Video & Transcript : 'upgrades' :

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NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

Senate Energy and Natural Resources (04/22/2025)

Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • How do we incentivize utilities to upgrade to AMI meters so that there is data for the data platform?
  • How do we incentivize utilities to upgrade to AMI meters so that there is data for the data platform?
  • How do we incentivize utilities to upgrade to AMI meters so that there is data for the data platform?
  • How do we incentivize utilities to upgrade to AMI meters so that there is data for the data platform?
  • How do we incentivize utilities to upgrade to AMI meters so that there is data for the data platform?
MO

Missouri 2026 Regular Session

Rules - Legislative May 5th, 2026

Rules - Legislative

Transcript Highlights:
  • have been on this one 250-megawatt solar field, but there was $1.4 million on the transmission line upgrade
  • In 2010, or 2000, tens, we passed use tax in about 2019 after the power transmission line upgrade, which
  • In 2010, or 2000, tens, we passed you stacks in about 2019 after the power transmission line upgrade,
  • At that time, the county had already begun a $3.2 million infrastructure upgrade to modernize our emergency
Summary: The Missouri House Legislative Rules Committee held a hearing on House Bill 2243, sponsored by Rep. Bryant-Wolfen, which would repeal a 2021 provision that exempted certain manufacturing and mining-related industries from local sales tax. The sponsor argued the change unintentionally stripped counties of revenue they had already approved through local votes, shifting the burden onto ordinary Missourians and leaving local governments without a replacement source of funding. Committee members questioned whether the bill would amount to a tax increase, whether a referendum or local voter approval should be required, and whether the measure could discourage investment or job growth. The sponsor said the bill simply restores local taxing authority and noted the fiscal note showed roughly $35 million in local revenue at stake statewide. Testimony in support came from local officials from Iron County, Adair County, and St. Genevieve County, including commissioners, a sheriff, and a 911 board official. They said the exemption reduced revenue for roads, ambulance service, law enforcement, and 911 operations, forcing service cuts and higher local levies. Iron County witnesses said the loss hit a county dependent on mining and reduced ambulance coverage and sheriff funding; Adair County officials said the exemption affected expected revenue from a large solar project and other energy infrastructure; St. Genevieve County officials cited sharp monthly declines in sales tax receipts and said inflation made the loss even more severe. Supporters emphasized that these were locally approved taxes and that the affected companies still benefit from county services. Opposition came from Associated Industries of Missouri, which argued the original exemption was part of Missouri’s effort to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision and keep tax rules uniform for out-of-state sellers. The group warned that removing the exemption could make Missouri’s tax system less simple and potentially jeopardize local use-tax collections statewide, with a much larger possible revenue loss if the law were challenged. The committee chair said the hearing would continue with a hard stop for floor business, and at the end of testimony he indicated he planned to take executive action on the bill later in the week. No vote was taken during the hearing.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • days from now, is a brand new system of record for our driver's license services, as well as an upgraded
  • so, something we're working on that's going to go live here, probably in the next 30 days, is an upgraded
  • and actually paying for our brand new system of record for our driver's license system, as well as upgrading
  • It's the full modernization of that and the upgrade of our existing motor vehicle system, so anything
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • We've upgraded the grants management system that just went live; that will reduce some costs and also
  • We have upgraded our customer relationship management system.
  • And so, as an example, the deferred maintenance plan does not include any upgrades to IT infrastructure
  • just doesn't cover at all and so as an example the deferred maintenance plan does not include any upgrades
Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce on its FY26 priorities, recent performance, and budget requests. Commerce said it had helped announce about 8,000 direct jobs and nearly $14 billion in investment year-to-date, while noting challenges such as tariffs, workforce recruitment, staffing/FTE management, and the condition of its 100-year-old office building. The agency highlighted projects and initiatives including a new Taiwan trade office, Route 66 Centennial planning, the National Main Street conference in Tulsa, Olympic-related coordination, census outreach, and continued improvements to its grants and CRM systems. Requested funding included $8.3 million for building repairs or relocation planning, census support, $300,000 for EDGE, $135,000 for IT/cybersecurity upgrades, $250,000 for the Taiwan office, and additional support for Head Start, senior nutrition, and the Strategic Air and Space Commission. Members asked about the meaning of the investment totals, the building condition, delays in senior nutrition distributions, and staffing vacancies; Commerce said the investment figures reflected formal company capital announcements, the building had significant facade and roof damage, delays were due to multiple contracting layers, and several open positions were expected to be filled soon. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department then presented its FY26 budget and goals. New director Amy Blackburn and special advisor Sterling Zearley said the department oversees 38 state parks, six lodges, seven golf courses, and nine travel information centers, and emphasized tourism’s economic importance. They reported savings from bringing marketing and tracking functions in-house and from shared services, but said the department faces more than $271 million in deferred maintenance needs, staffing shortages, and connectivity problems at parks. Their goals include increasing park visitation to 10.2 million, raising occupancy to 36%, and growing travel to Oklahoma, with major marketing tied to the Route 66 Centennial, America 250, the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics, and other events. The department also discussed a request to raise its purchasing exemption cap from $25,000 to $75,000, a possible TravelOK.com redesign, and efforts to improve restaurant operations at lodges through a new RFP structure. Members questioned the apportionment cap, the size and timing of deferred maintenance requests, park revenue, and the use of parking pass funds; tourism said annual park-related revenue is about $32 million to $34 million and parking pass revenue is about $2.5 million. Finally, the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority presented its budget request and program updates. The authority said it supports the veterinary teaching hospital and related student training, and that its FY26 budget is entirely state-appropriated. It requested continued support for hospital operations, the large animal scholarship program, and a new $12.5 million annual payment tied to the $250 million Legacy Capital Fund authorization for the veterinary teaching hospital, along with additional funding to expand in-state enrollment. Officials said in-state enrollment had increased from 58 to 69 students after prior funding, with a goal of reaching 90 of 106 total seats, and that there were 195 in-state applicants this year. Members asked whether standards would be lowered; the authority said academic standards would not change and noted strong board-pass rates and retention outcomes. It also said accreditation concerns tied to faculty shortages and off-site teaching had been addressed by bringing students back to the main campus and improving staffing. The committee ended by thanking the presenters and announcing its next meeting date.
MO

Missouri 2026 Regular Session

General Laws Feb 4th, 2026

General Laws

Transcript Highlights:
  • That was, this should not be used as a mechanism by the non-rate regulated companies to basically upgrade
  • It's a reimbursement and not a chance to upgrade.
Committee: House General Laws
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee Apr 21st, 2026

Energy, Utilities and Communications

Transcript Highlights:
  • So instead of traditional upgrades, this is a way to save ratepayers money to meet the demand that’s
  • These companies agreed to pay for all grid infrastructure upgrades to power these data centers through
  • Even substations that had supposedly been upgraded because they had failed previously, it turns out they
  • hadn't been upgraded and they caught fire and shut off power for 130,000 customer accounts, leaving
  • We have to upgrade our grid, and this is a way of reducing the need for new transmission lines, which
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Capital Investment - 03/05/26

Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:
  • First, creating a secure and accessible main entrance; and second, upgrading restrooms to be ADA compliant
  • These upgrades are not about expansion.
  • These upgrades are not about expansion. These upgrades are not about expansion.
  • systems, resolves building code and accessibility deficiencies, improves energy efficiency, and upgrades
  • systems, resolves building code and accessibility deficiencies, improves energy efficiency, and upgrades
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • process and interconnection process is so that they could be timely considered, and what transmission upgrades
  • would be necessary to support them, but also to support the idea that any transmission upgrade necessary
  • would be necessary to support them, but also to support the idea that any transmission upgrade necessary
  • timely interconnection of those large loads and also the proper cost allocation for any transmission upgrades
  • interconnect because it would help allow them to interconnect sooner before the maybe transmission upgrades
Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard SB 1259, which would require refineries to provide advance closure and remediation planning information, and SB 1425, which would authorize the High-Speed Rail Authority to create a permit process for encroachments in its right of way. The committee also held an informational hearing on California electricity reliability and the future of the Strategic Reliability Reserve. The chair opened by noting the hearing room change, testimony limits, and that the committee would proceed without a quorum at first, then later established quorum for votes. On SB 1259, Senator Blake Spear argued the bill would give communities and state agencies needed information to plan for refinery closures, cleanup, and land reuse, comparing the requirement to estate planning. Supporters, including Benicia City Councilmember Carrie Birdseye and UC Santa Barbara professor Ranjit Schmook, said the bill would help communities facing refinery closures avoid being left without information and better prepare for redevelopment and remediation. Opponents, including the Western States Petroleum Association, the State Building and Construction Trades Council, and business groups, argued the bill could send negative market signals, create conflicts with federal reporting, and potentially accelerate refinery closures. The committee passed SB 1259 on a 7-3 vote, later reopening the roll and recording additional votes before moving it out as amended to Appropriations. On SB 1425, Senator Cortese and sponsor Robert Pearsall said the bill would help the High-Speed Rail Authority manage utility, broadband, drainage, and vegetation encroachments along the project corridor and reduce delays. Labor and construction groups supported the measure as a way to add certainty and speed project delivery. Utilities and local agencies, including LADWP, Southern California Gas, Southern California Edison, PG&E, and others, opposed unless amended, saying the bill needed clearer language on emergencies, existing agreements, and potential impacts on their own rights of way and service obligations. After discussion about emergency language and utility coordination, the committee passed SB 1425 as amended to Appropriations on a 10-3 vote. In the oversight hearing, CEC, CPUC, CAISO, and DWR officials reported that California’s summer reliability outlook is better than in prior years, with substantial new procurement, storage, and demand-response resources added since 2020. They said the state is projected to meet its summer reliability standard and has not needed a flex alert for three straight years, but cautioned that extreme heat, fire, hydro conditions, and federal policy uncertainty still pose risks. Officials emphasized that the current Strategic Reliability Reserve remains important as a backstop, while longer-term planning must address rising demand from electrification and data centers and the eventual retirement of emergency resources.
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • So there'll be grants to upgrade ambulances.
  • But right now we can upgrade the current fleet with equipment, the latest and greatest, you know, retrofit
  • But we are dedicated to getting these trainings up to date, doing some system upgrades to assist with
  • Upgrades to assist with that and getting ourselves back into that acceptable payment error rate, which
  • instead of paving, adding a folding partition in the training room, adding a heat recovery chiller, upgrading
Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a series of updates on major health-related projects and programs. CHI St. Alexius representatives reported progress on behavioral health buildouts in Bismarck, Williston, and Grand Forks, including demolition and construction milestones, staffing plans, and timelines. The Bismarck project remains on track for completion in June 2027 with about $346,500 spent to date. Williston reported construction underway, a $750,000 unbudgeted air handler replacement, active recruitment for psychiatrists and other staff, and a projected substantial completion in early 2027. Grand Forks reported about 30% completion, weather-tight status expected in August, and continued staffing ramp-up as the facility expands from its current 24-bed operation. The Department of Health and Human Services then reviewed a set of technical line-item transfers, emphasizing that they were administrative corrections with no net change in funding. The department also walked through the Salaries and Wages Block Grant and FTE counts, noting overall staffing remained within appropriated limits and that behavioral health staffing had increased. Members asked about vacancies, consultant use, and the mix of in-state versus out-of-state expertise for the Rural Health Transformation Program. HHS said it had posted 12 funding opportunities, received 422 applications, obligated $8.4 million so far, hired 26 people, and was preparing additional grant rounds and a CMS budget submission. The department said the program is structured around workforce, prevention/healthy living, care closer to home, and technology/data, with ongoing stakeholder engagement and community forums. The committee also heard on the certified community behavioral health clinic implementation plan, SNAP payment error rates, and the state laboratory project. HHS said CCBHC certification is being implemented in four regions—Williston, Minot/North Central, Fargo/Southeast, and Dickinson/Badlands—with care coordination expanding and baseline data still being collected. On SNAP, the department reported a 2025 payment error rate of 9.89%, acknowledged cost impacts under HR1, and said it is using training, system changes, and pre-authorization quality checks to reduce errors toward a 6% target over the next 6 to 12 months. Finally, Public Health reported the state laboratory reached substantial completion on June 12, with total costs at $69.95 million of the $70 million budget, though a service elevator issue will require a new lift to be added using contingency funds.
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • So there'll be grants to upgrade ambulances.
  • But right now we can upgrade the current fleet with equipment, the latest and greatest, you know, retrofit
  • But right now we can upgrade the current fleet with equipment, the latest and greatest, you know, retrofit
  • But we are dedicated to getting these trainings up to date, doing some system upgrades to assist with
  • Upgrades to assist with that and getting ourselves back into that acceptable payment error rate, which
Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a series of updates on health-related projects and Department of Health and Human Services budget matters. Representatives from CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck and Williston, and Altru in Grand Forks, reported progress on behavioral health expansion projects, including demolition and construction milestones, updated timelines, funding status, staffing plans, and barriers such as an unbudgeted air handler replacement in Williston. Members asked about original completion dates, use of telehealth, recruitment of psychiatrists and other staff, and whether the new beds might reduce the need for patients to travel to Jamestown State Hospital. The projects were described as on track overall, with completion expected in 2027 for the larger builds and earlier openings for some phases in Williston. The committee then heard from HHS leadership on technical line-item transfers and the Salaries and Wages Block Grant. Donna Ockland explained that recent transfers were administrative corrections to place spending in the proper budget lines and did not involve new spending, and she reviewed FTE counts and vacancies across the department. Questions focused on behavioral health staffing changes and the use of consultants in the Rural Health Transformation Program. Pat Rainer outlined the rural health program’s first-year grants and priorities, including workforce retention, rural rotations and housing, community wellness initiatives, behavioral health promotion, safety net services, hospital equipment, suicide prevention training, technology, and EMS support. He said North Dakota’s plan was drawing positive national attention, but the department still needed to obligate roughly $199 million by September and was working with CMS on timing and compliance. The committee also received an update on certified community behavioral health clinics from Elena Zeller. She said North Dakota had been accepted as a demonstration state, with certification efforts underway in Williston, North Central, Fargo, and Dickinson. Members asked about care coordination, service growth, staffing, and whether certification would expand to all clinics; the department said it was still collecting baseline data and evaluating impacts before making future recommendations. Finally, Rebecca Askins reviewed SNAP payment error rates, explaining that the 2025 rate was finalized at 9.89 percent and that the department is working on training, system changes, and quality assurance steps to get below 6 percent. Members pressed on the causes of monthly variability, the performance of the SPACES system, and accountability for ongoing errors, and the department said it expects improvement over the next 6 to 12 months.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
  • This is going to put it in a place, a system where that technology can be monitored and upgraded.
  • We don't want to have to constantly be upgrading those catalogs.
  • Because if we're going to be changing and upgrading and technology is changing anyway, wouldn't there
  • be the same constant upgrades of what Caddo chooses and the parish?
  • If we're going to constantly be upgrading with the...
Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1157, which would create a Louisiana State Infrastructure Bank to provide another funding mechanism for transportation-related projects, including roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, and other surface transportation needs. Chairman Borek and DOTD Secretary Glenn LaD said the goal is to leverage state, federal, local, and private dollars, using models from Florida and other states. Members asked about board makeup, staffing, project selection, administrative costs, and how the bank would differ from capital outlay and existing transportation programs. Testimony in support came from business and economic development representatives, including Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans, Inc., who said infrastructure is critical to major economic projects and that the bank could attract outside capital. The bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up several local and procurement-related bills. House Bill 860, allowing fillable electronic public bid forms, was reported favorably. House Bill 972, naming a portion of Highway 93 in Lafayette Parish the Desert Shield Desert Storm Memorial Highway, and House Bill 965, naming a portion of Highway 163 the Sergeant William Billy Earl Collins Jr. Memorial Highway, were both reported favorably after brief testimony honoring veterans and law enforcement. House Bill 692, authorizing local governments to enter group purchasing agreements, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 685, allowing use of FAST Act cooperative procurement for public motor vehicles and rolling stock, drew support from transit officials and was reported favorably after a roll call vote, with one member voting no. The committee also advanced House Bill 982, which designates portions of highways in Morehouse Parish in memory of local residents killed in a crash after attending an LSU game; it was reported with amendments. House Bill 506, creating special prestige license plates for local high schools as a fundraiser, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 839, lowering the contract limit for hospital service districts to use construction management at risk from $2 million to $1 million, was reported by substitute after testimony from hospital leadership and industry representatives. House Bill 1072, revising powers and emergency procurement authority for the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, was amended and reported favorably after discussion about its relationship to DOTD and emergency repairs. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 887, which revises construction management at risk procedures, including committee makeup, scoring, and financial qualification requirements; it was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 647, creating timelines and an annual application process for waterway projects under a waterway assistance program and fund, was reported by substitute. The last major item discussed was House Bill 873, which would fund pursuit intervention technology and training for law enforcement through a $2 fee on driver’s licenses. The bill was presented alongside emotional testimony from the widow and daughter of Sergeant Grant Candies and from a St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff’s captain, all urging safer equipment and better training for officers. Members expressed strong support, and the discussion continued into funding and grant administration details.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

Senate - Finance Feb 3rd, 2026

House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • We are required to upgrade our tabulators this year because we have federal requirements that we have
  • And if we can't get these systems upgraded... So we need a better system.
  • And if we can't get these systems upgraded, we're running the risk of being unable to fully implement
  • And that requires some upgrades to current tabulators and, as Mr.
  • This matters because it upgrades aging infrastructure to maintain reliability and security, supports
Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Secretary of State, the State Land Office, the Attorney General, and the State Auditor. The Secretary of State said its requested general fund budget of $15.88 million was intended to maintain baseline operations, replace lost federal cyber and election support, and address a 12% vacancy rate. Officials warned that the House recommendation still left major gaps for election security, tabulator replacement, campaign finance system upgrades, overseas and military ballot services, ballot tracking, and a new tax lien filing system. Senators pressed about the election fund, county burdens, and the risk of underfunding election administration; the office said the House had provided $15 million for the election fund for the primary and another $15 million for the general election, but not enough for operations or all capital needs. The State Land Office said it was satisfied with the House budget action and had no additional request. Staff described the office’s record revenues, low vacancy rate, clean audits, and proposed new positions tied to forestry, economic development, petroleum, geothermal, and royalty compliance work. Senators asked about long-term revenue trends, forest thinning and biomass opportunities, and bookkeeping around the land maintenance fund; the office said the new positions were intended to generate revenue and support land management, including fire mitigation. The Attorney General’s office presented a budget built around a 0% general fund increase, greater use of the Consumer Settlement Fund, and $4.5 million in special/extraordinary litigation funding. The AG emphasized active litigation and investigations involving consumer fraud, Medicaid fraud, federal funding cuts, Meta and other technology platforms, AI and child safety, gaming compacts, tobacco, and possible litigation over abandoned uranium mine cleanup. Senators asked about scam enforcement, the structure of settlement funds, and whether the office could take on uranium-related litigation; the AG said the office could prepare a litigation budget but warned such efforts would require sustained funding. The State Auditor said the House budget added only modest increases while the office faced about a 40% vacancy rate, difficulty recruiting auditors, and a shrinking pool of public accounting firms, creating risks for constitutional audit responsibilities.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Budget Committee Jan 20th, 2026

Budget

Transcript Highlights:
  • It's precariously balanced in our view, even with a $42 billion upgrade to the revenue estimates through
  • The $42 billion upgrade is... ...It's a very high-level way of looking at the state budget, but if you
  • It's precariously balanced in our view, even with a $42 billion upgrade to the revenue estimates through
  • The $42 billion upgrade is... ...downside risk to these revenue estimates.
  • The $42 billion upgrade is, as Ms.
Committee: House Budget
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Cost to actually maintain those stations, or how often do they have to be redone or upgraded?
  • you will, from how we support CHRIS because we bought the software from SAP today and then we've upgraded
  • it as we go along until we stop getting upgrades.
  • you will, from how we support CHRIS because we bought the software from SAP today and then we've upgraded
  • it as we go along until we stop getting upgrades.
Summary: The committee heard capital plan presentations from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the Personnel Cabinet, and the School Facilities Construction Commission. The Justice Cabinet described its large portfolio of more than 900 facilities across the state and said decades of underfunded maintenance have created a backlog of repairs. Requested projects included a high-acuity mental health treatment facility for juvenile justice youth, two female detention centers to support the regional detention model, major corrections repairs and replacements, a new kitchen at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, a new dormitory at the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women, completion of a new Eastern Kentucky prison, DOCJT training facility upgrades in Richmond and Madisonville, State Police radio system replacement and post construction, a combined Frankfort headquarters/Post 12 facility, and expanded crime lab and storage capacity. When asked about the high cost of the EKCC kitchen project, staff said construction inside an operating facility raises costs and that building a new adjacent kitchen would be more economical in the long run. The panel also asked about Fish and Wildlife officers training at DOCJT; staff said they do and that the training is funded through the CLEFT fund. The Justice Cabinet also said the recently enacted Senate Bill 4’s AI inventory and registry requirements would be part of its enterprise application and AI inventory system work. The Personnel Cabinet requested funding to replace CHRIS, the state’s human resources and payroll system, which supports payroll and benefits for about 48,000 employees and the Kentucky Employee Health Plan for roughly 192,000 members. Staff said the current SAP-based system went live in 2011, is approaching end of support in 2030, and has not received functionality enhancements since 2016. They said the replacement is estimated at $151 million, with most of the cost tied to professional services and software, and that the project would begin in July 2026, go live by July 2030, and require a stabilization period through 2032. In response to questions about outsourcing payroll or reusing existing systems, staff said the complexity of state HR, payroll, tax updates, and integrations with other agencies makes outsourcing or partial reuse impractical. The School Facilities Construction Commission introduced its role in helping all 171 school districts address unmet facility needs, focusing on core school facilities such as roofs and elementary buildings rather than athletic projects. No votes or formal actions were taken during the excerpted discussion; the meeting consisted of presentations, explanations of requested projects, and member questions.
US
Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm hopeful we have shared priorities, including upgrading the VA facilities around the country.
  • Our Rogers location does excellent work caring for senior veterans in Arkansas, but it needs upgrades
  • We've worked with the current administration to get the necessary upgrades the Rogers facility needs.
  • though, the current Manchester VA Medical Center is almost 75 years old and it needs significant upgrades
  • Will you commit to continuing these upgrades to make sure that Granite State veterans have the best possible
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session-Day 11, February 21, 2026-AM

Wyoming House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • He said they did upgrade one of the buildings in his hometown and have a meeting space they are upgrading
  • He said they did upgrade one of the buildings in his hometown and have a meeting space they are upgrading
  • He said they did upgrade one of the buildings in his hometown and have a meeting space they are upgrading
  • He said they did upgrade one of the buildings in his hometown and have a meeting space they are upgrading
  • He said they did upgrade one of the buildings in his hometown and have a meeting space they are upgrading
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

WAM-PSM, WAM-AEN Informational Briefings 01-07-2025

Hawaii Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Number four is a distributed antenna systems upgrade.
  • Number 34 is the upgrades for the CFMO, or our facility management office engineer position, upgrades
  • <01:19:23.159><c> um</c><01:19:24.000><c> number</c> upgrades um number upgrades um number departmental
  • we use it for: the installation of new sirens and the upgrade for our current system.
  • </c> installations aside from just upgrading installations aside from just upgrading the<01:23:10.719
Summary: The committee heard budget testimony first from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Director Tommy Johnson outlined short-term goals to reduce overcrowding, improve living and working conditions, fill vacancies, expand mental health services, and update the correctional master plan. He said the department is still dealing with severe overcrowding at facilities such as OCCC and HCCC, with 947 people at OCCC against a design capacity of 628, and noted 938 inmates are currently housed on the mainland because of temporary repairs at Halawa. He also reported progress on staffing, saying the correctional officer vacancy rate has dropped from 34.3% to 24% through expanded recruitment. The department’s major budget request was $30 million for planning and design for a new Old Triple C project, along with other requests for re-entry services, identification documents, security systems, radios, sink-toilet modules, and trauma-informed care. Members asked about the timing and scope of the OCCC project, courtroom space in new facilities, and the department’s plan to use the funding to improve re-entry and reduce recidivism. The committee then heard from the Department of Law Enforcement on a wide range of priorities. The department described requests to expand agricultural crime enforcement, traffic enforcement, illegal fireworks enforcement, and facilities such as a police building at the DKI airport, a state training center, and new police facilities in central and Leeward Oahu. It also discussed a major IT request for a statewide law enforcement and critical infrastructure notification platform, plus funding for grants management, the Wahiawa Civic Center and court complex, the prescription monitoring program, narcotics enforcement operations, and the narcotics lab. A significant portion of the discussion focused on a proposed traffic enforcement program for commercial vehicle inspections, speeding, and DUI enforcement, which the department said would be funded with federal dollars and would operate concurrently with county police. Committee members questioned whether the effort duplicated county jurisdiction and how the program would be trained and staffed. Members also pressed the department on salary disparities for deputy sheriffs and related vacancies, and the department said the administration was working on a supplemental agreement and placeholder funding to address the issue. Additional discussion covered agricultural crime staffing, the Silver Alert program, and expansion of the forensic lab to handle explosives, firearms, and related evidence. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the meeting moved from the corrections presentation to the law enforcement budget review with questions and answers throughout.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee 4/13/26

Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:25:41.400><c> those</c><00:25:41.800><c> bus</c> sense if we could just upgrade those bus sense
  • if we could just upgrade those bus bus<00:25:43.000><c> shelters,</c><00:25:43.840><c> those</c><00:
  • It's okay if that is upgraded in terms of its bus service, but probably it doesn't make sense if it's
  • </c><00:50:48.280><c> in</c> It's okay if that is is upgraded in It's okay if that is is upgraded in
  • would happen in Bloomington the upgrade would happen in Bloomington way<00:50:58.520><c> before</c><
Bills: HF3373 , HF4449 , HF3486 , HF4180 , HF4227 , HF2505
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 03/26/25

Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:
  • Building HVAC needs are unique, and decisions on HVAC system upgrades to increase efficiency and reduce
  • In 2023, we estimated that it would cost about $150 million in upgrades to the system if we were to try
  • </c><00:51:58.079><c> to</c><00:51:58.319><c> the</c> about $150 million in upgrades to the about $150
  • </c><00:52:12.079><c> So,</c><00:52:12.480><c> I</c><00:52:12.720><c> don't</c> upgrades uh that are
  • So, I don't upgrades uh that are needed.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee 3/19/25

Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • This doesn't only mean upgrading our security cameras, upgrading our locks and our doors.
  • This doesn't only mean upgrading our security cameras, upgrading our locks and our doors.
  • So we're looking at security equipment: security cameras, upgrading locks, scanning equipment for the
  • So we're looking at security equipment: security cameras, upgrading locks, scanning equipment for the
  • </c><01:04:30.960><c> locks</c> um security cameras upgrading locks um security cameras upgrading locks