Transcript Highlights:

• </c> I I'm exe executive director of budget I I'm exe executive director of budget and<00:04:13.200><
• It's not working. it $125 million worth of request for it $125 million worth of request for nines<00:
• It's not necessarily a budget.
• It's not necessarily a budget. Uh cycle. It's not necessarily a budget.
• </c> items are in the budget. items are in the budget. &gt;&gt; Right. &gt;&gt; Right.

Keywords: 00:32 Call to Order and Roll Call 02:30 Road Fund Report 17:22 Approval of Minutes 18:07 High Growth Counties Projects 56:00 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee for Transportation met without a quorum at first, then later approved the July 15 minutes by voice vote after quorum was reached. The committee heard an update from the Transportation Cabinet on the road fund for FY 2024-25. Cabinet staff reported road fund revenue came in $38.5 million above the enacted estimate, with motor vehicle usage tax receipts setting an all-time high for the fifth straight year. Motor fuels tax revenue was below estimate and down from the prior year, while overall road fund collections totaled $1.86 billion, essentially flat year over year. Staff said the road fund ended FY25 with a $61.6 million surplus, which under the budget bill must be appropriated to state construction. Members discussed the gas tax formula, with Senator Higdon arguing it no longer works well because revenues fall when fuel prices fall, and the chair noting the committee may need to revisit the formula. The committee then received an update on High Growth County projects in the 2024 highway plan. KYTC said $16 million in HGC authorizations had been made, nine projects already had construction funds authorized or were otherwise underway, 12 more were scheduled to be let by the end of 2025 with estimated construction costs above $250 million, and one additional project was expected to be awarded through alternative delivery. The cabinet said it anticipated authorizing the full $450 million appropriated by the General Assembly. Members praised the effort and emphasized the need to get projects to market before the next budget cycle. Jason Sala of KYTC also explained why transportation projects take time, citing planning, design, right-of-way acquisition, and utility relocation as major steps that can delay delivery. He said these processes are complex and require coordination with property owners, utilities, consultants, contractors, and local governments. Eric Pelfrey then briefed the committee on professional and personal service contracts, saying they are used to expand cabinet capacity for design, inspections, right-of-way appraisal, safety, and related work. He reported that authorizations and payments for these contracts have trended upward over the past decade, and that the number of contracts has also increased. In response to questions, Pelfrey said design-build can speed some projects by overlapping steps, but it does not eliminate right-of-way or utility work when those are required; he said KYTC has been using alternative delivery more often, but project complexity still limits how quickly work can move.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> request for funds. request for funds.
• </c> being requested. being requested.
• Um, this is in line with our board-approved budget request, and we want to really express our appreciation
• 40.240><c> request</c><01:06:41.359><c> and</c><01:06:41.760><c> we</c> board approved budget request
• and we board approved budget request and we want<01:06:42.319><c> to</c><01:06:42.799><c> um</c><01:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1783, which would expand public-private partnership options for charter school facilities. The Department of Education offered comments, the Charter School Commission and SFA supported the bill, and Hawaii Technology Academy, Hawaii Kids, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, HGA, Aloha Project, and several individuals testified in support, while UPW opposed it. Supporters said charter schools need faster and more flexible ways to address severe facility shortages and high costs, and SFA described the bill as a pilot model that could leverage developer partnerships and state contributions, citing Maryland as an example. Members asked whether the bill was limited to charter schools; DOE said the language could be read to include other public school facilities, but if focused only on charter schools, DOE was less concerned. The Charter School Commission also described an existing public-private preschool model through Parkway Village Preschool and PACTED. The committee then took up HB 1778, which would establish a CIP database for school facilities. SFA supported the bill, saying it would create a more disciplined, transparent basis for funding decisions by documenting facility condition, needed repairs, classification, and timing. DOE initially said it rested on its comments, then responded to questions by saying it already maintains deferred maintenance lists, uses systems such as Maximo, CPT, GIS, and finance software, and sends legislators project-status letters twice a year. DOE said it is working on improving its outward-facing dashboard and integrating its systems, but questioned whether the bill would add value beyond existing tools. Members emphasized the need for a publicly accessible, real-time transparency tool, while DOE said it was still evaluating its current systems and was not yet seeking funding for a new IT program. For HB 2344, creating an Independent Public School Realignment and Closure Commission, DOE said it wants to remain part of any consolidation process to keep students and education central, while SFA said the bill is timely and framed it as a restructuring response to changing conditions and possible federal funding cuts. SFA compared the proposal to the federal BRAC process for military base closures and said Hawaii has the same enrollment as in 1961 but many more schools, arguing that the state needs a more deliberate approach to school closures and land reuse. The Attorney General’s office raised technical concerns about several sections, including unclear references to administrative support, a governor-approval sequence, a possible conflict with existing statutes governing closed-school disposition, and a missing section number. Testimony on HB 2345, which would establish a geographic CIP district, began with DOE in opposition; DOE said the bill would duplicate existing work, add confusion by creating two agencies doing the same thing, and spend money inefficiently because district project coordinators and project lists already exist.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Bank of North Dakota currently has a program where they may request funds to certain opportunities
• So the amount that we've got in all the different pools in all the different budgets for mitigation,
• And of course, what originally was in the budget was $120 million, $30 million, $30 million, and $60
• They haven't done anything They haven't done anything with the aeronautics budget yet.
• So there's, the aeronautics budget is in their house over there with no money in it. Right.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House Appropriations Government Operations section reconvened and first took up an amendment for the Industrial Commission related to a proposed west-to-east natural gas pipeline. Members discussed increasing the state’s capacity commitment from $60 million to $120 million so the project could move forward and support a future FERC permit, with supporters citing growing demand from data centers, agricultural users, and oilfield gas capture needs. The committee also discussed a separate motion to exempt the mill and elevator from the vacant FTE pool; that motion failed on a roll call vote. The committee then reviewed other Industrial Commission items, including housing authority funding, the abandoned well fund, Bank of North Dakota-related changes, and a decision not to add more to litigation funding. The discussion then shifted to the Department of Transportation budget and a major transportation funding framework. Speaker Weiss explained a proposal to consolidate and rework transportation funding into fewer buckets, including moving Prairie Dog-style funding into the flexible transportation fund, adding $370 million to that fund, and providing $171.3 million for federal match needs. The plan also included $50 million for statewide discretionary projects, $50 million for bridges, and grant flexibility for cities, counties, and townships, with some debate over eligibility thresholds and how much discretion DOT should have in awarding grants. Members also discussed whether small communities could realistically apply for grants and how the new structure would coordinate statewide transportation investments. Additional DOT topics included a proposed gas tax increase, changes to distribution percentages among DOT, cities/counties, townships, and transit, and the treatment of electric vehicle registration fees. The committee noted that transit funding would rise under the formula and that EV registration fees would continue to flow into the highway distribution fund. No final action was taken on the broader DOT package during this portion of the meeting, but members agreed to continue work on the amendment and revisit the issue the next day, with a suggestion to brief the caucus before floor action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, a call of the House has been requested. I need 10 hands. The motion is properly sustained.
• With your unanimous consent, the bills will be read by title unless there's a request for reading a bill
• I don't doubt that through our budgeting process annually, we will see updates from the department in
• This bill allows a district or county attorney to request civil intervention if specific criteria are
• So, a $46.8 billion budget this year, and it's going to cost money to do this, right?

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I have one request, Superintendent Hatch.
• And I get emotional because we're doing everything we can here that we're trying to do as the Budget
• My question to you is: Was Lovington able to request one of those rooms?
• Regarding our budget and LFC staff, the SEG that is generated for the school districts in New Mexico
• And so those costs will have a negative impact on that overall budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• School budgets are our biggest budget line items.
• That town meeting was called for the usual reasons to balance the budget and do the typical things, but
• Our request for the moratorium is based on the fact that...
• Our request for the moratorium is based on the fact that the blanket statewide mandate that solar be
• .. ...moratorium in our towns, you would have been slammed today with maybe a hundred moratorium requests

Summary: The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a hybrid hearing on late-filed bills and formal petitions, with testimony focused primarily on two local measures: Senate Bill 3026 concerning voting procedures for a proposed six-town regional school district, and House Bill 5294, a Worthington home rule petition seeking a one-year moratorium on large-scale solar development. Committee members reminded speakers of testimony limits and remote participation rules, then took testimony from local officials, residents, and advocates. On S. 3026, supporters from the Six Town Regionalization Planning Board and local boards said the bill would create a fairer, equal voting process across all six towns for a major regional school district decision. They argued the measure would expand voter access, address concerns about unequal polling opportunities, and help communities respond to declining enrollment and financial pressures affecting school sustainability. Testifiers thanked the bill’s sponsors and urged the committee to advance it. On H. 5294, Worthington officials and residents strongly supported the moratorium, saying it was not anti-solar but a needed planning pause for a small rural town facing industrial-scale solar and battery proposals. Witnesses cited limited municipal staff, volunteer fire and health services, water-supply and groundwater concerns, wildfire risk, decommissioning and oversight costs, land-use and ecological impacts, and the strain on rural communities from state energy mandates. Several speakers said the town needed time to develop zoning and safety regulations before projects moved forward, and they asked the committee to report the bill favorably. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed testimony after the final speaker.

Transcript Highlights:

• preceding this year's action, $4.2 million with some of that income is what we're being told by the budget
• . this request, Mr.
• Chair, members of the committee, it was discussed to move it down to 50 million due to budget constraints
• ago, when we gave teacher raises, what happened is there ended up not being enough funding in our budget
• Chair, thanks to the latest Senate additions to the budget, there is. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Property owners should engage. in local government budget and tax rate hearings.
• They're doing it to save one-half of one percent of the general fund budget.
• We are about to begin our budget.
• budget.
• So the city manager proposed a budget at the voter...

Bills: SB9, SB 9

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap, tax rollback, tax levy, maintenance and operations, debt rate, disaster relief rate, Texas Legislature, local taxing unit, school assessment

Transcript Highlights:

• And on line 10, $4 million for a justice partner access request.
• On line 36, they had a request for a jury pay deficit.
• Moving down to partner access request.
• for a a jury line 36, they had a request for a a jury pay<00:05:02.360><c> deficit.
• We know that your budget targets are limited.

Bills: HF2300

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• in us doing a deep dive on, please reach out to me or my staff and we'd be happy to help you put a request
• Study requesters were concerned about the rapid growth, substantial state funding because of the size
• Study requesters were concerned with the school's performance on standardized testing, and we looked
• I would request to come back... ...and just general information between public, charters, virtual.
• At the same time, I have to say, you know, just in closing, because we are in a tight budget year, and

Summary: The committee first approved the January 26 minutes by voice vote, then was reminded to review draft rules in their folders and on their drives, with rules expected to be taken up the following week. The main presentation was from the Office of Performance Evaluations on the Idaho Home Learning Academy (ILA), a district-authorized virtual public charter school based in Malad City that serves students statewide and has grown rapidly since the pandemic. OPE described ILA’s model, including its use of three education service providers, part-time certified teachers, and supplemental learning funds for families to buy curriculum, technology, and enrichment. The report found that ILA students generally lag the state average on standardized tests, though their achievement gaps are similar to other large virtual schools. OPE also said most instruction is asynchronous and parent-led at home, and that many families choose ILA for customization and access to supplemental funds; in a survey, 71% said they would leave ILA if those funds were eliminated. The second part of the presentation focused on virtual school funding. OPE said ILA uses existing state funding formulas in ways that create large discretionary balances, including through staffing, health benefits, and attendance rules, and that it paid $12.5 million in supplemental learning funds through its providers in 2024-25. OPE raised concerns about inconsistent provider policies, limited oversight, and unclear statutory guidance for virtual schools, and recommended clearer rules for supplemental funds and a funding framework tailored to virtual education. Committee members asked about per-student costs, dual enrollment, testing integrity, private providers’ finances, and whether students can use ILA without paying supplemental fees; ILA representatives said the school provides a free base curriculum, follows state testing rules, and is working on improvements and forthcoming legislation to increase accountability and transparency. No formal action was taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• that the Senate has passed Senate Bill 1, Senate Bill 2 as amended, Senate Bill 3 as amended, and request
• of a watershed district within the soil and water conservation district's boundaries. ...upon request
• funding from the Government Results and Opportunity Expendable Trust to the Director of the State Budget
• This has been a big fiscal lift this year as we have a sort of a tighter budget, but in order to support
• Any request must be received by Legislative Council Service by 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, and then

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, California's budget for resource management and wildfire prevention has tripled since 2017
• budget for resource management and wildfire prevention has tripled since 2017.
• And if I remember correctly, FEMA had just denied a request for funding for some of that work.
• We actually went through a full request for information and a change based on dollars and cents on a
• They didn't mess up anyone budget-wise. They built great homes and they kept on budget, on target.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• County that gets zero funding from the budget.
• Speaker, I request permission to explain my vote. Please proceed.
• Marquez's subfloor amendment, and I request a roll call. I also request a roll call.
• A roll call vote has been requested.
• The Chair requested this. Explanation.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and several guest introductions and proclamations, including recognition of Dr. Victoria Tannenbaum as Doctor of the Day, Lutheran Day at the Legislature, a veterans treatment court judge, and Adrian Ace Stubbs Day. Attendance was recorded at 56 present, one absent, and three excused. The chamber then moved through communications, committee reports, and first/second readings before beginning a long third-reading calendar. Members considered and voted on a wide range of bills covering tax administration, groundwater and water rights, licensing timeframes, homicide, school employee transparency, mining, retirement system cleanup, utility regulation, AI and digital privacy, sexual extortion, adult protective services, salvage vehicles, veterinary board changes, geological survey reorganization, court fees, real estate licensing, probation, and several education-related appropriations and policy measures. Many bills passed on largely party-line votes, while others passed overwhelmingly or unanimously. Several members explained votes on issues such as superintendent contract transparency, ESA administration funding, mining reclamation, water supply and drought policy, motorcycle safety, AI and adult-content verification, and abortion-pill coercion. The House also passed multiple concurrent resolutions and memorials, including measures on election administration, Judea and Samaria, Route 66, and a memorial to rename State Route 69. Election-related debate was especially pointed, with supporters arguing for precinct-based voting and opponents warning of cost, reduced access, and logistical burdens. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to begin consideration of measures on Calendar No. 1, starting with HB 2174 and related amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, in the current budget biennium, the request went significantly down from 2024.
• </c><00:09:22.640><c> request</c><00:09:23.040><c> with</c> most recent um budget request with most recent
• um budget request with regards<00:09:23.600><c> to</c><00:09:23.760><c> contributions</c><00:09:24.480
• ><00:09:51.360><c> request</c><00:09:51.760><c> went</c> budget bienium um the request went budget bienium
• Um leading up to the the bianial budget.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:01 Attendance Roll Call: 00:01:26 Approval of Minutes: 00:02:27 Investment, Cash Flow, and Legislative Update: Bo Cracraft – Judicial Form Retirement System: 00:03:12 Ryan Barrow – Kentucky Public Pensions Authority: 00:21:52 Beau Barnes – Teachers’ Retirement System: 00:34:31 Adjournment: 01:07:25, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, followed by a roll call confirming a quorum and approval of the prior minutes. A special guest, Dave Eager, was welcomed before the committee moved to presentations from retirement system officials. Bo Craycraft, executive director of the Judicial Form Retirement System, gave a quarterly update on investment performance, asset allocation, and cash flow. He said the plans had held up well amid market volatility, with fiscal year-to-date returns above benchmark and long-term returns remaining strong. He explained that the plans are targeted to a 70% equity/30% fixed-income allocation, that some cash is being held for cash-flow management, and that negative cash flow is expected because of funding and contribution levels. He also said Senate Bill 183, dealing with proxy voting and economic analysis for certain votes, was not expected to materially affect the plans because of their small number of holdings and Bear Trust’s long-term investment approach. Ryan Barrow and Erin Surrod then presented for the Kentucky Pension Authority. They reported positive quarterly performance across the retirement and insurance funds, though results varied by period and remained tied to broader market conditions. They said recent asset-allocation changes had been completed and the funds were now within target ranges. On cash flow, they noted some plans remained negative or near zero, with one plan benefiting from a large appropriation. In the legislative update, they described House Bill 30 as codifying an exclusion from pension-spiking calculations for across-the-board raises, and Senate Bill 10 as increasing retiree health insurance subsidies and changing employee health insurance contribution rules for certain CERS members beginning in 2026. They also said Senate Bill 183 would likely have limited impact, though the agency would review voting policies and incorporate any required economic-analysis procedures.

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a request by Senator... Oh, no, in directions on the floor. I apologize. Thank you.
• So budgeting has always been my background.
• , I also oversaw the CDCR budget from that lens and perspective.
• I had always been in the public safety realm or in the budgeting realm.
• And the only other question that I had, one of the two, is obviously the 2020 budget request, AB 134,

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She did all my budget requests, took care of my calendar, and oftentimes took great credit for being
• Chris manages all of our budget requests and supports my in-depth needs to better understand legislation
• request supports Chris manages all over a budget request supports my in-depth needs to better understand
• , and all my budget chairs, they know what a pain in the ass I am.
• , and all my budget chairs, they know what a pain in the ass I am.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would say as a member of the Budget Committee, I have put in a budget request for funding for CalRx
• For these reasons, we respectfully request your no vote on SB 1221. Thank you.
• And for these reasons, I respectfully request your aye vote. Thank you.
• And for these reasons, I respectfully request your aye vote. Thank you.
• related. ...and be the focal person for anything immigration requests related.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1377, which would change California’s medical exemption process for school immunizations. The author and supporters argued the bill would restore physician discretion, reduce fear of audits and discipline, and help families with medically vulnerable children obtain exemptions. Opponents, including pediatric, medical, and public health groups, said the current system created by SB 276 and SB 277 is working, that valid exemptions are still being issued, and that loosening oversight could undermine immunization rates and public health. Members debated the data behind claims of a chilling effect, the number of exemptions reviewed or revoked, and the bill’s amendments, which narrowed the measure to current exemptions and added a small additional threshold. Because there was no quorum at the time, action on SB 1377 was delayed until a quorum could be present. The committee then heard SB 995, the Masuma Khan Justice Act, which would create a statewide inspection and enforcement framework for large voluntary residential facilities, including private immigration detention centers. The author and supporters described alleged neglect and abuse in detention facilities, including denial of medication, unsafe food and water, and inadequate oversight, and argued the state should ensure humane conditions and accountability. The California Hospital Association expressed concern about duplicative oversight and possible overlap with existing regulation, while the author said the bill was being refined to avoid constitutional problems and duplication. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer SB 995 to Judiciary, with the roll call showing five votes and the bill placed on call. SB 1089 was also heard, proposing expanded access to GLP-1 medications for state and local government employees through CalPERS and encouraging broader affordability efforts through CalRx. The author framed the bill as a response to chronic weight disease, diabetes risk, and high costs, and described his own experience obtaining and paying for GLP-1 treatment. Supporters from the American Diabetes Association and medical groups said GLP-1s are effective tools for preventing and managing type 2 diabetes and could reduce long-term health costs. No opposition was heard, and the committee voted do pass and re-refer the bill to Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement, with the vote placed on call. The committee also began SB 1221 on Murphy conservatorships, with supporters and opponents debating whether district attorneys should have a larger role in these proceedings and whether the bill would improve public safety or disrupt the civil mental health process; the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• But nevertheless, the current president as a candidate requested that Republicans in the U.S.
• requested that Republicans in the US Congress vote against that, uh, increase in funding, correct?
• But at the same time, we still have, as was exhibited by our budget which we just...
• I think what we’re certainly in the budget...” passed the other day, we still have to hold the line until
• I think what we're certainly in the budget, The thing that’s on my mind is, you know, what happens on

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security met to consider SCR 39, authored by Senator Creighton, which urges the federal government to take immediate action on border security and calls for Texas to be reimbursed for roughly $11 billion spent on border-related efforts. Creighton argued the federal government has failed to secure the border, leading to illegal crossings, fentanyl trafficking, and the need for Texas to step in through Operation Lone Star. A DPS chief financial officer was present as a resource witness, though no public testimony was taken. Several senators spoke in support of the resolution while also noting broader context. Senator Hinojosa of Nueces said border security has been neglected by multiple administrations, not just the Biden administration, but supported the measure and emphasized the need for lawful immigration and border enforcement. Senator Hinojosa of Hidalgo and Senator Flores also supported the resolution, highlighting cartel activity, trade impacts, and Texas’s role in maintaining border integrity. Senator Eckhardt questioned the author about what specific federal actions were meant by “immediate action,” and Creighton pointed to more staffing, better radio interoperability, stronger drug interdiction, and renewed federal responsibility for wall construction and enforcement. After questions and discussion, public testimony was closed. Senator Flores moved that SCR 39 be favorably recommended to the full Senate, and the committee approved the motion by a vote of 4 ayes and 1 nay. The chair then announced that SB 36, creating a border security division within DPS, would be the committee’s primary focus at the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• These businesses have planned their R&D budgets, and their R&D budgets are based on this.
• These businesses have planned their R&D budgets, and their R&D budgets are based on this.
• These businesses have planned their R&D budgets, and their R&D budgets are based on this.
• budgets and their R&amp;D budgets are based on<03:15:49.439><c> this.
• The request is out come back to order. The request is out of<03:44:52.000><c> order.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Further, the amendment... perspective requested clarification and perspective requested clarification
• should be provided and allow members to be able to provide input on the budget.
• The annual members meeting does not necessarily time with budget adoption.
• The annual members meeting does not necessarily time with budget adoption.
• </c> travel separately because of the budget travel separately because of the budget impacts<01:18:56.320

Keywords: 1183, house