Transcript Highlights:

• In the safety's budget requests.
• governor's budget request, the governor's budget request, the department<04:04:35.760><c> sought</c><
• First, we budget cycle in two ways.
• </c> maintenance subject to bianual budget maintenance subject to bianual budget uncertainty.<04:35:54.480
• </c> house budget. house budget. the<04:46:11.840><c> communications.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Could you please just confirm the amount of the 112th budget?
• Yes, the amount for the 112th budget is $7.7 billion, and it will be rescinded once we pass the General
• The amount for the 112th budget is $7.7 billion, and it will be rescinded once we pass the General Appropriations

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> influence over policy, budgets, influence over policy, budgets, personnel,<00:03:13.519><c> and
• So, it' be up to the department budget.
• Nono County is no stranger to budget shortfalls.
• </c> Nono County is no stranger to uh budget Nono County is no stranger to uh budget shortfalls.<01:21
• I know I'm our um budget. So stand here.

Bills: SF0082

Keywords: registered agents, corporate governance, entity ownership, business regulations, transparency, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> train in the community, how to budget, train in the community, how to budget, how<01:24:28.719>
• So this as a just regular budget item.
• A parent who regularly buys budgets.
• Any members voting no. their budget and for their two FTEES. their budget and for their two FTEES.
• </c><02:17:40.639><c> situation</c> cognizant of the um budget situation cognizant of the um budget situation

Bills: HB2488, HB2456

Keywords: disability, communication access, deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, healthcare, sign language interpreters, auxiliary aids, weight loss, GLP-1 drugs, obesity, Medicaid, healthcare costs, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HP 1972, which would create a nonrefundable family caregiver tax credit, and on a related tax measure to increase the existing dependent care tax credit. Supporters of HP 1972, including AARP, the Executive Office on Aging, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, and others, said unpaid caregivers are essential to keeping kūpuna and other loved ones at home and described significant out-of-pocket costs. The Department of Taxation and the Tax Foundation raised technical concerns, including the need to avoid overlap with existing credits and to prevent double-dipping. The department said taxpayers can claim credits to the extent allowed, but recommended explicit language barring the same costs from being claimed under more than one credit. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the chair moved the bill along after questions. The committee then heard HP 1975, which would repeal the sunset on the state rent supplement program for kūpuna. AARP, Catholic Charities Hawaii, the Executive Office on Aging, and others supported making the program permanent, saying it helps low-income older adults avoid eviction and homelessness and allows them to remain in affordable housing. Catholic Charities described clients who were paying unsustainable shares of income for rent before receiving the supplement. Members also shared a constituent example of an elderly retiree who needed the subsidy to stay housed. Written support was noted from additional organizations and individuals. Next, the committee took up HB 1706, which would expand Medicaid prospective payment reimbursement to include mental health services furnished in federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics by mental health professionals under supervision. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, and DHS said it appreciated the intent to address workforce shortages and expand training, but cautioned that unlicensed professionals cannot currently bill Medicaid and that a state plan amendment would be needed, with limited precedent for approval. Members asked about the likelihood and timing of federal approval and whether the bill could help rural areas; DHS said approval is uncertain and the process can take time, though it saw possible alignment with the state’s rural health transformation efforts. The committee also discussed HB 546, a three-year health coverage continuity pilot program for people losing Medicaid coverage. DHS, the Attorney General’s office, DCCA, Catholic Charities, the University of Hawaii, and others testified, with DHS warning that federal changes could increase uninsured rates and that the state may need to act quickly. Catholic Charities and others emphasized the risk to Medicaid recipients, including homeless and near-elderly residents, while DHS explained the state’s existing premium assistance program for certain immigrants and compared it to the proposed pilot. The excerpt ends during discussion of that comparison, with no vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• for conducting the evaluation, as well as our recommendations, and an overview of the governor's budget
• for conducting the evaluation, as well as our recommendations, and an overview of the governor's budget
• And then in terms of, like, the budget issues, I'm not a senator, I'm just a parent.
• </c> then in terms of like uh the budget then in terms of like uh the budget issues<01:25:47.320><c>
• Um, anyway, in a time when budgets are short, we have to pay for this, Mr. Chair.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think that kind of gets lost in the mix of budget talks and numbers and figures and all that.
• We're shrinking MIT by 10% to 15% in terms of our institute budget in response to these changes.
• And then the IDC is money gone from our operating budget.
• And then the IDC is money gone from our operating budget.
• When... ...federal funding was cut to our center, it wasn't just a budget cut.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development held a hearing on the DRIVE Act, a proposal to invest $400 million in Massachusetts research and innovation without new taxes. Governor Healey and administration officials said the bill would direct $200 million to public higher education research and regional partnerships and $200 million to a research funding pool for hospitals, universities, and other institutions, with the goal of retaining talent, leveraging private and philanthropic dollars, and offsetting major federal R&D cuts. They argued that research is a core economic engine for the state, supporting jobs across labs, construction, services, and surrounding businesses, and said the bill would help protect the Commonwealth’s tax base and competitiveness during a period of federal uncertainty and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether Fair Share surtax dollars should instead be used for K-12 and other community needs, whether the proposal is enough given the scale of lost federal grants, and how the money would be allocated. The governor responded that the funds are one-time surplus dollars, that most surtax revenue already supports education, and that the bill is meant as a bridge to stabilize public higher education and research. She also said the legislation includes a review board and could support a revolving or matched-fund approach in some cases. Several members pressed for more detail on selection criteria, future funding, and whether private companies and large endowments should contribute more. University of Massachusetts leaders and researchers testified that federal grant cancellations and delays are already causing layoffs, furloughs, rescinded admissions, and lost research capacity. UMass officials said the bill would help preserve faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research programs in medicine, climate science, marine science, Braille instruction, and AI decision-making. They emphasized that the funding should be merit-based and that the state needs to act quickly to prevent talent from leaving Massachusetts. Business, labor, and industry groups, including MassBio, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, AIM, the AFL-CIO, and Building Trades, supported the bill, saying it would protect jobs, sustain the innovation ecosystem, and reinforce Massachusetts’ national leadership in research and life sciences. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, I was encouraged to see today actually um to your point that the governor's uh supplemental budget
• agenda ended up supplemental budget agenda ended up coming<00:13:38.160><c> out</c><00:13:38.320><c>
• There is no new funding um in the governor's budget though.
• </c> funding um in the governor's budget funding um in the governor's budget though.<00:15:35.199><c>
• Chair. ...balancing this budget and balancing the $102 million deficit.

Bills: HF4266

Keywords: higher education, state grants, financial aid, college affordability, Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State Grant, need analysis, expected family contribution, student aid, grant formula, living and miscellaneous expense allowance, dependent student, independent student, parental contribution, student contribution, surplus appropriation, biennium, summer 2026, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and our operations budget.
• and our operations budget.
• and our operations budget.
• That's what bankrupts a lot of federal budgeting.
• Okay, so how is their budget, for example, set?

Bills: HB2006, HB2165, HB2245, HB2348, HB2806, HB2901, HB2902, HCR2016

Keywords: sample ballots, elections, primary election, general election, mailing deadline, ballot mailing, county election officials, board of supervisors, secretary of state, early voting list, election administration, voter information, postal service, USPS processing center, city elections, town elections, special district elections, Arizona election law, ballot proofing, party chair

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, so, uh, Jacob is back with you all in the House Budget Committee, and, um, he's doing a, he's
• , um, committee and, um, he's Budget, um, committee and, um, he's doing<00:07:25.440><c> a</c><00:07:
• language over the last and some budget language over the last few<00:13:23.120><c> years,</c><00:13:
• uh session with at um this coming budget uh session with um<00:15:46.560><c> you</c><00:15:46.720><c
• </c> their next budget for continued grants. their next budget for continued grants.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met and approved the August 21, 2025 minutes. The main presentation came from Brandon Reid of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy, who reported that implementation of the Kentucky Agriculture Economic Development Board created by Senate Bill 28 and House Joint Resolution 31 is ahead of schedule. He said the board has been appointed and has met several times, has adopted guidelines and an application process, and has launched its application on the KDA website. He also noted new staffing, including a project manager, and said the office is already working on projects, though some are confidential because of coordination with the Economic Development Cabinet and nondisclosure agreements. Members praised the effort and emphasized the importance of having agriculture represented in economic development work. Reid also described ongoing outreach by Commissioner Jonathan Shell, including farmer appreciation and classroom visits across the state. The committee then heard from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp. executive director Jacob Ball about the Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp., a public-private partnership involving Lexington-Fayette, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and Altech. They said the organization aims to make Kentucky a national and international hub for ag tech, and that it has already awarded challenge grants to startups. Ball explained that the program focuses on animal protein, nutrition, sustainability, mid-size farm solutions, and Kentucky traditions such as distilling and equine. He reported that two rounds of grants have totaled $925,000, with the first round’s seven companies leveraging that into nearly $7 million in follow-on investment, supporting 56.5 Kentucky jobs and creating more than a dozen new jobs. The presentation also highlighted statewide outreach, including applications and engagement from counties across Kentucky, and the goal of expanding participation in eastern Kentucky. Members expressed support for both initiatives and discussed the value of agriculture-specific expertise in economic development. Reid said the Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development Cabinet maintain regular communication and that the new board gives agriculture a seat at the table for future site and industry recruitment efforts. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And with that, I will welcome Commissioner Campbell from Minnesota Management and Budget.
• And with that, I will welcome Commissioner Campbell from Minnesota Management and Budget.
• gotten more sophisticated, and our job is to stay one step ahead of them through executive action, budget
• It's part of the governor's budget recommendations that the team is together.
• </c> mentioned but the governor's budget mentioned but the governor's budget recommendations<00:07:34.960

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so budget cuts.
• </c><02:27:47.040><c> So</c><02:27:47.600><c> this</c> budgets. Um so budget cuts. So this budgets.
• Um so budget cuts.
• </c> in the budget. in the budget.
• </c> were accounted for in that budget cycle. were accounted for in that budget cycle.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In previous budget years, the administration committed... ...the true cost of care.
• We demand that you protect our workforce and change the budget to include the true cost of care.
• Do not let further budget delays break the promise already made to our families.
• I'll remind the Senate Budget Chair that I have to vote on his bills, too.
• I'll remind the budget, Senate Budget Chair, that I have to vote on his bills, too.

Summary: The committee heard several child welfare, food assistance, child care, and developmental services bills. AB 308 would require a statewide evaluation of regional center safety training and crisis-response services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; supporters said it would help reduce reliance on law enforcement and improve de-escalation and emergency preparedness. AB 1049 would remove sponsor deeming from the California Food Assistance Program, with supporters from food banks and legal aid arguing the rule creates confusion, chilling effects, and wrongful denials, while one member raised concerns about accountability and fraud. AB 1201 would narrow when a parent’s prior violent felony can bar reunification services, limiting the bypass to offenses involving a child or a child’s other parent/guardian; county and advocacy witnesses said the bill preserves judicial discretion and avoids automatic denials, though a member expressed concern about child safety in violent or criminal environments. AB 2379 would require family child care providers to be notified of constitutional rights and receive multilingual training regarding immigration enforcement; it drew broad support and no opposition. AB 2429 would make ACEs screening optional and reduce required classroom observations in the early childhood mental health consultation program, with supporters saying it would reduce administrative burdens and expand participation. AB 1755 would eliminate CalWORKs’ 100-hour monthly work penalty for two-parent families, and supporters said it would reduce poverty and administrative burden without changing income eligibility. AB 1981, presented later, would advance “true cost of care” child care rate reform, with providers describing the current reimbursement system as unsustainable. AB 2478 would create a streamlined kinship family approval pathway for foster care placements with relatives and other kin, and AB 1969 and AB 1996 would create statewide structures to coordinate cradle-to-career services and reduce child poverty, respectively; both were presented as data-driven, place-based efforts to align services and set measurable reduction goals. Most bills received strong support from county agencies, advocacy organizations, and service providers, with little or no opposition testimony. Members generally praised the goals of the measures but asked questions about implementation, accountability, and child safety in the reunification and benefits bills. The committee took roll calls on the bills it heard, and the votes shown in the transcript were largely unanimous or near-unanimous, with several measures held on call after passing committee votes. AB 1049 was voted out 2-1, AB 1201 and AB 2379 were each voted out 3-0, AB 2429 and AB 1755 were voted out 2-0, and AB 2478, AB 1969, and AB 1996 were each voted out 2-0; the chair repeatedly noted that some bills would remain on call pending absent members. AB 1981 drew extensive support testimony from child care providers and allies, but the committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the transcript provided because no motion was available at that moment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cuts to Medi-Cal lead to reduced state budgets and ultimately cuts to critical programs like home and
• And I'd make one comment because unfortunately I am the budget chair. Yeah.
• Anytime somebody's before me, I go through their whole budget to see what they're eligible for besides
• What kind of supports is, and I understand that there's still a budget to come and proposals to come.
• You know, they budget for that. And this isn't a city that has a lot of food banks.

Summary: The Select Committee on Older LGBT Californians held an inaugural hearing focused on the health care and support needs of older LGBTQ Californians, including older adults living with HIV and transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex seniors. Committee members and state officials discussed the California Master Plan for Aging, the first statewide survey of LGBTQIA older adults, and the need to address discrimination, social isolation, housing insecurity, economic instability, and gaps in culturally competent care. Several speakers emphasized that older LGBTQ adults often lack traditional family caregiving supports and may face vulnerability in nursing homes or other institutional settings. Testimony from advocates and people with lived experience highlighted the impact of federal actions, including H.R. 1, on Medi-Cal, housing, and benefits, and called for stronger state action, outreach, and navigation services. Justice in Aging urged more investment in home- and community-based services and warned that Medicaid cuts could increase institutionalization. The Department of Aging described its survey findings and said it had convened a lived-experience advisory board, updated data tools, and incorporated HIV as a factor in local aging plans under SB 258, though members pressed for clearer implementation and accountability. CalHHS described coordination across departments, Medi-Cal coverage of gender-affirming care, PACE, and other services, while the Department of Public Health outlined Ryan White, ADAP, HOPWA, Medi-Cal waiver, and PrEP-AP programs serving older adults with HIV. The hearing also featured extensive testimony from people aging with HIV, who described fragmented systems, benefits cliffs, housing costs, and the need for legal and case-management support. One witness urged funding for HIV-specific housing and navigation services, while another described how case management and safety-net programs help clients manage medication, food, transportation, and housing needs. In the final panel, the Department of Social Services reviewed protections for TGI seniors in licensed care facilities, including SB 219, nondiscrimination notices, resident rights postings, required staff training, and complaint investigations. No formal votes were taken; the chair repeatedly asked departments to follow up on implementation gaps, data visibility, and possible budget or policy responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had four items referred over today from Joint Budget due to time constraints.
• These are ones we heard in Joint Budget today that were referred over.
• This is a fair comment, but they were there for Joint Budget. I'm happy to pause that process.
• These were both bills that were on the agenda in Joint Budget and were referred over.
• The Department of Agriculture has no issues with this bill at all; they're in... ...budget that didn't

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , different enrollment size, different budgets.
• ,</c><00:16:00.320><c> different</c><00:16:00.600><c> enrollment</c> different budgets, different enrollment
• different budgets, different enrollment size,<00:16:01.280><c> different</c><00:16:01.520><c> budgets
• Yeah,</c><00:16:02.680><c> so</c><00:16:03.360><c> uh</c><00:16:03.520><c> the</c> size, different budgets
• Yeah, so uh the size, different budgets.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair now asks for quiet in the chamber as we debate the state's budget.
• his recommended budget.
• We have money in the budget to help adult learners.
• We have money in the budget to help adult learners.
• Please keep the pre- We have money in the budget to help adult learners.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior day’s journal by a 124-1 vote, and numerous introductions of student groups, health professionals, and other guests. Committee reports were then read, including several bills recommended “do pass.” The chamber also heard a personal privilege speech from a St. Louis County member responding to a North St. Louis County school track meet shooting, calling for stronger action on gun access and firearm safety. The main floor work focused heavily on appropriations and capital projects. House Bills 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 were debated and passed, covering reappropriations, maintenance and repair projects, new capital improvements, and remaining ARPA pandemic funds. HB 2017 passed 137-9, HB 2018 passed 127-21, HB 2019 passed 98-48, and HB 2020 passed 127-24. Members emphasized that the bills largely used previously appropriated or federal funds, while some Democrats raised concerns about general revenue spending and one-time infrastructure projects. The House also adopted and finally passed Senate-amended HB 2641 on hemp/cannabis-related regulation, with changes on privacy, worker organization, effective date, and age restrictions; it passed 125-21 on adoption and 126-23 on final passage. HB 2423, dealing with Department of Finance staffing and capacity, passed unanimously after Senate adoption. Other measures passed included HB 1919 on electronic filing parity with IRS rules, HB 1768/2060 on short-term rental property tax classification, HB 1855 adding Alpha-Gal Syndrome to reportable conditions, HB 2355 creating a Food is Medicine pilot option, HB 1717/1643 on psilocybin therapy for veterans and first responders, HB 2372, a broad health care package, HB 2408 on the deaf-blind fund, HB 3000 on auditor/siganture-related procedures, HB 2898 restoring land bank tools, and HB 1740, “Melanie’s Law,” strengthening DWI penalties and ignition interlock requirements. Not all bills advanced: HB 3239, which would have expanded and funded the workforce diploma program through MoCAP, failed 55-95 after criticism that it shifted K-12 formula money and stripped vendor standards. HB 2760, the “Praise Act” on treatment of houses of worship during emergencies, drew extended debate on religious liberty, public health, and consistency in emergency orders; the transcript cuts off before the final vote is shown. Throughout the day, members frequently cited bipartisan support for health, public safety, and administrative bills, while several measures drew sharper partisan or policy disagreements over funding, regulation, and local control.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to look very closely at the cost of it and how that's going to impact the school budgets.
• I'd like to look very closely at the cost of it and how that's going to impact the school budgets.
• It'll be funded through the budget, but not in the schools. &gt;&gt; Can I explain my vote?
• </c><00:19:27.160><c> And</c><00:19:27.320><c> this</c> impact the school budgets.
• And this impact the school budgets.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This gavel will be used in both chambers for the remainder of the 2026 budget session and will be placed
• </c><00:07:21.599><c> session</c> the remainder of the 2026 budget session the remainder of the 2026
• budget session and<00:07:22.639><c> will</c><00:07:22.800><c> be</c><00:07:22.960><c> placed</c><00:07
• for the standard budget request for the immediately<01:15:10.880><c> succeeding</c><01:15:11.840><c>
• This is due to input from our budget fiscal staff, recognizing that they need this additional transfer

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> get to enhance our budgets by doing it. get to enhance our budgets by doing it.
• It's an additional budget. Any other questions? Thank you so much, Senator. Thank you.
• It's an additional budget. Any other questions? Thank you so much, Senator. Thank you.
• It's an additional budget. Any other questions? Thank you so much, Senator. Thank you.
• It's an additional budget. Any other questions? Thank you so much, Senator. Thank you.

Bills: HB0034, HB0035, HB0036, HB0106

Keywords: HB0034, Wyoming retirement system, Wyoming Retirement Act, firefighter retirement, public employee retirement, retirement benefits, state pension, wildland firefighting, wildland firefighter, crash and rescue, Wyoming National Guard, Office of State Lands and Investments, Wyoming Retirement Board, correctional forestry crew, correctional crew supervisor, correctional forestry crew manager, general fund appropriation, state agency employees, service credit, benefit eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• So would, you know, why is No Kings Day in this trust fund and not part of your regular budget?
• Part of your regular budget. Could you explain that? You recognize, sir.
• And this may refresh your recollection, but there was something on the back of the budget on page 494
• My budget that I bring home is so anemic.
• My budget that I bring home is so anemic that you cannot excuse it.

Keywords: 999, senate, all