Transcript Highlights:

• after Proposition 2 1/2 became law, and our system of funding education largely through municipal budgets
• by the first year, 60% the following year, 40% then 20%, and then it would shift to the municipal budget
• And obviously, this is a big part of the foundation budget, right?
• And obviously, this is a big part of the foundation budget, right?
• That's in their power to do so as long as it's above the foundation budget, which sets the minimum of

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on a large slate of bills, with most testimony focused on two main topics: improving access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for students with disabilities, and raising educator pay statewide. On the AAC bills (House 514/Senate 418), parents, advocates, and attorneys described how AAC devices and communication books help nonverbal or minimally verbal children communicate, participate in class, and reduce frustration and behavioral issues. Testimony emphasized that while districts are generally required to provide devices, many teachers and school staff lack training to use them effectively; the bill would direct DESE to update licensure and training requirements so newly licensed teachers are prepared to support AAC users. Committee members asked about current teacher-prep practices, implementation, and whether DESE could act without legislation, and witnesses said the proposal was intended as a long-term solution and had previously received some support and compromise language. The committee also heard extensive testimony on House 733/Senate 370, which would set a statewide minimum salary of $70,000 for teachers and $55,000 for education support professionals (ESPs/paras), with inflation adjustments and a phase-in structure that would shift costs over time from the state to municipalities. Supporters, including the bill sponsor, MTA leaders, and school employees from several districts, argued that current pay is not a living wage, contributes to staffing shortages and turnover, and forces many educators to work multiple jobs or rely on public assistance. They said the bill would help recruit and retain staff and better reflect the importance of the work. Committee members raised questions about how the state would fund the mandate, how it would interact with Chapter 70 school aid and local budgets, whether other states have similar mechanisms, and whether the proposal could create disincentives for districts already paying above the floor. Witnesses pointed to the Student Opportunity Act, the Fair Share Amendment, and the need for a broader school funding formula review as possible parts of the solution. The committee also briefly heard and discussed Senate Bill 435/House Bill 736, which would require de-escalation training for school bus operators, with the training paid for by employers. The sponsor and a parent advocate said the bill was prompted by a school bus incident involving a child with cerebral palsy and epilepsy and would improve safety and reduce reliance on law enforcement. Members asked whether the bill should also cover bus monitors and other transportation staff, and whether private contractors and public operators currently provide similar training. At the end of the hearing, the chairs closed testimony on the full list of bills and adjourned the hearing without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• My third reason is nominal improvements to Idaho's budget.
• We know that we have to balance our budget. And so what does that look like?
• And so that would be $21 million from that budget.
• I think... ...that would be $21 million from that budget.
• Medicaid expansion is absolutely going to blow out the budget in this state.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also, this bill also addresses the appropriate reductions of a city budget.
• They have one of the taxing districts that have approved their most recent request for an impact fee
• Then combine this with our limited ability to grow our budget authority.
• Star Fire District currently has lost $2.65 million of budget authority.
• If you need to, in my case, and several around the state of Idaho, we don't have the budget authority

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not just about budgets, but it's about equity and sustainability.
• At the request of the state auditor's office, the attorney general's office may file a suit to collect
• Hector consistently dedicates a significant amount of its budget to safety.
• For fiscal year 2025 alone, Hector budgeted nearly $43 million for services.
• Our O&M budget alone was $400 million. We had $238 million of debt service on top of that.

Bills: SB39 , SB2129 , SB2141 , SB2246 , SB2323 , SB2439 , SB2722 , SB 39

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: commercial motor vehicle, truck liability, motor carrier, trucking, civil liability, respondeat superior, negligent entrustment, negligent maintenance, negligent loading, negligent repair, bifurcated trial, exemplary damages, punitive damages, personal injury, collision, employer liability, vicarious liability, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Texas tort reform, commercial truck accident

Transcript Highlights:

• Grants vary by budget levels and...
• The base incentive rate is now between 5% to 25% for eligible local spend, depending on the budget of
• If this is approved, then a payment request is submitted, and the check or direct deposit payment is
• Will it be inside the budget or outside the treasury? It's outside the treasury.
• I'm excited that each of these series filmed in our city has a $1.5 million daily budget. budget.

Bills: SB22 , SB 22

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: Texas, moving image industry, incentive program, film production, grant funding, job creation, economic development, youth camp, summer camp, camp safety, emergency operations plan, emergency preparedness, evacuation drill, camp staff training, volunteer training, camper safety, lost camper, natural disaster, fire safety, mass casualty

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, Department of Budget and Finance. Is B&F here or online? Shame.
• </c><00:33:43.679><c> and</c> up we have Department of budget and up we have Department of budget and
• </c><00:34:32.679><c> the</c> obstructions the board requested the obstructions the board requested the
• So, yes, there are one and actually this bill was requested by the counties.
• 00.960><c> and</c> codify the special Fund in budget and codify the special Fund in budget and finance's

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on January 29, 2025, and heard testimony on HB 108, which concerns intoxicating liquor and would expand direct-to-consumer shipping for beer and spirits. Supporters included representatives of Koloa Rum Company, Maui Brewing Company, and Ola Brew, who argued the bill would modernize alcohol laws, help small local producers compete, support jobs and local agriculture, and give consumers more access to Hawaii-made products. They also said Hawaii already has experience regulating direct wine shipments, with age verification and carrier-based delivery systems in place, and that direct shipping could help businesses reach visitors after they return home and diversify beyond tourism. Opposition came from the Hawaii Public Health Institute, whose representative said the bill could increase access for underage drinking, especially because liquor commissions do not currently conduct compliance checks on alcohol shipments and may lack capacity to do so. The group also raised tax-enforcement concerns, saying the existing three-tier system makes excise and sales tax collection easier, while direct shipping would require additional auditing. They urged the committee to oppose the bill or defer it until more research is done, and suggested a common carrier reporting requirement to help reconcile shipments. Committee members questioned both sides about whether current law already allows some alcohol shipments, whether a Kentucky distiller could ship directly to Hawaii, and how reciprocity with other states would work. Supporters said the bill is modeled on wine-shipping language and could be amended to clarify reciprocity, while opponents said the bill lacks a common carrier reporting requirement and would place a burden on county liquor commissions. No vote or final action on HB 108 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE BILL IT ACTS AS A SHELF FOR FUTURE INVESTMENTS AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO FUNDING ASSOCIATED THE BUDGET
• YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD AND I HOPE THAT WE DO FIND SOME FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS BUDGET
• WE USED TO TAKE CARE OF HER OWN RECORDS REQUEST AND TALLAHASSEE ORTHOPEDIC.
• I WAS ASSISTING A PATIENT WHO CAME IN TO REQUEST MEDICAL RECORDS WITH HER CHILDREN.
• WILL EVER REQUEST MEDICAL RECORDS UNLESS SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's true that budgets do reflect our values, and this budget values Californians.
• It's not in this budget.
• In this budget, the staff and the budget chairs have done a yeoman's job.
• It's not a perfect budget, but it's a good budget. Thank you. Thank you.
• That's not good budgeting.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> know, the issue of voluminous requests know, the issue of voluminous requests that<00:16:21.839>
• </c><00:17:10.160><c> I</c> for voluminous records requests. I for voluminous records requests.
• </c> or two ago just to handle 91A requests? or two ago just to handle 91A requests?
• </c> that one request was uh about 200 hours. that one request was uh about 200 hours.
• </c> for requesters. for requesters.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd be glad to make a formal data practices request if that's necessary.
• I'd be glad to make a formal data practices request if that's necessary.
• So where do those funds come from in the University budget? Thank you for that question.
• </c> make a formal data practices um request make a formal data practices um request if<00:25:21.080>
• </c> appropriation into this current budget appropriation into this current budget year<00:37:11.000>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And so our— Our request to Legislative Management was denied for the study.
• Further requests that are more current, and they're also located in your folder.
• Further requests that are more current, and they're also located in your folder.
• And then, Madam Chair, Representative Scraw, if that was a... if your request was a request for a bill
• That was a... if your request was a request for a bill draft, these are policy decisions, and I may need

Summary: The committee opened its third interim meeting with roll call, approved the November 13, 2025 minutes, and the chair reviewed prior committee work, including a denied request for a fertilizer-capacity study and a planned later discussion of the Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger issue. Commissioner Doug Goring then presented Department of Agriculture updates on uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, the state’s irrigation potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and supply in North Dakota. Members asked about funding sources, fertilizer storage and availability, natural gas and water needs for future fertilizer plants, and how the model zoning website would help counties and townships apply setback and odor tools. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the department is proposing changes to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and updated hydrologic data, while still limiting the model to direct, demonstrable costs and benefits. He said the goal is to make the analysis more realistic and consistent without changing statute, and he provided examples of how project benefits could change as drains age or as rainfall and flood data evolve. Committee members and water-user representatives generally supported continued work on the proposal, while raising concerns about downstream impacts, closed-basin projects, and whether the changes would meaningfully affect project approvals. The committee then heard from John Paskowski, state engineer, on Devil’s Lake, the West End and East End outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. He reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow limits, and explained that the control structure is intended to prevent a catastrophic uncontrolled release by slowing erosion and head cutting. Members asked about water quality trends, the length of the downstream flow constraint, and whether the Tolna Coulee area had been studied for possible natural overflow or silt buildup. The discussion emphasized ongoing flooding concerns, mitigation for affected landowners, and the need to balance outlet operations with downstream water quality and infrastructure protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:19:30.920><c> the</c> HCR 193 and HR 183 requesting the HCR 193 and HR 183 requesting the establishment
• pending budgetary request, but that it be in addition to.
• We've got the budget full-time employee.
• request.
• request.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee began with resolutions HCR 93 and HR 85, which ask the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, in collaboration with the Department of the Attorney General, to form a working group and report on ways to strengthen protections for survivors of image-based sexual abuse. The Attorney General’s office said it could support the effort as legal counsel to the commission but preferred not to be an active working-group member, and suggested the Legislative Reference Bureau could instead conduct a nationwide study for stakeholders. The Commission on the Status of Women supported the resolutions but urged broader scope to include prevention and intervention, expanded stakeholder membership, keeping the Attorney General involved, and adjusting the report deadline. Testimony in support also came from the Emoa Alliance, which emphasized the prevalence and harms of image-based abuse and the need for stronger protections. Members asked questions about current criminal and civil remedies, reporting barriers, and whether the commission could administer the effort without the Attorney General; no votes were taken on the resolutions during the excerpted discussion. The committee then heard HCR 113 and HR 106, supporting the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group’s request for more resources and a timeline extension to fiscal year 2026-2027. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs testified in support, saying Native Hawaiian culture, traditional knowledge, and cultural expressions are increasingly being commercialized and exploited without adequate protection, and that the working group needs more time, resources, and community consultation to complete its work. The committee noted six supporters and no opposition or comments. The hearing also covered HCR 193 and HR 183, which would establish a court security and Department of Law Enforcement capacity working group to address staffing shortages and the use of private security at state courts. The Judiciary supported the intent, asked that the working group supplement rather than replace its budget request, and proposed allowing the chair to add members with relevant experience. In response to questions, Judiciary said it has requested $3.25 million for armed private security, which it said would cover about 18 contracted individuals, though with significant company overhead. The committee then moved through several bills: SB 2667, which restricts certain commercial vehicles and trailers from the far-left lane on multi-lane roads, received support from the Department of Transportation; SB 2851, which allows deaf vehicle owners to register a deafness designation for law enforcement access, drew testimony in support; SB 2521, which updates emergency vehicle rules and exempts EMS personnel from CDL requirements, received testimony from Honolulu Emergency Services; and SB 2466, which would make the Chief Elections Officer terminable only for cause, drew support from the League of Women Voters and opposition from Hawaiian Islands Republican Women, who argued the change could reduce accountability and create election disruptions if litigation over termination occurs.

Transcript Highlights:

• If the board's final decision is still unsatisfactory, parents can request a refund. request a hearing
• And so, for example, I have a copy of their budget here, and, you know, we always say words matter.
• And then still budgeted around $9 million.
• Thank you. the public-to-public request on transfer if capacity is not in existence.
• A request to hear this case on BOC was filed in April 2024, but that request failed 9 to 8. leaving portions

Bills: SB12 , SB1565 , SB13 , SJR12 , SB686 , SB371 , SB204 , SB609 , SB112 , SB400 , SB813 , SB 12 , SB 13

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Keywords: parental rights, education, social transitioning, diversity, equity, inclusion, school policy, student clubs, school district, grievance procedure, public education, diversity and inclusion, funding penalties, school libraries, library advisory councils, library materials, educational content, challenging materials, constitutional amendment, school choice

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation was passed into law that exempts occupational license holders from public information requests
• Representative Robson of Noble requested that we add the language that is in many bills that provides
• And you kind of wonder how that's possible, based on the... ...request.
• the Legislative Budget Board, ensuring transparency and accountability.
• We don't have an across-the-board pay raise in this budget cycle.

Bills: HB111

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Summary: The committee heard a long series of House bills, with most measures laid out by Senate sponsors and then left pending after brief public testimony. Early bills focused on construction and licensing issues, including HB 305 on prompt payment for public construction audits, HB 5093 on restoring public access to notary contact information, HB 2037 on updating landlord-tenant repair and security deposit rules, HB 4214 on a centralized public information request contact database, and HB 5435 exempting higher education institutions from a 90-day notice requirement for certain public-private partnership projects. Testimony was generally supportive on these bills, and no votes were taken; each was left pending. The committee also considered several transparency and regulatory bills. HB 111 would expand the Public Information Act to certain nonprofit state associations and narrow some attorney-client and working-paper exceptions, with supporters arguing it would improve oversight of public funds and critics questioning the scope and thresholds. HB 5129 would protect occupational license holders’ personal identifying information from disclosure without consent, HB 4350 would allow peace officers to redact personal information from online real property records, HB 4748 would authorize multiple-award state purchasing contracts, and HB 4765 would clean up code enforcement officer licensing rules. HB 4134 would allow motor vehicle creditors to charge limited fees for electronic payment options while requiring a free alternative, and HB 1043 would direct a study of blockchain-based property title records; both drew testimony, with some concern about the practical effects and vendor implications of the blockchain study. Several bills addressed insurance, workforce, and digital-asset regulation. HB 3520 would reduce the insurance coverage required for transportation network companies during the period when a driver is en route to pick up a passenger, drawing support from Texans for Lawsuit Reform and opposition from trial lawyers who argued the higher coverage better protects the public. HB 3320 would create a self-insurance pool for religious institutions, with TDI explaining it would still be regulated but operate under a special statutory framework. HB 4233 would modernize rules for digital asset service providers by removing certain auditor-access requirements and updating reporting and licensing provisions. HB 3923 would reduce bachelor’s-degree requirements for some state jobs, though Every Texan argued low pay, not degree requirements, is the main driver of turnover. HB 4518 would create a legal structure for decentralized unincorporated nonprofit associations tied to blockchain governance; business law experts opposed it as unnecessary and potentially risky, while crypto advocates supported it. Finally, HB 1803 would join an interstate compact for dentists and dental hygienists, with supporters citing workforce shortages and opponents saying Texas already licenses quickly and that the compact could weaken state oversight. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly closed testimony and left bills pending, and a quorum was eventually established before later items were heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are facing tight budgets. ...without having the data to back it up.
• We did extensive testing, including our own tick panel that we had to request.
• From a budget perspective, From a budget perspective, this matters because chronic disease related to
• Requests can take days, weeks, or sometimes much longer, on rare occasion.
• More than 90% were fully favorable, meaning the requested item or service was approved in full.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I do want to mention, too, this is in the budget bill, the current budget bill.
• I do want to mention, too, this is in the budget bill, the current budget bill.
• Um, submitted our budget a month ago or so to the governor's budget office.
• Chair. budget office. Um, they can speak a lot budget office.
• </c> million dollars mean to ENKU's budget? million dollars mean to ENKU's budget?

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 History of SEEK 00:02:15 Summary of On-Behalf Payments 00:12:40 Discussion on Collection of University Debt Department of Revenue 00:32:40 Northern Kentucky University 00:57:10, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the September 17 meeting, and heard a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education staff on SEEK school funding and KDE on-behalf payments. KDE explained recent SEEK changes, including the guaranteed base per-pupil amount, attendance-based calculations, second-month and January growth, the 2022 change funding kindergarten at 100% instead of 50%, and the existing add-ons for at-risk students, exceptional children, limited English learners, home/hospital instruction, and transportation. Staff also reviewed tier one funding, noting the 2024 increase from 15% to 17.5% and explaining that eligibility depends on local tax effort and property wealth. They also described Senate Bill 6 from the 2025 session as a reporting proposal to include on-behalf costs in education spending totals. KDE staff then outlined on-behalf payments made for districts, including roughly $458 million for Teachers Retirement System contributions, $942 million for health insurance, about $12 million for technology costs, and additional SFCC debt service outside KDE’s appropriation, for a total of about $1.5 billion. Members asked how a future Senate Bill 6 would affect local contributions and whether folding on-behalf payments into SEEK would shift costs among districts. KDE and Senator Gibbons clarified that the bill was intended only as a reporting mechanism and would not change local contribution or district payments; it would simply present a broader total of state education investment. The discussion also noted that Kentucky’s reported SEEK amount alone does not capture all state education spending. Members raised questions about home and hospital instruction data, saying local concerns suggest growth in some communities even if statewide numbers appear stable. KDE said the statewide figure has been relatively consistent but offered to provide district-level trend data. Co-Chair Petrie also asked about the accuracy of SEEK projections and on-behalf calculations, referencing prior concerns from the Office of Education Accountability. KDE responded that it works with the state budget director’s office in a consensus forecasting process and has been reviewing demographic and property-assessment data, including exceptional child counts, to improve forecast accuracy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, by request of the sponsor, House Bill 1040 has been requested to be removed from the consent calendar
• Uh, by request of the sponsor, House Bill 1040 has been requested to be removed from the consent calendar
• Uh on request Colorado and the nation.
• I request yet another moment of personal privilege. Granted.
• I request &gt;&gt; Thank you, Madame President.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their overall budgets would be smaller and the fee would be the same as a larger institution, a much
• So it is no cost to the appropriated and funded budget. Okay. Thank you. Senator Love, sorry.
• So my request is very simple.
• budget, give or take?
• But first off, my first concern is, you know, the federal budget is $39 trillion in debt.

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The subcommittee met to review Department of Human Services hospital payments in Arkansas Medicaid, with DHS Secretary Janet Mann and Deputy Secretary Misty Eubanks presenting first, followed by Arkansas Hospital Association Executive Vice President Jody Ann Tritt and a brief comment from Arkansas Children’s. DHS outlined the main hospital payment streams: fee-for-service per diem payments, upper payment limit (UPL) supplemental payments, cost settlements, and smaller payments such as graduate medical education and disproportionate share hospital funds. Members asked for plain-language explanations of cost settlements, why per diem rates vary by hospital type, and why UPL applies to private hospitals. DHS said cost settlements and UPL are mechanisms to help offset Medicaid underpayment, with SFY 2025 hospital payments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars and no general revenue used for supplemental payments beyond the state share funded through hospital assessments and related financing structures. Committee members focused heavily on whether Arkansas hospitals are adequately reimbursed and why rural hospitals struggle. Tritt explained that critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, PPS hospitals, and specialty hospitals operate under different federal and state rules, and said lower per diem rates for some facilities help with cash flow and later cost settlement adjustments. She said Arkansas hospitals are under financial strain, citing a negative patient services margin statewide and noting that Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers all contribute to the problem. She also said the association had just authorized a statewide survey of hospital finances and costs, which she expected would take about a year to complete. A major theme was commercial insurance reimbursement. Tritt argued Arkansas hospitals are paid far less than hospitals in neighboring states even though premiums are similar, and said administrative burdens, prior authorizations, and denials add to the problem. She said hospitals receive about 52 to 53 cents on the dollar for Medicaid costs without UPL and about 78 cents with UPL, still below cost. Members also discussed Medicare wage index issues, Medicare Advantage, and whether hospitals could use technology or alternative arrangements to improve finances. No votes were taken on the hospital presentation. At the end of the meeting, DHS provided a brief update on Living Choices and assisted living reimbursement. Officials said one assisted living facility, Pillars of the Community in Crossett, had announced closure, with nine waiver clients being transitioned to other settings. DHS said the current cost reporting period was underway and that a new rate study could be ready for review before the end of the fiscal year if reports were submitted on time. Members also asked about the broader waiver plan, and DHS said the next waiver iteration would likely be brought back to the committee in the summer.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the largest budgets the largest budgets um<00:19:21.120><c> voted</c><00:19:21.520><c> at</c><00
• Our determination is there are no fiscal impacts to our state budget, and we recommend your support of
• state budget and we recommend<00:19:59.360><c> your</c><00:19:59.760><c> support</c><00:20:00.480><c
• They also changed our request for this inventory to be done annually to biennially.
• We worked with the departments of BGS and HCD to ensure that our request was achievable by them.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• YOU HAVE UNTIL THE FALL UNTIL YOU VOTE ON THE BUDGET MEETING TO HIRE A DIFFERENT ONE.
• I WAS SHOWN A BUDGET THAT HAD THREE YEARS OF RESERVES AND IT WAS $750,000 EVERY YEAR.
• WHAT NUMBER AM I PULLING FROM THE SERS AND IN MY BUDGET?
• TO YOUR POINT THE BUDGETS, IF THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO WAIVE THIS YEAR IT WAS EXTENDED.
• SO IT IS THE BUDGET, THAT SERS IS DONE NOW AND IS THE BUDGET IN 2026 THAT WILL ACTUALLY KICK IN THE RESERVE

Keywords: 999, senate, all