Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Subcommittee on Education Finance in the Assembly.
• So we'll welcome and allow the Department of Finance to begin first.
• First, Chavez with the Department of Finance.
• Does the Department of Finance have a response to that?
• Justin Hurst, Department of Finance...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I work to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers and debunk myths.
• All financing terms have to be disclosed.
• If a vet determines the animal is unfit for purchase, any financing arrangement is terminated.
• Number one, does Petland offer financing, and if someone were to default on the financing, what happens
• Does Petland offer financing, and if someone were to default on the financing, what happens to the pet

Bills: S0050, S0054, S0176, S0178, S0198, S0290, S0420, S0502, S0538, S0706, S0834, S0936, S0962, S1004, S1080, S7022

Keywords: veterans, treatment court, nonviolent felony, probation, mental health, cognitive function, psychotropic drugs, violent offenders, autopsy procedures, medical records, school safety, campus safety, higher education, university safety, college safety, student safety, threat assessment, violence prevention, credible threat, campus security

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills, beginning with CS for CS for SB 54, which requires district medical examiners to perform toxicology screenings for psychotropic drugs and intoxicating substances in autopsies of violent offenders and report findings to state agencies. It was reported favorably after brief discussion about how the data would be used. CS for SB 176 also passed, requiring public postsecondary institutions to make campus safety reporting and response procedures clearer and more accessible for students, faculty, and staff who receive threats. Both bills were approved without opposition in the meeting. The committee then took up the large Florida Farm Bill, CS for CS for CS for SB 290, which drew extensive testimony and multiple amendments. The bill includes changes to fair associations, a preemption on local restrictions affecting gas- and diesel-powered farm equipment, surplus of certain state-owned lands for agricultural use, a food animal veterinary loan repayment program, permanent authorization for Farmers Feeding Florida, expanded Florida Forest Service training, a ban on signal jamming devices, tougher CDL English-proficiency penalties, protections for food safety inspectors, biosolids provisions, and contractor payment enforcement. Amendments expanded veterinary loan eligibility to equine veterinarians, merged citrus research entities, made technical corrections, and revised contractor payment language; a late-filed amendment removed the bill’s disparagement clause after significant First Amendment concerns and public testimony. A separate amendment delayed biosolids compliance deadlines. The bill was reported favorably as amended. Also approved were CS for CS for SB 834, which repeals a restriction on health care sharing ministries partnering with licensed insurance agents, while adding a disclaimer requirement; SB 936, allowing temporary door locking devices at any height above the floor and directing the Building Commission to add standards to the code; and CS for SB 50, expanding veterans’ courts statewide. Later, CS for CS for SB 1004 advanced with a strike-all regulating dog and cat sales, requiring disclosure of medical records and financing terms, a three-day waiting period for financed purchases, and consumer protections against deceptive pet sales; an amendment removed an appropriation section. The committee also approved CS for CS for SB 178, which directs the FHSAA to adopt rules allowing coaches to provide limited good-faith support to student-athletes, and CS for CS for SB 198, regulating virtual currency kiosks with registration, warnings, transaction limits, receipts, and refund protections. Each of these bills was reported favorably by recorded vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• What financing vehicles do you guys currently have available?
• know facilities District or financing know facilities District or financing District<00:42:12.680
• Maybe that would tend to make things not fall within the cracks or have gaps.
• Maybe that would tend to make things not fall within the cracks or have gaps.
• Maybe that would tend to make things not fall within the cracks or have gaps.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several transportation and arts-related measures. HB 307 on special member plates drew written support from Protect Ohana, and HB 531 on a University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center specialty plate received strong support from the Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society, both emphasizing cancer research, patient care, outreach, and public awareness. HB 706 would require skateboard users under 16 to wear helmets, and HB 1231 would expand red light photo enforcement; both drew support from transportation and safety advocates, while the Judiciary raised concerns about citation volume, staffing, manual processing, and the need for consultation and a phased rollout. The committee also discussed HB 54, which increases penalties for repeated excessive speeding offenses; the Attorney General’s office supported the enforcement rationale and fingerprinting language, while the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it adds harsh penalties and jail time despite broader efforts to reduce excessive punishment. For the camera-enforcement bills, the Department of Transportation said the red-light and speed-camera programs would be expanded gradually, with existing intersections converted first and additional locations added over time, and noted that the system would require about $2 million and significant automation for the Judiciary. The Judiciary repeatedly asked for more time, public input on camera locations, and effective dates that would allow staffing and system changes. On HB 1166, which funds the automated speed enforcement program, DOT proposed technical amendments to make the citations non-moving violations and to align the statute with the red-light program; the Judiciary again said it had no position on the policy but needed time and consultation to absorb the workload. HB 235, a North Shore red-light imaging bill, drew similar Judiciary concerns and support from a testifier who said enforcement would improve compliance and reduce crashes. The committee also heard HB 1159 on commercial harbor evacuations, with Hawaii Emergency Management Agency supporting the bill as a way to give harbor masters enforceable authority to order vessels out during emergencies. The discussion focused on whether the measure would affect all commercial harbor users, including smaller fishing vessels, and whether it would conflict with Coast Guard authority; the bill’s proponents said it would let the state enforce orders already issued by the captain of the port and protect cargo lanes during crises. Finally, HB 17 on the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority was described by HCDA as a housekeeping and structural bill that would update its purposes, allow it to assist other agencies, and replace multiple county boards with a single program reporting to the 17-member board. DHHL supported the bill because of potential transit and infrastructure benefits for Kapolei and nearby homestead developments, and committee members discussed future financing tools such as improvement districts, TIF, and other mechanisms to fund infrastructure early in the development process.

Transcript Highlights:

• and achievement gaps here in the state of Colorado.
• Yes, opportunity gaps.
• How are opportunity gaps measured? How are opportunity gaps measured? That's a good question.
• We ask for your yes vote on the finance committee report.
• Senate Bill 183 will be assigned to the committee on finance.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we have any comments from the Department of Finance? Blair Huxman, Department of Finance.
• Department of Finance: any additional comments?
• gaps.
• gaps.
• for market gaps.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard May Revision proposals focused on housing, homelessness, and related administrative changes, and took no votes, holding items open for later action. Item 1 would realign staff positions and resources as part of the Governor’s housing and homelessness reorganization, including shifting two Cal ICH positions to HCD, moving one Cal ICH position for communications/external affairs, and authorizing a chief deputy director at the new Housing Development Finance Committee. Administration witnesses said the changes were technical and net zero-cost, while the LAO recommended approval but asked for clarification on funding for the chief deputy. Several senators questioned whether the staffing shifts would weaken Cal ICH’s homelessness work and whether adding communications capacity was appropriate without new housing funding. Item 2 proposed creating a $100 million Disaster Rebuilding Fund at CalHFA, with $56 million General Fund and $44 million in existing National Mortgage Settlement funds, to support disaster-impacted homeowners through tools such as loan loss guarantees and interest rate buy-downs. CalHFA said the fund would help homeowners bridge the gap between insurance proceeds and rebuilding costs and would work through approved lenders. The LAO raised concerns about the lack of alternatives in the proposal, the broad discretion left to CalHFA in program design, and the General Fund cost. Senators pressed for more detail on eligibility, equity safeguards, lender oversight, and how many homeowners would actually benefit, with some warning the proposal was too open-ended and could miss the most vulnerable households. Item 3 addressed trailer bill language for HAP Round 7, including a proposed $500 million General Fund allocation tied to new accountability measures, pro-housing designation requirements for 14 large cities and 11 counties, local match requirements, streamlined system performance metrics, and recapture/reallocation of unspent funds. HCD said the proposal would avoid a new application process by treating Round 7 as additional disbursements of Round 6 and would provide technical assistance to jurisdictions. The LAO and several senators questioned the timing, the burden of pro-housing designation and local match requirements, the vagueness of some standards, and whether the proposal would delay rather than speed up funding. Members also debated whether the trailer bill preserved or weakened existing homelessness accountability metrics and whether the approach was too complicated given local budget pressures and ongoing homelessness needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to address also the state of New Mexico finances a larger share of its education Mexico finances
• a larger share of its education system, I'm sorry, the state of New Mexico finances a larger share of
• And as we're growing, we're growing. gap are bigger numbers, I think.
• Okay, Kelly Clinton, Legislative Finance Committee, so you should have two pages in front of you.
• And so there would still be that $12 million gap. How much is just $500,000 that's still unspent?

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The meeting began as an informal education budget work group focused on reviewing a revised House Appropriations and Finance Committee scenario and flagging concerns rather than taking votes. Staff outlined the main changes from the LFC recommendation, including moving the statewide student information system appropriation, adding funding for the Black, Bilingual, Multicultural and Hispanic Education Act, universal school meals overrun costs, an evidence-based CTE pilot with a 50% local match, STEM network funding, wellness room pilots, Martinez-Yazzie action plan items, and changes to innovation zone and out-of-school time appropriations. A separate handout on the seven-year CTE pilot explained spending patterns, reversions, and possible federal maintenance-of-effort concerns if the state continues funding beyond a true pilot. Members then debated CTE extensively, with several arguing it improves attendance, graduation, and career readiness and should be sustained or expanded, especially in rural areas, while staff and others emphasized that much of the current funding has gone to general operational costs rather than intentional program design and that regional or matched funding models may be more effective. Members also discussed STEM and math initiatives, the need for more industry involvement, and whether the proposed match requirements would be too burdensome for smaller districts and BIE schools. The discussion also covered the Black, Hispanic, and Multilingual Education Acts and the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit. Some members stressed that the acts should be explicitly named in the budget language and not merely implied, while staff said the scenario reaffirms prior commitments by building the costs into agency operating budgets. Members raised concerns about charter school hold-harmless funding, declining enrollment, and the need to align spending with the needs of at-risk students. The work group ended the education portion without any votes, with staff noting they would incorporate the feedback and return with clarifications, including on CTE funding, the educational acts, and the charter hold-harmless item. The meeting then shifted to the child well-being and early childhood work group, where staff presented a revised Early Childhood Education and Care Department scenario. The proposal moved money toward child care assistance and early pre-K, kept the FIT program funding level unchanged, and used a mix of trust fund, TANF, federal, and operating-budget adjustments to close part of the gap between the executive and LFC recommendations. Members questioned the policy direction, especially the shift toward infant and toddler care and pre-K expansion, the impact on school-age child care, and the implications for continuity of care and provider costs. Staff explained that the scenario prioritizes younger children and at-risk families, includes language for a wage and career ladder, and would require legislation to raise the early childhood trust fund distribution cap from 500 to 525. Members also discussed a separate proposed CYFD pilot bill (HB 65), which would be distinct from ECECD funding. No votes were taken, and staff said they would return with more cost information on full pre-K plus wraparound care. A final work group reviewed C2 and Department of Information Technology-related appropriations. Staff compared the LFC and executive recommendations for new funding and reauthorizations, noting that the LFC generally limited new projects while the executive funded more. Members discussed several IT modernization requests, including the Secretary of State’s voter registration and election management systems, the Spaceport Authority, Game and Fish, the State Engineer’s WATERS system, ECECD’s FitKids and EPIC replacement discovery, and Aging and Long-Term Services’ enterprise system modernization. The main themes were whether to fund planning versus full replacement, how to avoid piecemeal spending, and whether new systems should wait for incoming leadership. The Secretary of State’s office said its system is nearing end of life and the planning funds would help prepare a realistic replacement request, while other agencies described aging infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and the need for modernization. The work group did not vote on any of the items and ended with staff noting additional follow-up on funding needs and reauthorization details.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a program evaluator with the Legislative Finance Committee.
• Since that time, the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) has repeatedly. found that pre-kindergarten
• primary goal was to serve children from low-income families to help close educational opportunity gaps
• If you will turn with me to page 24 and look at Chart 19, it's worth emphasizing that the overall gap
• Is there anyone discussing, you know, filling the gaps with something else? Limiting?

Transcript Highlights:

• They saw there were massive gaps between at-risk students and their peers, and they've They felt that
• We are also seeing graduation rates for Native American students. and English learners closing the gap
• There are people who are the very best at closing the gaps for students every single day, and I think
• Where we've got finances that are being managed through the same system.
• It's provided by the Legislative Finance staff and also the direction of our directors.

Transcript Highlights:

• Melody Jimenez with the Department of Finance.
• Melody Jimenez with the Department of Finance.
• Shadi Ari, Department of Finance.
• Ethan Strider with the Department of Finance.
• We see it as a pathway to close equity gaps.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee began with public comment and then heard an informational update on the administration’s Career Education Master Plan and the California Education Interagency Council. State agencies described efforts to better align workforce, higher education, and TK-12 systems through data sharing, dual enrollment, e-transcripts, career passports, and regional partnerships. Members asked about the council’s timeline, strategic plan, reporting requirements, and whether it would have authority to act; administration staff said the council is being stood up, its first meeting is due by the end of June, and a strategic plan is due by the end of November. Members also raised broader questions about the relationship of this work to the Master Plan for Higher Education and common course numbering. The committee then took up the Governor’s proposed $100 million one-time expansion of dual enrollment grants. Finance said the proposal would extend grants for middle college, early college, and CCAP programs, add eligibility for regional occupational centers, provide extra support for justice-involved youth, prioritize high-need LEAs, and allow funds for teacher professional development. The proposal would also reduce the minimum instructional day for certain dual enrollment students from 240 to 180 minutes to better align schedules and remove barriers. The LAO recommended rejecting the funding, arguing that dual enrollment is already growing and that the proposal does not address major fiscal barriers. The Chancellor’s Office and CDE supported the investment, emphasizing access, equity, and technical assistance, especially for rural and small districts. Members questioned instructional-minute changes, reporting on outcomes, adult learner access, and whether the funds would support ongoing or one-time costs. Next, the committee considered trailer bill language to align the definition of long-term English learners across data systems. Finance and CDE said the change would simplify identification by using a seven-year definition for LTELs and a six-year definition for students at risk of becoming LTELs, matching the dashboard and research on the typical time needed to reach English proficiency. Some members expressed concern that the proposal could delay intervention for students who have been English learners for four or five years and questioned why the issue was being handled through budget trailer bill language rather than policy legislation. After discussion, the committee voted on a motion to reject the proposal and refer it to the policy committee; the motion received two aye votes and the item was held open. Finally, the committee heard a proposal to extend the Supporting Inclusive Practices Project by one year, from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Finance said the extension would continue the existing project, while CDE raised concerns about the project’s contract structure, fiscal management, and scalability. A Marysville Joint Unified School District representative testified that SIP had helped the district bring preschool services back into district schools, expand inclusive practices, and reduce reliance on more restrictive placements. Members questioned why funds had not been fully encumbered and whether the project was best positioned to support statewide preschool inclusion goals, with CDE suggesting that existing infrastructure may already be better suited for that work.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you look at the total gap in priority projects, we need about $470 million.
• I appreciate the Legislative Finance Committee.
• Our goal ultimately is to not have debt service with the Finance Authority.
• And then we'll go to local government finances. Mr.
• Okay, now we're going to go to local government finances.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are noble stop gaps, the demand.
• Finance and Policy Committee members. Finance and Policy Committee members.
• In this gap created by the federal government, in a gap where the state has not yet stepped in, as we
• Igo and members of the housing finance Igo and members of the housing finance and<01:18:13.520><
• and we work to close in equity gaps and we work to close in equity gaps within<01:21:10.480>

Bills: HF3403, HF3410, HF3424

Keywords: HF3403, emergency rental assistance, rental aid, homelessness prevention, housing crisis, imminent risk of homelessness, eviction prevention, county aid, Tribal governments, local government aids, general fund appropriation, Minnesota revenue commissioner, poverty level, low-income housing, housing stability, family homeless prevention and assistance, emergency housing assistance, eviction, rent, redemption

Transcript Highlights:

• The finance committee.
• Um I I'm good with one in finance.
• During my nine terms on finance, I've During my nine terms on finance, I've supported<03:39:39.600>
• The finance these.
• whatever to close the gap. All right. whatever to close the gap.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . finance. finance.
• However, the health care financing.
• But we also have a 23% point racial gap in college attainment.
• But we also have a 23% point racial gap in college attainment.
• But we also have a 23% point racial gap But we also have a 23% point racial gap in<01:26:16.880>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But then there are changes to state financing. So we talked about that federal share.
• It had a fiscal impact on it, and it died in Senate Finance.
• So total statewide, we've got 200. certification gaps. And I'll talk about that in a second.
• The first is we had to we did to respond to these dynamics in terms of the finances.
• Secretary of Finance and others. I know I did put in a budget amendment that, Mr.

Keywords: House Room C, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Daniel, and then ably assisted with Sunny from finance. Mr.
• Chairman, members of the committee, my name is Daniel, and I cover public school finance for the LEC.
• I am joined by Sunny Liu, who covers public school finance for LFC.
• You should have a factor that essentially fills in the gaps for those fixed costs, but we don't have
• So I think that's an evidence gap that we're seeing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Courtney Massingale, Department of Finance. The California...
• Thank you again, Lizzie, your Department of Finance.
• Erin Carson, Department of Finance, nothing to add but happy to answer any questions.
• LAO or Department of Finance? Yeah, Zach, LAO. Department of Finance.
• Anything from the Department of Finance or LAO? Is that clear?

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee heard the administration’s spending plan for Proposition 4’s climate smart agriculture and biodiversity chapters, along with related trailer bill language. CDFA outlined proposed funding for existing programs such as SWEEP, Healthy Soils, Urban Agriculture, and invasive species work, plus new or phased-in programs including year-round and mobile farmers’ markets, tribal food sovereignty, and regional farm equipment sharing. The Department of Conservation described funding for the California Farmland Conservancy Program and Working Lands and Riparian Corridors Program, while the Department of Finance and LAO discussed pending allocations and generally found the overall approach reasonable, though LAO suggested the Legislature may want more statutory guidance and reporting, especially for new programs. Members focused on implementation details, equity, and accountability. Questions covered how programs would serve vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, whether new solicitations would be reopened for previously oversubscribed grants, how outcomes are tracked, and how to structure guidance for new programs such as farm equipment sharing. The chair emphasized that the Legislature wants clearer direction on program design and noted that AB 2313 should guide implementation of the regional farm equipment sharing allocation. The committee also discussed the administration’s request to directly appropriate bond funds to departments and to exempt bond program guidelines from the Administrative Procedures Act; LAO supported the APA exemption with possible legislative guardrails for public notice and comment. The committee then heard on the farm-to-school proposal, with CDFA requesting $24.9 million General Fund for incubator grants, technical assistance, and network support. CDFA said the program has reached nearly half of California schoolchildren and has shown strong demand and positive evaluation results. LAO supported the core program but recommended rejecting the $3 million technical assistance component as too broad and suggested the Legislature consider using Proposition 98 for some of the funding. Members debated that point, with some expressing concern about using General Fund dollars for a new discretionary request during a tight budget year. The biodiversity and nature-based solutions chapter included funding for the Wildlife Conservation Board, state conservancies, and tribal nature-based solutions. WCB described major recent investments and proposed projects tied to 30 by 30, habitat restoration, tribal partnerships, and public access. Members raised concerns about long-term stewardship, the size of the WCB allocation, and whether the Legislature should receive more detail on how funds will be distributed. The committee also heard requests for Bolsa Chica wetlands maintenance and Rincon Island decommissioning funding from the State Lands Commission, with members questioning long-term liability, remediation costs, and the role of private oil operators. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with public comment from stakeholders largely supporting the APA exemption, farm-to-school funding, biodiversity investments, and related conservation programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there is the $100 million gap for the existing projects.
• So it's the gap-filling function that really saves it from that problem.
• DFA, Department of Finance.
• Finance it, perhaps for a committee substitute there.
• I mean, hopefully, you'll get the number right over at Senate Finance.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, what is the impact of that gap?
• How much of that gap do you want to? close the $1.7 billion funding gap?
• And that is financed through the Pension Trust Fund.
• is being financed based upon active member payroll, but that is the financing mechanism that has been
• Student-Centered Special Education Finance System in Texas.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Justin Hurst with the Department of Finance.
• Alex Velasquez with the Department of Finance.
• Alexandra Wobman with the Department of Finance.
• Alexandra Waldman with the Department of Finance.
• Mike McGinnis, with the Department of Finance.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:14.039> with budget and finance with budget and finance with comments<00:30:16.799>
• We just want to echo what Budget and Finance said.
• <01:36:22.440> so otherwise be able to get um financing so otherwise be able to get um financing
• this is intended to help fill that Gap this is intended to help fill that Gap thank<01:36:25.119
• <05:17:59.440> and the Department of budget and finance and the Department of budget and finance

Keywords: 910, house, all