Transcript Highlights:

• Tax increment financing tools such as enhanced infrastructure financing districts, or EIFDs, and community
• EIFDs have been the most widely used and are often described as the most flexible tax increment financing
• And I'm pleased to share that a lot of our members understand the value of these tax increment financing

Summary: The Local Government Committee met on March 26 and heard four bills, beginning as a subcommittee until quorum was established. The chair opened with housekeeping rules, including that testimony would be in person only and that disruptive conduct would not be tolerated. AB 59 by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry was heard first; it would remove the sunset on Reclamation District 108’s authority to participate in hydropower projects. The author, Colusa County representatives, and water district officials said the change would support long-term financing, lower energy costs, and help the district continue water stewardship. No opposition was presented, and the bill was later reported out 7-0. AB 417 by Assembly Member Carrillo was then presented as a measure to streamline and clarify laws governing enhanced infrastructure financing districts (EIFDs) and community revitalization and investment authorities (CRIAs). Supporters, including the sponsor and planning, city, and flood control representatives, said the bill would improve local governments’ ability to fund affordable housing, climate adaptation, transit, fire mitigation, and other infrastructure without raising taxes. One opponent objected to the CRIA provisions, arguing that CRIAs retain eminent domain authority and asked for an amendment to remove that authority. The bill was passed after quorum was established, with the chair noting it would improve functionality while preserving transparency and public participation. AB 533 by Assembly Member Flora reauthorized health care districts that own or operate hospitals or clinics to use the design-build process for construction projects after the prior authority sunset on January 1, 2025. The author and supporters from the Association of California Health Care Districts, the Design-Build Institute of America, and engineering and hospital groups said the measure would restore a useful financing and construction tool without changing public contracting requirements. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 7-0. The committee also approved AB 1030 on the consent calendar, and after roll calls on the remaining items, all measures were reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• helpful, and you know union productions, but I think that to classify 80% total for that on the incremental
• helpful, and you know union productions, but I think that to classify 80% total for that on the incremental
• 80% total for that on the incremental amount is something we'd like to work on with the introducers
• This bill upgrades the state open data portal with an AI chatbot and data visuals. have been transferred
• into the seven have been transferred into the seven bills<02:30:44.479> that<02:30:44.800>

Bills: HB1838, HB1870, HB2445, HB2540, HB1886, HB1839, HB2269, HB1939, HB2037, HB1635, HB1941, HB1576, HB2568, HB2267, HB2590, HB2266, HB2597, HB2499, HB2500, HB2502, HB2607, HB2137, HB2357, HB1782

Keywords: HB1838, Hawaii, Act 142, U visa, T visa, U nonimmigrant status, T nonimmigrant status, immigration certification, visa certification, Form I-918 Supplement B, Form I-914 Supplement B, noncitizen victims, crime victim, human trafficking, victim helpfulness, law enforcement certification, prosecutor certification, judicial review, circuit court, confidentiality

Summary: The committee opened testimony on House Bill 1838, relating to visas. Testifiers from the State Health Planning and Development Agency, the legal clinic, the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the ACLU, CARES, and immigrant-rights groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would bring Hawaii into compliance with federal law, standardize and speed up certification for U and T visa applicants, and better protect survivors of crime and trafficking. Supporters emphasized that delays in certification can leave eligible survivors waiting years for federal visa access and can undermine public safety by discouraging victims from reporting crimes. The chair announced there were 103 testimonies in support and one in opposition, and the committee then moved on without taking a vote on the bill in the hearing. The committee next heard House Bill 1870, concerning protected locations and immigration enforcement. Testimony from the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, ACLU of Hawaii, educators, students, and community advocates supported limiting immigration enforcement at schools and other essential-service sites, arguing that families should be able to access education, health care, shelters, libraries, and social services without fear. The Department of Education said it had already issued guidance in March 2025 for how staff should respond when law enforcement comes onto campus, and the Public Charter School Commission noted implementation would need to occur at the school level. Testifiers said the bill would create standardized protocols and protect students and families from fear and disruption; the chair reported 142 testimonies in support, one in opposition, and five comments. The committee then took up House Bill 2445, relating to student safety and law enforcement on campus. The Department of Education again said it had already rolled out statewide guidance and described its process for staff to notify administration, verify law enforcement identification and purpose, and route matters through the complex area superintendent and attorney general, while noting emergencies would be handled differently. A committee member questioned whether the procedures were sufficiently standardized and whether staff were trained for unusual situations. Student and community testifiers supported the bill, saying schools should remain safe havens and that clear procedures are needed if federal immigration enforcement appears on campus. The Department of Law Enforcement testified in opposition to parts of the measure, raising concerns about masking requirements, vehicle markings, officer safety, doxxing, retaliation, costs, and possible supremacy-clause conflicts, and suggested more exemptions and a compromise approach. The chair reported 106 testimonies in support, two comments, and no opposition for the bill before moving on to the next measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding the organized retail crime unit, this was transferred to the general attorney general's office
• we're seeing in many of these civil asset forfeitures is the CCP member comes in and buys it, then transfers
• it and transfers it and transfers it, transferring it sometimes 5710 times.
• phase, where We are conducting thorough audits to ensure that all the data has been accurately transferred
• We gave ourselves some wiggle room in terms of that, and then it would incrementally increase each year

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Different or five different programs, and all of that currently requires generally some manual transfer
• Chairman, and you mentioned that it would be done in increments. Mr. Chairman, that's correct.
• The requested funding for the other financing uses category aligned with reductions and transfers in
• ask if you could tell me when you talk about folks being able to stay at home and not having to transfer
• Transfers to the Legislative Lottery Scholarship Fund for FY25 totaled approximately $44.7 million, a

Transcript Highlights:

• Like I said, this has been an ongoing, I guess, incremental improvement of that.
• Thorne said over the last several years, we've incrementally improved this process to the point where
• Yeah, because the way incrementally we've because it the way incrementally we've done a lot of these

Bills: HB265, HB146, SB254, HB202, HB3, HB42, SB18

Keywords: resisting arrest, penalties, criminal justice, law enforcement, public safety, youthful offender, capital murder, victims' rights, immunity, civil liability, use of force, recruitment, illegal alien, enhanced sentencing, criminal offenses, minor victims, felonies, Alabama legislature, bail reform, cash deposit

Transcript Highlights:

• The license can be transferred between users.
• licenses, they can have, say, an admin assistant use the license for three months, and then they can transfer
• If you use up all of those extra resources and you're not building that next increment and properly assigning
• the cost of that next increment to make sure that it's not being borne by the other customers, then
• where the focus ends up being, to make sure that an inappropriate share of those new costs, those incremental

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on artificial intelligence and data centers, establishing its purpose as a study and policy-development body rather than one aimed at producing many bills. Majority Leader Hogue urged members to move quickly, focus on federal and other states’ AI laws, consider possible federal preemption, child protections, and the siting and economic impacts of data centers. Committee leadership echoed that the goal is practical, balanced governance that protects North Dakota while allowing innovation to continue. Legislative Council staff provided a background memo and NCSL presented a detailed overview of AI concepts and the current state legislative landscape. The presentations distinguished narrow AI, generative AI, agentic AI, and theoretical AGI/ASI, and summarized major state policy themes: comprehensive AI laws in states such as Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, and Illinois; targeted laws on deepfakes, chatbots, health, education, notifications, and digital likeness; and growing use of appropriations and agency inventories. Members asked about Colorado’s repeal and reenactment, Texas’s sandbox and training provisions, oversight structures, and whether AI regulation is bipartisan; presenters said most issues cut across party lines, with broad agreement on child safety and deepfakes but more division on broader regulatory approaches. The federal update focused on executive orders, preemption, and congressional activity. NCSL described a White House framework favoring a single federal standard, a DOJ litigation task force, Commerce Department review of state laws, and possible funding conditions tied to state AI policy, though no formal state-law challenge had yet occurred. The presentation also covered a recent executive order creating a voluntary federal vetting process for advanced frontier models after safety concerns, and congressional proposals including a failed 10-year state moratorium, Senator Blackburn’s child-safety bills, the Kids Online Safety Act, a House-passed children’s digital safety package, a Senate data center moratorium proposal, and a House ratepayer/data-center bill. The committee took no formal action beyond receiving testimony and asking questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Repealing the local licensing requirement for the sale of pistols and revolvers is just another incremental
• Repealing the local licensing requirement for the sale of pistols and revolvers is just another incremental
• Sale of pistols and revolvers is just another incremental chipping away at previous efforts of gun violence
• landlords from requiring a tenant or prospective tenant to only pay their rent by electronic funds transfers
• landlords from requiring a tenant or prospective tenant to only pay their rent by electronic funds transfers

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I think this is incremental money. I'm going to ask Mr.
• I think it's a different increment of money. Thank you. Yeah, further questions?
• I think this is this is incremental I think this is this is incremental money<00:17:12.760> I
• <00:17:42.320> of think it's a different uh increment of think it's a different uh increment
• know how does the money get transferred know how does the money get transferred and<01:30:05.560

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:23:18.240> revenue<00:23:18.720> of<00:23:18.799> course net incremental
• Uh, I did break out the tobacco tax and the real estate transfer tax sections.
• and tobacco tax changes estate transfer and tobacco tax changes that<00:56:48.240> are<00:56:
• Motion passes. 183 of HB2 in regards to the tax on 183 of HB2 in regards to the tax on transfer<01:01
• I understand it was going to be transferred to HHS, but why was no action ever taken to fill it?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met with Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre and Charitable Gaming Chief Compliance Officer Kulie Aoyo to review proposed changes in HB 2 and related amendments affecting video lottery terminals, historic horse racing, charitable gaming, and scratch tickets. McIntyre said the late-arriving amendment made revenue estimates difficult, especially because the bill would allow operators to decide when to convert from HHR to VLTs and would change the floor-space rules. He explained that the existing 70/30 floor-space split between machines and table games was negotiated to protect charity revenue, and warned that moving to a 90/10 split could reduce charity revenue, potentially by as much as $17 million, while also changing the character of the facilities. Committee members discussed whether to keep the 70/30 split, and McIntyre said he could provide updated estimates later that day, including net impacts after any offsetting gains or losses under current law. Members also asked about the governor’s proposed operator share versus the Sweeney amendment’s higher operator share. McIntyre said the governor’s 45% figure was based on his own estimate and on comparable rates in other states, and he supported it as a way to maximize revenue for the state and charities. He also described a change to high-stakes tournaments: after speaking with Rep. Sweeney, he said the amendment was clarified to apply only to those tournaments and would lower the house take from 10% to 5% to encourage participation in rare, high-buy-in events. The committee also discussed a separate proposal to raise the maximum scratch ticket price from $30 to $50; McIntyre said the change would take time to implement, would likely increase net state revenue by about $1 million in year two, and was consistent with pricing in neighboring states such as Massachusetts and Connecticut. Additional questions covered sports betting and a separate Kino-related estimate. McIntyre said March Madness is the busiest period for sports betting and that the state’s sports betting revenue has exceeded initial expectations. He also said he had estimated that removing a municipal-vote restriction for Kino could cost about $12 million total, with $2 million in the first year and $10 million thereafter. No formal votes were taken during the discussion; the chair indicated the committee would revisit the VLT amendment and other sections later, and McIntyre agreed to send updated revenue estimates to committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we're relentlessly incremental and try to apply lessons that we learn along the way.
• to<00:14:56.800> apply<00:14:57.120> lessons incremental and try to apply lessons incremental
• to keep any incremental uh to keep<00:39:50.800> any<00:39:50.960> incremental<00:39:51.520
• needs to keep any incremental compliance needs to a<00:39:52.480> minimum.
• <00:39:56.000> uh saying there isn't is no incremental uh saying there isn't is no incremental

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Or should we allow them to transfer their credit to someone who doesn't?
• We're looking at credits—refundable, those that are carried forward, and transferable.
• But they don't necessarily, they're not necessarily large because of their refundable or transferable
• Are they transferable? Are they passed through? The question I had from the first presentation.
• The Rural Job Tax Credit is carry forward and transferable. I believe that might not be right.

Transcript Highlights:

• and we're going to talk a little bit more about this, but really importantly, home care in small increments
• And what we were looking for was a home care company that was willing to do smaller increments of care
• So if someone just needs one or two 30-minute increments in the beginning, they can get that.
• And who is your private home care provider that does the 30-minute increments?
• And when you start to do smaller increments and different ways to support it, like a social day program

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission meeting focused on continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), beginning with a presentation from Two Life Communities on its Opus Newton model, which is opening in the fall. Two Life described Opus as a middle-income, modern CCRC built around affordability, care coordination in residents’ apartments rather than separate care buildings, and resident-driven community life. Commissioners asked about financing, home care arrangements, affordability, Medicaid/MassHealth access, and the role of resident councils versus board representation. Two Life said it wants to remain within the CCRC framework, but expressed concern about proposals that would require multiple discrete care levels, impose deadlines on entrance-fee refunds, or require resident board seats. The commission then discussed possible recommendations. There was broad support for Senate Bill 478, which would require clearer disclosure of entrance-fee refund terms in a separate document for prospective residents. On refund timing, members were divided: some favored a one-year deadline or a deadline with waivers, while others opposed a fixed deadline because of financing risks and the potential impact on new development and current residents. Several members suggested keeping the status quo but adding better data collection and reporting on refund timing. On the CCRC definition and marketing, members debated whether the current statutory definition is too vague and whether the commission should recommend clearer standards or a certification-like process, while also noting resource limits for state oversight. Members also discussed the Age CCRC Consumer Guide, with general agreement that it should be updated and made more useful to consumers, possibly with clearer questions to ask and more information about facilities, though some cautioned against adding subjective financial-risk statements that would be hard to administer. On resident representation, several commissioners strongly supported requiring resident voting members on boards, while providers argued that strong resident associations and regular meetings with boards may be preferable and that communities should retain flexibility. The meeting ended with a request for written comments by July 11, draft recommendations to be circulated July 18, and a possible final meeting on July 21, with the commission aiming to finish by August 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next year it would then increase by, I think, it ended up at 25%, so you could still see incremental
• And I'm looking for how that incremental year-over-year is reset.
• students and H like I'm looking for<00:36:35.480> how for how for how that<00:36:37.480> incremental
• /c><00:36:38.240> year-over-year<00:36:38.800> is<00:36:39.560> reset that incremental
• year-over-year is reset that incremental year-over-year is reset uh<00:36:40.760> the<00:36:40.920

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that you will automatically have to look at that relative cost of improvement, relative incremental
• department to convert from unlicensed bets to licensed bets and reduce the time it takes for people to transfer

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:42:12.240> you implemented some kind of increment you implemented some kind of increment
• you know<00:42:12.400> some<00:42:12.599> incremental<00:42:13.200> controls<00
• :42:13.599> on know some incremental controls on know some incremental controls on expenditures
• I know you guys don't plan on six-month or year increments; you're probably thinking a few years out.
• increments or year increments you're increments or year increments you're probably<00:53:37.559>

Bills: HF1538, HF1965, HF2251, HF2838

Keywords: teacher apprenticeship, registered apprenticeship, teacher licensure, teacher shortage, workforce development, education finance, K-12 education, higher education, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, PELSB, Tier 3 license, teacher preparation, mentor teacher, school district, cooperative unit, teacher pipeline, alternative licensure, apprenticeship program, labor and industry, union representation

Transcript Highlights:

• TIF, plan before July 1, 2035, and has pledged certain real property tax increment revenues.
• local governing body has approved a the local governing body has approved a tax<00:09:11.720> increment
• c> finance,<00:09:12.560> aka<00:09:13.000> TIF<00:09:13.320> plan, tax increment
• certain real property tax increment certain real property tax increment revenues.<00:09:20.720><
• That day were actually transferred into the uncodified language.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 23, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first handled routine announcements, including welcoming a new group of pages and noting donations of donuts and chicken from local businesses, along with a citation planned for Mr. Herman’s Bakery, which is closing after 103 years. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 858, establishing a Department of Budget and Management Audit and Finance Compliance Unit. A senator moved to send the bill back to second reading to add an amendment, which was adopted without objection, and the bill was reprinted for third reading. The Finance Committee then reported several bills. Senate Bill 84, concerning collective bargaining for graduate assistants at UMCP and UMBC, was laid over after questions about whether graduate assistants are employees or students. Senate Bill 455, creating a transformational project financing program tied to tax increment financing districts, had two committee amendments adopted and was ordered printed for third reading. Senate Bill 623, creating a premium cigar lounge alcoholic beverage license, also received two committee amendments and was ordered up, but a later Howard County amendment was proposed and the bill was laid over. Senate Bill 777, directing workforce development support in hospital closures and related events, was adopted and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 831, addressing child labor penalties, private-sector labor relations, and state labor standards, was adopted with two amendments and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 932, requiring social media platforms to display users’ general geographic location, was laid over after questions. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 340, requiring at least $2 million annually for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman office, with two amendments adopted and the bill sent to third reading. Senate Bill 489, creating a limited license pathway for physicians trained abroad and repealing the fifth pathway program, was adopted with two amendments and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 496, expanding Medicaid coverage for obesity treatment, prompted extended debate over the fiscal note and who would bear the costs; the sponsor argued the estimate was overstated and did not account for likely lower utilization or health-care savings, while an opponent pressed concerns about the state share and structural deficit. The discussion continued without a final vote in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's very incremental.
• It's very incremental.
• It's very<00:14:58.000> incremental.
• And so, the point is very incremental.
• And this is a very incremental it.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House File 5055, the governor’s supplemental tax budget. Commissioner of Revenue Paul Marquart outlined the proposal as a balanced budget package that would leave a positive bottom line in the current biennium and beyond. He emphasized family-focused tax relief, especially a new refundable young child credit for children ages 0 to 4, which would provide up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more, benefit about 104,000 families, and phase out at higher incomes. He also described federal conformity changes, including updates to business interest deductions, dependent care credits, and Section 179 expensing, along with omitted federal items such as research expensing and opportunity zones due to cost and policy concerns. Marquart also defended broader tax modernization proposals, including expanding the sales tax to selected consumer services such as accounting, banking, brokerage, and legal services while lowering the statewide sales tax rate, and creating a social media tax on consumer data collection that would fund an AI readiness special revenue fund rather than the general fund. He said these changes would make the sales tax less regressive and better aligned with the modern economy. Additional provisions mentioned included a gun-related gross receipts tax on firearms and ammunition, cannabis tax technical changes, historic structure rehabilitation conformity, and added auditors for tax compliance. Testimony from outside groups was mixed. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project supported the governor’s approach as a response to federal tax and spending changes, praised the decision not to conform to opportunity zones or federal no-tax-on-tips/overtime provisions, and urged even stronger revenue measures. Brian Lake of the Minnesota State Bar Association strongly opposed the proposed sales tax on consumer legal services, arguing it would burden low- and middle-income people in sensitive cases and create unfairness when individuals litigate against the state. Tanner Fritsinger of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the sales tax base expansion and the social media tax as ways to broaden revenue without raising the base rate. The committee chair thanked the commissioner and then began hearing public testimony, with additional testifiers queued up.

Transcript Highlights:

• the challenge and the reason why I'm here with this bill today for the EIFD process and for tax increment
• revenues from parcels under Williamson Act... ...from capturing property tax increment revenues from
• This part of the bill would remove the ability for establishing entities to use sales tax increment in
• Districts established under SB 782 could use future tax increment revenues to support reconstruction
• I will tell you, we've not been able to identify a case where an increment financing district was used

Summary: The committee first heard SB 753, which would modernize California’s shopping cart recovery rules by allowing cities and counties to return abandoned carts directly to retailers, recover documented retrieval costs, and avoid the current impound-and-wait process. The author and supporters, including San Jose officials and the League of California Cities, said the bill would help clear streets, sidewalks, and waterways and reduce local costs. Grocers and retailers opposed the measure unless amended, arguing it would turn cart retrieval into a new cost burden and could create incentives for cities to charge too much for stolen property. After extensive discussion about notice periods, cost caps, and local ordinances, the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 as amended. The committee then took up SB 445, which would speed up permitting and approvals needed for high-speed rail by requiring early engagement, setting rules for third-party coordination, and creating a dispute-resolution process. The author said the bill was narrowed from an earlier, broader transit proposal and was intended to reduce delays caused by utilities, local governments, and other entities. Supporters said permitting bottlenecks add major costs and delays to infrastructure projects, while opponents from utilities, cities, counties, telecoms, and special districts raised concerns about safety, reliability, affordability, and the need to review the pending amendments. The bill passed 8-1 to the Utilities and Energy Committee. The committee also heard SB 9, a narrower housing bill focused on accessory dwelling units. The author explained that it would require local ADU ordinances to be submitted to HCD for review and would make state standards control if a local agency fails to submit a compliant ordinance or respond to HCD findings. Supporters from housing and YIMBY groups said the bill would improve enforcement of state ADU law and prevent local barriers from slowing housing production. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 6-0. The committee then began hearing SB 79, which would allow more housing near major transit stops; the author and supporters framed it as a response to the housing shortage and transit underuse, and the hearing continued with extensive support testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, change needs to be incremental so that we can evaluate how things are going and then move from there
• /c><00:08:42.680> needs<00:08:43.000> to<00:08:43.080> be<00:08:43.280> incremental
• <00:08:44.200> so So, change needs to be incremental so So, change needs to be incremental

Keywords: This meeting failed to stream and a back up recording was uploaded in it's place., 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a misunderstanding under what HR one did where we got the transfer transformation money of $223
• We transferred the balance from SDE over to DPS.
• We've been doing incremental increases of 7% except for this year. Initial on the bill.
• Section 22 states that $250,000 of the appropriated funds should be transferred to the Public Safety
• some funds remaining in the Film DEN Oklahoma Programme revolving fund, and $5 million will be transferred

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

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