Transcript Highlights:

• Terry Brennan, on behalf of SEIU California and the Labor Coalition, representing 2.5 million taxpaying
• Chair, Sarah Flock, California Federation of Labor Unions, in support. Mr.
• Chair, members, Sarah Flock, California Federation of Labor Unions, in support. Thank you.
• The laborers, the people working in the Central Valley, the hotel workers, the restaurant workers, the
• The high cost of construction, labor, utilities, and taxes in California often make potential projects

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Her activism was an example that the fight for labor was one that women could not only lead, but win.
• So in addition to labor, she fought tirelessly for the rights of Latinos throughout the nation.
• The bill is reported from the Committee on Labor and Commerce with a substitute, and subsequently from
• House Bill 670 relates to labor and employment provisions, application of law, protection of employees
• House Bill 670 relates to labor and employment provisions.

Keywords: March 12, 2026 - Regular Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• PERC also performs other essential non-adjudicatory functions such as registering labor organizations
• Perk also performs other essential non-adjudicatory functions such as registering labor organizations
• disputes and public sector employers while simultaneously weighing in on cases of alleged violations of labor
• disputes and public sector employers while simultaneously weighing in on cases of alleged violations of labor
• And after all of this labor and work, there is no savings to put toward family future retirement.

Summary: The committee took up several bills and confirmations. It reported favorably SB 332, as amended, on a narrow public-meetings/public-records exemption for legal strategy and settlement communications during the pre-suit period in Burt Harris claims; SB 464, requiring K-12 schools to formally observe Veterans Day; SB 984, clarifying firefighter cancer/death-benefit provisions and related prevention language; SB 576, expanding and codifying the local government cybersecurity protection program under Florida Digital Service; SB 964, revising how certain gifts and honoraria are reported to the Commission on Ethics; SB 1612, requiring local governments to accept electronic payments with exceptions and a delayed effective date; SB 830, creating public-records exemptions for certain local government administrators and their families; SB 1096, clarifying the filing deadline for Florida Civil Rights Act complaints; and SB 1656, designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship. The committee also considered a large confirmation package. Jeffrey Aaron’s appointment to the Public Employees Relations Commission was discussed separately after Senator Polsky raised concerns about his political connections and prior work; the committee still recommended him favorably. The remaining appointees on tabs 12 through 30 were also recommended favorably in one vote. The longest and most contentious item was SB 1296, with a committee substitute, on the Public Employees Relations Commission and public-sector unions. The PCS would change union certification/recertification rules, require a recent showing-of-interest form, create different voting thresholds for public safety and non-public safety employee organizations, limit paid union leave for non-public safety unions unless reimbursed, require equal access to certain employer communication spaces, and speed up impasse procedures for legislatively funded salary increases. Senators raised constitutional concerns, especially about the single-subject rule and collective-bargaining rights, and many speakers opposed the bill as union-busting and harmful to teachers, bus drivers, nurses, utility workers, and other public employees. Supporters argued it would improve accountability, ensure genuine member support, and prevent taxpayer-funded union activity. The committee continued debate on SB 1296 after extensive testimony, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And here we're showing that the native-born labor force has grown only 6% since 1990.
• That's this gray line here, where the foreign-born labor force has grown significantly.
• Thank you. ...where the foreign-born labor force has grown significantly.
• Labor force growth indexed to 1990. Okay, that's what that is. I also borrowed this slide, so.
• know, the population growth is a major concern for many reasons: for congressional apportionment, for labor

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The U.S. labor market, though, is continuing to show more signs of moderation, and the labor force participation
• And in New Mexico, the labor force participation rate most recently was 57.7%.
• And then structural changes in the labor market that could come in the years to come; for example, if
• AI, or the global trade war, or geopolitical changes impact our labor market in a more robust way than
• What we're seeing in the labor market is some deterioration. The chart on the left of this slide.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And for me, those local programs supporting small farmers and laborers in this agriculture really is
• programs supporting small<00:23:05.400><c> farmers</c><00:23:06.400><c> and</c><00:23:06.720><c> laborers
• stress of the input costs today that farmers endure: the high price of fertilizer and seed, fuel, labor
• stress of the input costs today that farmers endure: the high price of fertilizer and seed, fuel, labor
• stress of the input costs today that farmers endure: the high price of fertilizer and seed, fuel, labor

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I took the information based upon judiciary, corrections, labor, and transportation.
• I took the information based upon judiciary, corrections, labor, and transportation.
• Chair and members, Sarah Flachs, California Federation of Labor Unions.
• Chair Member, Sarah Flachs, California Federation of Labor Unions. We wanted to thank this body.
• We support the corporate fair share and echo the comments from our colleague at the Labor Fed.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're a labor union.
• It's partially about safety, but it's about eliminating labor costs.
• That's the selling point: eliminating labor costs for long haul.
• We believe also eliminating labor costs for short haul.
• You know, our colleagues in labor want to see the roads safer.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard an informational hearing on California’s newly finalized autonomous vehicle regulations, with DMV and CHP officials describing the updated framework and committee members pressing them on safety, enforcement, and first-responder impacts. DMV said the rules, effective April 28, 2026, expand reporting, create a phased permitting system from testing to deployment, add requirements for safety cases, remote operations, and first-responder coordination, and open a path for heavy-duty AV testing and deployment while still prohibiting oversized loads and hazardous materials. CHP said it worked with DMV on enforcement tools, first-responder interaction plans, and training local agencies on the new notice of noncompliance process. Members asked about crash data, immobilizations, freeway and construction-zone safety, weigh-station enforcement, and whether foreign licenses can qualify for remote assistants or drivers; DMV and CHP said the rules are intended to keep AVs accountable and that heavy-duty AVs will be held to the same roadway standards as human-driven commercial vehicles. A second panel focused on data collection and enforcement. Consumer attorneys argued the prior rules were too limited because DMV stopped collecting meaningful data once AVs moved from testing to deployment, making it difficult for the public and litigants to understand incidents; they supported the new regulations but urged that the collected information be made public. The industry association said California now has the nation’s most robust AV oversight, with monthly or quarterly reporting of collisions, system failures, immobilizations, harsh braking, vehicle miles traveled, and notices of noncompliance, plus broad DMV authority to restrict or suspend operations. In response to questions, the industry said it generally supports the new framework, believes the regulations are clear, and does not favor full federal preemption of state AV rules, though it wants federal standards for design, construction, and performance. A third panel addressed first-responder interaction and remote operations. The San Francisco Fire Department described repeated AV interference with emergency scenes and said AVs have generated hundreds of “sleeper calls,” where passengers fall asleep and trigger 911 responses; the department said these incidents consume significant staff time and it wants better protocols to reduce unnecessary dispatches. Waymo said it has trained thousands of public-safety personnel, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, uses geofencing/avoid-the-area messages, and can allow first responders to manually override or move vehicles when needed. Committee members asked about sleeper-call prevention, remote assistant licensing and drug testing, communication redundancies during outages, and how manual overrides work for vehicles without traditional controls; Waymo said it is collaborating with responders and that its vehicles are designed to reach a safe stop if connectivity is lost. The final panel began with testimony on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. A transportation researcher said freight is essential to California’s economy and that heavy-duty AVs pose distinct safety risks because of their weight, stopping distance, and the potentially severe consequences of crashes or immobilizations on highways. He said the new regulations are important because they create a regulated pathway for heavy-duty AV deployment, require a safety case, set mileage thresholds, and add reporting categories that can serve as leading safety indicators. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, with additional testimony expected from labor and industry witnesses on heavy-duty AV deployment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Transit employees to access the Public Employment Relations Board, or PERB, for adjudicating unfair labor
• As we know, PERB is a labor-management relations entity for a vast majority of California's public sector
• AC Transit is one of the few districts under a separate framework requiring labor disputes to be resolved
• This bill is about fairness, consistency, and modernizing AC Transit's labor relations system.
• That is a clear unfair labor practice, and it directly impacts our members, families, as well as our

Summary: The committee heard SB 934 by Senator Wiener, which would extend the statute of limitations for malpractice claims arising from conversion therapy and clarify how expert testimony and scientific evidence may be used in those cases. Supporters, including a survivor, a licensed therapist, and LGBTQ advocacy groups, described conversion therapy as harmful and argued survivors often cannot come forward within current filing deadlines. Opponents, including civil justice and conservative legal groups, argued the bill was a workaround to recent Supreme Court rulings and raised concerns about free speech, evidentiary standards, and whether the bill could chill legitimate therapy. Committee members largely focused on whether the bill was limited to conversion therapy malpractice claims and not broader gender-affirming care; the bill was moved on a 7-2-1 vote to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. The consent calendar was also adopted on a 6-0 vote and placed on call. The committee then heard SB 1092 by Senator Allen, a housing bill aimed at manufactured home parks. The bill would give residents or their designated representatives a right to make a competitive bid when a park owner intends to sell, lease, or transfer a park, with notice and response periods intended to give residents time to organize financing. Supporters said the measure would preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, especially for older and lower-income residents, and help resident-owned cooperatives or nonprofits buy parks before investor buyers do. Opponents from park owner and realtor groups argued the bill would burden private property rights, devalue parks, and create unconstitutional takings and litigation risk. Committee questions centered on the bill’s timelines, whether residents would have 120 days to express interest and another 120 days to close, and whether the purchase agreement would be binding if accepted. The author and supporters said the second period was needed for due diligence and financing, while opponents said the structure could still delay sales and reduce market value. Several members expressed support for the bill’s goal but asked for further clarification or possible tightening of the timing and good-faith provisions; no final vote on SB 1092 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will also require an OB/GYN add-on payment to support hospitals providing labor and delivery care.
• And HB 18 goes further with regard to labor and delivery payments.
• Labor and delivery is a 24-hour service that requires specialized staff and equipment and space.
• Labor and delivery is a 24-hour service that requires specialized staff and equipment in space.
• They don't do labor and delivery in rural Texas when they might have the ability to do it.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB 116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB 1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those trainings are critical for creating better leadership, better supervisory skills so that we can
• so that we can actually retain skills so that we can actually retain our<01:24:26.120><c> staff</c><
• I think that they're really skilled in being able to connect them to the right people.
• and doing the they are really skilled and doing the work<03:41:30.960><c> that</c><03:41:31.080><c>
• management skills to help them<04:14:43.080><c> with</c><04:14:43.199><c> their</c><04:14:43.600><c>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division III convened a work session on the DHHS budget, with the chair noting there would be no votes and that the committee would spend the day hearing from the commissioner’s office. Nathan White, DHHS Chief Financial Officer, opened with the Division of Finance/Office of Business Operations, explaining that the unit supports the department through daily financial management, AP/AR, audit work, expense projections, transfers, and procurement functions such as contracts, amendments, RFPs/RFAs, and grants management. He also described the division’s revenue and reporting work, including federal draws, CMS-64 reporting, and the public assistance cost allocation plan, and said the department had centralized rate-setting work and a small team handling Medicaid rate analysis and nursing facility rebase work. Members asked about vacancies, turnover, and budget changes. White said the division had 18 positions unfunded in the governor’s budget, reducing personal services from about $10.8 million to $9.9 million, and estimated the division’s vacancy rate at about 11 percent, below the department average. He said turnover was relatively low, with one retirement at the manager level and higher turnover mainly at lower AP-level positions. He also explained that some budget lines reflected reallocations rather than new spending, including fringe benefits centralized elsewhere and an EBT card contract moved into this unit because the staff member overseeing it works in Finance. When asked about a rent/lease increase, he said it was due to higher copier leasing costs under a statewide DAS contract. White highlighted several management and technology improvements. He said a business intelligence tool procured in 2022, using Salesforce and Excel-based data, helped DHHS better track federal revenue and maintenance-of-effort spending, reducing FY24 General Fund lapse by about 70 percent and federal/other revenue lapse by 88 percent compared with FY23; he warned that the tool is not funded in the current budget. He also described Lean Six Sigma efforts in the contracts team, training for vendors and nonprofits on procurement and indirect cost rules, and a Finance Academy to standardize policies and procedures. On the contracts side, he said the department uses Smartsheet for project management and DocuSign for electronic signatures, which cut contract execution time dramatically, but noted DocuSign is also not funded in the governor’s budget. The session ended as the committee prepared to move on to the Employee Assistance Program presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• It wasn't easy, but I got through it with my own skills, strength, and some help from The Link.
• ,</c><00:52:28.680><c> and</c> independent living skills, and independent living skills, and one-to-one
• "It's kind of a unique skill set that really is unmet.
• Students obtain funding for their studies while gaining valuable work experience and sharpening skills
• Students obtain funding for their studies while gaining valuable work experience and sharpening skills

Bills: HF1767, HF2068, HF4725, HF4637, HF4638

Keywords: human services, community support, integrated care, disability services, stakeholder consultation, homeless youth, grants, funding, Minnesota, mental health, substance use disorder, education, workforce development, licensure, direct care services, healthcare, long-term care, personal care assistants, employment support, medical assistance

Transcript Highlights:

• And being part of that sports team, a girls' team, helped me get the skills and the strength and courage
• transgender player is not only unfounded, but also deeply dismissive of the team's hard work, talent, and skills
• </c><01:08:58.640><c> and</c> the team's hard work, talent, and the team's hard work, talent, and skills
• . skills. skills.
• We've got weight classes in boxing, age division in youth sports, skill levels in competition. Why?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• cycles of limited opportunity, but it also strengthens our communities by cultivating a diverse, skilled
• cycles of limited opportunity, but it also strengthens our communities by cultivating a diverse, skilled
• cycles of limited opportunity, but it also strengthens our communities by cultivating a diverse, skilled
• Being open to new ways of approaching problems is a great skill for every veterinarian to have.
• Being open to new ways of approaching problems is a great skill for every veterinarian to have.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• force, Is a modern form of slavery that exploits individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for labor
• to the request of the Senate and grant consent to the Senate to adjourn after it has completed its labors
• , second regular session, request the consent of the Senate to adjourn after it has completed its labors

Summary: The House convened with prayer by Deacon Ernesto Ramirez and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Representative Rachel Keshel. The journal from January 12 was approved, and Dr. Andrew Carroll was introduced as Doctor of the Day. Members also heard a proclamation recognizing January 13 as Arizona Human Trafficking Awareness Day, with remarks highlighting the work of the Arizona Human Trafficking Survivor Coalition and the importance of survivor-led prevention and awareness efforts. The chamber then handled routine business, including messages from the Senate and two motions related to adjournment. The House agreed to grant the Senate consent to adjourn after Thursday, January 15, 2026, until Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and also requested the Senate’s consent for the House to do the same. Members observed personal remarks for former Senator Barbara Left and Representative Kyle Powell. A long list of bills and resolutions was introduced and read for first and second reading, covering topics such as elections, water policy, education, public safety, health care, agriculture, taxation, and several memorials and resolutions. No substantive debate or votes on those measures occurred in this transcript. Committee announcements were made for several meetings, and the House adjourned until 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• While intervention provided at an early age requires less time to remediate skill deficits, that is only
• a lot of merit in ensuring that children have had sufficient instruction and foundational reading skills
• systemic exposure to English language development and foundational literacy instruction before their skills

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we provide outpatient treatment services like counseling, living skills, case management, and it's
• So we provide outpatient treatment services like counseling, living skills, case management, and it's
• I've seen how essential skilled, consistent caregivers are to preserving dignity and independence.

Summary: The committee first approved the March 11 minutes and heard a presentation from Nathan Smith, CEO of Central Arizona Shelter Services, on homelessness in Maricopa County. He described rising homelessness, especially among older adults, and said CASS uses low-barrier emergency shelter, family shelter, and an older-adult shelter with case management, behavioral health services, and partnerships with outside groups for food, banking, digital access, and other supports. Members asked about collaborations with mutual aid groups and about point-in-time data, and Smith said the county data could be drilled down through AZMAG. The committee then moved to legislation. HB 2248, the Arizona Medical Freedom Act, would bar businesses, schools, and government entities from denying services or employment based on medical interventions, with an amendment allowing schools to limit access during outbreaks or for certain infections. Supporters framed the bill as protecting bodily autonomy and informed consent, while opponents argued it would undermine employers’ ability to prevent disease spread. The committee adopted the amendment and gave the bill a due pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote. HB 2906, requiring one dental board member to be an active oral and maxillofacial surgeon, passed unanimously after testimony that the board needs surgical expertise for complex cases and anesthesia oversight. HB 2189, directing the Nursing Board to adopt rules for licensed health aides and routine ventilator care, also passed with an amendment and a 6-0 vote. HB 2403 appropriates $2.5 million in FY2027 for home and community-based services providers for elderly and physically disabled Arizonans. Supporters said the funding would help retain caregivers, whose wages have lagged for years, and argued home care is cheaper than hospitalization or institutional care; the bill passed 6-0. HB 2731 continued the Physician Assistant Board to 2030 and passed with a technical amendment, and HB 2730 continued the Occupational Therapy Board and passed as well. HB 2729 continued the Nursing Board to 2030; the board said it regulates about 150,000 licensees and handles thousands of complaints annually, and the bill passed 6-0. HB 2728 continued the Department of Economic Security and incorporated several previously vetoed policy provisions affecting SNAP, unemployment, and eligibility/redetermination rules. Speakers in opposition said it would make benefits harder to access and turn a continuation bill into a vehicle for controversial policy changes, while supporters argued it was part of the legislature’s oversight role. The bill passed 4-3. The committee also adopted a strike-everything amendment to HB 2048, which limits utilization controls on FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications relative to opioids; supporters said it would improve access to non-opioid pain treatment and reduce opioid harm, while opponents warned it would bypass clinical review and raise costs. HB 2048 passed 4-3. Finally, HCR 2058 would require a comprehensive claim-level audit of Arizona Medicaid claims and direct recovery efforts for misappropriated funds; supporters said it could recover significant overpayments, while opponents questioned its incentives and overlap with existing oversight. The resolution passed 4-3, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we provide outpatient treatment services like counseling, living skills, case management, and it's
• So we provide outpatient treatment services like counseling, living skills, case management, and it's
• I’ve seen how essential skilled, consistent caregivers are to preserving dignity and independence.

Bills: HB2048, HB2189, HB2248, HB2403, HB2728, HB2729, HB2730, HB2731, HB2906, HCR2058

Keywords: orders of protection, domestic violence, court procedures, legal guardian, enforcement, healthcare, licensed health aides, scope of practice, ventilator care, training standards, medical freedom, healthcare mandates, employment requirements, public health, government regulation, elderly, physical disabilities, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, home and community based services, funding increase

Transcript Highlights:

• It undermines some of the more advanced skill sets that our community needs.
• the four or five community colleges that offer advanced manufacturing, that offer other technical skills
• area, you know, a lot of people want to go into engine work for boats and, you know, these unique skills

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It undermines some of the more advanced skill sets that our community needs.
• the four or five community colleges that offer advanced manufacturing, that offer other technical skills
• know, a lot of people want to go into engine work for, you know, boats and, you know, these unique skills

Summary: The committee spent most of the meeting discussing a proposed overhaul of Missouri’s higher education funding model, centered on shifting core funding toward an FTE-based formula. The chair and vice chair argued the current system is outdated and inequitable, saying the new approach would better align state dollars with student enrollment and workforce outcomes. Several members supported the need for change but raised concerns about the speed of implementation, the lack of advance consultation with universities, and the possibility that some institutions could face severe budget cuts, accreditation problems, or even closure. Community college representatives were noted as unanimously opposing the recommendation, and members repeatedly asked for clarification on whether graduate programs would be counted at 9, 12, or 15 credit hours, with no definitive answer provided during the meeting. Testimony and comments focused heavily on the consequences for specific institutions and programs. Some members warned that the proposal could hurt schools with expensive programs such as nursing, engineering, doctoral study, research, and specialized missions, while others argued that institutions should be rewarded for producing graduates who are in demand in the workforce. Truman State, Harris-Stowe, Missouri State, and several community colleges were discussed as examples of schools that could either gain or lose substantially under the model. The chair and vice chair said the proposal was not intended to force consolidation, but several members said the size of the cuts could indirectly lead to consolidation or closure and would require a phase-in to avoid harming students. After the higher education discussion, the committee moved through other budget items. The chair described cuts and restorations in several areas, including removing easement funding at the Department of Revenue, adding hearing officers for the State Tax Commission, restoring some MODOT requests, and shifting interest earnings from I-70 and I-44 project funds back to general revenue. Members also asked about Bartle Hall funding, a Bolivar road project, and new language restricting personal-service spending unless appropriations explicitly allow it. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would continue moving through the budget items and follow up on unresolved questions with the department.