former Griffiss Air Base. I just wanted to tell you that.

Committees: Senate Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee , Senate SeaPower Subcommittee , Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces , Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: national security, nuclear energy, Department of Defense, military readiness, public commentary, nominations

Summary: The meeting convened with a focus on the scrutiny of various nominations and their implications for national security. Mr. Brandon Williams was nominated as the Undersecretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, drawing attention to the pressing need to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal amid growing threats from other countries. This was echoed in discussions led by committee members who expressed concern over military readiness and the management of military installations, with emphasis on ensuring accountability within the Department of Defense. Public commentary was notably supportive of the nominations, although some concerns were raised regarding the administration's broader strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• exemption was way too broad because it would have applied to for-profit child care centers and also home-based
• on this bill so may be changed based on this bill so let's<00:20:37.360><c> make</c><00:20:37.520><c
• isn't running so I just think the game isn't running so I just think it's<00:24:14.960><c> a</c><00:
• games, uh, uh, to, in hours of operation, whenever they're open they can do it, whether they're open
• So as we've expanded into other kinds of gaming, have you seen any sort of decrease or hit on Kino, or

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's um, that's related to a person who cancels their scheduled road skills test.
• c><00:08:22.479><c> test</c><00:08:23.319><c> uh</c><00:08:23.520><c> available</c> for that road skills
• test uh available for that road skills test uh available to<00:08:24.000><c> book</c><00:08:24.240><
• test um the relevant change is on skills test um the relevant change is on page<00:08:58.560><c> three
• to survive uh based on some fees<00:43:00.880><c> and</c><00:43:01.200><c> what's</c><00:43:01.400><

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those proposals include streamlining the permitting of nature-based solutions and giving state agencies
• The Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Conservation and Recreation are reviewing their
• Those community-based organizations can apply directly.
• The environmental bond bill proposes a general license for nature-based solutions.
• But that just says we need to up our game. And, um, um, uh... We need to up our game.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on natural and working lands, carbon sequestration, and related provisions in Governor Healey’s $3 billion Mass Ready Act. EEA officials described the bill’s investments in flooding, land protection, tree planting, wetlands restoration, biodiversity, dams, seawalls, and coastal resilience, along with permitting reforms intended to speed ecological restoration projects. They also outlined current programs on resilient lands, healthy soils, forest climate solutions, forest reserves, and urban tree planting, and said the administration expects natural and working lands to offset up to 7 million metric tons of residual emissions by 2050, while acknowledging that additional strategies will be needed to close the gap to the state’s 10-million-ton offset target. Committee members pressed EEA on the cost of reaching the 30% conservation-by-2030 goal, the loss of a federal USDA grant of about $22 million, the adequacy of current sequestration estimates, and whether the state should consider regional approaches or statutory changes. EEA said current state conservation spending has been about $35 million to $40 million annually, that the Mass Ready Act is intended to help double the pace of conservation, and that federal funding remains uncertain. Senators also raised concerns about PILOT payments for state-owned land, the management of state forests, and the proposed Chapter 91 general license for restoration projects. EEA said the bill’s forest reserve language is meant to create a more durable designation process while still allowing limited active management. Advocates from The Nature Conservancy and Mass Audubon supported stronger investment in land conservation and restoration, saying natural and working lands are a cost-effective climate strategy that also provides biodiversity, water quality, and public health benefits. They urged passage of legislation to increase funding, improve PILOT equity, and strengthen land-use planning and mitigation requirements. They also backed removing Chapter 91 licensing requirements for ecological restoration, arguing that the current process adds cost and delay. In a later panel, a forest scientist and an urban forestry advocate emphasized the carbon and cooling benefits of mature trees, called for greater protection of older forests, and supported bills to expand municipal reforestation and modernize public shade tree law. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Immunity, as I think about it, typically arises based on your status.
• That was based on the original bill.
• That was based on the original bill.
• So when a family loses that base of revenue and that base of subsistence in terms of feeding themselves
• and Fish and the Game Commission into a wildlife agency.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 55, which would expand New Mexico’s solar market development income tax credit from 10% to 30% after the federal solar credit expired, raise the per-credit cap from $6,000 to $15,000, and keep the existing overall $30 million cap with a sunset in 2032. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the bill would help stabilize the residential solar sector, protect jobs, and support consumers, small businesses, small agriculture, and tribal communities. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, though some members raised questions about fiscal capacity and the bill’s impact. The committee passed SB 55 on a 7-4 vote. The committee then took up House Bill 267, the Wildfire Mitigation and Liability Act, on a committee substitute. The bill would require utilities to file and maintain wildfire mitigation plans, obtain PRC approval, and receive a rebuttable presumption in civil actions if they substantially comply; it also includes access provisions for mitigation work on private and public property, cost recovery, damage limits, and a one-year statute of limitations. Utilities and co-op representatives supported the bill as a way to reduce wildfire risk and address rising insurance costs, while insurers, OSI, and wildfire-victim advocates opposed it, arguing it overly limits liability, shifts losses to homeowners and insurers, and does not fully compensate victims. Several committee members expressed concern about the liability standards, deemed approval, access to property, and the short limitations period, but the bill ultimately passed on an 8-3 vote after the chair corrected the motion and revote. Next, House Bill 320, the Industrial Carbon Reduction Act, was presented. It would create production incentives and capital grants for industrial materials made at least 40% cleaner than the industry average, with clawbacks for underperformance and competitive review by EDD and Environment. Supporters from the gas company and chambers of commerce said it uses performance-based incentives to encourage cleaner manufacturing, attract investment, and create jobs. One member raised an anti-donation clause concern, but the sponsor said the bill’s performance requirements and clawbacks address that issue. The committee passed HB 320 on a 10-1 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 104, a follow-up to last year’s wildlife agency reform bill. It would replace vetoed language by creating a process for a governor’s removal of a wildlife commissioner that includes notice, a hearing, and direct review by the New Mexico Supreme Court, while keeping the governor’s removal authority for cause. Ranching, angling, outfitter, and conservation groups supported the bill as a bipartisan fix that adds accountability and avoids political retaliation. Members asked about the removal process and direct Supreme Court review, and some who had initially been skeptical said the testimony changed their view. The bill was moving forward with support at the end of the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:31:06.240><c> on</c> telling patients what to do based on telling patients what to do based on
• </c> or two based on what I just heard. or two based on what I just heard.
• </c> representing themselves as faith-based representing themselves as faith-based organizations<01:19
• </c> what you are basing your assumptions on? what you are basing your assumptions on?
• </c> appropriate evidence-based medical care. appropriate evidence-based medical care.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It formally recognizes that physical activity and adherence to science-based dietary guidelines are not
• Recess is where children develop critical life skills.
• These skills are not only part of healthy human development, but they directly impact kids' ability to
• Recess is where children develop critical life skills.
• Students and patients deserve information that is relevant, evidence-based, and appropriate to their

Committee: Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee approved the March 11, 2026 minutes and then heard several education bills. HCR 2015, which supports efforts for students to receive at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity and for schools to display dietary guidelines, drew strong support from advocates for recess, student health, and physical education, and passed 6-0 with one not voting. HB 2040, requiring adoption-related information when school employees discuss contraception or STI testing and adding adoption content to sex education curricula, drew opposition from Reproductive Freedom for All and the Arizona Education Association, but was still given a due pass recommendation 4-2. HB 2255, extending Arizona Teachers Academy eligibility for community college students from two to four academic years, passed unanimously with a due pass recommendation. HB 2764, creating a state seal of computer science proficiency for high school graduates, also passed unanimously after support from the Arizona Technology Council. The committee then considered HB 2600, which would require written parental permission for students in grades 6-8 to join school clubs or organizations. The ACLU of Arizona opposed it, arguing it could suppress participation in clubs involving sensitive identities such as LGBTQ, religious, or cultural groups; the bill received a due pass recommendation 4-2. HB 2379 would require school district governing board members to complete finance and governance training, with an amendment narrowing the requirement to newly elected or appointed members and adjusting reporting; the Arizona Association of County School Superintendents supported it, while the Arizona School Board Association opposed parts of it, and the amended bill passed 4-2. HB 2142 would create a School Safety Center and School Safety Council within ADE to provide training, technical assistance, and risk assessments; supporters said it would help schools, especially smaller and rural districts, while opponents raised concerns about funding and council composition, and it passed 4-2. Later, HB 4033, which would require more detailed school bond election pamphlets and separate ballot propositions for certain large or specialized projects, was supported as a transparency measure by the sponsor but opposed by education groups that warned it could make it harder for districts to fund facilities; it passed 4-2. HB 2482, limiting job order contracting on building renewal grant projects to $1 million and requiring verification against artificial splitting of projects, drew concerns from builders and school board groups about delaying repairs and limiting procurement flexibility, but the sponsor said it was needed to improve competition and transparency; it passed 4-2. Finally, HB 2575, the Anti-Semitism and Education Act, would prohibit public schools and higher education institutions from teaching or promoting anti-Semitism and set up reporting and discipline procedures; the sponsor said it was needed to protect students, while the ACLU and Arizona Education Association warned it could chill speech and expose educators to legal risk. The transcript cuts off during testimony on that bill, and no final committee vote is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• largest and most notable reduction, which there's already considerable talk about, is a shift of the base
• Thank you very much. ...capacity follow, particularly in health care, IT, and the skilled trades.
• Hospital discharges 46,000 individuals to skilled nursing every year.
• We're already feeling some of those effects of not getting the revenue we expect based on what we're
• But in fiscal year 2028, even more could lose it based on a state decision.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee opened with committee guidelines for the 2026 session, including limits on testimony, amendment deadlines, confidentiality expectations, and professionalism rules. Chair Ormsby also reviewed housekeeping for the public hearing, noting the meeting was recorded and live streamed, and that testimony would be limited to one minute because of the large number of sign-ups. The committee then began its work session on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget, presented by OFM Director Katie Chapman, who outlined the state’s fiscal pressures: higher caseloads in major programs, a revenue forecast decline of about $390 million, federal policy changes tied to H.R. 1, inflation, and a relatively small ending fund balance. She said the governor’s budget solves about a $2.3 billion shortfall through nearly $800 million in spending reductions, revenue shifts, fund transfers, use of about $1 billion from the Budget Stabilization Account, and some tax preference changes, while also making targeted investments in areas such as child welfare, behavioral health, wildfire response, housing, and IT modernization. Chapman also explained that the proposal does not fully balance over the four-year outlook under the state’s statutory assumptions, but said the governor relied on the budget-balance law’s exception tied to BSA use and low employment growth. A question from Rep. Connors about credit ratings was answered with the view that the impact is difficult to predict and that Washington’s strong pension funding and balanced-budget framework remain positives. The public hearing drew testimony from state officials and many advocates, most of whom opposed specific cuts or fund shifts in the governor’s proposal. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs objected to proposed sweeps from the corporations and charities fund and the library archives account, citing prior cuts, layoffs, cyberattack-related costs, and the need to upgrade aging systems. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove urged restoration of wildfire prevention funding, saying the proposed amount was still $30 million short of the commitment in House Bill 1168 and that underfunding would increase suppression costs and risk to communities. Many education witnesses opposed reductions to Working Connections Child Care, transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, Running Start, and higher education across-the-board cuts, arguing they would harm access, equity, and workforce development. Higher education leaders from community colleges, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Evergreen State College described staffing cuts, program reductions, and pressure on student services, while K-12 groups and OSPI said the budget would deepen existing funding gaps. A large portion of testimony focused on human services, health, housing, and civil legal aid. Child welfare and youth-serving organizations supported some targeted investments but opposed cuts to child care, child welfare network administration, and youth programs; advocates for foster youth, homeless youth, and mentoring programs asked for continued or increased funding. Health care and long-term care providers warned that proposed Medicaid and rate changes would reduce access for seniors, people with disabilities, and safety-net patients, while Planned Parenthood and abortion access advocates urged full restoration of the Abortion Access Project and related reimbursements. Housing and legal aid witnesses backed the governor’s proposed right-to-counsel funding but asked for more support, and homelessness advocates sought contingency funding for federal housing programs. Crime victim and domestic violence service providers repeatedly said the proposed $12 million was far short of the roughly $21.38 million needed to avoid service cuts and closures. Other testimony addressed the Climate Commitment Account shift for the Working Families Tax Credit, with environmental advocates opposing the diversion of CCA dollars and workforce advocates supporting the governor’s economic security and employment programs. No votes or formal committee action were taken during the hearing portion described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is based on historical data? It was established several years ago.
• We have to have a broad-based and uniform fee structure that is approved by the feds to be charged to
• That state share has to be applied across all the hospitals in a uniform, broad-based manner.
• I can't—it All the hospitals in a uniform and broad-based manner.
• Unfortunately, we have a game of votes that matter at the federal level.

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The subcommittee met to review Department of Human Services hospital payments in Arkansas Medicaid, with DHS Secretary Janet Mann and Deputy Secretary Misty Eubanks presenting first, followed by Arkansas Hospital Association Executive Vice President Jody Ann Tritt and a brief comment from Arkansas Children’s. DHS outlined the main hospital payment streams: fee-for-service per diem payments, upper payment limit (UPL) supplemental payments, cost settlements, and smaller payments such as graduate medical education and disproportionate share hospital funds. Members asked for plain-language explanations of cost settlements, why per diem rates vary by hospital type, and why UPL applies to private hospitals. DHS said cost settlements and UPL are mechanisms to help offset Medicaid underpayment, with SFY 2025 hospital payments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars and no general revenue used for supplemental payments beyond the state share funded through hospital assessments and related financing structures. Committee members focused heavily on whether Arkansas hospitals are adequately reimbursed and why rural hospitals struggle. Tritt explained that critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, PPS hospitals, and specialty hospitals operate under different federal and state rules, and said lower per diem rates for some facilities help with cash flow and later cost settlement adjustments. She said Arkansas hospitals are under financial strain, citing a negative patient services margin statewide and noting that Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers all contribute to the problem. She also said the association had just authorized a statewide survey of hospital finances and costs, which she expected would take about a year to complete. A major theme was commercial insurance reimbursement. Tritt argued Arkansas hospitals are paid far less than hospitals in neighboring states even though premiums are similar, and said administrative burdens, prior authorizations, and denials add to the problem. She said hospitals receive about 52 to 53 cents on the dollar for Medicaid costs without UPL and about 78 cents with UPL, still below cost. Members also discussed Medicare wage index issues, Medicare Advantage, and whether hospitals could use technology or alternative arrangements to improve finances. No votes were taken on the hospital presentation. At the end of the meeting, DHS provided a brief update on Living Choices and assisted living reimbursement. Officials said one assisted living facility, Pillars of the Community in Crossett, had announced closure, with nine waiver clients being transitioned to other settings. DHS said the current cost reporting period was underway and that a new rate study could be ready for review before the end of the fiscal year if reports were submitted on time. Members also asked about the broader waiver plan, and DHS said the next waiver iteration would likely be brought back to the committee in the summer.

Transcript Highlights:

• In response to the agenda item, a brief overview of our proposed 2026-27 budget: It is projected, based
• We promote promising practices for community-based residential transitional housing, practices linking
• First of all, we are in an interesting position in California where every year the base grant that we
• ...work of evaluating that kind of evidence and basing our recommendations for vaccination on that.
• CRDP does support culturally responsive community-based prevention and early intervention.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 688 by Representative Ogeron adds Atlantic tarpon to the definition of saltwater game fish
• Members House Bill 68 by Representative Orzran adds Atlantic tarpun to the definition of saltwater game
• fish. ...from his organization to add it as a saltwater game fish, along with sailfish, blue marlin,
• HB 688 provides a simple common-sense fix by designating tarpon a saltwater game fish.
• Because it is the only watershed-based, state-created watershed-based entity in the state of Louisiana

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources Committee met on May 21 with a quorum, approved the May 14 minutes, and then took up a series of natural resources, wildlife, flood control, and transportation-related measures. HB 841 on expropriation procedures was amended to strip most of its substantive language and then deferred. The committee also adopted a technical amendment and reported SCR 54 favorably, which memorializes Congress to fully fund the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act to help address invasive carp and other aquatic invasive species. Several wildlife bills were heard and reported favorably. HB 1248 allows licensed wildlife rehabilitators to possess white-tailed deer for rehabilitation, and HB 1258 codifies a policy for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife so the department does not automatically euthanize animals that can be rehabilitated or released. HCR 5, which allows limited red drum harvest at certain established rodeos under strict guardrails, drew opposition from a fishing guide concerned about impacts to redfish recovery, but the committee still reported it favorably. HB 688 adds Atlantic tarpon to the definition of saltwater game fish, with support from the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and others, and it was also reported favorably. The committee also advanced several infrastructure and flood-related measures. HB 595 requires local governments to respond within 30 days to certain road-use permit requests tied to natural resource development, and it was reported favorably after testimony from oil and gas and industry representatives. HB 802 creates a watershed restoration and conservation fund, narrowed to the Amite River Basin, and was reported favorably with support from conservation and levee interests. SCR 59, urging Congress to ensure FEMA lowers flood insurance rates once the Comite Diversion Canal project reaches 50% completion, was amended and reported favorably, and HCR 62, asking FEMA to review Louisiana flood maps every five years, was also reported favorably. The committee deferred HB 1171, which would have authorized airboats in the Maripaw Swamp Wildlife Management Area, after extensive testimony from supporters and from LDWF officials who raised concerns about habitat sensitivity, migratory birds, user conflicts, and deed restrictions. Finally, HB 1161, transferring certain state property in Lafourche and Jefferson parishes to local governments, HCR 78 supporting the American Seafood Competitive Act, HCR 86 supporting a migratory waterfowl study, and HB 1189 requiring charter boat guides on certain waters to hold U.S. Coast Guard licenses were all reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• With the right skills, students are empowered to navigate digital spaces with confidence.
• With the right skills, students are empowered to navigate digital spaces with confidence and discernment
• Setting age-based safeguards is not a radical concept.
• This is a how-to guide to create a relationship based on a nihilistic...
• I appreciate all the skill, the knowledge you brought to this space.

Keywords: 988, house, all