Transcript Highlights:

• Three months since this program started, enrollment is triple what DHS estimated it would be for the
• We should not be surprised by this dramatic increase because this program creates an incentive for illegal
• creates an incentive for illegal program creates an incentive for illegal immigrants<00:01:36.479><c
• This program typically if individuals.
• </c> those safety net public health programs those safety net public health programs for<00:08:47.760

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So yes, ma'am, it would represent graduate programs, professional programs, and all undergraduate programs
• And then lastly, just the graduate program portfolio—so Ph.D.s and other professional master's programs
• And then lastly, just the graduate program portfolio—so Ph.D.s and other professional master's programs
• programs.
• What is the market rate for a comparable program?

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on higher education funding, focusing on how Florida’s university system should be financed and whether a new funding model is needed. University system financial officers and Chancellor Ray Rodriguez discussed major cost drivers, including wages and benefits, utilities, maintenance, financial aid, research, and the effects of geography, institutional mission, and student mix. UF highlighted the cost of research and graduate programs; UCF and FAU pointed to growth, location, and cost of living; FAMU emphasized recruiting top-tier talent while relying on other revenue sources; and UNF noted the challenges of growth and long-term planning. Members also discussed the role of internal controls and audits in addressing excessive spending and questioned whether out-of-state tuition should be adjusted to help offset costs. On revenue sources beyond state appropriations and tuition, the panel described auxiliaries, restricted funds, capital projects, and component units such as foundations and health systems. Several universities noted that some revenues are restricted to specific purposes and cannot be used for general operations. FAMU explained that a large share of its capital project funding reflected active campus construction, while UF said its component-unit revenue is largely tied to UF Health. The Chancellor emphasized that the system’s low tuition and strong state support are central to Florida’s national standing, but also noted that some auxiliary revenues are pledged to debt and must be managed carefully. When discussing the current funding process, witnesses praised Florida’s performance-based funding model for aligning incentives with student success, transparency, and accountability. They also raised concerns about non-recurring appropriations, rising employee benefit costs, unfunded mandates, deferred maintenance, and the difficulty of multi-year planning. Suggestions for improvement included more recurring funding, better coverage of mandated costs, greater flexibility in fee-setting, and possible weighting for mission, geography, and institutional type. The Chancellor said the Board of Governors is considering a “version 3.0” of performance-based funding that would benchmark institutions against peers and Carnegie classifications, but any changes would require legislative action. On out-of-state tuition, most universities said they would prefer local board flexibility, while the Chancellor cautioned that increasing out-of-state enrollment or fees could affect future state support and should be balanced carefully.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. the grants for this good program. That's the grants for this good program.
• What will be the assisted living programs? Will it be the regular insurance programs?
• What programs will insurance programs?
• </c> Medicaid program. Medicaid program.
• </c> program like paid family medical leave? program like paid family medical leave?

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But there are programs such as SNAP which provide dollars to programs such as 68 Hours of Hunger or the
• </c> SNAP program. It's as simple as that. SNAP program. It's as simple as that.
• Speaker. program. But HR1 changed aspects of SNAP program.
• </c> have two medicalos helicopter programs have two medicalos helicopter programs and<01:44:29.199><
• </c> food choices, how to ensure program food choices, how to ensure program integrity,<02:18:42.080>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that program. that program.
• </c> program or not? program or not?
• </c><02:44:06.800><c> But</c> FA program or any other program. But FA program or any other program.
• </c> a program for them to attend. a program for them to attend.
• </c><04:27:22.319><c> is</c> programming and and that programming is programming and and that programming

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission meeting focused on reviewing and correcting draft minutes and then working through a draft report on the cost of special education. Members made mostly clerical corrections, including clarifying references to Spalding, fixing acronyms such as LETRS, and cleaning up membership titles and appointee roles to match SB 57. The minutes were approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair also noted the commission’s deadline to complete findings and recommendations by July 1 and said the final report must be delivered to legislative leaders, the governor, the state librarian, and others. The main substantive discussion centered on the report’s findings about special education funding. Members agreed the report should emphasize that the commission was created to study the cost of special education and reduce reliance on local property taxes. One draft section described FY24 special education funding as coming from three primary state and federal sources totaling about $152 million, or roughly 15% of annual costs, with the remaining 85% paid by local school districts through property tax revenue, estimated at about $825 million. Members discussed adding historical or longitudinal data to show trends over time, and some suggested attaching charts or tables showing funding over the last 20 to 30 years. A second major topic was demographic data. The draft noted that statewide K-12 enrollment has declined since 2003 while the number and share of students with IEPs has increased. Members questioned whether the data compared like with like, especially given the growth of Education Freedom Accounts and charter school enrollment, and whether the figures included or excluded those students. Several members asked for clearer sourcing from the Department of Education and suggested keeping a list of unresolved questions, including the impact of the shift from ADMA to ADMR and the effect of the EFA program. The discussion ended with agreement to continue refining the report and to gather additional attachments and clarifications before finalizing recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not isolated to just the programs that This is not isolated to just the programs that are stated
• That objection process allows a competitor that already has an approved program to object to a new program
• program because of this.
• So it's a really great program.
• This program could have been saved.

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2681 , SB5467 , SB5820 , SB5863 , SB5892 , SCR8406 , HB2487 , HB2711 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB6278

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, cannabis, license fees, regulatory framework, revenue generation, legalization, SB 5467, water-sewer district, water sewer district, surplus property, public property sale, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• :10:49.080><c> that</c> most popular programs and we know that most popular programs and we know that
• </c> from folks that go through the program from folks that go through the program and<01:20:59.960><
• a similar program, providing training, entrepreneurial technical assistance, and loan programs.
• loan programs.
• </c> Minnesota has going through the program Minnesota has going through the program with<01:24:18.840

Bills: HF500 , HF718 , HF1096 , HF1246 , HF1469

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation, workforce development, job training, economic stability, low-income, career pathways, education funding, Summit Academy, employment, STEM programming, GED preparation, Neighborhood Development Center, NDC, small business, entrepreneurship, business training

Transcript Highlights:

• So an alternative program would be a regular education placement because alternative programs are not
• students within that program.
• alternative program.
• education program within it so special education program within it so they<00:51:16.319><c> have</c><
• that special education program within that alternative<00:51:49.000><c> program</c><00:51:49.480><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The work session focused on special education, especially the differentiated aid component and special education aid, which members noted is still often called “catastrophic aid.” The chair said the committee was trying to better understand how special education costs are growing, how districts are delivering services through SAUs or internally, and how reimbursement formulas affect local costs. Members also discussed the need for better data before making decisions on several education funding bills, and Representative Brown was tasked with capturing questions for follow-up information from the department or elsewhere. Testimony from the state special education director, Becky Fad, centered on why student counts in various disability categories have shifted over time. She said the categories themselves have not changed much, but autism has increased because of greater understanding and identification, developmental delay has grown because it applies to children under age 10 who may not yet have a clear diagnosis, and some students previously classified under speech/language or other health impairment are now identified in more specific categories such as autism. She emphasized that the IEP is based on a child’s individual needs, so a change in category would not necessarily change services, though it may help educators support the student differently. Members asked about whether the shifts reflect better diagnostic capability, whether the department should gather more data on the reasons for the changes, and whether autism-spectrum data could be broken down further. Fad said the department does not currently have data on the causes of the shifts or on where students fall within the autism spectrum, but that collecting and analyzing such data is on its list of priorities and a new data manager had recently been hired. She also explained that each child is counted only once on the chart by primary disability, that the IEP or eligibility team determines the primary category based on evaluations, and that any child can be referred for special education by a parent, teacher, or doctor, after which the district must meet within 15 days to decide whether to evaluate. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This modest adjustment... ...would rather align the program with operational realities faced by rural
• The Clean Truck Check is an extremely important program for California to try to attain healthy air,
• The evidence from ASE programs around the country, The evidence from ASC programs around the country
• their own programs.
• , otherwise known as an encroachment permit program, within the project's right-of-way.

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that those programs can't?
• It is not strictly a professional development program.
• We are the first program that incentivized... ...it happens to varying degrees.
• and accounting of its resources, separate from other programs within our agency.
• Reallocation within the program to get it done faster—we have that authority, that's all.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on several GovOps-related budget proposals, beginning with ongoing funding for the California Education Learning Lab. The Learning Lab described its intersegmental grants to UC, CSU, and community college faculty, including AI-related work and a math alignment project, and said the Governor’s proposal would move the program’s home agency to GovOps and restore $4 million annually. The Department of Finance supported the proposal as a way to improve coordination, while the LAO recommended rejecting it, arguing the projects are hard to scale, similar professional development already exists in the segments, and the state should consider saving General Fund dollars. Senators split on the value of the program, with some emphasizing innovation and intersegmental collaboration and others questioning its measurable long-term impact; the item was held open. The committee then reviewed the Office of Civil Rights proposal to implement AB 715 and SB 48 with $3.5 million in 2026-27 and $2.8 million ongoing. GovOps said the office had been set up administratively, positions were being recruited, and it would provide training, technical assistance, and complaint review related to anti-Semitism and other discrimination in TK-12 schools. The LAO had no concerns, but senators raised substantial questions about the office’s placement in GovOps, the lack of guidance while the laws are being implemented, the use of gubernatorial appointees, and whether the staffing structure matches the likely workload across different discrimination categories. GovOps said it would develop guidance, coordinate with CDE, and shift resources as needed once staff are hired, but several members said they were not prepared to support the item as presented; it was also held open. After public comment supporting the California Education Interagency Council, the subcommittee approved vote-only items 11 through 17 and 6 through 10. It then heard from the Office of Data and Innovation on a request for five positions and $1.25 million in reimbursement authority to expand digital service delivery work. ODI described projects such as reducing unauthorized EBT theft and forecasting community water system outages, and said it uses guardrails and contracts to protect sensitive data when working with vendor AI services. The LAO had no concerns, and members generally praised ODI’s small, high-impact role; the item was held open. Finally, the Department of Technology presented on the Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative, reporting that 423 miles are complete, more than 70% of the network has been permitted, and about 5,300 miles are expected to be completed by December 2026, with some work potentially slipping into 2027. CDT said Skyline Technology Solutions had been selected to operate the network and that the third-party administrator, Golden State Net, would continue to support development and later help oversee operations and sales. The LAO noted the project’s progress but raised concerns about the novel three-party structure, accountability, and long-term financial sustainability. Senators questioned the legal basis for the operator arrangement, the revenue outlook, reporting to the Legislature, and whether the network will be self-sustaining; CDT said it expects revenues to cover operations over time and will continue annual and quarterly reporting. The item was left open.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the programs we're over is the Veterans Recognition Program, and you can see we have a table set
• Where does this REEDS program take place?
• I guess, and how long does this program go?
• I love the program that you laid out, but I had a question: is it the Missouri naval program, the Naval
• PACE program for five years, so the Naval College is continuing—Pacific Fleet Continuing Education Program

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first went into executive session, where it adopted a House Committee substitute combining House Bills 3078 and 2672 and voted the substitute do pass, with one no vote. It then separately voted House Bill 2362 and House Bill 2588 do pass, each by 16 ayes and one no. During the executive session, one member objected to the combined bill on constitutional equal-protection grounds, while another supported it as a benefit for veterans. In public hearing, Representative Stephanie Boykin presented House Bill 3280, which would create a Missouri specialty license plate for the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who previously qualified for a disabled veteran plate. She described it as a low-cost way to continue honoring a veteran’s service and family sacrifice. Committee members and a surviving spouse testified in strong support, emphasizing the recognition of spouses’ sacrifices and noting that similar plates exist in other states. No opposition was offered. The committee then heard House Bill 3029, sponsored by Representative Schulte, which would require disclosures and prohibit compensation for referrals in the business of advising or assisting with veterans’ benefits, with penalties for violations. Supporters, including a Missouri veterans service officer, argued the bill was needed to stop unaccredited “claim shark” companies from charging veterans for initial claims and using misleading social media advertising. Opponents, including a representative of Veterans Guardian and a VA-accredited attorney, argued the bill would restrict lawful private-sector assistance, reduce veterans’ choice, and should be narrowed to target bad actors while exempting accredited attorneys and referral arrangements. The hearing also included a presentation on the Missouri Veterans Recognition Program, which provides medals and certificates for veterans of major conflicts, and a presentation on MU Extension’s Veteran REEDS program, which uses literature and discussion to support veterans and first responders through community-based resilience work.

Transcript Highlights:

• or juvenile education program for the first year of funding under the accommodation school.
• or juvenile education program for the first year of funding under the accommodation school.
• In 2008, the funding for this critical program was cut.
• Third, community engagement and youth programs.
• Third, community engagement and youth programs.

Summary: The committee took up several appropriations, transportation, naming, and education measures. It first approved SB 1035, which provides a FY27 General Fund appropriation for a 5% salary increase for Arizona Department of Corrections sworn officers and civilian employees; an amendment set the appropriation at $34 million and extended the raise to private prison employees under contract. Testimony from corrections advocates emphasized severe staffing shortages and pay gaps with other law enforcement employers, while some senators objected to including private prisons. The bill passed 6-3. The committee then approved SCM 102 and SCM 1006, which rename stretches of highway in honor of L.F. Quinn and PFC Michael Nolan, respectively, after emotional testimony from family members and local supporters; both memorial measures passed 9-1. SB 1065, appropriating $3.64 million for the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Military Veterans Fund, also passed 6-4 after supporters described HBOT as a promising, drug-free treatment for veterans, while opponents questioned the evidence and FDA approval for the claimed uses. SB 1248, which clarifies funding and attendance rules for county jail and juvenile detention education programs, passed unanimously 10-0 after county school officials said it would prevent double-counting students and separate funding streams properly. The committee also advanced transportation bills focused on the fast-growing West Valley corridor. SB 1204 appropriates $5.5 million to ADOT to design and conduct environmental analysis for interchange improvements at U.S. 60 and SR 303; supporters from the City of Surprise described severe congestion, safety risks, and economic impacts, while some senators argued the project should be funded through HURF rather than the General Fund. It passed 8-1, and the chair invited members to discuss broader HURF funding issues later. SB 1207, a smaller $150,000 study bill to examine financing mechanisms for development tied to U.S. 60/SR 303 infrastructure, also passed 7-1 after local officials said it would help align growth with transportation funding. SB 1274, creating a Police Foundation specialty license plate and fund for Phoenix Police Foundation programs, passed 6-2; the foundation said proceeds would support officer wellness, remembrance, and community/youth outreach. Finally, SB 1001, a $1 million appropriation for the Older Individuals Who Are Blind program, passed 9-0 after blind seniors and advocates testified that the services preserve independence and prevent more costly institutional care. The committee also heard SB 1161, which would make non-lapsing a prior $750,000 DPS appropriation for the Yuma County Family Advocacy Center, with the sponsor explaining it was intended to allow the funds to be spent over multiple years; the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, when we have regional programs and we are in multi-county programs, you do still have to have a county
• So, uh, our local programs have members.
• </c><00:02:56.080><c> and</c> Um, when we have regional programs and Um, when we have regional programs
• And then the second in our programs.
• </c><00:04:33.280><c> in</c> standards for local CASA programs in standards for local CASA programs in

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and the state Medicaid program.
• Now, that will begin next June 1st, but it's for pilot programs and health pilot programs.
• and competency pilot programs and other behavioral health programs, Madam Chair, Representative.
• Assistance Program? I don't...
• around the Commodity Credit Program, the Food and Nutrition Program.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• So it comes from the Foundation School Program? That's right.
• what this legislature had in mind when it set this program originally.
• When we look at this program statewide, the success speaks for itself.
• Fine arts programs develop essential.
• I will remain opposed to an ESA program as currently written.

Bills: SB26 , SB 26

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, SB 26, Texas Property Code, colonia, colonias, Spanish translation, bilingual contract, real estate contract, executory contract, residential property, border county, international border, economically distressed area, consumer protection, language access, translator certified in Spanish

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> other workforce plans and programs, other workforce plans and programs, we're<00:03:40.400><c>
• </c><00:04:54.080><c> This</c> business assistance program. This business assistance program.
• </c> the resource available to that program. the resource available to that program.
• to the IPS program because of a surplus in one program and a deficit in the other.
• </c> 6,000 people that were in the program. 6,000 people that were in the program.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a member rewards program.
• So we have a member rewards program.
• Griminger not know the background on the program? I don't know the background on the program.
• This is a federal program.
• The program has doubled in size.

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Programs.
• We piloted a program, and that program actually became official through policy on March 23, 2016.
• That $50 million program was through the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program that FEMA has.
• We applied for this project through both the BRIC program as well as the FMA program, and thankfully
• was funded through the FMA program, which is a program that still exists within FEMA's programs.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> mortuary program. mortuary program.
• </c> um do they need to adapt their program um do they need to adapt their program at<00:20:39.720><c
• </c> how the medication repository program how the medication repository program deals<01:21:24.840><
• </c> In our current fiscal year, the program In our current fiscal year, the program is<01:23:44.920>
• Earlier because of our program.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:54:41.960><c> for</c> operated my own Childhood Program for operated my own Childhood Program
• Who will provide that care if our programs are closing at an alarming rate?
• </c> will provide that care if our program will provide that care if our program are<00:57:42.839><c>
• </c> families and the child care programs families and the child care programs have<00:58:04.440><c>
• And convert the program from a rebate to an upfront exemption.

Keywords: 1183, house