Transcript Highlights:

• Hayes, could you please talk about grants management and grants as contracts? That's one piece.
• , program, program, uh,<00:56:37.760><c> there</c><00:56:37.880><c> could</c><00:56:38.040><c> be</c>
• This is on the fiscal part of it, kind of on those direct spend programs or direct appropriation programs
• Um those within forecasted programs.
• </c><01:06:53.480><c> going</c> forecasted programs are inherently going forecasted programs are inherently

Bills: HF1234 , HF3528 , HF3672 , HF3679 , HF3680 , HF1944

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: payment transparency, public contracts, contractor rights, government accountability, construction payments, barbering, licensing, examinations, barber schools, public safety, certifications, Barber Examiners Board, data transparency, Legislative Budget Office, state agencies, fiscal notes, public data, standard time, federal law, time zone

Transcript Highlights:

• Subsection 2 of Section 6 discusses the matching dollars for the local grants.
• We are amending changes to what the House proposed for state park grants, or for local park grants.
• The House had recommended $7,500,000 for grants to local parks.
• The grants and pledges, or well, I guess the grants that have come in, have been sufficient to meet the
• The request for the verification vote is granted. Senator Lee. Mr.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call, then approved journal corrections and moved to elect Senator Kyle Davison as President Pro Tem. Davison was nominated, elected by unanimous ballot, escorted to the rostrum, sworn in, and gave remarks thanking his family, colleagues, and faith, emphasizing relationships, service, and stewardship. The chamber also recognized National Public Health Week with a floor statement honoring public health workers and training programs, and that statement was ordered printed in the journal. The Senate then considered several House bills, beginning with HB 1485, which increases the personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in certain facilities by $15 per month and indexes it to inflation; the amendment was adopted and the bill passed 46-1. HB 1018, the State Historical Society budget, was amended to adjust one-time and ongoing funding for museum exhibits, repatriation compliance, archives storage, local historic grants, and the military gallery project, then passed 42-0 with one senator excused from voting due to a conflict. HB 1181, defining gender in state code as an individual’s sex and removing a broader application section, passed 41-6. HB 1144, adding a penalty and enforcement mechanism related to transgender student accommodations and restroom use in public schools, passed 40-7 with its emergency clause. The Senate also passed HB 1600, creating an immigration law clinic at the University of North Dakota School of Law and shifting its funding to the strategic investment and improvements fund, by 34-13. HB 1019, the Parks and Recreation budget, was amended to fund deferred maintenance, technology, sewer work, matching grants, and other park projects, add language requiring legislative approval for new or renamed state parks, and clarify use of the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library line of credit; a proposed amendment to remove funding for the International Peace Gardens cactus conservatory failed 20-27, and the bill then passed 39-8. HB 1417, dealing with parole/probation violations, court fees, and a study of criminal justice fees, passed 40-7 after amendments. The most extensive debate centered on HB 1450, which would require parent or guardian access to a minor’s medical exam room and notice of questions asked of the minor, with exceptions for emancipation and suspected abuse or trafficking. Supporters framed it as a parental rights and transparency measure, while opponents warned it could hinder screening for abuse, neglect, mental health concerns, and confidential care; multiple senators shared personal experiences on both sides. A proposed amendment to narrow the bill failed 21-26, and the transcript ends amid continued debate on the bill itself, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to cover briefly the grants program and then pass it along to my counterpart for the veterans
• The grants program has run out of our central office, so we've got the two divisions and then our central
• Our grants program works to support operations for veterans service organizations, CVSOs, MCV?
• Happy to answer any questions about the grants program or for programs and services generally.
• The SOAR program is another one.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have a very small federal grant for the foster grandparent senior companionship program.
• to LEAs going forward, and, secondly, the federal grant requirements the state and the local programs
• The program has expanded from 1,000 participants. of the self-determination program.
• program, and have the tools to hopefully be successful in the program. ...into the program, learn more
• Self-determination is a program. Self-determination is a program that saves lives.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard testimony on Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and related budget and trailer bill proposals, with a major focus on the impacts of H.R. 1 on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). DDS and the Department of Social Services (DSS) said H.R. 1 could affect Medi-Cal and CalFresh access, but that people with disabilities and caregivers are exempt from the work requirements; the administration is working on data matching and automation through the statewide eligibility system to identify exemptions, with June 1, 2026 as the implementation date for CalFresh changes. Witnesses and advocates warned that any loss of Medi-Cal could create fiscal pressure on regional centers and households, while public commenters described the real-life consequences of losing services. Committee members repeatedly expressed concern about cost shifts to counties and asked for harm-mitigation strategies before the May Revision. The committee also reviewed the governor’s IHSS-related proposals. DSS said the budget would set a baseline for authorized hours, align IHSS disenrollment/reinstatement with Medi-Cal eligibility processes, and eliminate the IHSS backup provider system, while emphasizing that individual service hours would still be based on assessed need. DDS said if a person loses IHSS or Medi-Cal, regional centers may have to step in as payer of last resort for some services, potentially at higher state cost. Members and the Legislative Analyst’s Office questioned whether counties could absorb the proposed shifts without reducing services, and asked for more detail on implementation, data quality controls, and how regional centers could help families navigate disruptions. A separate trailer bill on DDS rate reform and the Quality Incentive Program drew mixed reactions. DDS proposed extending a contract exemption and delaying final rate reform regulations to 2030, saying the changes are budget-neutral and needed for implementation. DDS reported that about 81% of providers had completed the current Quality Incentive Program requirements, but providers and advocates argued the 90-10 structure can function like a penalty and may destabilize services if providers lose 10% of funding. Committee members asked for clearer assistance to providers, possible flexibility for good-faith efforts, and a redlined version of the language before the May Revision. The committee also heard DDS’s proposed trailer bill on regional center governance and provider capacity. DDS said the language would consolidate regional center contracts and performance measures, strengthen board training and oversight, require consumer advisory committees, expand independent legal support, raise the threshold for board approval of contracts, and remove barriers such as physical-office requirements and duplicate vendorization. DDS said the goal is to improve accountability and efficiency while preserving person-centered services, and members indicated they wanted further refinement and stakeholder input before moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're aware that this type of request has been granted for many public facilities, and we appreciate
• A rebate on sales tax would allow our district to invest in more tangible program space and teaching
• A rebate on sales tax would allow our district to invest in more tangible program space and teaching
• <c> our</c><01:03:30.680><c> programming</c><01:03:31.160><c> the</c> that limits our programming the
• And we've created a precedent here, and this happens in programs over and over again.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• services through a variety of different means, as well as connectivity to various state benefit programs
• grant from the state and had a preapproved SBA loan of $6 million, frankly.
• SB 837 requires the aging and disability resource connection programs to offer disaster and emergency
• CFILC supports independent living centers across the state, and we also run a program that will work
• housing programs.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Human Services met on January 12, 2026, beginning without a quorum but hearing four bills. SB 557 by Senator Hurtado would update California’s statutory definition of family resource centers to align with the federal definition and reflect their prevention-focused, low- or no-cost, multi-generational role. Supporters from the Child Abuse Prevention Center and California Family Resource Association said the change would clarify state law and help position California for future federal partnerships; no opposition was heard. SB 299 by Senator Cabaldon would correct a prior CEQA exemption for child care facilities so it applies in residential as well as nonresidential areas. Supporters, including Napa County Supervisor Liz Alessio and the Rural County Representatives of California, said the current language unintentionally blocks child care projects in places families need them most and has been used to delay or stop projects; several local government and early care organizations also supported the bill, and there was no opposition. SB 837 by Senator Gomez-Reyes would require aging and disability resource connection programs to provide disaster and emergency preparedness training tailored to older adults and people with disabilities. Testimony from the California Commission on Aging and the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers emphasized recent wildfire deaths and the need for better evacuation and preparedness support; no opposition was presented. SB 479 by Senator Arreguín would allow the cities of Berkeley, Pasadena, and Long Beach, as local health jurisdictions, to use multidisciplinary homeless response teams and share specified information across teams and departments, similar to counties under existing law. Supporters said the bill would improve coordination and outcomes for unsheltered residents, while noting confidentiality safeguards already exist; a privacy letter from Oakland Privacy was mentioned, but no formal opposition testified. After quorum was established, the committee voted 5-0 to pass each bill: SB 299 to Senate Environmental Quality, SB 557 and SB 837 to Senate Appropriations, and SB 479 to Senate Judiciary. All four measures were placed on call briefly and then cleared with unanimous votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• At 19 years old, he pioneered the Kema Street Children and Youth Program in Cambodia, YMCA in Cambodia
• , and the Cambodia YMCA. ...and youth program in Cambodia, YMCA, supporting them to break the cycle of
• This has manifested itself in the development of the CCC's social equity program and the Social Equity
• and the Social Equity Trust Fund to fund the legislator created in 2022 to grant, to provide grants
• to prospective and active social equity licensees to help them achieve their goals. to provide grants

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed students from the Frederick C. Murphy School in Weymouth, along with other guests introduced by members. The chamber then suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow several petitions to be referred, including proposals on alcohol labeling for beers consumed on premises, parity in funding for regional vocational and traditional public schools, and legal protections for victims of childhood sexual abuse. The main floor business was House No. 4187, An Act Modernizing the Commonwealth’s Cannabis Laws, reported by Ways and Means as a substitute bill. Members speaking in support described it as a comprehensive overhaul of the Cannabis Control Commission and the state’s cannabis and hemp regulatory framework. The bill would reduce and restructure the CCC, expand options for cannabis businesses and social equity operators, raise license and ownership caps, remove the vertical integration requirement for medical marijuana, and create stronger rules for hemp and CBD products, including a ban on unregulated intoxicating hemp products and a new regulatory structure for allowable hemp beverages and CBD items. Several amendments were offered and adopted by roll call, including changes narrowing the hemp beverage ban from 11 ounces to 7.5 ounces, requiring out-of-state testing labs to be certified in good standing with the commission, and other technical revisions. After debate, the House passed H. 4187 to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 153-0. The chamber also passed to be engrossed two sick leave bank bills, for Andrew Satara and Dana Johnson, and ordered House No. 1590, establishing a sick leave bank for Eric J. Wenaka, to a third reading. The House then adopted an order to meet the next day at 11 a.m. and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This gives us the ability to make grants and loans from those authorized projects.
• Grant. Great. Thank you so much for your presentation, Senator Ezzell. Great.
• The first is that the Finance Authority has programs in place to provide grants to water systems to get
• The Finance Authority will still make the loans and grants. The Water Trust ... No.
• The Finance Authority will still make the loans and grants.

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Summary: The committee heard several water-related bills and one memorial in a Saturday session near the end of the legislative term. House Bill 63, the annual NMFA Water Project Fund authorization bill, would authorize grants and loans for 113 eligible water projects across 28 counties. NMFA and municipal interests supported the bill, and members emphasized the need to move water infrastructure funding quickly. The committee voted unanimously do pass. House Bill 109 would temporarily remove the requirement for the legislature to separately authorize Water Trust Board-vetted projects through 2029, allowing the New Mexico Finance Authority and Water Trust Board to move projects forward more quickly. Sponsors and witnesses said the change would reduce a six- to 12-month delay, improve access for small and tribal systems, and allow more flexible application periods and technical assistance. Some members raised concerns about transparency, legislative authority, and equitable access, but the bill also received broad support from local governments, tribes, and advocacy groups. The committee voted unanimously do pass. House Bill 111 would modernize water enforcement penalties by increasing fines for illegal water use, including unlawful diversions, unlicensed well drilling, and failure to meter, while exempting valid water-right holders from monetary penalties for simple over-diversion and preserving existing adjudication orders. Support came from environmental groups, irrigation districts, the Interstate Stream Commission, the Pueblo of Laguna, and others, who said stronger penalties are needed to deter illegal use. Members questioned how the bill would affect farmers, acequias, service of notices, and existing water-right disputes, and sponsors said the bill had been revised to address prior concerns. The committee voted unanimously do pass. The committee also approved Senate Memorial 27, which urges state agencies to help publicize expanded federal RECA benefits for New Mexicans exposed to Trinity radiation fallout; supporters said the memorial would help eligible residents learn about and apply for compensation before the deadline.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, mental health programming support.
• </c><03:02:51.359><c> for</c> of mental health programming for of mental health programming for juvenile
• We have such programs here in Minnesota.
• These such programs here in Minnesota.
• ><c> successful</c><03:40:59.200><c> in</c> programs have been quite successful in programs have been

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:20.560><c> for</c> personnel, and give one-time grants for personnel, and give one-time grants
• That's an overarching look at the program that we have a continuation from last year.
• That's an overarching look at the program that we have a continuation from last year.
• They're going to be able to donate those to scholarship-granting organizations.
• Scholarship-granting organizations.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Republican leaders outlined their agenda for the tied legislative session, saying their priorities are to stop fraud, make Minnesota more affordable, safer, and more competitive, and reduce mandates while raising education standards. They highlighted several planned bills, including an independent inspector general (HF 1), a “Fraud Isn’t Free” measure to impose consequences on agencies and commissioners that allow fraud, and statutory guidelines for high-fraud-risk programs. They also said they want to lower health care costs through a permanent reinsurance program and cost defrayal for new mandates, study property tax increases, conform state tax law to federal changes on tips, overtime, and scholarship tax credits, and avoid any tax increases. On public safety, Republicans said they will pursue tougher penalties for repeat offenders and repeat gun crimes, judicial accountability, and a school safety package that would support public and nonpublic schools, school safety personnel, and facility improvements. In education, they emphasized school choice tax credits, reading proficiency, and curriculum focused on basic academic fundamentals. They also said they want to protect and expand mining, reform permitting, end the nuclear moratorium, and make the state more attractive to businesses. On housing, one member said they are working on a more targeted affordable housing package rather than a broad sweeping bill. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on immigration and cooperation with federal authorities. Republicans said they want a statewide framework for local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, referencing House File 16 and saying they are open to changes and bipartisan work. They argued that local and state cooperation would improve safety and prevent situations where criminal suspects are released into the community. They also said Democrats have blocked similar efforts in committee and on the House floor. In response to questions, leaders said there is no current appetite for sports betting, bonding will be discussed but there are no promises, and they do not support the 2024 omnibus bill model. They said they are not interested in vaccine mandates, but will consider Medicaid funding impacts and other health-related proposals if bills are introduced. They also said election integrity measures such as voter ID, provisional ballots, and voter-roll cleanup will remain priorities. Throughout, leaders said they expect a bipartisan process in the tied House and expressed hope that both parties can work together on some issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program.
• So having more of those. diversion programs, having more housed programs, housing. programs, having those
• We do have step-down programs.
• . program.
• Medicaid program.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He froze all programs.
• He did not freeze programs that had waste, fraud, and abuse; he froze all programs.
• He specifically, in the OMB, called out programs related to illegal DEI programs and programs that effectively
• Received $26,000 in SBIR and STTR grants, $9 billion in funding, and I strongly believe in these programs
• I was proud to help create the State Trade Expansion Program, the STEP Program.

Committee: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Since threats began emerging in early 2025, Cal Nonprofits has come... ...find its grants and payments
• AB 2205 simply brings this program back.
• They will be felt most in the very communities this program is designed to support.
• A reparations program without tax exclusion is an incomplete program.
• We would encourage members to view this as a floor, not a ceiling, as reparations programs develop.

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the UIC program through its regional offices. in the EPA-created Class VI wells, which specifically
• We're responsible for implementing environmental programs dictated by state and federal law including
• We administer 12 incentive grant programs under the Texas Emission Reduction Plan, or TERP.
• That put TCEQ in a difficult position of implementing our programs with limited time and resources.
• As you know, we have an orphaned abandoned well program.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Disaster recovery, which is a continuity of operations program, is $227,300.
• Disaster recovery, which is a continuity of operations program, is $227,300.
• 58 people from Health and Welfare into this program.
• This is a program that's put together.
• This is a program that's put together.

Summary: The House convened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the journal, then received gubernatorial and Senate messages and committee reports. Several new bills and resolutions were introduced and referred, including measures on taxation refunds, county commissioner vacancies, open meetings, data centers and water use, state historic preservation, and multiple Senate bills on vacancies, administrative rules, abortion trafficking, energy resources, irrigation districts, and education. The House also advanced a number of bills to second and third reading calendars and referred House Concurrent Resolution 35 and House Joint Memorial 21 for printing. The bulk of the floor action focused on budget and appropriation bills brought up under suspended rules. House Bills 866 and 867, maintenance budgets for constitutional officers and general government, passed after debate over the size of the appropriations, transparency of JFAC’s cuts, and the inclusion of military pay raises and other baseline costs. House Bill 868, for the Public Employee Retirement System, passed after questions about one-time software and disaster-recovery funding. House Bill 869, for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, passed amid discussion of using dedicated funds to restore cuts and confusion with a separate deaf-and-blind school budget. The House also passed House Bill 870, an Office of Information Technology Services enhancement bill centered on cybersecurity hardware and the final phase of IT consolidation from Health and Welfare, despite objections that it represented government growth and relied on federal funds. House Bill 871, funding the State Tax Commission for tax conformity work, property tax education, and seasonal staff, also passed after debate over necessity and spending. House Bill 835, limiting non-cognizable spending by the executive branch and preserving exceptions for emergencies, military facilities, and tuition-related funds, passed as well. The House then moved to announcements and adjourned until Monday, March 16, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because when you have a blanket statement that says, if we've ever denied you, we don't have to grant
• Maybe they were even granted, under the first or second round, licenses to be a part of that.
• I also happen to qualify for the microbusiness program.
• So first and foremost, DCR's authority granted to it in Article 14.
• program is actually capable of success, that the program is actually viable.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Administrative Rules

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Women's Caucus knows how critical programs like these are and have been for tribes to provide for
• to the Richard Paul Hemann Parkinson's Disease Program.
• to the Richard Paul Hemann Parkinson's Disease Program.
• This trickles down, of course, to our public school music programs and private lessons.
• This trickles down, of course, to our public school music programs and private lessons, where dreams

Summary: The Assembly met on June 4, 2025, after a quorum call and opening prayer led by Assembly Member Ramos, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and routine procedural actions. Members handled several motions on bill referrals and file management, including disputes over SB 280 and ACA 8. The Speaker’s rulings were repeatedly appealed and sustained, and the body ultimately approved re-referral and notice waivers related to ACA 8 and SB 280, along with related committee hearing notices and shortened file notice requirements. Several bills were also removed from consent, moved to inactive file, or withdrawn from committee as nonfiscal measures. The chamber then held a Native American Day ceremony centered on ACR 102 by Assembly Member Ramos, recognizing California Native American Day and the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference. Multiple caucus leaders and members spoke in support, emphasizing California’s Native history, past state harms, and recent legislative efforts affecting tribal communities. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 71 coauthors were added. The ceremony also honored Native leaders and students, including Judge Abby Abinanti, Councilwoman Catalina Chacon, Rosemary Salgado, Chairman Frederick Massetti, and Clovis Unified students who defended their right to wear regalia at graduation. Later, the Assembly took up concurrence votes on several Senate-amended bills, all of which passed unanimously: AB 829 on Parkinson’s disease, AB 463 on emergency medical services, AB 493 on mortgage escrow interest, and AB 1387 on behavioral health coordination for justice-involved individuals. The body also adopted ACR 100 honoring India’s Independence Day and H.R. 44 recognizing homeless service providers, both by voice vote after substantial support from members and coauthors. Guest introductions highlighted the music industry, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and visiting officials from Pakistan. The session concluded with adjournments in memory of Joel Nilsen and Grace Akiko Kojima, followed by announcements of upcoming session dates and adjournment under the call of the Speaker.

Transcript Highlights:

• which is renewable identification number credits under the EPA's Federal Renewable Fuel Standard Program
• It prioritizes I-4 widening, has a pilot program for permitting processes at airports, allows pregnant
• We have seen in my seven years here many attempts through water grants, programs.
• Water grants, programs. I'm not making a political statement, just making an observation.
• PCS for HB 1397 removes the sunset on the aggregate supply chain grant program, focuses on enhancing

Summary: The Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee heard several transportation and infrastructure bills. HB 1239, Energy Infrastructure Investment, would let the Public Service Commission create a mechanism for utilities to recover costs for renewable natural gas infrastructure; supporters said it could diversify energy supply and help agriculture, while members raised concerns about consumer rates and asked whether savings from RIN credits should be passed to customers. The bill drew supportive public testimony and was reported favorably after debate, with members noting the PSC would set costs and that the sponsor was open to further discussion on consumer protections. The committee then took up HB 313, which exempts Purple Heart recipients from paying Florida tolls. With no questions or opposition, it passed unanimously. The committee also considered HB 567, a broad transportation omnibus/strike-all bill covering EV tax revenue for roads, airport and MPO changes, workforce funding, traffic signal modernization, speed limits, and a pilot to streamline airport permitting. A major amendment added utility right-of-way notice, response, and incentive/penalty provisions, and another amendment authorized local governments to set age and ID rules for e-bikes, scooters, and other micromobility devices after testimony about a fatal crash. The bill was reported favorably after extensive debate and public testimony from transportation and utility stakeholders. HB 112, dealing with municipal sewer collection systems, would allow cities to use sewer revenues to expand wastewater infrastructure. Sponsors said it was aimed at helping cities like Hollywood reduce septic use and improve water quality; testimony supported the measure as a way to unlock funding for sewer expansion, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee also approved HB 7009, preserving public records and meeting exemptions for 911 and public safety radio communications systems and expanding them to next-generation 911. Finally, PCS for HB 1397, a large transportation package addressing airport, seaport, spaceport, and workforce issues, was amended and passed 14-1 after questions about federal testing notifications, removal of certain business preference language, and a provision redirecting some transit funds to highway projects if not timely used.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we looked at our own state projects, and we looked at our non-state program.
• And then once they're granted, we'll start projects with the agencies.
• What we did this year is we did go ahead and add the project. to help that program.
• But, you know, to me, it's a grant program.
• You know, it's really the state granting dollars to a non-state entity, and FPNC manages that program

Summary: The committee met informally to receive a detailed briefing from the Division of Administration’s Facility Planning and Control on House Bill 2, the state capital outlay bill. Staff explained the bill’s size and structure, including the current original bill of about $11.1 billion, the role of Priority 1 and Priority 5 funding, the $574 million annual cash line-of-credit capacity, and the large amount of reauthorized or dormant Priority 1 funding that remains in the bill from prior years. Members focused heavily on how projects are selected, how cash-flow estimates are made, and how much of the bill is tied up in long-term Priority 5 placeholders versus money that can actually be spent in the near term. No votes were taken, and the chair emphasized the meeting was informational only. The committee also heard from Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter-Reed, who outlined the higher education capital outlay process, the number of requests submitted, and the deferred maintenance program supported by prior legislative funding. A major theme was concern about dormant projects and over-appropriation of Priority 1 funds. Committee members repeatedly asked how much money is sitting unused, why projects remain in the bill for years, and whether legislators can help remove obsolete or overfunded projects. FPC officials said dormant projects are identified when they have had no expenditures for roughly two years, and that last year some projects were not reauthorized, freeing funds for active projects. They said legislators can help by reducing or eliminating dormant projects and by being cautious about adding new projects during session, since small initial cash amounts can create large future Priority 5 obligations. Members also discussed whether non-state entities, including municipalities, parishes, ports, and nonprofits, should have stronger reporting or expenditure requirements; staff said the current statutes do not require a formal expenditure mandate, though the cooperative agreements allow the state to take back funds if no contract is entered within the required period. Higher education officials said the systems and campuses work year-round with the Board of Regents and FPC to prioritize projects and determine realistic cash needs. Commissioner Hunter-Reed said higher education accounts for a large share of state buildings, that 154 requests were received and 79 were submitted, and that 38 projects have new FY27 funding in the current draft. She also noted that the legislature has provided $100 million over two years for deferred maintenance against a backlog exceeding $2 billion, and that $10 million of that has been set aside for third-party campus reviews of deferred maintenance, space utilization, and preventive maintenance. Overall, the meeting centered on improving capital outlay efficiency, reducing dormant funding, and aligning project requests more closely with what can actually be spent in a year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Without objection, members' guests will be granted privileges of the floor.
• What this does, it clarifies existing prohibitions on the contracts and grants between the state, local
• political entities, and persons, and grants between the state, local political entities, and persons
• Without objection, senators are granted privileges of the floor; hearing none, so ordered.
• Without objection, senators are granted privileges the floor, hearing none so ordered.

Keywords: 1182, all