Transcript Highlights:

• DO-IT's role across the entire IT value chain ensures better alignment, efficiency, and outcomes for
• So there's a lot of efficiencies to be gained by doing this, as well as security. Thank you.
• Sir, what other AI areas are you looking at for potential cost savings and efficiencies?
• It just seems like it would be a lot more efficient if DOIT would oversee the entire thing.
• It just seems like it would be more efficient that way.

Transcript Highlights:

• Centers are extremely more efficient than they were even just 12 months ago.
• Capable of from an efficiency on water usage, power usage, etc. Thank you, Chair.
• I think we'll get more efficient on any cooling input that shows up.
• They're very energy efficient.
• Those chips are more energy efficient and computationally capable.

Transcript Highlights:

• We reduced the number of efficiencies.
• <00:49:36.800> The smaller energy efficiency building.
• The smaller energy efficiency building.
• , colllocate programs for efficiency, colllocate programs for efficiency, provide<00:50:21.040>
• um it had to do with the efficiencies um it had to do with the efficiencies they<01:11:15.280>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee opened with quorum and decorum reminders, then approved the minutes from February 26, 2026. Members briefly set aside a planned follow-up on GO students from Minnesota State after being told the questions had been fully answered, and moved on to Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College’s storm damage presentation. Bemidji State President John Hoffman and facilities staff described the June 21 derecho that hit Bemidji, causing widespread roof, window, tree, and infrastructure damage across both campuses and the surrounding community. Hoffman said the institutions were already recovering from pandemic-era enrollment and budget losses, but had improved new student enrollment, retention, fundraising, and deficits before the storm. He emphasized that the campuses were well insured, but that restoring the tree canopy and campus character would take far longer than repairing buildings. Facilities worker Brent Steinmets gave a personal account of the storm response and cleanup, describing days of chainsaw work, debris removal, window repairs, and stump grinding, and noting that many employees were also dealing with damage at their own homes. Members asked what kind of funding request was being made, and Hoffman said Chair Duran was preparing a bill tied to the storm damage and reforestation needs, while alumni had already raised more than $80,000 through a “Replanting Our Roots” campaign. He said the institutions had spent about $50,000 in deductible costs and another $25,000 in unreimbursable overtime, and had hired a landscape architect to plan reforestation. Members also asked about enrollment growth and staffing reductions; Hoffman said overall enrollment was up a little more than 2% since fall 2022, new student enrollment had risen 17%, NTC headcount was up 75%, and the campuses had reduced about 30% of instructional faculty and close to 30% of overall employees while reorganizing programs and administration. Discussion also focused on preserving liberal arts and applied liberal arts offerings, with Hoffman saying the institutions were emphasizing critical thinking, communication, citizenship, interdisciplinarity, and human intelligence alongside workforce training. No vote was taken on the storm-related funding proposal during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also supports performance measurements, improves program efficiency and effectiveness, and serves
• Finally, clear communication increases efficiency and improves execution of agency priorities.
• Or efficient. Yes. This question, that's not what I'm getting at, or efficiency.
• I'm just saying for efficiencies for an office to run the same way.
• Your cases are moving pretty efficiently.

Keywords: 977, all

Summary: The committee met to receive a detailed financial operations presentation from the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, with staff walking members through funding sources, budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and grants management. Sabrina Walker explained VR’s blended funding structure, including federal grants, state appropriations, program income, and interagency contracts, and emphasized that state funds are essential to meeting the federal match and maintenance-of-effort requirements. Members asked repeatedly about transparency, audit controls, and the risk that state cuts could reduce federal drawdowns; staff responded that all reports reconcile back to the SCEIS accounting system, are subject to state audits and internal reviews, and that even modest state reductions could significantly reduce total available funding. The committee also discussed pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, with staff confirming services are offered through school districts, charters, and private schools, and that contracts are monitored for performance and compliance. The presentation then shifted to budgeting and internal controls. Walker described a zero-based departmental budgeting process, monthly monitoring reports, contingency reserves for unexpected expenses, and a formal annual cycle that culminates in board approval. Members asked about facilities tracking, culture, and how the agency maintains accountability; staff said facilities staff inspect buildings and equipment, supervisors justify line-item requests, and the process has become smoother over time as departments learned the system. Cynthia Johnson followed with an accounts receivable overview, describing invoicing, receipting, aging, customer verification, year-end reporting, and the use of cross-training, shared email inboxes, and spreadsheets as checks and balances. She also explained work training center billing, interdepartmental transfers, and the revolving fund used to issue consumer checks more quickly than standard vendor payments. Olivia Perez presented accounts payable operations, including invoice processing through SCEIS and OnBase, the three-way match, travel reimbursements, revolving fund checks, State Treasury Office interactions, and handling of reversals, rejections, and levy notices. She reported that AP processed 67,723 SCEIS payments, 13,670 case management system invoices, 3,379 travel reimbursements, and 15,693 revolving fund checks in fiscal year 2025, with only 70 payment rejections. The final portion of the meeting covered Grants and Funds Management, where Walker explained federal reporting, drawdowns, payroll allocation, asset tracking, lease and IT contract reviews, cost allocation, and closing packages. She noted upcoming system changes such as S/4HANA, Workiva, and SC Pro, but said the agency is receiving training and feedback opportunities. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the presentation portion beyond approval of the prior minutes and a brief recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• :14:31.760> employees,<00:14:32.560> you efficiencies out of your employees, you efficiencies
• and helping state workers do their job effectively and efficiently.
• Modernizing our systems efficiently.
• We are<00:18:50.320> being<00:18:50.559> efficient.
• But above all, this are being efficient.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House first took up Senate File 334, a bill to modernize county human services technology used to administer programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. The author and several members described the current systems as outdated “green screen” platforms that are slow, duplicative, and difficult for workers and applicants, and argued modernization would improve service, retention, and fraud prevention. The bill would create a technology modernization fund with about $90 million over time, capped at $50 million, route funds through Minute, establish an interagency group with county representation, create a legislative working group, and provide $15 million for Office of Inspector General technology. Members from several counties spoke in strong support, citing local system failures, cyberattacks, and the need for better tools; one member noted the bill was about 20 years overdue. The bill passed third reading by a vote of 134-0, and a title was agreed to. The House then considered Senate File 4401, the cannabis bill. The author described it as a maintenance and cleanup package developed with more than 80 stakeholders over months of meetings, including business owners, labor, tribal representatives, and medical cannabis interests. The bill was presented as making noncontroversial adjustments to support small businesses, clarify statutes, improve privacy protections, adjust event and transporter rules, address good-faith errors, strengthen enforcement against unlicensed operators, and support local governments and municipal cannabis dispensaries. It also included a first step toward a medical psilocybin program and changes intended to make the medical cannabis market more sustainable, including easing the grow-and-sale ratio issue. The transcript cuts off before final action on this bill, but members speaking in support emphasized collaboration and the need for practical regulatory fixes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Which of our buildings are the least energy efficient? What can we do to plan?
• <00:25:00.640> What<00:25:00.799> can are the least energy efficient?
• What can are the least energy efficient?
• SCALE stands for Scott County Association for Leadership and Efficiency.
• and effective with our tax efficient and effective with our tax dollar<00:35:43.599> at<00:35

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and so it is and can be very efficient because you end up having a single source and you don't have
• So it is a very efficient model, and it works well when the time is right for it. we just um we we we
• and so it is and can be very efficiently and so it is and can be very efficient<00:53:22.400> because
• So it is a very efficient crossfire.
• So it is a very efficient model, and it works well when the time is right for it.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met to review the Transportation Cabinet’s budget request and the recommended highway plan; no votes were taken. Secretary Jim Gray opened with praise for KYTC snow and ice crews, describing their response to recent winter storms and noting the scale of the effort, including about 2,300 workers, 1,438 pieces of equipment, and more than 948,000 miles driven in the first week. He then outlined the cabinet’s overall highway plan, saying it includes more than 1,300 projects and about $9.5 billion in anticipated state and federal funding over six years, with roughly 40% directed to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails. He highlighted major priority projects such as the Mountain Parkway four-laning, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River crossing. Budget director Sean McCarron explained that the cabinet adjusted its request after the Consensus Forecast Group lowered road fund revenue estimates, and said the cabinet only included additional requests it viewed as essential. He described requests to support driver licensing regional offices, including funding to maintain temporary and contract staff used to reduce wait times, expand offices from 35 to 41 locations, and support improved customer service; he warned that without the current-year increase, wait times would rise again. He also discussed maintenance funding, saying the proposed increases would help cover rising costs for salt, snow and ice drivers, and mowing, while allowing continued litter pickup, vegetation management, pothole repair, and more in-house snow and ice work. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock addressed specific capital questions, especially the Brent Spence Bridge and Cairo Bridge. For Brent Spence, he said the requested $125 million in general funds is needed because construction costs have risen sharply, citing a 61% increase in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025, and said Kentucky and Ohio are both contributing to keep the project moving. He added that if the legislature does not provide the $125 million, KYTC would have to shift $100 million in federal highway funds and $25 million in state match from other projects. Hancock also reviewed several project reauthorizations for maintenance facilities and aviation projects, and noted a $5 million federally funded truck parking project aimed at addressing statewide truck parking shortages, especially along interstates and in areas such as Louisville, northern Kentucky, Frankfort, Somerset, and western Kentucky.

Transcript Highlights:

• data, cost savings, and efficiency, to show some information about the positive return on investment
• . >> We have done that too— that has some cost efficiencies, but also the return on investments done
• by third parties, SBER, but I think you really wanted to see the cost efficiencies now too, right. >>
• addition to providing the efficiencies addition to providing the efficiencies data<00:52:37.520>
• cost efficiencies now too right. cost efficiencies now too right.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its fifth and final Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education meeting, but did not initially have a quorum and approved the minutes later when enough members were present. The Council on Postsecondary Education, represented by President Aaron Thompson and Vice President Bill Payne, opened with condolences for the UPS crash victims and then presented higher education budget recommendations for the 2026-2028 biennium. Thompson emphasized the return on investment from state support for higher education, citing gains in retention, enrollment, persistence, graduation, reduced time to degree, lower student debt, and expanded dual credit participation, while noting that affordability and access remain priorities. Payne outlined CPE’s operating funds request, including $43.3 million in the first year and $86.6 million in the second year for inflation adjustments, plus $30 million and $45 million for performance funding. He said the inflation request would apply across the board to institutions to offset rising costs, and that the KSU land grant match would not need additional funding because the state has already met the matching requirement. He also explained that state support for educating students has not kept pace with inflation over time, creating pressure on institutional budgets and tuition, though tuition increases have been held to historic lows in recent years. A major portion of the discussion focused on the performance funding model and how it affects smaller institutions. CPE proposed two approaches to address institutions that have received little or no performance funding, especially Kentucky State University and Morehead State University. The first approach would create a $20 million minimum distribution pool, providing $1.95 million to each university and $4.4 million to KCTCS, with the goal of giving smaller and rural institutions a base level of support. The second approach would provide direct appropriations totaling a little over $5.6 million to Kentucky State, Morehead State, and five community colleges that have not been receiving performance funding. Members, especially Representative Tipton and Senator West, questioned how the model had treated small schools over time, and CPE officials explained that the original small school adjustment was not large enough to prevent KSU and Morehead from effectively being left out of the distribution. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• More cost-effective and efficient policy methods exist to promote recycling in Minnesota.
• managed by a developer in efficiently managed by a developer in partnership<00:14:54.800> with
• policy methods exist to efficient policy methods exist to promote<00:15:34.480> recycling<00:
• and more efficient and thus cheaper<00:36:56.599> uh<00:36:56.720> for<00:36:57.119>
• <00:42:36.920> and effective and and more efficient and effective and and more efficient and

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Therefore, in the interest of efficiency, we are waiving formal presentation of those items today.
• The second item that we looked at was really expediency and efficiency.
• We appreciate the efforts to streamline and create efficiencies within the housing system.
• However, these efficiencies can only work if there's funding in the system.
• However, these efficiencies can only work if there's funding in the system.

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:

• President, your Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency, having under consideration
• President, your Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency, having under consideration
• President, your Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency, having under consideration
• Government Efficiency Committee amendment, C.A. Township, David Farnsworth. Senator Farnsworth: Mr.
• President, your Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency, having under consideration

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency are dumb.
• But less quoted is Brandeis' statement, electric light the most efficient policeman.
• Thereby, improving both transparency and agency efficiency.
• In the age of efficient e-discovery, automation, and technological advancements, the American people's
• In many ways it makes employees more efficient. It makes the processes more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will provide us with automation efficiencies and also position us well for more comprehensive audits
• And so really, really good ratios overall in terms of efficiency of the bank.
• And so really, really good ratios overall in terms of efficiency of the bank.
• Give you an idea on the bottom left: most banks run about a 65% efficiency ratio.
• I'm going to let Kelvin come back to this slide, and I'm going to... ...efficient as an organization.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee received a compliance and status update on Industrial Commission programs and the Bank of North Dakota. Staff reviewed appropriations and spending for several Industrial Commission funds and grant programs, including lignite research, oil and gas research, clean sustainable energy, grid resiliency, salt cavern analysis, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members discussed the timing of reimbursements, uncommitted balances, and the structure of the pipeline capacity and enhanced oil recovery funding. The Industrial Commission also reported on its administrative budget, grant management system project, and recent leadership transitions across several agencies. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described active grant rounds and the status of major projects. She said the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority approved three projects in its sixth round, with remaining uncommitted cash and loan capacity still available, though no new funding was appropriated this session. She also said the Oil and Gas Research Council approved six enhanced oil recovery projects and expects additional funding after a federal Department of Energy award replaces one project’s state funding. For grid resiliency grants, she said some projects have been funded, some commitments were returned or reallocated, and some DOE funds remain pending. She also updated the committee on the salt cavern business case study, which replaced an earlier larger development proposal, and on the NDSU research park grant, where the nonmatching portion was paid and the matching portion has moved slowly because the match must be in cash. Ron Ness then gave an extended presentation on enhanced oil recovery and North Dakota oil and gas trends. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, especially gas takeaway and projects like the Bakken East pipeline. He argued that enhanced oil recovery using CO2, natural gas, surfactants, and other methods could extend Bakken production for decades, but that the state needs more CO2 supply, better storage, and updated tax and regulatory incentives. Members asked about lateral lengths, CO2 availability, pipeline impacts, and the role of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and Ness emphasized that the projects are intended to share technical learning across operators and attract follow-on investment. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and strategic update. President Don Morgan said the bank’s mission remains to support North Dakota agriculture, commerce, and industry while cooperating with the state’s financial sector. He reviewed the bank’s main business lines: participation lending with community institutions, student loans, disaster lending, mission-based programs, and a new fintech-focused effort. Morgan said deposits are flattening, so the bank is managing balance sheet growth carefully, while still reporting improved net income and strong efficiency. He also introduced Rough Rider Coin as a bank-to-bank payment rail, not a public cryptocurrency, intended to speed and modernize payments within North Dakota’s banking and credit union system. Committee members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster program use, and how credit lines and liquidity would be affected if deposits shrink.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the ability to improve local permitting to be efficient, predictable, and effective in getting
• We have the ability to improve local permitting to be efficient, predictable, and effective in getting
• And so it's more efficient for the taxpayers.
• And so it's more efficient for the taxpayers.
• And so it's more efficient for the taxpayers.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on zoning, Chapter 40B, and related housing bills. Much of the testimony focused on the “Yes in My Backyard” bill (H. 1572/S. 962), which would expand by-right development of missing middle housing, reduce barriers such as minimum lot sizes and parking mandates, and support duplexes, triplexes, and other small-scale housing. Supporters included housing advocates, developers, local officials, and municipal leaders from places like Cambridge, Salem, and Braintree, who argued that state action is needed because local zoning often blocks needed housing and that the bill would help create more affordable, neighborhood-compatible homes. Several witnesses also backed a companion “Yes in God’s Backyard” bill (H. 2347), which would allow faith-based institutions to build housing on their property by right, with testimony emphasizing the potential for new units, added municipal tax revenue, and partnerships between religious organizations and housing developers. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 1021 to modernize Chapter 40R incentives. Senator Pavel Payano and others said the program’s payments have not kept pace with inflation since 2004 and should be increased to better encourage smart-growth zoning near transit and town centers. Another major topic was H. 2298 on site plan review, which would codify and standardize the process in state law. Rep. Kristin Kassner and witnesses from MAPC and NAIOP said current site plan review practices vary widely across the state, creating confusion, delays, and litigation, while a uniform framework would give municipalities clearer tools to review by-right projects without undermining local oversight. The hearing also included testimony on Chapter 40B reform, including S. 1005 and H. 1537. One witness supported further review of 40B and stronger regional planning, while another backed a proposal to allow certain pre-2010 40B condominium owners to sell at market value under a framework that would recapture some of the subsidy benefits. Committee members asked several questions about local zoning changes, housing goals by county, and how the proposed bills would affect communities. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs indicated that written testimony would be welcomed for technical details and additional comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• efficiencies and best practices. efficiencies and best practices.
• <00:47:54.640> into trying to build energy efficiency into trying to build energy efficiency
• The building will be roughly 40% more efficient than code requires.
• The building will be roughly 40% more efficient than code requires.
• <01:41:46.400> site use sheep grazing for efficient site use sheep grazing for efficient site

Bills: HF2928, HF2912, HF2297

Keywords: water appropriation, data centers, environmental review, energy conservation, permit application, carbon-free energy, geothermal energy, renewable energy, Macalester College, appropriation, sustainability, solar energy, pollinator programs, license plates, agrivoltaics, environmental sustainability, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Into a single account enabling these resources to be used more efficiently and enhance court security
• Chairman Senator Johnson, if it's efficient to do this for a county with a population of less than 100,000
• , is it also efficient for a county with a population of more than 100,000?
• So there has been a lot of attention on government efficiency in recent weeks, but Workforce Solutions
• The Efficiency committee was very efficient and uh if is if there's no other business uh for the committee

Transcript Highlights:

• benefit of judges, but for the benefit of the people of Texas. who deserve to see that fair and efficient
• Constitution makes the Supreme Court responsible for the efficient administration of the judicial branch
• we're open to opposing arguments, but the Constitution charges the court. to make rules for the efficient
• see how assigning a different judge for each hearing throughout the life of a case. promotes the efficient
• We at the Supreme Court but also need to ask whether our court, our own procedures, promote the efficient

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Savings and efficiency.
• But we really focused on the efficiency part of this.
• And so those efficiencies...
• That is new and an efficiency that everyone appreciates.
• We did find some efficiencies.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're also working to improve the efficiency and customer service across state agencies.
• It's more efficient for you. And it's government meeting people where they're at.
• and customer service across efficiency and customer service across state<00:23:02.799> agencies.
• It's more efficient<00:23:24.720> for<00:23:24.880> you.
• And it's government efficient for you.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, it will improve efficiencies in the process.
• The commissioners score them as well, so it's creating efficiencies within our office.
• This bill is purely about government efficiency. of paperwork.
• The Texas Veterans Commission does great things already; let's make this more efficient.
• Once again, this bill is all about efficiency and ensuring... ...that our veterans have quicker access

Bills: HCR92, HB 114, HB561, HB 1171, HB1894, HB2026, HB2143, HB2337, HB2564, HB114

Keywords: Tuskegee Airmen, commemoration, African American history, civil rights, military recognition, veterans, mental health, Texas Veterans Commission, peer support, suicide prevention, community mental health, grant program, defense, grants, local government, economic support, community development, health and wellness, outdoor recreation, state land use