Transcript Highlights:

• These workers already earn a secure, portable retirement benefit through their collectively bargained
• These workers already earn a secure, portable retirement benefit through their collectively bargained
• And I'll give you just one quick example: the Wounds Commission was created in 2018.
• Employment Security will collect the assessment on a quarterly basis, consistent with the Paid Family
• It would look at data from Employment Security.

Bills: SB5834 , SB5835 , SB5883 , SB5905 , SB6151 , SB6163 , SB6177 , SB6173

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: Washington retirement systems, retirement trust funds, interest earnings, public employee retirement system, teachers retirement system, state patrol retirement system, judicial retirement system, judges retirement system, school employees retirement system, public safety employees retirement system, law enforcement officers and firefighters retirement system, PERS, TRS, LERS, legal expenses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, fraud prevention, overpayment recovery, trust fund protection

Transcript Highlights:

• I think some of the things that we’re trying to establish is, number one, we had a study commission that
• And so after I meet the immediate needs of safety, security, shelter, food, clothing, and compassion,
• to better serve the patients experiencing behavioral mental health crisis, this legislation better secures
• “Hospital-based clinics are rewarded for inflating costs to secure higher reimbursement, while independent
• I would think that water or not, security is security. And that's the reason for Rep.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on April 27 and first took up House Bill 175 and its companion House Bill 165, both dealing with lottery proceeds for veterans. HB 175 was amended to create a Veterans Service Grant Board within the Department of Veterans Affairs and direct $500,000 annually from Louisiana Lottery net proceeds into a Veterans Service Grant Fund, with unused money returned to the lottery proceeds fund that supports the MFP. Supporters, including the bill sponsor, The Boot Louisiana, LDVA Secretary Charlton McGinley, and Bastion Veterans Organization, argued the grants would help veteran services, workforce placement, mental health, housing, entrepreneurship, and retention of veterans in Louisiana. Members raised concerns about drawing from lottery proceeds that traditionally support education, but the committee adopted amendments and reported HB 175 favorably as amended. HB 165, the constitutional amendment companion, was also amended for technical and ballot-language changes and then reported favorably as amended for voter consideration. The committee then considered House Bill 457, which would authorize the Louisiana Department of Health and the State Fire Marshal to set minimum housing standards for homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes. The sponsor said the bill responded to a state auditor recommendation and to unsafe conditions in some facilities; he also explained an amendment changing the Fire Marshal’s duties from mandatory to permissive to reduce fiscal impact and allow agencies flexibility. Some members questioned whether local standards already existed and how enforcement and funding would work, while others supported the need for statewide minimum standards for human housing. The committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 457 favorably as amended. House Bill 488, by Representative Brough, sought to create a Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund using recurring severance tax revenues from Plaquemines Parish to help buy out the Belle Chasse toll bridge and end what the sponsor described as excessive tolls and fees. He and several local witnesses, including business owners, a YMCA representative, and a parish council member, testified that the tolling arrangement had harmed access, businesses, and quality of life. The committee adopted a technical amendment clarifying the revenue source and then reported HB 488 favorably as amended. House Bill 566, which would prohibit state funds from supporting net-zero greenhouse gas initiatives tied to the 2022 Louisiana Climate Action Plan, drew significant debate over whether it would interfere with agency funding and economic development efforts; the sponsor argued the plan lacked legislative approval and should be repudiated, while members urged caution and suggested hearing from affected agencies. The sponsor agreed to consider deferring the bill, and the committee did not advance it at that time. House Bill 603, a constitutional amendment authorizing investment of state funds in digital assets and precious metals, was discussed as a way to hedge inflation and preserve value; members asked about limits and safeguards, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then began hearing House Bill 763, a transparency measure creating a public database for settlement agreements involving state agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, I would like to remind the body that the Highway Commission, a few years back, sued the people of
• That is the Division of Employment Security, I believe.
• office begging us not to cut their vital services: health care, housing, child care, roads, food security
• we did was we just restored it at half, and then we also restored at half the maximum and medium security
• Thank you. it at half, and then we also restored at half the maximum and medium security stipend.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have, of course, included in this budget bill the lottery, the state tax commission, and the
• Yes, I would like to remind the body that the Highway Commission, a few years back, sued the people of
• office begging us not to cut their vital services: health care, housing, child care, roads, food security
• Child care, roads, food security.
• we did was we just restored it at half, and then we also restored at half the maximum and medium security

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior day’s journal, and numerous introductions of visiting groups and guests, including schoolchildren, Republican women’s organizations, county commissioners, and family members of legislators. Members also suspended House Rule 98 to allow baseball apparel in celebration of opening day, with the motion passing 118-22. The chamber then took up the state budget bills. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2002, covering elementary and secondary education and child care, drew the most debate. Supporters said it maintained record funding for the foundation formula, transportation, and early childhood programs, while critics argued it still fell short of fully funding the formula and underfunded child care subsidies by about $51 million. After extended debate over statutory obligations, school funding, and child care policy, the bill passed 85-70. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2003, the higher education and workforce development budget, also prompted substantial debate over a proposed shift to an FTE-based funding model for colleges and universities. Supporters called it a fairer, more equitable system that follows students and encourages efficiency, while opponents warned it would sharply reduce funding for some institutions, including community colleges and regional universities. The bill passed 83-66. The House then passed House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2004, covering revenue and transportation, 91-50, despite objections over a public transit cut and constitutional concerns raised about MoDOT appropriations. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2005, the Office of Administration and employee benefits budget, passed overwhelmingly after members discussed state worker compensation, deferred compensation, and benefits funding. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2006, covering agriculture, natural resources, and conservation, passed 133-17 after members highlighted restored funding for agriculture business development and food insecurity grants, while others criticized cuts to natural resources and parks funding. The chamber then moved on to House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2007, covering economic development, commerce and insurance, and labor and industrial relations, with the budget chair introducing the bill and outlining its major departmental appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:42:09.760><c> and</c> mitigation and adaptation commission and mitigation and adaptation commission
• I'm a utility analyst at the Public Utilities Commission. I'm here on behalf of the commission.
• I'm here at Public Utilities Commission.
• I stand the on behalf of the commission.
• I've worked um their own food security.

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And to solve the issues within water, energy, national security, agriculture, health care, and other
• Aerospace is obviously a federal thing, as is defense and national security.
• Security are some of the major topics of research at New Mexico Tech.
• One area where we really excel is national security defense.
• So how would you put those together through a type of planning commission?

Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And the Missouri Tax Commission intervened. We've been defending them.
• I'm the executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission.
• There are Social Security payments. There are veterans benefits.
• I am the executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission.
• Page 547 is the core budget for the Emergency Response Commission.

Summary: Attorney General Catherine Hanaway presented the Office of the Attorney General’s FY 2027 budget request and outlined her office’s priorities: reducing violent crime, targeting illegal and unregulated activities she described as a “vice squad” focus, protecting Missourians from fraud, and improving the office’s legal work. She highlighted major cases and enforcement efforts, including litigation over insulin pricing, Dollar General pricing practices, a criminal prosecution in Hermann, the Jackson County assessment dispute, and a new lawsuit involving Misha’s board policy. Committee members asked about cybercrime enforcement, cooperation with federal authorities, VLTs, ballot and referendum litigation, and the office’s approach to diversity-related legal issues. Hanaway said cybercrime and no-call enforcement rely heavily on multi-state and federal cooperation, and she emphasized that many cases begin with citizen reports. Members also questioned the cost and scope of ongoing election-related litigation, including redistricting and referendum cases, and Hanaway said her office is defending the laws and ballot processes as required. She estimated roughly $600,000 in staff time over about six months for the referendum/redistricting work combined. Several members raised concerns about the Misha lawsuit and whether similar statutory provisions elsewhere in state government could raise the same legal issues; Hanaway responded that the case involved a board rule, not a statute, and turned on whether the requirement functioned as a quota. The committee also discussed child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, Medicaid fraud, and the use of outside counsel and pro hac vice fees. Hanaway said the office is using non-GR funds where possible and is not requesting pay increases this year. The Missouri Office of Prosecution Services then presented its budget. Officials explained that MOPS trains and supports prosecutors statewide, including on DWIs, child sex cases, and new prosecutor training, and that its budget request matches the governor’s recommendation. Members asked about support for local prosecutors, the nine counties without elected prosecutors, and the new conviction integrity unit; staff said the unit’s positions were shifted between line items and that the office can help answer prosecutorial questions through its general counsel. The committee then moved to the Department of Public Safety budget. DPS reviewed funding for crime victims notification, law enforcement recruitment and retention, drug task forces, academy scholarships, Blue Star grants, local crime prevention, school safety, World Cup security, 988 trainings, wastewater testing in schools, and other programs. Members asked about the $59 million federal FIFA World Cup grant, school safety app funding, and wastewater testing participation; DPS said the World Cup funds require no state match, the app funding is being phased out, and schools opted into the testing program. The committee recessed before finishing the DPS book, with plans to return later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good union jobs that provide family-supporting wages, health care, and security for thousands of workers
• This bill has an automatic salary increase for the Vice Chair of the Energy Commission.
• They came here as immigrants, seeking a better life, the freedom, security, and safety that this nation
• I want to thank our Women's Caucus and our Majority Leader for their tremendous achievement in securing
• While we were able to secure $39 million for care coordination and navigators to soften this transition

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then moved through a largely procedural session with several unanimous-consent motions, guest introductions, and budget-related trailer bills. Members also adopted resolutions recognizing June as Dairy Month and June 2026 as Electronic Dance Music Month, and later approved H.R. 88 commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Guest introductions highlighted the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Kappa League, Assembly staff member Mukhtar Ali, and Jennifer Levy, who is advocating against drunk driving after the death of her son. On the floor, the Assembly considered a series of Senate budget trailer bills presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. SB 170 reorganizes housing and homelessness agencies; SB 171 makes labor-related cleanup changes; SB 172 addresses general government, broadband, and NextGen 9-1-1; SB 174 extends remote court hearings and related court provisions; SB 177 advances options related to Medi-Cal and employer contributions; SB 180 extends the California Competes tax credit and conforms tax treatment for certain savings accounts; SB 169 covers transportation and DMV-related provisions; SB 168 creates a zero-emission vehicle incentive program and other clean-energy changes; SB 166 implements natural resources and environmental protection budget items; SB 165 extends the skilled nursing facility financing framework; SB 163 updates developmental services; and SB 135 funds higher education initiatives, including community college enrollment and Cal Grant changes. Most of these measures passed with bipartisan support, though several drew opposition over concerns about bureaucracy, fees, oversight, or policy direction. The Assembly also passed SB 719, which updates vehicle-related protections for domestic violence survivors, SB 97, an urgency bill making clarifying changes to digital financial asset law, SB 1350, which supports hydrogen and clean energy development, and SB 1344, which aims to reduce meritless lawsuits delaying affordable and supportive housing projects. AB 182, which sets the order for proposition numbers on the November ballot, was approved despite criticism that it manipulates the ballot numbering process. Votes on the measures were recorded, with many passing on strong margins and several transmitted immediately to the Senate or Governor as noted in the proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• motivated him to walk, which was more affordable than public transit, to Boston University, where he secured
• 01:47.040><c> University,</c><00:01:47.680><c> where</c><00:01:48.000><c> he</c><00:01:48.159><c> secured
• </c> to Boston University, where he secured to Boston University, where he secured admission,<00:01:49.439
• authority</c><00:11:33.440><c> sole</c> The bill that gave the authority sole authority to the commission

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Once we were able to secure funding, they told me that they had never felt so supported in their life
• The Utilities and Transportation Commission, or the UTC, will have a one-time cost of $132,000 from their
• This bill is a top priority for securing a reliable, resilient, and affordable grid.
• This bill is a top priority for securing a reliable, resilient, and affordable grid.
• This bill is a top priority for securing a reliable, resilient, and affordable grid.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee held public hearings on several bills and took executive action on House Bill 2747. HB 2747 would change how Washington estimates future revenue in its four-year balanced budget outlooks by using the official revenue forecast instead of the current 4.5% growth assumption for the next two biennia. Staff described the bill as a technical change with indeterminate fiscal effects, and supporters said it would make budgeting more realistic and sustainable. The committee adopted a technical amendment and then reported the bill out of committee with a do pass recommendation by a vote of 26 ayes, 3 nays, and 2 excused. The committee also heard Second Substitute Senate Bill 6182, which would create an abortion savings program funded by a new annual assessment on health carriers offering exchange plans. Staff said the bill would generate about $10 million in fiscal year 2027 and about $2.1 million annually thereafter, with most funds going to grants for abortion care providers and some administrative costs for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and the Department of Health. Supporters said it would stabilize access to abortion care and help low-income patients, while opponents argued it would force taxpayers and insurers to subsidize abortion and raised concerns about oversight, morality, and premium impacts. Substitute Senate Bill 6355, which would create a Washington Electric Transmission Authority to support new transmission projects and related tribal clean energy work, drew testimony from utilities, labor, clean energy advocates, counties, and landowners. Supporters said the state needs faster transmission buildout to improve reliability, support clean energy, and reduce congestion costs; opponents and county representatives raised concerns about eminent domain, loss of local tax revenue, board accountability, and the need for stronger landowner and county involvement. Staff estimated the bill would have a several-million-dollar general fund impact and noted possible indeterminate local revenue effects. The committee also received a briefing on engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6260, which would reduce funding or eligibility for several K-12 programs, including bus depreciation, Running Start, and transition to kindergarten; public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with school officials, educators, community college representatives, students, and rural districts warning of reduced opportunities and harm to small and low-income districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Missouri is already home to 36 of the 60 minerals identified as critical to our national security, advanced
• It strengthens national and economic security by reducing foreign mineral dependence.
• serious about advancing manufacturing, energy, resilience, and long-term job growth, then we must secure
• That is both vital for economic and national security.
• We are a nonpartisan organization, although I have 60 bosses; half of our 60-member commission are legislators

Committee: House Higher Education and Workforce Development

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we've secured over $10 million in philanthropic funding to match the legislature's contribution to
• And we secured founding investments from Amazon, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Microsoft, Washington State
• We secured founding investments from Amazon, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Microsoft, Washington State University
• And we were able to secure that funding.
• After hours or on Sundays, only fully commissioned officers may be available, and sometimes when traffic

Bills: HB2111 , HB2495

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: Interstate 5 bridge, toll facility, bond retirement, transportation, state funding, vehicles, streetcar operation, public safety, urban regulation, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Even with Highway 2 recently out of commission or sections of it through the flooding, that's Amtrak
• flexible to meet funding commitments and have shovels in the ground in less than two years after securing
• And I'm pleased to report that the Shovels in the ground in less than two years after securing the funds
• flexible to meet funding commitments and have shovels in the ground in less than two years after securing
• And I'm pleased to report that the shovels in the ground in less than two years after securing the funds

Bills: HB2306

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: transportation budget, capital budget, operating budget, appropriations, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, ferry funding, state ferries, highway maintenance, road preservation, bridge replacement, tolling, express toll lanes, traffic safety, speed cameras, ignition interlock, transit grants, public transit

Transcript Highlights:

• turned 25 years old and mechanical elements were reaching the end of their useful life, the city commissioned
• The total grant funding secured to date is $7 million, which covers roughly two-thirds of the estimated
• begin this phase in the fall of 2025 or early in the spring of 2026, once our funding has been fully secured
• We need your support now to secure the necessary funding and keep **Taylor's Falls** wonderful.
• We have successfully secured approximately $3.4 million in grants to initiate crucial infrastructure

Bills: HF474 , HF218 , HF210 , HF441 , HF691 , HF720 , HF1068 , HF1314 , HF1465 , HF1860 , HF2046 , HF1389 , HF2404 , HF2854 , HF2985 , HF3128 , HF3103 , HF778 , HF3125

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice, Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, statue replacement, capital investment, general fund appropriation, Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota State Historical Society, public art, commemorative statue, National Statuary Hall Collection, commissioner of administration, cultural heritage, monument, Washington D.C., HF218, Minnesota, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• that tenants call our hotline, and this accounted for 2,103 calls, was for help in retrieving their security
• landlords may not realize that upon the conclusion of tenancy, they are required to return a tenant's security
• Unfortunately, quite frequently, a voter will apply with the last four digits of their social security
• Is it the Charter Commission? What's the mechanism to allow cities to make that choice?
• don't have information to verify their driver's license or... the last four digits of their social security

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• So this distributed ledger technology is more for security of data, a higher level of security, or just
• If we couldn't fit that into that more secure system, I'll just say more secure system, because that's
• That primarily becomes a security awareness problem, right?
• That primarily becomes a security awareness problem, right?
• Secure the sustainable funding.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Summary: The committee received a series of informational reports from NDIT and DPI on major IT projects, cybersecurity, and the K-12 student information system transition. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major project portfolio, noting 111 projects totaling about $542.8 million, generally under budget and slightly behind schedule overall. He highlighted three schedule-red projects: Bed Management System and Vital Records, both now complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project, which is delayed due to vendor bug fixes after user testing. He also summarized new project startups, including the Attorney General’s Victim Notification System, HHS Medicaid correctional facilities data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier e-permit system, and additional RIMS work, and answered questions about project timing, funding, and whether work had begun on legislatively funded IT projects. Chris Gurgan, NDIT’s chief information security officer, reported on mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting under HB 1314. He said 77 incidents have been reported since August 2021, with 47 meeting the statutory definition of a cybersecurity incident; phishing remains the most common type, followed by email quarantine alerts, XDR detections, and malware. He emphasized that most incidents are resolved, but that timely reporting is critical for any chance of recovering funds in business email compromise or ransomware cases. He also described several notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool breach, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise at a K-12 district, and a recent ransomware report involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about smishing, MFA, conditional access, security awareness training, and recovery of lost funds; Gurgan said state systems use phishing-resistant MFA and conditional access, training is provided to state employees and offered to political subdivisions on an opt-in basis, and broader cybersecurity maturity assessments are underway. Craig Falkley gave brief reports on coordination with political subdivisions and higher education, including shared networking, cybersecurity, radio/911, PeopleSoft, and co-location services. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for decentralized, secure data sharing, but said the state has limited use for it and would likely frame future reporting more broadly around emerging technologies. The committee then heard from Tony Ambrose of DPI on the statewide Infinite Campus implementation. He said district implementations are underway, but the project had to terminate its original data migration vendor for poor performance and replace it with Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with a similar North Carolina migration. He also said DPI is moving special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, is still working through how to preserve e-transcripts and Choice Ready-type functionality after the PowerSchool transition, and is developing identity, authentication, and data-sharing arrangements for the summer cutover. Members raised concerns about procurement timing, summer school disruption, and whether some functions would be ready by July 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our Game and Fish Commission has walked in. our game of fishing commission has walked in Mr.
• If they're in a child restraint security system or if the OHV has a rollover cage... ...a rollover cage
• We believe that it is time to build on that foundation by exploring additional reforms and securing adequate
• appropriate funding levels required to fulfill these obligations, along with the potential strategy to secure
• appropriate funding levels required to fulfill these obligations along with the potential strategy to secure

Committee: Joint Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Further, it supports 30 boards and commissions.
• to the statewide voter registration system, and the security navigator team.
• I heard Chair Freiberg say... earlier that the goals are to have safe, secure, and free elections, and
• We not only need to have safe, secure, and free elections, as Chair Freiberg said, but we also need to
• Chair Rarick (member_11701) has a bill dealing with the Public Utility Commission.

Transcript Highlights:

• language arts/English language development instructional materials by the Instructional Quality Commission
• regards to updates have been specific to the framework, often requiring the Instructional Quality Commission
• By allocating resources to this project, we are not only investing in the present, but also securing
• Research shows that almost half of food and secure families in California do not qualify for federal
• school meal assistance, making this program truly essential of food and secure families in California

Summary: The committee heard a series of budget proposals focused on education finance, with repeated questions about whether the state’s investments are coordinated, targeted to the highest-need students, and likely to produce measurable results. On the first item, the administration proposed $1 million for a study of California’s curriculum framework, standards, and instructional materials process, plus $250,000 for supplemental ELA/ELD guidance. CDE and Finance said the study would examine how other states organize standards, frameworks, and adoptions, while the chair and members questioned why California has gone so long without updating some standards, what the study would actually accomplish, and whether the proposal was too vague to justify the cost. The issue was held open. The committee then took up a proposed $25 million statewide literacy network within the system of support. CCEE and CDE said the network would coordinate multiple existing literacy leads, create a clearinghouse of evidence-based resources, and improve coherence across the state’s many literacy initiatives. Members pressed on how a one-time, five-year allocation could support a long-term system, how the work would reach distressed and rural districts, and whether the proposal would translate into classroom change rather than just another layer of coordination. The issue was also held open. Next, the committee reviewed a $500 million proposal to expand literacy coaches and reading specialists and to create a math coaches program. CDE described the existing literacy coach cohorts as producing positive reports from participating LEAs, while the LAO recommended modifications, especially for the math coach portion, including limiting eligibility to elementary schools, setting minimum grant amounts, directing funds to eligible school sites, and making eligibility automatic rather than application-based. Members focused on whether coaches were actually being placed at the schools with the greatest need and whether the state has a coherent long-term strategy for literacy and math investments. The committee also heard a $40 million proposal for training and implementation of K-2 reading difficulty screeners, which the LAO said was reasonable but could be reduced because $25 million had already been provided for training; CDE said the new funds were needed for full implementation, procurement, and sustainability. Finally, the committee heard a $10 million proposal for a developmentally appropriate TK multilingual learner screener, with CDE explaining why the preschool language-identification process is different from K-12 EL assessment and the chair asking staff to explore whether a single, more consistent approach could be developed. The meeting concluded with a presentation on universal school meals and kitchen infrastructure, including a $31.5 million backfill, an $84.1 million increase for projected meal growth, a COLA adjustment, and $150 million for kitchen upgrades and training to support freshly prepared meals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, grant us the grace to rest in the security of your promises, knowing you won't break your word.
• suspensions terminations; SB 1619, municipal zoning maximum density residential; SB 1620, Arizona Space Commission

Keywords: 1182, all