Transcript Highlights:

• So the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state's lead agency for environmental management
• We lead the nation in prescribed burning, and we need to make sure that our citizens stay safe.
• And having the time, I'm sure all of us who sat down with our agency leads, we're all, like, fighting
• And having the time, I'm sure all of us who sat down with our agency leads, we're all like fighting for

Summary: The Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee met to hear member-led presentations on agency budget requests after prior meetings with the agencies. Representative Barnaby summarized the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ fiscal year 2025-26 request, highlighting major funding for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, Florida Forest Service wildfire and land management needs, citrus disease and research efforts, a new Conner Complex facility and lab, agricultural water and BMP projects, agricultural law enforcement staffing and equipment, maintenance and vehicle needs, and federal grant-related spending. No vote was taken on the department’s request during the meeting. Representative Bartleman presented the Department of Environmental Protection request and said the subcommittee supported it fully. The request emphasized Everglades restoration, water quality grants, springs, harmful algal bloom and red tide response, alternate water supplies, resilience and flood prevention, beach and coral reef restoration, land acquisition and state parks, and cleanup of petroleum, dry cleaning, and hazardous waste sites. Representative Alvarez asked DEP to provide a list of the most contaminated lakes, along with estimated costs, so the committee could prioritize cleanup efforts. Representative Black summarized the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission request, which included additional law enforcement funding in high-demand areas, oyster and reef restoration, habitat restoration, heavy equipment for land management and prescribed burning, a water survival training center, and red snapper data research. Representative Salzman then presented the Department of Citrus request, describing a lean agency budget focused on operations, PALM readiness, marketing and consumer awareness, greening-resistant plant material, and building repairs; the workgroup recommended fully funding the request. The meeting ended with members thanking the chair and staff for the more member-driven budget process, and the subcommittee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m the state policy lead for Move Minnesota Action.
• for move Minnesota action uh thank lead for move Minnesota action uh thank you<00:04:51.759><c> to</
• to kind of lower ridership often leads to kind of more<00:11:33.279><c> safety</c><00:11:33.720><c>
• This leads to confusion and inconsistencies in the issue of correction orders.
• , which leads to more withdrawals from the budget and potentially lower award amounts.

Bills: HF1367 , HF2732 , HF1897 , HF1424 , HF1383 , HF2728 , HF2863 , HF1685 , HF2929

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: child maltreatment, child abuse, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, human trafficking, child protection, local welfare agency, county social services, Minnesota Department of Human Services, judicial review, district court appeal, venue, out-of-state abuse, cross-border investigation, Minnesota child welfare, family assessment, maltreatment determination

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:15.359><c> the</c> Association our mission is to lead the Association our mission is to lead
• leads to more uncompensated<01:08:16.199><c> care</c><01:08:16.920><c> it</c><01:08:17.040><c> leads
• care it leads to higher insurance<01:08:18.440><c> rates</c><01:08:18.719><c> for</c><01:08:18.920><
• </c><01:08:28.000><c> to</c> service lines or facilities leading to service lines or facilities leading
• </c><01:09:33.679><c> and</c> 18 states followed Minnesota's lead and 18 states followed Minnesota's

Bills: HF837 , HF1903 , HF499 , HF794

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: health insurance, premium security plan, federal funding, state innovation waiver, Minnesota, newborn safety, anonymity, healthcare provider, safe place, child welfare, HF499, nursing, nurse licensure, temporary permit, temporary nursing permit, Board of Nursing, endorsement licensure, reregistration, refresher course, health occupations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:24:34.000><c> to</c> reassessment may or may not lead to reassessment may or may not lead to
• </c> incre uh of these practices uh in leads incre uh of these practices uh in leads to<00:57:43.040>
• </c> could strain facility finances or lead could strain facility finances or lead to<01:24:54.639><c
• to the kind of deterioration in care that leads to pretty substantial mortality, you know.
• in care that leads to deterioration in care that leads to pretty<01:52:03.199><c> substantial</c><01

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• interesting is over the last 5 years, this company in North Dakota has used technology that allows the lead
• Technology that allows the lead truck of a two-truck, um, to the first truck controls the second truck
• c><00:47:03.760><c> depression</c> process frequently leads to depression process frequently leads to
• :47:05.280><c> degrading</c><00:47:05.760><c> health</c> leading to more quickly degrading health leading
• </c> of damage to the logic that even leads of damage to the logic that even leads to<00:47:18.560><c

Bills: HF3553 , HF3513 , HF3576

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: vehicle platooning, transportation, public safety, pilot project, Wilkin County, Grant County, autonomous vehicles, transportation regulations, driverless cars, safety standards, first responder interaction, school bus, third-party testing, driver certification, transportation regulation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Those 11 existing programs are very high-leverage, high-participation programs that lead to jobs for
• These are programs that lead to jobs right out of high school.
• These are programs that lead to jobs right out of high school.
• These are programs that lead sciences.
• </c> have the health sciences program leading have the health sciences program leading to<01:06:10.720

Committee: Senate Capital Budget

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:38:49.760><c> with</c> Hawaii has the opportunity to lead with Hawaii has the opportunity to
• It may lead into the idea or a lead to say, okay, let's go subsurface work, but again, you're looking
• It may lead into the idea or a lead to say, okay, let's go subsurface work, but again, you're looking
• It may lead into the idea or a lead to say, okay, let's go subsurface work, but again, you're looking
• into the idea ground it may it may lead into the idea or<01:24:03.840><c> a</c><01:24:04.040><c> lead

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on March 19, 2025, and first heard SB 137 SD2 HD1 relating to electric utilities. The Division of Consumer Advocacy and the Public Utilities Commission said they stood on their written comments, IBEW Local 1260 supported the bill, and Ulupono Initiative also supported it. Hawaiian Electric supported the intent but asked for an amendment, saying the bill’s definition of “acquiring entity” was too broad and could unintentionally cover purely local utility transactions. A later witness from Life of the Land supported the bill only if the merger/acquisition language were removed, arguing the PUC would not have a workable mechanism to let a cooperative intervene in a utility sale process. Committee members questioned whether the bill could still work without that section, and Ulupono said it was open to clarifying language but did not seek to remove the provision; the discussion ended without a vote in the excerpt provided. The committee then took up SB 1220 SD2 relating to a renewable gas tariff. The Division of Consumer Advocacy and the PUC again stood on written comments. HGas strongly supported the measure, saying it would create a faster, more cost-effective path for a voluntary renewable gas tariff without requiring a full rate case, while preserving PUC oversight and consumer protections. The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas also supported the bill, emphasizing that it would expand consumer choice and help Hawaii’s clean energy goals while keeping the program voluntary and shielding non-participating customers from costs. Henry Curtis of Life of the Land opposed the bill, arguing that HGas already had an active rate case and could have raised the issue there, and that the proposal did not increase renewable gas supply or speed up acquisition; he called it a gimmick. In response, HGas said the bill was mainly a mechanism to speed filing and that the details would be worked out in a PUC docket. Committee members pressed HGas on whether the measure would actually add renewable gas, what source would be used, and whether customers would simply be paying more for the same gas; HGas said it had two projects in development, including banagrass and hydrogen-related work, and that the tariff would be a voluntary opt-in rate for customers seeking renewable natural gas to meet sustainability goals. No vote was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• and legislators, and I have the great privilege of working with an executive committee who helps me lead
• this work um we rotate who helps me lead this work um we rotate our<00:04:42.800><c> chair</c><00:04
• Suddenly, I was in charge of leading discussions and grading papers for 15 eager Yale freshmen.
• </c> cardiac arrest and sea is the leading cardiac arrest and sea is the leading cause<01:10:11.080><
• </c><01:49:45.840><c> leading</c> Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in student athletes and

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, although the investigation As leads and persons of interest and areas of inquiry emerge, the committee
• The committee will act on them as a body and will follow the evidence wherever it leads. It leads.

Committee: House House House Investigatory Subcommittee

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most troubling, the president doesn't know how to lead, and he doesn't care. Mr.
• </c><00:29:35.679><c> and</c> president doesn't know how to lead and president doesn't know how to lead
• Shootings are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in this country.
• </c> Cascade Cadets secured a commanding lead Cascade Cadets secured a commanding lead in<01:47:10.480
• And I am proud to lead Democrats in fighting back.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, December 4, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Republican lead uh Jordan Rasmusen. Republican lead uh Jordan Rasmusen.
• >> Lead anyone? >> I would love to hear. Are you guys okay if we go later?
• >> Lead anyone? >> I would love to hear. Are you guys okay if we go later?
• >> Lead anyone? >> I would love to hear. Are you guys okay if we go later?
• </c> would work with the county or the lead would work with the county or the lead agency<01:42:42.400

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She leads caregivers and keiki through songs, stories, and learning, creating a space where families
• </c><00:34:34.320><c> other</c><00:34:34.560><c> families</c> get a chance to lead other families get
• The organization I lead is, I'll call myself, the chief troublemaker right now.
• </c> leads to a couple of different factors. leads to a couple of different factors.
• </c><02:24:30.319><c> to</c><02:24:30.399><c> a</c> leading to uh uh but could lead to a leading to uh

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Human Services held an informational briefing on the impacts of federal funding cuts, inflation, labor shortages, and chronic underfunding on Hawaii’s nonprofit social safety net. Hawaii Community Foundation opened with a story about a federal worker family relying on food pantry support, then described a “perfect storm” facing human services nonprofits: historically high demand, rising costs, staffing challenges, federal cuts, and state and county contracts that do not cover true service costs. The foundation said it has reactivated its Hawaii Resilience Fund, launched strengthened service grants, and is tracking policy changes and data to help nonprofits respond. Trey Gordner of UHERO presented research on the vulnerability of Hawaii’s nonprofit sector, explaining a framework that assessed political, financial, and structural risk. He said about 8,200 501(c)(3) nonprofits are active in Hawaii, but only about 200 receive direct federal funds; 74 grants to 59 organizations were flagged as politically at risk, totaling about $126 million in unpaid obligations. He said about 68 of the direct-funding recipients rely on federal funds for more than 20% of annual revenue, and that human services nonprofits are among the most exposed subsectors because they serve vulnerable populations and depend heavily on federal support. Catholic Charities Hawaii and the Hawaii True Cost Coalition said community-based organizations were already under strain before the current crisis, with most contracts not covering full costs and many groups depending on private philanthropy to fill gaps. They reported that half of surveyed organizations expect to reduce programs, more than a third may decline future contracts, and some are waiting months for reimbursements. Examples included reduced shelter admissions, fewer case management hours, and cutbacks in kūpuna services. The coalition urged higher contract rates, regular inflation and cost-of-living reviews, and timely reimbursement; no votes or formal actions were taken. Partners in Development Foundation described the loss of Native Hawaiian education funding as especially damaging, saying the federal Department of Education has zeroed out support that creates a roughly $46 million gap, including about $20 million for early childhood programs. The speaker shared a family story from the Nā Pono program to illustrate how early learning services support both children and parents, and warned that the organization’s federal funds make up 72% of its budget. The briefing ended with a call for continued emergency funding and longer-term structural changes to sustain nonprofits statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• wanted to chime in to say that Senator Feeney, who was unable to attend the hearing today, is the lead
• Blue Harvest, a private equity-backed company that was created with great fanfare and ambition to lead
• lead to accidents.
• As the leading advocate for the North River, we urge this committee ...to speak today.
• As the leading advocate for the North River, we urge this committee to oppose House Bill 4111, an act

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing covered several bills related to environmental, natural resources, and maritime issues. Representative Markey testified in support of H. 1000, which would create a commission to study financing wastewater infrastructure, especially in southeastern Massachusetts and the South Shore, citing combined sewer overflows and impacts on aquaculture. Members agreed the core challenge is finding long-term financing for wastewater solutions. The committee also heard testimony on H. 902 to establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation, with supporters describing its role in expanding access, supporting underrepresented communities, and helping grow the outdoor economy. Related testimony also supported H. 986, which would codify the Division of Ecological Restoration and the Office of Fishing and Boating Access within the Department of Fish and Game, with witnesses emphasizing habitat restoration, flood reduction, public access, and boating/fishing opportunities. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 901/S. 597, “An Act Providing Nature for All,” which would dedicate existing sporting goods sales tax revenue to a new conservation fund. Supporters from Mass Audubon, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Appalachian Mountain Club, Trust for Public Land, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, and conservation groups argued the bill would provide a sustainable revenue stream for land conservation, parks, trails, wetlands, water protection, and climate resilience, while also advancing environmental justice and outdoor recreation. They said the state needs roughly $300 million more per year to meet land conservation goals and that the bill could generate about $100 million annually without raising taxes. Committee members asked about balancing conservation with housing and development, and witnesses said the goals are compatible and that the bill includes safeguards. Witnesses also noted similar funding models in other states. The hearing also included H. 1053, a bill to create a Merrimack River Collaborative. Regional planning and watershed advocates said the river faces bacterial contamination, heavy metals, combined sewer overflows, and other pollution, and that a formal collaborative would help coordinate municipalities, state agencies, and nonprofits across the watershed and possibly across state lines. Another bill, H. 4109, would relocate harbor lines in New Bedford Harbor to allow reconstruction of deteriorating bulkheads at a waterfront industrial site; the New Bedford Port Authority, engineers, and the property owner said the change is needed for permitting and would support port modernization and jobs. Finally, the committee heard extensive testimony on S. 641 regarding marine pilotage in New Bedford. Supporters argued the bill would remove a District 3 pilotage restriction and improve port flexibility and offshore wind operations, while opponents warned it would undermine the state’s compulsory pilotage system, weaken safety, and allow ship owners to shop for pilots. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• May the leaders of our state and nation trust in you for wisdom to lead.
• Wisdom to lead. God, you are the giver of life and liberty.
• Continue to give him boldness as he leads.
• Give them wisdom and strength as they lead. I lift up each legislator here today to you.
• And they're the next ones leading Space Florida.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Lee County Judge John Carlin, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Cody Popple of the FSU Police Department for his actions during the April campus shooting. The Speaker also outlined the final week of session, noting the chamber had passed 253 House bills and 149 Senate bills to date, with budget negotiations still unresolved and the 2026-27 budget not expected to be completed that week. The special order report was adopted, setting the day’s calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up several Senate bills, mostly technical or open-government sunset review measures, and passed them with little or no opposition: SB 100, SB 104, and SB 102 on Florida statutes; SB 7006, SB 7014, SB 7002, SB 7012, SB 7024, SB 7016, SB 7026, SB 7008, SB 7000, and SB 7004 on public-records or meeting exemptions; and SB 7022 on public records related to exams. Members asked questions on a few of these bills, especially the exam-records bill and the military and gaming-related exemptions, but the measures generally advanced without amendment. Votes ranged from unanimous to modest opposition, with SB 7026 passing 106-3 and SB 7022 passing 101-8. The most substantial debate centered on SB 7040, which recreates the emergency preparedness and response trust fund in the Executive Office of the Governor. Rep. Eskamani offered an amendment to let the fund expire, arguing the money had been misused and that the Legislature should retain control over spending; several members supported her position, while others said the fund is needed for rapid disaster response. A strike-all amendment from Rep. Griffiths was adopted instead, adding accountability provisions and expanding the fund to cover man-made emergencies as well as natural disasters. The bill then passed 82-25. The House also passed CS/CS/SB 302 on coastal resiliency, CS/CS/SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits, CS/SB 474 on military affairs, and SB 488 on Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issues, with SB 488 still under amendment debate when the transcript ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• UC also improves the lives of countless people across the country and the world, our world-leading...
• Our world-leading research and patient care dramatically impacts the economy, the health, and the quality
• Our research generates four inventions a day, fueling California's leading industries, and the university
• It's the privilege of a lifetime to lead the University of California today.
• Having UC enroll additional students, potentially without any additional state support, could lead to

Summary: The subcommittee heard opening remarks and updates from UC President James Milliken and CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia on the state of higher education, including federal funding losses, civil rights/Title IX compliance, enrollment, housing, and budget needs. Both leaders emphasized the value of UC and CSU to California’s workforce, research, and economic mobility, while warning that federal grant cancellations, investigations, and changes to student aid are creating major financial and operational strain. UC reported losing or having at risk more than 1,600 grants and over $1 billion in research activity, while CSU said it had lost more than 200 grants totaling about $161 million, including minority-serving institution grants that affected student support programs. Both systems said they are investing in civil rights services and trying to limit the release of personally identifiable information in response to federal requests. The committee then reviewed the higher education student housing grant program. Finance and Legislative Analyst’s Office staff said the governor’s budget does not include major new changes but continues support for the program. CSU reported 12 approved projects that will add about 5,047 beds, with roughly 75% below market rate, and said it has about 68,000 beds systemwide, a 92% occupancy rate, and ongoing housing insecurity among students. UC said its housing projects have added more than 7,000 beds when reduced-rent and regular-rent units are combined, but nearly 10,000 students were on housing wait lists at the start of fall 2025. Both systems described rapid rehousing efforts, emergency beds, and partnerships with community colleges, and UC noted several joint housing projects, including at Riverside, Merced, and Santa Cruz. Members discussed whether future housing bonds and use of surplus school sites could help expand capacity. In the enrollment section, the LAO recommended maintaining UC’s 2026-27 resident undergraduate target, funding enrollment growth separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident reduction plan at the three highest-demand UC campuses, and holding UC enrollment flat in 2027-28. For CSU, the LAO recommended revising the 2026-27 enrollment expectation downward to reflect updated projections, while also funding enrollment growth separately and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. CSU said it has rebounded from pandemic-era declines, is above its funded target by about 3,000 FTE, and is shifting about $89 million and 10,000 FTE from lower-demand campuses to higher-demand ones while developing turnaround plans for seven campuses with sustained enrollment declines, including Sonoma State. UC said it has already exceeded its compact enrollment goals and is planning continued growth, but that sustaining it depends on ongoing state support. Members raised concerns about campus-specific enrollment declines, nonresident caps at UC San Diego, and the need for stronger turnaround plans and teacher preparation pathways. The final section covered core operations and deferred payments: Finance said the governor proposes another one-year deferral of about $129.7 million for UC and $143.8 million for CSU, and the LAO recommended retiring the deferrals when one-time funds are available. CSU described rising compensation, financial aid, utilities, insurance, and deferred maintenance costs, and said it is pursuing cost-saving measures such as procurement alignment, campus integration, and shared administrative services.

Transcript Highlights:

• This committee, I trust gentlemen, you know, has been kind of the lead committee the last couple of years
• Have you seen, first of all, what’s the percentage historically of the number of arrests that lead to
• know you’re still kind of new in this technology—have you seen that the percentage of arrests that lead
• We consistently lead the state in overdose death rates. We are of the nation.
• Mad, well, I always say that, but mad props to the Governor for following his lead and ensuring that

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• As we've heard from the LAO's report, California is leading the way in its investments in this sector
• Leads me to say acres treated, like I said, is not a really good measure of success for us, and we have
• And also the public, I think the state can lead with a loud voice and help the public.
• Maybe there are other fire safe organizations, HOAs that lead this work.
• it's leading, one more, one more.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At this time, I would like to lead us in the pledge. Senator Reed, would you lead us?
• And Senator Richardson, would you lead us in prayer?
• At this time, I would like to lead us in the pledge. Senator Reed, would you lead us?
• And Senator Richardson, would you lead us in prayer?
• At this time, I would like to lead us in the pledge. Senator Reed, would you lead us?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate VMAP Committee met with a quorum and heard three bills. Senate Bill 144, sponsored by Senator Danny Carroll, would require destruction of firearms used in homicides and allow destruction of certain defaced, hazardous, unsafe, or owner-requested firearms, while prohibiting agencies from intentionally damaging firearms before transfer and requiring written agency policies. Senator Tichenor asked about lost auction revenue; KSP said it could not track homicide weapons separately, that auctions bring in about $1.2 million annually, and that most proceeds support Kentucky Homeland Security. Senators Boswell and others said they generally oppose destroying firearms but supported moving the bill forward; the bill passed favorably with no nays. House Bill 191, sponsored by Representative Aaron Thompson and presented with state and veterans’ officials, would align Kentucky law with federal changes to allow additional burials in state veteran cemeteries for certain National Guard and Reserve veterans, their spouses, and dependents who were not previously eligible. Testimony explained the bill would cover veterans who served in reserve components without Title 10 activation, including those who assisted during floods, fires, and tornadoes, and clarified eligibility rules for spouses and children. Senators asked about minimum service and dependent eligibility, and the committee passed the bill favorably and unanimously. Senate Bill 198, sponsored by Senator David Yates, addressed protection of veterans’ benefits by regulating third-party claims consultants. The committee adopted a substitute adding definitions and accreditation-related provisions, and Yates said the bill was intended to curb abusive fee practices and direct penalties to the special license plate fund for veterans. He explained the bill’s fee limits, including a cap tied to three times the monthly increase in benefits and an overall ceiling, while senators questioned whether the cap might discourage good actors and how the dollar limits would work. A veteran witness, Bob Casher, supported the bill and urged more public information on free claims assistance; the committee held further action while allowing guest comments, and the discussion focused on balancing consumer protection with access to legitimate consultants.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would highlight again the structure and, kind of, leading into your next question on realignment: the
• We're not leading. We're not showing our values fully.
• We're not leading. We're not showing our values fully. And I, for one, don't have expectations.
• We believe this will lead to the loss of 43,000 members in the current year, and at full implementation
• , it will lead to the loss of slightly over 1 million Medi-Cal members.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to better understand in more detail what are those cost drivers that are leading to increased
• I'd like to better understand in more detail what are those cost drivers that are leading to increased
• So trying to predict the future in uncertain times can also lead to that kind of challenge.
• And then the fourth bullet is just HR1 leading to higher SNAP administrative costs.
• And so assuming that the legislature acts on those, that would lead to higher costs or reduced revenue

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency and Fiscal Sustainability

Summary: The committee held its first meeting, with co-chairs and members introducing themselves and staff outlining the committee’s statutory charge under the 2026 supplemental operating budget. Staff explained that the committee is tasked with studying budget transparency and fiscal sustainability in two phases: first, revenue growth, spending assumptions, statutory cost drivers, and carryforward/maintenance levels; and later, staffing, overhead, performance management, and public reporting tools. The committee also discussed its goals, with members emphasizing a shared factual understanding of Washington’s fiscal situation, the causes of projected structural deficits, and possible paths to a more sustainable operating budget. Staff then gave a detailed operating budget basics presentation. They reviewed the size and composition of the operating budget, explaining that most spending is concentrated in grants and client services, salaries and benefits, and goods and services, with K-12 education, DSHS, the Health Care Authority, DCYF, corrections, and higher education making up most NGFO spending. They also walked through the distinction between constitutional, federal, statutory, and discretionary spending; the role of caseload and per-capita forecasts; how maintenance level and policy level budgets are built; and how the four-year outlook works, including revenue forecasts, reversions, budget stabilization account reserves, and the official outlook adoption process. Members asked several questions about what is or is not included in the outlook, especially future collective bargaining agreements, health care inflation, court-ordered liabilities, and whether the budget could better separate mandatory from discretionary spending over time. Staff said some of those questions would require follow-up and noted the existence of an outlook accuracy report. The committee then heard from Josh Goodman of the Pew Charitable Trusts, who introduced Pew’s state fiscal work and its role as the nonprofit partner supporting the committee. He said Pew would help analyze long-term fiscal sustainability, reserve policies, recession preparedness, and practices from other states, and would draw on its 50-state data and subject-matter experts. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported at this meeting.