Bills: HB44, HB400, HB444, HB487, SB249, SB252, SB58, HB44, HB400, HB444, HB487, SB249, SB252, SB58

Keywords: teachers retirement, credit purchase, St. Clair County, DAY Program, pension reform, dental insurance, benefit rollover, healthcare, insurance policy, annual maximum, HB444, vaccines, vaccine exemption, religious exemption, religious liberty, private school, church school, faith-based school, parochial school, school immunization

Transcript Highlights:

• dollars that then school districts asked us to continue funding when that money was no longer being allocated
• currently a sitting board member that is also high up in a construction company that will be doing bonding
• , when you just exclude one or the other because they both do have sitting board members that also bond

Bills: SB1632, SB1594, SB2045, SB1251, SB1884, SB1250, SB1630, SB1262, SB1374, SB1292, SB1432, SB1199, SB1790, SB1481, SB1614, SB1734, SB1437, SB1489, SB1718, SB1778

Keywords: career readiness, education reform, high school assessments, workplace skills, state education, credentialing, teacher certification, principal requirements, education administration, special education, Oklahoma education law, SB2045, Grow Your Own Educator Program, teacher recruitment, teacher retention, alternative certification, alternative teacher certification, teacher preparation, tuition reimbursement, course fee reimbursement

Transcript Highlights:

• water program water grant allocation water program water grant allocation requiring<00:29:02.960
• The callable bonds outstanding, basis. The callable bonds outstanding, right? right? right?
• >> Uh<00:43:22.240> bond. >> Uh bond. >> Uh bond.
• 02:50.000> oversight capital projects and bonds oversight capital projects and bonds oversight
• as the bonds are outstanding. as the bonds are outstanding.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first received several information items, including University of Kentucky reports on medical and research equipment purchases, five school districts’ planned bond issues, and a School Facilities Construction Commission list of prior debt issues. Members then heard and approved an appropriation increase for a federally funded University of Kentucky project at the Central Kentucky Regional Airport in Richmond. The project will construct a terminal building and is tied to EKU’s airport operations and planned flight school; members asked about the public funding, the role of EKU, and possible aviation expansion, and the item was approved by roll call. The committee next approved a University of Kentucky lease purchase for an 85,000-square-foot facility at 415 West Sun Street in Morehead for $6.4 million. UK said the property, formerly the Rowan County Board of Education site, is directly across from UK St. Clair and will be used for multiple purposes; members questioned the quarterly payment structure and why the county preferred not to receive the full amount upfront, but the item was approved. The committee then heard three appropriation increases in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet: a Fish and Wildlife pump project at Ballard Wildlife Management Area and two Lake Barkley State Resort Park repair projects. Finance staff explained the Lake Barkley increases were mainly to cover construction contingencies after bids came in close to available funding, and the committee approved the action items. Janice Thomas then presented four pool projects requiring no action: HVAC upgrades at the Future Farmers of America Leadership Training Center in Hardinsburg, geothermal and HVAC work at the Kentucky School for the Blind, a Brady Hall HVAC project at the Kentucky School for the Blind, and a renovation of Shanti Hall at Kentucky State University for the School of Engineering Technology. Members asked no substantive questions on those items. Finally, Natalie Broner presented a new CHFS lease in Wayne County and a Transportation Cabinet lease modification in Christian County. The Wayne County lease drew the most discussion, with members questioning the rent, the lack of other bids, and whether another county location might be preferable; CHFS said it maintains county-seat offices statewide and that the Wayne County site would replace an existing office. The Christian County item was described as a replacement site for driver licensing services with renovation costs largely absorbed by the lessor. Both lease items were presented for action after the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• costs to new data center loads, it is possible that these costs will be allocated to other consumers
• back. ...enormous amounts of money that will then need to be allocated back and are supposed to be allocated
• You'll have to deal with cost allocation.
• chair of Bond.
• Delmarva needs this to fairly allocate project costs.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on energy, public safety, and environmental cleanup. House Bill 455 would create a historic preservation license plate to raise funds and awareness for Delaware preservation efforts, and House Bill 471 would tighten rules and penalties for off-highway vehicles on shared private roads, with golf carts excluded. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 439, the Truth in E-Bike Marketing Act, would require clearer disclosures when selling electric mopeds and electric motorcycles so consumers understand classification, power, and licensing/insurance requirements. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 407, related to the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act and brownfields, would shift funding for brownfield cleanup from the original realty transfer tax approach to a dedicated share of the hazardous substance cleanup fund and raise civil penalties for fraudulent acts. The committee also approved the June 18, 2026 minutes once quorum was reached. Most of the meeting centered on House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 233, as amended, a large-load/data center bill intended to protect ratepayers from costs tied to massive new electricity users. The sponsor and Public Advocate said PJM’s warnings about a coming reliability backstop auction made it urgent to establish a Delaware framework now, requiring large energy users to sign utility agreements, cover their share of transmission, distribution, and capacity costs, and comply with curtailment and other protections. Supporters from environmental groups and some labor and business voices said the bill was needed to prevent cost shifts to households and small businesses, while opponents argued it was being rushed, could deter investment, and might unintentionally affect other industries; several asked for more time and clearer definitions. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee also took up House Bill 470, which would authorize Delmarva Power, with PSC approval, to build and operate utility-owned battery storage and spread costs across the customer base. The sponsor and Delmarva said the bill would improve reliability quickly and help avoid outages, while the chair expressed concern that the state had not yet fully studied whether utility-owned or competitively procured storage is the best model, noting a recent SEU storage study and broader policy questions. Supporters said utility storage could be deployed faster and help with peak shaving, while others urged a competitive process; the transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 470.

Transcript Highlights:

• based on the bond formula.
• <00:30:23.679> ratably million which will be allocated ratably million which will be allocated
• <00:30:28.240> I the bond formula. Speak with that. I the bond formula. Speak with that.
• billion that the governor uh allocated billion that the governor uh allocated and<00:31:04.720><
• we give a allocate a billion dollars. we give a allocate a billion dollars.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:19.840> authorization agency bond authorization agency bond authorization authorizing
• <00:11:07.600> funds general assembly use either bond funds general assembly use either bond
• Willing to put some of our bond funds in it as well. Mr.
• Willing to put some of our bond funds in it as well. Mr.
• You know, you were requesting some agency bonds for dorms. You had the cost-share approach.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to hear from Morehead State University President Jay Morgan, who outlined the university’s budget and capital priorities. He described Morehead as a Kentucky-serving, largely low-income student institution with an aging campus, and said the university’s long-term plan is to renovate existing facilities, decommission older buildings, and replace outdated space with more efficient construction. He thanked the General Assembly for prior support, especially asset preservation funding, fire and tornado insurance premium support, and a prior university inflationary adjustment. On the operating side, Morgan asked that insurance premium support continue, that the earlier inflationary adjustment roll forward, and that the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s request for a minimum distribution in the performance funding formula be supported. He noted Morehead has received little or no performance funding in recent years and said that if no additional formula funds are added, the university would prefer a line-item appropriation. On the capital side, he requested continued asset preservation funding and outlined several construction priorities: a new applied science building, a new agriculture science building, a new space science technology building, and a cost-share replacement for the aging Maze Hall residence hall, with the state covering $10 million of a $20 million project and Morehead matching the rest. Morgan also discussed the Craft Academy, saying the current appropriation supports 200 students and that the university would like to increase the line item to expand enrollment by about 20 students. In response to questions from Chairman Tipton, he said Morehead had previously explored but ultimately rejected a public-private partnership model for housing, preferring to own and control its residence halls to keep housing costs manageable for students. He also explained that the land surveying courses in the applied science proposal are a popular part of related programs and that Morehead’s space science program is a major research-and-contracts-driven operation with about 250 students, federal and private research ties, and graduates working both in Kentucky and elsewhere. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes and discussed that upcoming postsecondary budget meetings would continue over the next several weeks to gather input on the new budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is reduce the total amount that we're bonding, general fund bonding, and we now have $18 million right
• system it's meant to just pay the bond system it's meant to just pay the bond for<01:13:56.880><
• <01:33:19.199> 207 to attempt to bond 207 to attempt to bond 207 million<01:33:22.440>
• what the Treasurer recommended, and then the highway fund bonding and the other fund bonding.
• bonding it's in there and it is bonded bonding it's in there and it is bonded but<01:35:25.360><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to review the lapse extensions in the back of House Bill 25, which governs capital budget appropriations and bonding. Members were walked through how the bill is structured: section 1 covers general, federal, and other funds; section 2 covers highway fund appropriations; later sections authorize borrowing, restrict spending to the stated purposes, and explain why community colleges and the university system operate through their boards of trustees. The chair also explained that lapse extensions are needed because capital projects can span multiple years, and that appropriations normally expire at the end of the biennium unless extended. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on how to identify unspent balances and whether they should be extended, repurposed, or allowed to lapse. Members discussed that if a project is complete or an agency confirms it no longer needs the money, the remaining balance can be reused for another project or, if not needed, lapse back. The committee also reviewed the meaning of bill references and chapter numbers, and how to read prior-year appropriations and extensions in the worksheet. One example discussed was a 2023 Department of Administrative Services courthouse generators item, and members noted that some agencies may rely on encumbered balances rather than explicit lapse extensions, though the chair said he prefers including the extension for flexibility. The committee identified at least one specific change: the Jeffrey Ringe CTE renovation was removed from the governor’s recommended budget because the required local match was not approved, freeing about $18.5 million for possible reuse. Later, the chair noted that lapse extension 49 on the worksheet was no longer needed and could be removed, leaving an unspent balance of $81,500 available for repurposing. The discussion also referenced a Department of Transportation item, Caroline Stratford Freight Rail Improvements, which the agency asked to keep alive through a lapse extension so the funds would not expire on June 30. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, is there something wrong with this particular allocation?
• The charter school portion, as 3253 relates to bonding and bonds being issued.
• We’re on page 3270, it’s section E, and first it strikes the issue of bonds.
• I’m sorry, the striking of bonds really, I do have others in the queue. queue.
• The formula is not for bonds, but it's to get money through this formulary in place of bonds where they're

Bills: HB3257, HB3176, HB3544, HB3619, HB3546, HB1782, HB2293, HB4358, HB3081, HB3983, HB3790, HJR1023, HB4139, HB3297, HB3041, HB3673, HB4105, HB3338, HB3048, SR33, SCR21, SCR20, HB4030, HB4031, HB4032, HB4034, HB4036, HB4037, HB4038, HB4040, HB4041, HB4042, HB4043, HB4045, HB4046, HB4047, HB4048, HB4044, HB4050, HB4051, HB4052, HB4053, HB4054, HB4056, HB4057, HB4071, HB4065, HB4067, HB4072, HB2992, HB4338, HB4170

Keywords: veterans, disability benefits, federal law, Oklahoma Statutes, military service, Oklahoma, Gas Hub, artificial intelligence, national laboratory, public-private partnerships, aerospace, high-performance computing, economic development, social AI companions, minors, emotional attachment, safety protocols, civil penalties, parental controls, geographic information

Transcript Highlights:

• Fees to fund and pay off those bonds and now is creating, let's call it what it is.
• You can see where the funds are being allocated and used the way it should be done.
• Their monies are not allocated for that. Whatever is used, you have the city taxpayer's money.
• And it was to approve 900 million dollars in bonds and paid off over 30 years.
• That's obligated per bond indenture, and it's not a...

Bills: SB39, SB2129, SB2141, SB2246, SB2323, SB2439, SB2722, SB 39

Keywords: commercial motor vehicle, truck liability, motor carrier, trucking, civil liability, respondeat superior, negligent entrustment, negligent maintenance, negligent loading, negligent repair, bifurcated trial, exemplary damages, punitive damages, personal injury, collision, employer liability, vicarious liability, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Texas tort reform, commercial truck accident

Transcript Highlights:

• Bonding leaves are weeks in length.
• So, so the the bonding bonding it wrong.
• those 2025 bonding claims. We have those 2025 bonding claims.
• about a third bonding maybe 10% family. about a third bonding maybe 10% family.
• <00:53:42.240> Now dealing 100% with bonding leave. Now dealing 100% with bonding leave.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Efficiency, which means that the system aligns resource allocation...
• This means that funding is allocated based on learning needs of students with a focus...
• In FY 2025, they received $2.4 billion for K-12 education for this allocation.
• there, to create the full Public School Fund allocation for the year.
• All three of those allocations go into the DESE Fund account.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then heard an interim study proposal on Arkansas adult education, presented by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and the Excel Center network. Witnesses described the state’s adult diploma gap, arguing that roughly 300,000 Arkansans over age 19 lack a high school diploma or GED and that the Excel Center provides a supported, diploma-based alternative with child care, transportation help, tutoring, and career services. Goodwill officials said the Arkansas campuses are the state’s only public adult charter high schools, are not state-funded, and have produced strong enrollment growth and graduation outcomes. A University of Notre Dame researcher testified that a study of Excel Center graduates found higher employment and earnings, more credential and college-credit attainment, and lower criminal justice involvement, with a high estimated return on public investment. Some members questioned the framing of Arkansas’s adult education challenges and whether the state was being portrayed too negatively, while others asked about wraparound services and the role of nonprofit providers. The committee ultimately adopted the interim study proposal, though there was some procedural confusion and debate about whether questions should have come before the vote. The committee then received a detailed Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Arkansas K-12 education funding as part of the adequacy study. Staff reviewed national funding principles and Arkansas’s funding structure, including state, local, and other revenues; the Public School Fund; Department of Education operations; and the Facilities Partnership Program. They explained that 2025 K-12 state and local revenues totaled about $6.6 billion, with foundation funding, categorical funding, supplemental funding, and additional funding distributed to districts and charters. The presentation covered the matrix used to calculate foundation funding, the role of the uniform rate of tax, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, and how charter schools are funded differently from traditional districts. Staff also discussed categorical programs such as alternative learning environments, English learner funding, enhanced student achievement, and professional development, as well as supplemental categories including transportation, special education high-cost occurrences, teacher salary equalization, declining enrollment, and student growth. Members asked numerous questions about the funding formulas, the meaning of specific staffing categories, how categorical funds are used, and the number of districts receiving teacher salary equalization or ALE funding. One member noted that the Excel Center’s funding appeared in the broader state-local totals and asked for clarification. Staff said some of the more detailed spending questions would be addressed in the next day’s presentation and offered to provide follow-up information, including district lists and historical changes. The meeting ended after the chair noted that the department was present mainly to answer questions, not to deliver a separate update, and no further business was taken up before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's important to clarify how we implement bond bills and to distinguish between bond authorizations
• This is also an ag bond bill, as well as an environmental bond bill, as you've heard; it's very comprehensive
• I'm in favor of much of the environmental bond bill.
• I'm in favor of much of the environmental bond bill.
• Food Trust Program in the 2025 environmental bond bill.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s Mass Ready Act, a $3 billion environmental bond bill. Administration officials said the bill would fund climate resilience, clean water, land conservation, parks, PFAS remediation, food security infrastructure, and coastal and inland flood protection, while also streamlining permitting for housing, restoration, and other resilience projects. They emphasized that the bond authorizes spending but does not itself obligate it, and said the proposal includes deauthorizations as housekeeping. Committee members asked about the new Resilience Revolving Fund, flood and drought management, MVP funding, land acquisition, Chapter 61 right-of-first-refusal changes, salt marsh carbon sequestration, and how the bill would help smaller municipalities and offset expected federal funding losses. Officials said the revolving fund would be managed through EEA and the Clean Water Trust, with criteria aimed at directing aid to communities most in need, and noted that drought issues would continue to be handled through existing DEP and drought commission tools. Several committee members and witnesses discussed specific policy provisions, including flood disclosure requirements for homebuyers and renters, expanded authority for regional planning and small-town access to grants, and permitting reforms that would exempt or expedite certain environmental restoration and priority housing projects from more time-consuming review processes. Administration witnesses defended the reforms as a way to achieve the same environmental outcomes faster and with more certainty, while some advocates argued the bill should go further, especially on Chapter 91 and restoration permitting. The administration also described investments in DCR facilities, water and wastewater systems, open space, agricultural easements, and a new focus on blue carbon and salt marsh restoration. Public testimony largely supported the bill. Mass Audubon, the Trustees of Reservations, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, The Nature Conservancy, MAPC, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, municipal officials, and others praised the bill’s resilience, conservation, and water infrastructure investments. Some witnesses urged additional funding for land protection, coastal resilience, buyouts, and restoration, and several called for stronger or simpler permitting reforms. Municipal witnesses from Boston, Beckett, Beverly, Conway, and regional planning organizations stressed the need for flexible financing, especially for small and rural communities facing costly infrastructure and climate adaptation projects. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and asked questions before moving on to additional panels.

Transcript Highlights:

• The scope Jay represents the values of Florida was strong family, bonds, cooperation, resilience.
• The bill divides 825 permit allocations among Monroe County item Rod, a marathon and the city of Key
• The building permit allocations of 825 allocation shall be distributed over a period of at least 10 years
• There's a there's a performance bond and a maintenance bond that I'm wondering if that is something major
• You know, I'm not a lot of performance and maintenance bond nearly with a municipality or county.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• recommended 1 million in his bonding recommended 1 million in his bonding proposal,<00:01:32.480
• <00:06:47.280> bill as you assemble your bonding bill as you assemble your bonding bill to
• Program in '23. 3 million in geo bonds Program in '23. 3 million in geo bonds and<00:10:44.000><
• Agate secured funds from our bonding Agate secured funds from our bonding bill<00:43:26.160>
• um and the and the bonding. um and the and the bonding.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They either issue the bonds and make loans from those bonds, or they bring all their issuances together
• And this is a 2025 bond issue.
• who's going to underwrite the bond.
• So our bonds have a 10-year call.
• to pay off bonds.

Transcript Highlights:

• off of those funds that can turn, you know, this amount, you know, X amount of cash money into bonds
• off of those funds that can turn, you know, this amount, you know, X amount of cash money into bonds
• off of those funds that can turn, you know, this amount, you know, X amount of cash money into bonds
• off of those funds that can turn, you know, this amount, you know, X amount of cash money into bonds
• already allocated already allocated 60<01:32:10.000> um<01:32:10.360> megabytes<01

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Energy and Environmental Protection heard several measures focused on water quality, waste management, aquifer protection, wastewater, and climate-related funding. SB 984 on water pollution drew opposition from DLNR and the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, with the latter arguing the bill could unfairly blame landowners for runoff caused by terrain and storm events; the chair noted there were also supporters and commenters submitted in writing. SB 639 on underground storage tanks received support from the Department of Health, the Board of Water Supply, and the Sierra Club, with testimony emphasizing environmental restoration standards after jet fuel releases; no opposition was noted in the live testimony. SB 946 on wastewater management was presented as clarifying that the ban on discharging wastewater or raw sewage into state waters applies to treatment plants, and it drew support from the County of Maui, DOH, and Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, with no questions or opposition raised in the hearing. The committee also heard SB 438 on waste disposal facilities near significant aquifers. DOH and the Water Commission offered comments, while the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services opposed the bill because of a provision affecting ash recycling; the Board of Water Supply and Sierra Club supported the measure, and the Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board and Energy Justice Network raised concerns about fly ash and bottom ash recycling, landfill capacity, and potential contamination of aquifers. Testimony reflected a split between environmental protection concerns and arguments that the bill could block beneficial reuse of ash. The committee then took up HB 1395 on state funds, which would direct interest from the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund to the general fund when the reserve exceeds the state’s target. The Governor’s office, emergency management, the State Energy Office, the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority, the Nature Conservancy, and several other groups supported the bill’s climate-resilience intent, while the Tax Foundation and committee discussion raised concerns that the measure functioned mainly as a revenue transfer without a dedicated spending mechanism. Members discussed whether a special fund or legislative appropriation process would better ensure the money was used for climate mitigation and related projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're in full support of the allocation to DHHL. Thank you.
• the legacy land trust from a 10% allocation to a 5% allocation.
• I mean, money gets allocated.
• Next item is HP 2478 related to bonds.
• I recommend HP2478 related to bonds.

Bills: HB1719, HB1742, HB1737, HB2049, HB1725, HB1726, HB1738, HB1799, HB1700

Keywords: housing crisis, manufactured homes, factory-built housing, zoning, relocatable housing units, farm employee housing, agriculture, Hawaii Revised Statutes, agricultural districts, land use, regulation, renewable energy, community development, housing, affordable housing, real estate, state regulation, building codes, construction, permitting

Summary: The joint public hearing covered several housing-related bills and one building-code measure. HB 1719 would make manufactured homes a permitted use by right on residentially zoned lots in the urban district, HB 1742 would authorize self-contained relocatable housing units with restrictions, and HB 1737 would clarify that a farm dwelling in an agricultural district may include an accessory employee housing structure. Testimony on these bills was overwhelmingly supportive from groups including Hawaii Realtors, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Housing Hawaii’s Future, the Modular Building Institute, the Hawaii Farmers Union, and others, with a few agencies offering comments. No one testified in opposition on HB 1719 or HB 1742, while HB 1737 drew one opposition and one comment in addition to broad support. No votes were taken during the hearing segment provided. A major portion of the hearing focused on HB 2049, which restructures the conveyance tax into a marginal-rate system and changes how the revenue is allocated, including funding for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the rental housing revolving fund, while also affecting the legacy land conservation fund. Supporters, including DHHL, Hawaii Appleseed, Aahu Youth Action Board, Hawaii YIMBY, and others, argued the bill would help Native Hawaiian housing and, for most transactions, function as a tax cut. Opponents, including NAP Hawaii, Hawaii Realtors, Hawaii Land Trust, Mhai Land Trust, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, objected to using conveyance tax as a revenue-generating tool and raised concerns about higher upfront costs and reduced funding for other housing uses. Committee members and staff discussed the bill’s revenue estimates, the reduced percentage but higher cap for the land conservation fund, the effect on rental housing funding, and the bill’s cost-of-living adjustment language; staff said a line-by-line comparison of the current and proposed tax structure would be provided before decision-making. The hearing also took up HB 1725, which would extend the state building code adoption cycle from two years to six years, apply the IRC to triplexes and fourplexes, allow counties to adopt more or less stringent amendments, and appropriate funds for code adoption work. Most testimony supported the bill, with advocates saying the current process is unmanageable, too resource-intensive, and creates confusion because state and county codes can diverge; supporters said a longer cycle would improve clarity and allow more focused review. The International Code Council and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers opposed the measure, warning that delaying adoption could have negative consequences and urging the committee to let an existing statewide code-adoption strategy proceed first. Members asked about sequencing, county implementation, and whether the longer cycle would create catch-up problems, but no action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So now is a little bit more as bonds.
• So, looking at maybe some bond sales to get into the infrastructure financing.
• <01:32:02.639> sales looking at maybe uh some uh bond sales looking at maybe uh some uh bond
• So, I'm saying, well, use your bond authorization. So, we're trying to get them to use their bonds.
• the existing bonds looking at some of the existing bonds out<01:33:24.320> there<01:33:25.199

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Act 279 working group met for an informational briefing with DHHL on its use of the $600 million appropriation and progress on the department’s implementation plan. The chair reviewed the working group’s oversight role, noting that it was created to monitor expenditures, project development, and progress toward reducing the Hawaiian Homes waitlist, and that the group must submit a progress report before the 2026 session and a final report before the 2027 session. DHHL said it had provided an updated booklet reflecting the Hawaiian Homes Commission’s February 2024 recommendations and a detailed accounting of encumbrances and project progress across the islands. DHHL highlighted several implementation themes: innovative financing and construction methods, land acquisitions and exchanges, technology, beneficiary services, and partnerships with counties and private entities. The department described a “project lease” model that gives beneficiaries access to a project rather than a specific lot, with options such as turnkey homes, owner-builder, self-help, or rent-to-purchase arrangements depending on financial qualification. Officials said this approach is intended to serve lower-income beneficiaries, expand access for people on the waitlist, and allow beneficiaries to receive support services such as financial literacy and down payment assistance. The department reported that roughly $511 million had been encumbered for infrastructure, about $152.8 million for acquisitions, financing, and beneficiary services, and about $36 million in other covered costs, with about $588.9 million encumbered as of December 31 and about $120 million expected to be spent by that date. Officials said the original implementation plan covered about 2,722 units, while the updated plan projects roughly 6,000 to 7,000 leases and 2,472 lots to be occupied. They also described phase-two needs for additional funding, including projects on Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu, and said they would need continued legislative support, including possible bonding and private activity bond set-asides, to complete remaining projects. Members discussed the distinction between encumbered and spent funds, and DHHL explained that encumbrances reserve money for specific contracts while construction spending occurs over time through progress payments. The department also showcased examples of innovative projects, including a high-rise project in urban Honolulu financed through a mix of private activity bonds, tax credits, and state funds, and an acquisition-based project in Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi using multiple funding sources. DHHL emphasized partnerships with the City and County of Honolulu and Maui County, and said it is still assessing future projects to keep infrastructure costs manageable and ensure homes are safe and affordable for beneficiaries.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their first one is transparency, meaning that state aid is allocated using a formula that is simple,
• Each year the governor allocates and you all fund a general revenue amount for the Public School Fund
• In FY 2025, they received $2.4 billion for K-12 education for this allocation.
• In FY 2025, they received $2.4 billion for K-12 education for this allocation.
• there to create the full Public School Fund allocation for the year.

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then took up an interim study proposal on adult education and the Excel Center model. Representatives from Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, the Excel Center network, and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities testified that roughly 300,000 Arkansans over age 19 lack a high school diploma or GED, and argued that the Excel Center provides a supported diploma pathway for adults who struggle with GED testing. Witnesses highlighted wraparound services such as free child care, transportation assistance, tutoring, life coaching, and career services, and cited outcomes including high retention, growing enrollment, and research showing higher employment and earnings and lower criminal justice involvement for graduates. Committee members raised questions about the state’s role, existing adult education programs, and how the study would be structured; the motion to adopt the ISP passed, though there was some procedural disagreement about when questions should have been taken. The committee then heard a detailed adequacy funding overview from BLR staff Katie Walden and Adrian Beck on Arkansas K-12 education finance. They reviewed national funding principles and explained Arkansas’s system, including state and local revenue sources, the Public School Fund, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, and the Facilities Partnership Program. Staff said K-12 state and local revenues totaled $6.6 billion in 2025, with foundation funding making up the largest share of district and charter funding, followed by additional, categorical, and supplemental funds. They also explained the matrix-based foundation formula, the role of the uniform rate of tax, and how categorical and supplemental funds support areas such as alternative learning, English learners, special education high-cost cases, teacher salary equalization, declining enrollment, and student growth. Members asked several follow-up questions about how specific funding categories are defined and used, including student support staff, instructional aides, special education high-cost occurrences, ALE funding, teacher salary equalization, and the inclusion of Excel Center amounts in state-local funding totals. Staff said some of those details would be addressed in a later presentation and offered to provide additional records, including district lists and historical information. The meeting ended after the funding overview, with no additional votes or actions beyond the ISP adoption and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• But HCD is, of course, going to be working with the state and local entities to allocate this to the
• The provisional language does have language in there that does say 'promptly allocated.'
• So you can just walk us through a bit, obviously this is a very high level, how that will be allocated
• . allocated and transferred to departments upon notice to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.
• allocated.