Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 810, Representative Gordon, an act relating to information technology.
• House Bill 811, Representative Meade, an act relating to health services.
• To Health Services, House Bill 696. To the Judiciary, House Bills 697, 700, 701, 762, and 774.
• To Health Services, House Bill 696. To the Judiciary, House Bills 697, 700, 701, 762, and 774.
• To Health Services, House Bill 696. To the Judiciary, House Bills 697, 700, 701, 762, and 774.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> services and task masters. services and task masters.
• Deep fakes, we use technology.
• </c> Research and Preventive Services Act. Research and Preventive Services Act.
• </c> and Preventive Services Act. and Preventive Services Act.
• </c><06:02:27.680><c> Speaker,</c> public service. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, public service.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> exclusive rights and assigned service exclusive rights and assigned service areas<00:01:48.720><
• </c><00:02:55.200><c> territories</c> exclusive rights and service territories exclusive rights and service
• </c><00:16:02.240><c> territories</c> established electric service territories established electric service
• </c><00:16:35.600><c> This</c> of infrastructure and services. This of infrastructure and services.
• </c><00:16:40.639><c> and</c> grid is built for universal service and grid is built for universal service

Bills: HF3458 , HF3777 , HF3778 , HF3912

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: electric utilities, service areas, Tribal lands, Minnesota statute, energy regulation, utility rates, public utilities, Public Utilities Commission, PUC, ratepayer, consumer protection, affordable energy, energy affordability, ability to pay, just and reasonable rates, rate regulation, electric rates, natural gas rates, energy conservation, renewable energy

Transcript Highlights:

• services.
• They believe in public service.
• , Barrier removal services include whole-family services such as family stabilization and reunification
• For CHRP and its critical services, as well as to all the life-saving immigration legal services that
• Immigration Support Services.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services opened its first hearing of the year with a discussion centered on CalFresh, the Department of Social Services, and related anti-poverty and immigrant services programs. Chair Jackson framed the hearing as a response to the “historic and enormous challenges” created by H.R. 1, emphasizing that the committee’s goal was to minimize harm to vulnerable Californians. No votes were taken in the hearing. The first major topic was the impact of H.R. 1 on CalFresh eligibility and administration. CDSS estimated major federal funding reductions, with hundreds of thousands of Californians potentially losing benefits under new time limits and work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents, and additional losses among certain non-citizen groups. County welfare directors, eligibility workers, SEIU, and other advocates argued that counties are underfunded and understaffed to implement the new rules, and urged release of the previously authorized $20 million General Fund, a county match waiver, and an additional ongoing workforce investment. LAO and the Department of Finance said they were reviewing the administration’s proposals and emphasized the need to use existing data, automation, and statutory direction to reduce administrative burden and improve implementation. A second panel addressed county administrative backfill and the broader fiscal effects of H.R. 1. CDSS explained that the law shifts more administrative costs to the state and counties beginning in federal fiscal year 2027 and could also create future state benefit costs tied to payment error rates. County and food bank representatives warned that many counties will struggle to absorb the higher match and that penalties tied to payment error rates could worsen budget pressure. Members pressed Finance and CDSS for clearer timelines, written responses, and more detailed workload assumptions, while Finance said it was still analyzing the federal guidance and county resource needs. The final major topic was the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and possible state responses for people losing federal CalFresh eligibility. CDSS said CFAP remains limited by statute and by the federal structure it currently uses, but that the planned expansion to Californians age 55 and older regardless of immigration status remains on track for October 1, 2027, subject to funding. Immigrant advocates urged the state to fold newly excluded humanitarian immigrants into CFAP and to invest in outreach and administration, while Western Center on Law and Poverty proposed a broader state-funded anti-hunger response for people cut off by H.R. 1. LAO noted that the CFAP expansion is difficult to estimate and that further policy and technical work would be needed to assess costs and implementation options.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> GOOD AFTERNOON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WILL COME TO ORDER.
• FROM AN INCREASING ACCESS TO CRITICAL SERVICES TO ADVANCING PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES THAT BENEFIT COMMUNITY
• TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET REPRESENT 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS INCREASE OVER THE
• IT PROJECTS TOTALING 238 MILLION TO STRENGTHEN OF THE STRUCTURE, STREAMLINE OPERATIONS AND ENHANCE SERVICE
• WE HAVE ANOTHER MOTION TO ACCEPT THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FISCAL 25/26

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I said, we have one FTE, which we added to the School of the Blind, which I believe is for that technology
• service person.
• We did add the one FTE for the technology adaptation person, but this is just for the second year of
• the biennium, and that was for the vision services, one FTE.
• I'm with the Office of Management and Budget Shared Services Division.

Bills: HB1540

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division

Keywords: education savings account, ESA, school choice, private school vouchers, nonpublic school, tuition assistance, education tax credit, homeschool exclusion, Bank of North Dakota, Department of Public Instruction, public funding for private education, voucher program, student scholarships, special education, parental choice, curriculum funding, tutoring, online learning, state per-pupil payment, income-based eligibility

Summary: The committee first took up amended bill 10-13, a school funding and education appropriations measure. Senator Schaible walked through the final version, which included changes to foundation aid, transportation grants, free and reduced-price meals funding, paraprofessional and teacher support programs, Native American education items, library and school facility projects, and several one-time grants. Members discussed removing the science center grant funding, and Senator Meyer objected to that removal, arguing that Grand Forks had raised matching private and local funds and that other cities had received similar state support. The committee also agreed to adjust regional education association funding to reflect six centers rather than seven, reducing that line to $600,000. The committee then adopted the amendment to 10-13 unanimously and passed the bill as further amended on a unanimous roll call, with Senator Shively designated as carrier. After a brief recess, the committee turned to bill 1540, but no formal action was taken. Bank of North Dakota and OMB representatives raised concerns that the draft included policy changes and procurement/IT exemptions that needed further discussion. Members agreed the bill would be delayed until Monday so the Bank, OMB, and NDIT could confer and work through the mechanics and policy issues before the committee moved it forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Does that mean we get better service?
• Are we going to share services?
• Are we going to share services?
• Presentation by Job Service? All right. Welcome. Presentation by Job Service? All right. Welcome.
• I'm the Workforce Service Director here at Job Service North Dakota.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the previous minutes, and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has been reviewing statewide cash, liquidity, and investment practices, finding that the state generally manages money well but could improve forecasting, automation, and coordination across agencies. He highlighted that the state has about $35 billion in liquid assets and investments, with most in longer-term investments, and described a change already underway replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work. Members also discussed the impact of House Bill 1176 on Legacy Fund earnings and the possibility of future legislation to avoid losing investment returns when large transfers are made all at once. The board also noted that some agencies still hold funds outside the Bank of North Dakota system, and that this is being reviewed. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the Task Force on Government Efficiency, saying the group has focused on how to measure whether programs are actually working. He said the task force has not yet proposed legislation, but the administration has agreed that new and expanding programs should answer five questions, including who is affected, what outcome is expected, whether there is another way to do it, and how success will be measured. Members discussed the need for dashboards, program evaluators, better data collection, and possible use of artificial intelligence to identify duplicate or outdated programs. Toman said the task force will continue reviewing agency workflows, with upcoming presentations from courts, the university system, the auditor, and other agencies, and that future legislation or rule changes may be needed to require performance metrics. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota presented labor market and program updates. He reported that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5%, labor force participation is about 68.7%, and the state continues to rank near the top nationally. He reviewed job openings, in-demand occupations, and several workforce programs, including H-2A agricultural worker inspections, the Job Placement Partnership Program with DOCR, and virtual and in-person job fairs. Davis said the DOCR partnership has shown strong results, with lower recidivism and higher earnings for participants, and he emphasized that Job Service tracks outcomes and reports them to federal and state partners. Members asked about child care subsidies, workforce participation, agency coordination, and whether more staff are needed for H-2A inspections. Finally, Allen Knutson presented the updated S&P Global revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the last update, making the revenue outlook more favorable but still volatile. S&P’s baseline forecast showed the current biennium’s four major tax collections about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and a much larger increase for the next biennium, though he cautioned that federal tax changes and oil market uncertainty could alter the numbers. In an alternate scenario using higher near-term oil prices, he estimated about $242 million more in oil and gas tax collections and roughly $120 million more for the Strategic Investment Fund. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about changes in tribal oil production assumptions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Office of Community Services.
• Office of Community Services.
• Office of Community Services.
• Office of Community Services.
• </c> services for the Immigrant uh services services for the Immigrant uh services and<00:24:23.279><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance held an informational briefing with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on its budget, staffing, and operations. The director reviewed department leadership and reported on recruitment and retention efforts, including a 14% vacancy rate, a 10.5% workforce increase from filling 189 positions, and the Hela Imua internship program, which has placed 516 interns since inception and led to 62 permanent hires. The department also described modernization efforts, including the UI Huakai project and the Disability Compensation Division’s electronic case management system, and said the unemployment compensation trust fund exceeded $71.5 million, triggering Schedule C for calendar year 2025. The department’s main budget requests included $2.9 million for fiscal year 2026 to support maintenance and operations of the electronic case management system, plus restoration of two enforcement specialist positions. Officials said those positions are needed to address a decline in investigators from 11 to six since 2009, improve compliance, and handle Hawaii Compliance Express certificate work. Additional requests included two human resources specialists to address recruitment backlogs, two labor enforcement specialists to reduce a backlog of Chapter 104 prevailing wage and wage cases, and two positions for the Office of Community Services to expand immigrant services and access centers. The department also discussed federal funding for unemployment insurance and workforce programs, including National Dislocated Worker Grants and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, and said some funding is received in increments and may require extensions. Members asked about Kauai inspection coverage, federal funding uncertainty, the size of the special unemployment insurance fund, and whether the department could ramp up staffing during a future crisis. Officials said Kauai is currently served by inspectors from Honolulu and there are no plans to open a permanent island position because of staffing constraints. They said the department is meeting federal guidelines and is not in jeopardy, and that the special unemployment insurance fund has about $10 million, with current UI operations funded at a little over $15 million, meaning the fund may need to cover roughly $5 million if federal support declines. The director said the department would use the special fund to supplement shortfalls, but noted that federal funding cuts and the loss of ARPA support have already affected operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. ...time qualifying for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• of Texas law enforcement or custodial officer service.
• credit toward their law enforcement service time.
• HB 1201 by Manuel, relating to a pilot program to provide Medicaid coverage of doula services.
• Looks like this is something to do with the food service industry, closing potential loopholes.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered an invocation, led the pledges, and approved a series of routine motions, including excusing absent members and granting permission for several committees to meet while the House was in session. Members also adopted several memorial and recognition resolutions, including H.R. 1023 honoring Christian Beerbill, H.R. 1033 recognizing International Bereaved Mother’s Day, and H.R. 877 recognizing Urban League Advocates Day. The House also recommitted SB 17 and HB 4211 to committee and postponed SCR 27 and HB 2145 for later consideration. The chamber then took up a long third-reading calendar of bills covering a wide range of topics, including Sunset review measures, health care workforce and pricing, child custody and family law, Medicaid, rural ambulance grants, energy reporting, public information requests, trail development, virtual meeting disruptions, occupational licensing, protective orders, county leave pools, animal cruelty, infrastructure, and higher education. Most bills were explained briefly by their authors and passed with broad support, though several drew notable opposition, including HB 5265, HB 2402, HB 3000, HB 3237, HB 3326, HB 1056, HB 281, HB 3308, HB 1043, HB 1234, HB 1193, HB 294, HB 809, HB 334, HB 2037, HB 285, HB 1353, HB 3960, HB 4044, HB 4264, HB 2807, HB 3349, HB 4406, HB 1593, HB 1899, HB 1201, and others. Several bills prompted extended debate or amendments. HB 3237, extending public energy-use reporting for state and higher-education buildings, passed after questions about its public-sector-only scope and energy savings. HB 3326, addressing public service loan forgiveness credit for adjunct professors, initially failed on a 69-70 vote but later passed after verification and machine corrections. HB 3211, concerning optometrists in managed care plans, adopted a Buckley amendment before passing. HB 2213 on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association board composition adopted a Metcalf amendment requiring certain board members to be Texas residents. HB 412, dealing with harmful materials and sexual performance of a child, generated extensive questioning about its scope, existing legal standards, and effects on educators and medical professionals; the excerpt ends during that debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, I have friends who are police officers, who are chiefs, and I'm grateful for their service.
• So that was one service area.
• </c> office of information technology office of information technology security<03:44:36.880><c> procedures
• Service program.
• So, back in March, the Committee on Legal Services had an out-of-... Oops. Rep.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• bill for an act relating to and making appropriations for the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund, Technology
• assistance eligibility for regional sports authority districts and Department of Health and Human Services
• information technology system, and including an effective date provision.

Keywords: 913, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can think of no better example of selfless service and heroism.
• Number three, they will not be compensated for services.
• to need vision services and who are also economically disadvantaged.
• Referred to the Committee on Human Services.
• Referred to the Committee on Human Services.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum present, heard an invocation and pledges, received Senate messages, and adopted several procedural motions allowing committees to meet during the session and postponing or scheduling certain committee hearings. Members also observed a memorial recognition for Wood County Deputy Sheriff Melissa Pollard, who died in the line of duty, and adopted a resolution honoring her service. The chamber then adopted House Resolution 897 recognizing May 6, 2025 as Golf Day in Texas and House Resolution 1063 recognizing Dallas Housing Coalition Advocacy Day; additional recognitions highlighted Mental Health Awareness Month and tardive dyskinesia awareness, The Woodlands’ 50th anniversary, Alzheimer’s advocacy, student athlete Gator Young, an intern in Rep. Leo-Wilson’s office, and educator Jessica Lopez. The House spent much of the day on third-reading consideration of a long calendar of bills. Among the measures passed were HB 24 on zoning protest procedures, HB 3800 creating a health care workforce advisory board, HB 42 on higher education appropriations, HB 129 restricting contracts with foreign adversary companies, HB 677 on county elections administrator political activity, HB 668 on license-to-carry renewal procedures, HB 2128 directing a rural firefighting study, HB 2038 expanding physician licensing options, HB 2316 on election result reporting, HB 3686 on retired peace officer ID cards, HB 2563 creating a prescribed burn manager self-insurance pool, HB 1160 increasing penalties for assaults on utility workers, HB 3883 on major events funding, HB 2788 protecting fraud-detection information, HB 2663 on inactive well plugging extensions, HB 3305 extending a county health provider participation program, HB 3474 on pension reporting, HB 1105 expanding tuition exemptions for certain paramedics, HB 3490 on closed meetings with internal auditors, HB 3597 on child care facility notice thresholds, HB 1295 on health literacy planning, HB 3512 on AI training for government employees, HB 3783 on court-ordered counseling, HB 2017 on intoxication manslaughter penalties, HB 3010 on rural disaster recovery, HB 3112 on cybersecurity-related public information and meetings, HB 4215 on delivery network companies, HB 3223 on construction claims limitation periods, HB 3464 on controlled substances in correctional facilities, HB 3120 on residential child detention facilities, HB 4214 on public information, HB 481 on trade secret sealing, HB 4783 on opioid antagonist program reporting, HB 4063 on unilateral memoranda of contract, HB 2783 on county employee deferred compensation, HB 5085 on seed banks, HB 2510 on assisted living facility operations, HB 3426 on digital driver’s licenses, HB 4361 on emergency notifications at higher education institutions, HB 1169 on oil and gas infrastructure protection, HB 2516 on Medicare supplement eligibility for Texans under 65, HB 3560 on hospital staff background checks, HB 3860 on occupational licenses for inmates, HB 3146 on SOAH hearings, HB 184 on loan repayment for border prosecution attorneys, HB 198 on firefighter cancer screenings, HB 247 on border security infrastructure taxation, HB 367 on excused absences for students with severe illnesses, HB 449 on deepfake sexually explicit images, HB 1778 on human trafficking and related offenses, HB 514 on maternal health workforce outreach, HB 632 on pharmacy regulation, HB 2582 on victim parole information, HB 766 on precinct chair ballot applications, HB 2715 on suspension/removal of officials, HB 2712 on water and sewer utility test years, HB 3069 on transmission projects, HB 3505 on health provider participation districts, HB 1269 on plant disease and pest prevention grants, HB 4224 on access to health care records, HB 5032 on historical documents in the Capitol complex, HB 2240 on void marriages, HB 5180 on diploma designation, HB 3348 on health provider participation programs, HB 4668 on PUC authority to retain assistance, HB 4665 on child care training providers, HB 3395 on beneficiary designation for manufactured homes, HB 3157 on interim electric utility rates, HB 4395 on electronic submission of public securities records, HB 4325 on bribery civil penalties, HB 4386 on annuity replacement transactions, HB 4273 on Medicaid fraud-related unlawful acts, HB 2760 on judicial review of unemployment decisions, HB 2820 on charitable bingo operating capital, HB 1828 on legislative leave for correctional officers, and a series of Senate bills including SB 2349, SB 1268, SB 610, SB 1577, SB 1369, SB 2032, SB 1057, SB 1044, SB 922, SB 1759, SB 1143, SB 1506, SB 1403, SB 2361, SB 870, SB 372, and SB 72. Several bills drew debate or amendments, including HB 24, where a germane point of order was sustained against an amendment, and HB 198, HB 3348, and SB 2361, which were amended before passage. Most measures passed by wide margins, though some drew notable opposition, including HB 3883, HB 514, HB 1295, HB 184, SB 1143, and others. The House also postponed further consideration of HB 4700 until the end of the day and HB 24 until 1 p.m., and it granted permission for committees to meet during the House session and for the Calendars Committee to meet that morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then it's on us to determine how much time we should give them to comply, what treatment technologies
• Then it's on us to determine how much time we should give them to comply, what treatment technologies
• Would you say that technologies will continue to advance?
• It also recognizes the opportunity for improving EVs and alternate technologies that are clean for the
• I think the specific to any technology, I want to just first begin the conversation with just how we

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first handled several routine actions, including approving three governor’s appointments not required to appear: Anthony Surich as Executive Director of the California Housing Finance Agency, Craig Snelling J.D. to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, and Nicholas Mueller to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission. The committee also approved referral of bills to committees, all by 4-0 votes. It then took up appointments requiring testimony, beginning with Jereen DiAdamo to the State Water Resources Control Board. DiAdamo focused her remarks on safe drinking water, groundwater sustainability, conservation, and Bay-Delta restoration. She said the number of Californians without safe drinking water has fallen from 1.6 million to 800,000 since 2019, credited the SAFER program, technical assistance, and mandatory consolidation authority, and described ongoing work on failing and at-risk systems, domestic well mitigation, SGMA implementation, and the Bay-Delta Plan. Senators pressed her on audit follow-up, measurable goals for reducing the remaining unsafe systems, funding uncertainty, and concerns from environmental and tribal groups that the board has favored water users over ecosystem protections. Supporters from water, agriculture, business, and local agencies praised her collaborative style and consensus-building, while opponents argued she had not done enough to protect the Delta and called for new leadership. The committee ultimately voted 4-0 to advance her appointment to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Sivagunda Gunda for reappointment to the California Energy Commission. He highlighted progress on grid reliability, zero-carbon generation, and planning for California’s energy transition, including transportation fuels, building electrification, and the eventual retirement of Diablo Canyon. Senators questioned him about the future of Kern Energy and small refineries, the state’s transportation fuels plan, fuel imports and costs, and whether California can retire Diablo Canyon by 2030 without harming reliability. Gunda said the state is planning as if Diablo Canyon retires in 2030, that current resource additions make reliability manageable, and that affordability and market coordination remain key issues. The committee then voted 4-0 to advance his appointment to the full Senate, and the hearing recessed afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• The fact of the matter is the Arizona Rangers are a 501 service organization.
• This isn't about directing resources to a specific vendor who provides a service.
• That's the technology that we all have already.
• This isn't about directing resources to a specific vendor who provides a service.
• They are civil service merit system employees.

Committee: Senate Senate Public Safety Committee of Reference

Summary: The Public Safety Committee first considered SB 1071, which would repeal statutory protections for the Arizona Rangers. The sponsor argued the change was needed for accountability and transparency, while Rangers and several supporters said the organization provides substantial volunteer service and that the bill would undermine their work. Sheriffs from Yavapai and Navajo counties supported the bill, citing lack of access to background and training records and saying they could not fully trust or use the Rangers without clearer standards. The committee adopted a do pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote, with members noting they expected further amendment work. The committee then heard SB 1315 on interoperable communications for schools and law enforcement, followed by SB 1317 on reentry planning grants for counties. SB 1315 was supported by school safety officials and law enforcement representatives who described the need for common communication platforms during emergencies; concerns were raised about cost and information security, but the bill passed unanimously. SB 1317 would appropriate opioid settlement funds for county reentry programs; sheriffs and the Arizona Sheriffs Association supported it, citing reduced recidivism and improved jail outcomes, and it also passed unanimously. Members next took up SB 1416 and SB 1740, both related to missing and endangered children and the Turquoise Alert system. SB 1416, as amended, would strengthen reporting, photo-sharing, training, and public notification requirements for missing children cases; advocates, family members, and law enforcement all supported the compromise language, and it passed 7-0. SB 1740 would require training on the Turquoise Alert system and was discussed alongside concerns about statewide versus geographically targeted alerts; the sponsor said an amendment was being worked on, and the bill also received a do pass recommendation. Later, the committee considered SB 1493, which would require employers to pay fees and costs when a law enforcement officer wins a termination appeal and the employer refuses reinstatement. Police and sheriffs’ representatives supported the measure as a fairness issue, while chiefs’ representatives opposed it; the bill passed as amended on a 5-2 vote. The committee also passed SB 1537, renaming the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund as the Public Safety De-escalation and Life Safety Fund, and SB 1542, which would conditionally authorize MDMA-based PTSD treatment for first responders and create related research and reimbursement provisions, after testimony about its potential therapeutic value.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most extensive services.
• So it limits resources, which means less technology for our students who we need.
• To provide technology for low-income families.
• Thank you for your service. Great! Thank you for joining us, Karen. Good afternoon, Karen.
• Thank you so much for your volunteer service and the difficult work you do for our state.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and it does absolutely pertain Services and it does absolutely pertain to<00:01:44.040><c> families<
• Protective Services Reporting System.
• Kentucky child and Adult Services Kentucky child and Adult Protective<00:08:37.039><c> Services</c><
• The counselor's plan to elicit Child Protective Services was successful.
• The high school counselor weaponized technology against our family.

Keywords: Roll Call – 00:11 Discussion on SB 181 – 01:05 Vote on SB 181 – 24:16 Discussion on HB 242 – 31:00 Vote on HB 242 – 32:14 Discussion on HB 164 – 33:26 Vote on HB 164 – 39:55, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children heard Senate Bill 181, which would require school districts to use only traceable forms of communication for staff, coaches, and volunteers when contacting students, require reporting of known private direct communication, notify parents, protect minors’ anonymity in EPSB investigations, and extend the investigation period for sexual misconduct cases to 120 days. Senator Lindsay Tichenor said the bill is meant to restore safeguards for children and families and address inappropriate private communications between school personnel and students. The committee also heard testimony from Stacy and Brad Brisco, who described allegations that an Anderson County guidance counselor had communicated privately with their daughter, encouraged her to pursue emancipation and CPS involvement, and used school channels to facilitate contact; they said the resulting abuse report was unsubstantiated and that the school system and EPSB had not acted promptly. Ashley Nation also testified in support as a survivor of educator sexual abuse, arguing that traceable communication policies are needed to prevent grooming and misconduct and that the bill does not stop communication, only makes it transparent and accountable. Members asked questions about what counts as traceable communication and whether schools already have policies. Tichenor said traceable communication could include paper notes, email, and apps such as ClassDojo or Google Classroom, and said the bill requires a trail parents can access. She also said some districts have ethical standards but they are not consistently followed, and that state-level action is needed. Senator Denine suggested the bill should allow districts more flexibility to choose among trackable platforms, noting that some systems already use tools like Dojo and Remind; Tichenor said a floor amendment would address that concern. Senators Williams, Meredith, Mills, Wise, and others voiced support, emphasizing child safety and the need for timely EPSB action. The committee then voted 9-0 to pass SB 181 with a favorable recommendation to the Senate floor. Afterward, the committee took up House Bill 242, sponsored by Representative Samara Heavrin, which would increase transparency in the child welfare system by making Kentucky child welfare data available to researchers while preserving privacy protections. With no questions, the committee approved HB 242 as well, also by a favorable vote, and members briefly noted support for the bill and the need for better data to inform child welfare policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Providing regulatory oversight will be challenging if servicers are forced to provide forbearance outside
• the terms of federal agencies and private investor loan servicing agreements.
• to adopt our request amendments to align the bill with GSE guidelines and clarify that mortgage servicer
• Rejecting the amendments may make compliance unclear and investors may challenge servicers legally for
• the use of technology in the building of structures and residences.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The seven service organizations were identified that were significant to Core Technology Services, or
• services.
• And we are continually looking at ways that we can better service... ...utilize more technology, and
• As of today, our office has completed 11 of the 13 system-wide bank recs, including Core Technology Services
• the institutions and our core technology services group.

Summary: The committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with the statewide Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and OMB reported a clean, unmodified opinion for the state, with strong financial results including a $40.6 billion net position, $30.99 billion in assets, $1.81 billion in liabilities, and continued Legacy Fund growth. OMB also explained the new GASB 101 compensated-absences reporting change and discussed pension-liability fluctuations tied to discount-rate assumptions and investment performance. Members asked about how the state compares to others and about the effect of short-term commodity price swings, and OMB said the report reflects actual fiscal-year results rather than forecasts. The committee then heard the University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund revenue, insufficient monitoring of service organizations at CTS, NDSU, and UND, improper bank reconciliations at Dakota College of Bottineau, Dickinson State, and Williston State, and investment/cash reconciliation problems at Bismarck State College related to bond proceeds. University officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations. Members raised questions about NDSU’s use of certificates of deposit, and university staff explained that CDs are used to earn interest on funds being accumulated for future projects. Several other audits were presented, most with clean opinions and no findings, including the State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Notable exceptions included a State Fair Association audit with an adverse opinion on the foundation component unit because its financial statements were not available for audit, and a Securities Department performance audit finding that performance-based pay increases and bonuses were issued without required evaluations. The committee also discussed the State Auditor’s future needs, including more staff capacity, data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, possible subpoena authority, independent legal counsel, and whether some audits—such as the Ethics Commission and State Fair—should be handled by independent third parties or under different statutory arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• went out in the community and tried somebody who could give us food service.
• went out in the community and tried somebody who could give us food service.
• Today, again, the communications infrastructure and technology have changed that.
• All this technology costs millions and billions, and it's required.
• We did it before without technology. We can do it very easily with technology.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• those services.
• Our utility service area...
• and service levels.
• , senior services.
• I understand we're talking about what services do people want, but I want good services.

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes heard first from city representatives through the Florida League of Cities, who argued that property taxes are a stable local revenue source that funds core services such as police, fire, parks, public works, and stormwater work. Casey Cook emphasized that cities are optional governments with widely different tax bases and service levels, that exemptions shift the burden to fewer taxpayers, and that transparency already exists through TRIM notices, public budgets, and local hearings. Sarah Campbell of Fernandina Beach, T. Michael Stavris of Winter Haven, and Stephen O’Kee of Port St. Lucie described their budget processes, the share of general-fund revenue coming from property taxes, reserve policies, debt and capital planning, and the impact of inflation, minimum wage increases, and personnel costs. They all said local governments need predictable revenue and that any property tax changes would require careful consideration of replacement funding or service reductions. Members questioned the city panel about whether homebuyers are clearly informed about city versus county taxes and services, the role of HOAs, how many lobbyists cities employ, reserve levels, average salaries, and whether utility revenues are used only for utility purposes. The panel said TRIM notices, realtor listings, and city websites provide tax information; HOAs generally do not provide emergency services; lobbyists help local governments track Tallahassee legislation; reserves vary by city and fund; and utility revenues are generally restricted, though some cities use limited transfers. Members also asked about revenue replacement if ad valorem taxes were reduced or eliminated, and the panel said options would likely include user fees, service cuts, or other local revenue shifts. The chair also asked about public safety consolidation, and the response was that such decisions are local and may shift costs rather than create true savings. The committee then heard from county representatives after an overview by the Florida Association of Counties’ Davin Suggs, who framed counties as shared partners with the state and emphasized the gap between rising market values and the shrinking share of taxable value after exemptions and assessment limits. He said counties face a mismatch between revenue based on taxable value and expenses driven by real-world costs, and noted that most counties either held millage steady or lowered it without reaching rollback rates. He also highlighted that property taxes are only one part of county revenue, with charges for services and intergovernmental revenue often larger in some counties, and that public safety at the county level includes more than law enforcement, such as EMS, emergency management, inspections, and corrections. Deborah Manzo of Okeechobee County described a fiscally constrained rural county with limited staff, a county-supported airport, heavy reliance on property taxes for the general fund, and major cost pressures from inflation, insurance, retirement, and state and federal mandates. She said the county lowered millage slightly over recent years but still depends on multiple revenue sources and special assessments, and she flagged Medicaid, medical examiner costs, and possible firefighter workweek changes as significant concerns. Bay County Administrator Mark McQueen said his county’s budget is shaped by Hurricane Michael recovery, non-discretionary obligations, and rapid growth; he described ongoing FEMA reimbursement delays, substantial borrowing to cover disaster costs, and continuing interest expenses while the county waits for reimbursement. The county panel was still in progress when the transcript ended.