Transcript Highlights:

• You don’t necessarily need legislation to... ...adjust that to a permit.
• You don’t necessarily need legislation to adjust or modify the pressures within a permit right now, do
• It was in South Texas and West Texas where the EPA made their adjustments on pressure.
• I mean, is there anything that needs to be adjusted there?
• and be in accordance, whatever federal law is, it would be adjusted such pressures at that time.

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 706 by Representative Riser, which would set a more detailed process for commercial saltwater disposal wells, including site-specific modeling and pressure review. Riser and industry witnesses argued the bill would provide clearer, more predictable rules for operators who have faced long delays and changing requirements, while Department of Conservation and Energy officials said they are already developing guidance and that any pressure standard must remain site-specific to avoid fracturing confining layers, protecting drinking water, and staying within EPA primacy requirements. The department emphasized that geology varies widely across Louisiana and that a fixed pressure number in statute could be unsafe in some locations. Members also discussed the fiscal note, the need for additional staff, and whether the bill would tie the department’s hands or force approvals; witnesses said the bill’s modeling requirements were conservative, but opponents warned the statutory pressure ranges could conflict with site-specific safety determinations. After a technical amendment was adopted, the committee voted on the bill and it failed on a 6-6 tie. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 4 by Representative McCormick, which would suspend Louisiana’s deer baiting ban for 18 months in areas affected by chronic wasting disease (CWD). McCormick and Hunter Nation representatives argued that baiting bans have not stopped CWD in other states, that deer feeders and food plots are part of hunting culture, and that Louisiana should rely on science and a more flexible approach. They cited Wisconsin as an example where CWD spread despite long-standing feed bans and said there has been no proven human transmission. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials said bait bans are one of the few tools available to reduce artificial congregation of deer and help limit disease spread, and they explained that the department is also working with a CWD task force and another proposal that would tie restrictions to a 1.5% prevalence threshold rather than an across-the-board suspension. The discussion ended with the department providing information on the impacts of both measures, but no final action on HCR 4 was recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• we would want to have staff reach out and have them get some data on, because this would be an adjustment
• we would want to have staff reach out and have them get some data on, because this would be an adjustment
• We adjust it for the fact that we're operating them at a lower risk than an external manager.
• Focus on risk-adjusted returns.
• It's important that the fund have as much latitude, as many degrees of freedom, to pursue risk-adjusted

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and receive updates on the Legacy Fund transparency website and fund performance. Staff reported the website procurement was in contract negotiations, with a planned go-live around November 1, and that the site would provide downloadable, more transparent information on fund holdings, allocations, history, and legislative appropriations while protecting confidential data. The investment office then reviewed performance through January 2026, describing strong returns relative to benchmarks, noting real estate and fixed income as weaker areas, and explaining that the fund’s diversification and internal management had helped offset market volatility, including recent geopolitical impacts. Members also discussed the in-state investment program, especially the Bank of North Dakota’s CD-match allocation. Several members questioned whether the program had been static for years and whether the uncommitted balance should remain parked there if it was not being used. The committee voted to pause further transfers into the program until the Bank provides a report and the committee can consider possible statutory changes; the motion also requested a cost-benefit analysis from RVK, and it passed by roll call vote. In the afternoon, RVK presented its review of the investment policy statement as it relates to the in-state investment program. The consultant said it found no major policy impediments, and that implementers and stakeholders generally felt the program was proceeding as intended. RVK emphasized best practices such as third-party due diligence, competitive risk-adjusted returns, diversification, pacing, and exit strategies, while cautioning that required lower-return investments or spending commitments can create pressure on the fund’s long-term real value. The consultant also raised ancillary concerns about state-level concentration risk, the need to distinguish between public and commercial infrastructure, and the lack of a central repository for all state funding commitments to the same projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• — For us in making decisions, but can you speak to, as far as the income, and are you looking at adjusting
• Does the pot of money be adjusted?
• that's part of why we need to have this conversation and why we're working, like, pot of money be adjusted
• And then there's the maintenance of the ongoing duty to study, review, and adjust public school needs
• So now we'll look at, Requires constant study, review, and adjustment.

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the previous minutes and then focused on an update from the Department of Education on early childhood programs, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ongoing work to review ABC slots, which have been flat for years at about 23,800 slots and roughly $114 million. They said about 1,000 slots statewide are currently unfilled despite a waiting list of more than 2,000 families, and the department is shifting toward paying based on enrollment rather than guaranteed slots. Members asked about school choice, income eligibility, year-round access, curriculum flexibility, transportation, and whether funding should be increased or rebalanced; the department said it is collecting data, may survey providers more formally, and is considering whether to modernize income thresholds, daily rates, and other program rules. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical information on income limits and other program details. The second major portion of the meeting was a legal presentation on the framework for Arkansas school adequacy by BLR education attorney Taylor Lloyd. She reviewed the constitutional basis for a “general, suitable, and efficient” public school system, the Dupree and Lake View cases, and the principle that adequacy and equity are different but related: adequacy asks what resources are needed, while equity asks whether those resources are distributed fairly. She explained that the General Assembly must define adequacy, study it, and react to evidence over time, and that the current adequacy definition includes curriculum and career/technical frameworks, the 38 mandatory Carnegie units, state testing standards, and sufficient funding. She also described the matrix as a funding tool, not a spending mandate, and noted that categorical funds are separate from the matrix. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum then gave the historical framework, tracing legislative responses from Dupree through Lake View and into the present. She highlighted major changes such as the creation of equalization funding, fiscal distress and academic distress laws, the adequacy study process, the Educational Adequacy Fund, facilities and transportation changes, declining enrollment and student growth funding, and later adjustments to teacher salaries, isolated funding, and categorical programs. She explained that the adequacy study has evolved through committee hearings, surveys, site visits, and outside consultants, and that recent changes include updates to accountability references and the addition or removal of certain funding categories. Members asked follow-up questions about how the matrix is used, whether homeschool or private-school funding raises comparable issues, whether stakeholders include private and homeschool participants, whether school board members should be surveyed, and whether the state should revisit average daily membership versus attendance-based funding. No votes were taken on the adequacy presentations, but the committee did agree to continue the early childhood discussion in a future subcommittee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We worked with the bringer of that and worked with the committee to get that adjusted within our own
• committee<00:09:23.520><c> to</c><00:09:23.720><c> get</c><00:09:23.920><c> that</c><00:09:24.120><c> adjusted
• </c><00:09:25.200><c> within</c> committee to get that adjusted within committee to get that adjusted
• direct distribution moneys have been helpful in that regard, replacing police vehicles and also adjusting
• </c><00:33:51.800><c> So,</c> and also adjusting our salaries. So, and also adjusting our salaries.

Bills: SF0052

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:54:09.200><c> authorized</c> 24 actuals and our adjusted authorized 24 actuals and our adjusted
• ><c> action</c><03:21:31.279><c> two</c> technical adjustment and action two technical adjustment and
• Our adjusted authorized 5,294,370.
• </c> 0.94% decrease below the FY25 adjusted 0.94% decrease below the FY25 adjusted authorized authorized
• </c><03:48:20.560><c> of</c> budget request simply an adjustment of budget request simply an adjustment

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes we have to make adjustments to the strategic plan, but for the most part, it is our roadmap
• Are we implementing what adjustments do we need to make to that?
• some things that we are going to have to go back and address from what we've done in the past to adjust
• Do we need to make an adjustment?
• And I think the DDS... ...but do we need to make an adjustment to that particular amended legislation

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) met for administrative updates, approved the April meeting minutes, and discussed a proposed shift from monthly full committee meetings to a quarterly schedule beginning later this year. Members generally supported the change, saying it would reduce strain on agency and committee resources and allow more time for work groups to complete implementation tasks. Several members also asked for more flexible agendas and a clearer way to add issues between meetings, with staff suggesting a standardized form for submitting topics in advance. Work group updates covered cross-agency data sharing, diversion, education, incarceration, and community expertise. The data-sharing group reported continued work on the Equity Dashboard 2.0, a statewide expulsions analysis, municipal-level data collaboration with UConn’s IMRP, and a cross-system analysis of crossover youth. The diversion group described work on POST curriculum revisions for juvenile law, a youth-focused law enforcement interaction training, a community-police relationship toolkit, expansion of youth diversion teams, and pre-arrest diversion policy. The education group is reviewing implementation of the law creating educational oversight in juvenile facilities, along with a free public transportation pilot for high school students and truancy cleanup legislation. The incarceration group is tracking conditions of confinement, DOC restraint and chemical agent reports, the DOJ settlement monitoring process, the reentry success plan, and gender-responsive programming. The community expertise group emphasized elevating lived experience, youth voice, prevention, and conditions of confinement, with members urging the committee to focus on stability, infrastructure, and meaningful use of lived-experience perspectives. A major presentation from OPM outlined Connecticut’s effort to re-enter the federal Title II juvenile justice formula grant program. OPM explained the program’s core compliance requirements, including deinstitutionalization of status offenders, adult jail and lockup removal, sight-and-sound separation, and addressing racial and ethnic disparities. Staff said Connecticut is currently not fully compliant because of issues including youth being held in adult facilities and the state’s six-hour detention rule, and that Title II funding is on hold while OPM works toward compliance. OPM is developing a monitoring manual, identifying facilities to be monitored, and forming a state advisory group (SAG) to support the application and compliance process. Members questioned why a separate SAG is needed, whether JJPOC or the community expertise group could serve that role, and how lived-experience members would be selected; OPM said federal rules require the SAG to include youth or parents with lived experience and that the group cannot be composed of state or government employees in the key leadership roles. The committee agreed to circulate the federal parameters and ask members to suggest candidates for the SAG and to help move compliance work forward over the summer.

Transcript Highlights:

• One thing I would point out is that since we first began adjusting, reducing, removing, whatever, the
• I'm getting a $24 a month cost of living adjustment.
• Last year, I got an $18 a month cost of living adjustment. So, I mean, all of this.
• A $7,000 per year, or just over $2,200 per month, the cost of living adjustment that was given to our
• Per month received a 1.8% cost of living adjustment.

Committee: House Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It's been years since the legislature considered making adjustments to the number of admissions required
• Uh, University of Texas is the only one with the adjustment to the that is correct how why was that adjustment
• made and how effective has it been yeah so the The adjustment was made I think over a decade ago and
• we expect that not everybody's going to say yes to UT, but we do have to admit them. and then we adjust
• it so every September we have to adjust the actual rate that we're being used for the next class of

Bills: HB42 , HB 125 , HB 1233 , HB2853 , HB3148 , HB3326 , HB3701 , HB4066 , HB4361 , HB4762 , HB4909 , HB4912 , HB42 , HB125

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: higher education, funding, financial allocation, state budget, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, education funding, medical education, osteopathic medicine, healthcare workforce, Tarleton State University, industry-recognized credentials, workforce development, career opportunities, feasibility study, student fees, university funding, student union, education, UT El Paso

Transcript Highlights:

• We had fiscal 22, what the official plan was for revenues, 25, what the official plan was, any adjustments
• that the governor might have adjustments that the governor might have made<00:13:20.959><c> and</c><
• you might make because you adjustments you might make because you have<00:14:28.680><c> better</c><00
• Those would be all revenue adjustments that were made the last operating budget, and you'll see what
• There's usually only minor adjustments.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee received an overview from Chris of the Legislative Budget Assistance Office on how it will estimate unrestricted revenues for the General Fund, Education Trust Fund, Highway Fund, and Fish and Game Fund. He explained that the committee’s work is based on current law, not pending bills, and that the estimates will feed into a House resolution and an amendment to House Bill 1, the operating budget. He also described the broader budget process, including how House and Senate estimates are reconciled, how surplus statements account for revenue changes from enacted bills, and how a committee of conference could resolve differences later in the session. No votes were taken. Members then asked about why the Education Trust Fund was running below plan. Chris said the shortfall appeared to be driven largely by business taxes, including differences in the BET/BPT split and improved tax-processing systems that better track where business tax payments belong. Representative Orr also asked about tobacco tax collections and out-of-state sales; Chris said tobacco revenue was likely overestimated in 2023 based on COVID-era patterns, with more people smoking at home, and noted that e-cigarette tax revenue goes to the General Fund while cigarette taxes are split between the General Fund and Education Trust Fund. He said he did not have a specific estimate for cross-border sales. Commissioner Lindsay St. Pierre of the Department of Revenue then began a deeper dive into the department’s role and the taxes it administers. She reviewed the department’s mission, organizational structure, taxpayer services, and the tax policy and legislative analysis staff who prepare fiscal notes and testify on bills. She noted that the department administers about $2.9 billion in revenue across major taxes such as business taxes, meals and rooms, and utility property tax, and that the figures being discussed were preliminary because the annual report had not yet been issued. The discussion was informational only, with no formal action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So specifically, it gives authority to the school districts in New Castle County to adjust and reset
• So specifically it gives authority to the school districts in Newcastle County to adjust and reset their
• Specifically, it gives authority to the school districts in New Castle County to adjust and reset their
• . ...adjudicated or SB 228 has allowed the county to make some adjustments to the ongoing tax rolls and
• So this bill is fairly straightforward, and it's a companion piece to allow the adjustments that have

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with enough members present to conduct business and approved the June 17 minutes. It first heard HB 459 with House Amendment 1, which would prohibit the sale of energy drinks on public middle and high school campuses during school hours or school events. The sponsor and Department of Education explained that the bill targets beverages containing caffeine and marketed as energy drinks, not ordinary soft drinks or coffee/tea products. Public testimony from the Medical Society supported the bill on health grounds, while the beverage industry said its companies already voluntarily limit school offerings and that the bill does not reflect current practice. No vote was taken in the transcript. The committee then heard HB 461, a follow-up to prior legislation on New Castle County property reassessment and school tax rates. Senator Cruz said the bill would let New Castle County school districts adjust and reset tax rates to reflect reassessment changes without increasing projected operating revenue, and that it includes a sunset. DSEA supported the measure, saying fair property values are important to public education funding. The committee also heard HB 452, which would require additional background checks and training for DIAA sports officials and strengthen DIAA enforcement procedures. Members questioned how checks would be handled, who would see the results, and who would provide training; the DIAA compliance coordinator said the checks would be maintained through the state process and that associations would verify eligibility. The bill’s sponsor and DIAA said the goal was to align officials with existing child-safety standards. Next, the committee considered HS1 for HB 425, which raises the salary supplement from 6% to 12% for nationally certified school counselors, nurses, and school social workers, and allows DOE to identify additional qualifying positions by regulation. Supporters, including school social workers, nurses, and DSEA, argued the change would improve retention and recognize advanced credentials. Senator Hansen raised concerns that school psychologists were not included; sponsors said a broader study and possible future legislation or budget language would address other nationally certified school-based professionals. The committee then heard HS1 for HB 358 on student elopement notifications, inspired by Ace’s Law, but administrators and the chair raised concerns that the bill may be too prescriptive and difficult to implement in practice, especially when schools may not immediately know a student has left campus. Finally, the committee discussed HB 379 on the comprehensive school discipline improvement program; DOE said the substitute was intended to consolidate prevention and intervention supports and avoid competition for funding, while DASA asked that the bill be paused or tabled. The meeting ended before action on the remaining bill, and HB 443 was deferred to a future executive meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the next year you should get a million plus CPI, and then we adjust the rates accordingly based on
• Hancock, make sure it stays at something close to a million dollars by allowing some adjustments over
• On the, well, we kind of got to that with new construction, but there's sometimes adjustments, you know
• , CPI, but then maybe adjustments on population.
• But that is one area that I've seen heard about before: population adjustments.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Summary: The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform met for an open discussion, with no public testimony, to reset its work after the prior combined bill was separated back into two standalone measures. The chair outlined the current direction: House Bill 2780 would include Murphy’s Hancock fix, levy-by-subclass, commercial protection language, the 275-to-150 levy adjustment, and abatement provisions; House Bill 2668 would carry clear ballot language, no-tax-increase ballot measures, clarification of SB 190, and the SB 3 fix. Members also discussed whether additional ideas, such as taxpayer appeal protections and electronic filing, might be added later if they can be worked out. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Hancock-related “275 fix,” with members clarifying that the proposal would not move all districts to 275, but would prevent two known districts below that level from being forced down and losing significant revenue. Several members raised concerns about confusion in the field and the need to communicate clearly to school districts and superintendents what the proposal would and would not do. There was also discussion of new construction under Hancock, including whether certain redevelopment or replacement projects should count as new construction and how that affects school and other local taxing entities. The committee spent substantial time debating tax abatements, especially TIFs and similar economic incentives. Supporters of the language said the intent is to prevent taxing jurisdictions from treating abated revenue as if it were still available and then shifting the cost to other taxpayers; opponents questioned whether the language would improperly reduce revenue that communities had already decided to collect. Members also discussed whether the language should apply only to the entity adopting the abatement, and whether some abatements are better handled through separate legislation. Several members urged that any new ideas be referred through committee so they can receive proper vetting and fiscal analysis, and there was broad agreement to keep the main bills relatively streamlined while continuing to work on additional concepts separately.

Transcript Highlights:

• You will see also on the screen that the TPA adjustments for CEC and inflation are zero.
• The governor's recommendation was to not also include an adjustment for the Timber Protective Association
• Chairman, I would stand for questions at this time, but... ...also on the screen that the TPA adjustments
• The governor's recommendation was to not also include an adjustment for the Timber Protective Association
• They have a part of a transfer for the Triumph Mine remediation and a fund adjustment within one of their

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee heard budget presentations for the Endowment Fund Investment Board, the Department of Lands, and the Department of Environmental Quality. The EFIB presentation emphasized its small staff, low administrative costs, and a modest request for a laptop replacement. The Department of Lands presentation focused heavily on fire suppression funding, the fire suppression deficiency fund, and the agency’s endowment and forest management work. Director Dustin Miller said 2025 fire costs were just over $40 million, noted that the Legislature had previously funded the deficiency account, and warned that current holdbacks could reduce staffing for fire operations, especially in eastern Idaho. He also explained a proposed shift of 1.25 FTE and $160,000 from the Abandoned Mines Lands Fund to the Navigable Waterways Fund, and discussed House Bill 511 as a possible future fire-preparedness funding source. Committee members asked detailed questions about how the fire suppression deficiency fund works, when it can be used, and whether it can cover prevention or only active fires. Staff explained that the fund is for active suppression and that any negative balance would later be settled through a supplemental request. Members also asked about staffing, vacancy rates, and the impact of budget reductions on fire readiness and forest health work. Miller said the agency had filled many key vacancies but still faced recruitment challenges, and he described the Eastern Idaho Forest Protective District and the agency’s growing Good Neighbor Authority work with the U.S. Forest Service. The Department of Environmental Quality presentation covered staffing, water infrastructure funding, loan and grant programs, air and water quality, and solid waste oversight. Director Jess Byrne said targeted pay increases had reduced turnover and vacancies, and that DEQ had distributed more than $835 million in grants and low-interest loans over five years, mostly to small communities. He also said the agency has fewer staff than 25 years ago despite a much larger population, leading to permit backlogs and reduced monitoring. Byrne explained that the Drinking Water Loan Fund is built from federal capitalization grants, state match, and repayments, and that its rising balance reflects awarded but not yet reimbursed projects rather than unused money. He also said DEQ is considering fee increases in air quality and drinking water programs, and supported a proposed solid waste transfer only if it includes a fee structure. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• to be looking at for enhancements are going to be the Triumph Mine remediation, the IPDES fund adjustment
• Again, all of these adjustments are happening in dedicated funds.
• Jessup mentioned, took action last Friday, a week ago Friday, that adjusted the current year 2026 budgets
• Well, that revenue number got adjusted downward further on line five.
• But with the updated revenue forecast and some adjustments bringing in cash from other dedicated funds

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What this bill simply does is make an inflationary adjustment. The $5,000 limit was set in 1987.
• An inflationary adjustment would have put it at about $13,000.
• raise a little bit more money in that amount of time that they're giving, I think, is a reasonable adjustment
• , especially because it basically just adjusts it for inflation.
• It is simply an index adjustment to the existing limit.

Bills: HB2447 , HB1364 , HB2632 , HB2637 , HB2520 , HB2235 , HB2401 , HB2574

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Keywords: shark conservation, marine life, state symbol, ecological importance, biodiversity, bingo, raffles, charity, nonprofit, amusement games, revenue threshold, licensing, fundraising, citizenship, immigration, terminology, rights, legal status, public records, public disclosure

Transcript Highlights:

• What it is, and it's not an expansion of gaming, is that this bill simply makes an inflationary adjustment
• And an inflationary adjustment would have put it to like $13,000.
• raise a little bit more money in that amount of time that they're giving, I think, is a reasonable adjustment
• , especially because it basically just adjusts it for inflation.
• It is simply an index adjustment to the existing limit.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. HB 1364 would raise from $5,000 to $15,000 the gross revenue thresholds for charitable and nonprofit organizations to conduct bingo, raffles, and amusement games without a gambling license, and would also raise related local tax thresholds; supporters said it is an inflation adjustment that helps volunteer nonprofits, while no opposition was heard before the hearing closed. HB 2632 would replace most uses of “alien” in state law with “non-citizen,” with exceptions for federal-law requirements and non-human uses; the sponsor described it as a dignity and accuracy measure rooted in refugee experience, while supporters and opponents debated whether it is respectful and clearer or instead unnecessary and potentially confusing. HB 2447 would designate the blunt-nosed six-gill shark as Washington’s official state shark; testimony from the sponsor, children, marine advocates, and scientists emphasized education, conservation, Puget Sound ecology, and local pride, and the hearing closed without opposition testimony. HB 2637 would exempt certain personal information from Public Records Act disclosure, including age, address, birthplace, precise location data, government identifiers, and consumer utility data; supporters framed it as privacy and safety protection, while opponents argued it would reduce transparency and could interfere with federal immigration enforcement. In executive session, the committee took action on three bills. HB 2235, concerning Public Records Act exemptions for concealed pistol licenses and permit-to-purchase firearm applications, was reported out of committee with a due pass recommendation by a 7-0 vote. HB 2401, establishing the Boys and Men’s Commission, was also reported out with a due pass recommendation by a 5-2 vote, with some members supporting the concept but expressing concern about funding. HB 2574, which addresses removal of deceased candidates for nonpartisan office from ballots and related vote-count procedures, was reported out with a due pass recommendation by a 6-1 vote after members discussed the need to clarify election procedures in rare cases. The committee deferred action on HB 2520.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good thing we have those adjustable tables. Yes, sir. Yes, yes.
• By way of background, the JLBC is annually required to adjust the school facilities division cost per
• If the committee does approve this adjustment, it would need to be made retroactive to December 10, 2025
• construction costs actually were not increasing at that time, so there was no need to increase that adjustment
• In general, treated as an automatic baseline adjustment, but that has not been our traditional practice

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Budget Committee

Summary: The committee first went into executive session and then returned to approve settlements in three risk management cases based on the Attorney General’s recommendation. It then took up JLBC staff items on school facilities, including a 4.8% increase to the school facilities construction cost index for fiscal 27, which staff said would have no fiscal impact in fiscal 27 but would increase costs in later years; the committee approved the item. The committee also favorably reviewed ADE’s annual federal monies report, showing fiscal 26 federal funds of $1.38 billion, up from $1.27 billion in fiscal 25, and reviewed the annual Career and Technical Education District report, which showed 14 districts, $244 million in expenditures, and a 37% retention rate from first to second course, with 79% ultimately earning a credential. Members raised concerns about the low retention rate and asked for more comparative and trend data. The committee then considered a DES transfer within the developmental disabilities budget, moving $3.3 million from the Home and Community-Based Services Medicaid line to the state-only case management line. DES said both lines had shortfalls and that the transfer was needed to address more immediate cash-flow pressure in state-only services; members questioned the growth in the state-only population, the lack of federal matching funds, and whether the state should impose a waiting period for new arrivals. The committee attached conditions requiring DES to send formal deficiency letters to legislative leaders, provide monthly breakdowns of DD populations by diagnosis, and report within 30 days on Minnesota audit findings related to fraud vulnerabilities. It then favorably reviewed the transfer and separately favorably reviewed the annual report on the Arizona Training Program at Coolidge, where the population has declined to about 48 residents and DES is making capital repairs and consolidating buildings. Finally, the committee reviewed a proposed transfer of $650,000 from unused special election funds to the Secretary of State’s cybersecurity budget. The Secretary of State’s office said the money would fund contracted monitoring, endpoint protection, and remediation of identified vulnerabilities during the election year, and members discussed the office’s relationship with federal cybersecurity partners and the need to maximize outside support. Some members objected to the office’s communication and asked for more outreach to federal agencies, while others noted the urgency of the security needs. After debate, the committee gave favorable review to the $650,000 transfer, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another, which the last legislative assembly has already put forward, is proposed adjustments to the
• introduction limits or rules, enhanced delivery of and training opportunities for legislators, adjustments
• introduction limits or rules, enhanced delivery of and training opportunities for legislators, adjustments
• The legislature has adjusted; some of the memory of that initial adaptation has passed and everyone is
• The legislature has adjusted some of the memory of that initial adaptation has passed and everyone is

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee met with a quorum, approved the previous meeting minutes, and heard an update from Garty Consulting on the interim study of legislative term limits. The consultants outlined their research plan and preliminary themes, including loss of institutional knowledge, shifts in power toward executive agencies and lobbyists, reduced long-term policy capacity, faster leadership turnover, and recruitment/support challenges. They also described possible recommendation categories ranging from constitutional and statutory changes to procedural and cultural adjustments. Committee members asked about how other states repealed term limits, how the public survey would address perceptions of term limits, and how stakeholder focus groups would be selected. The committee also heard a presentation from NCSL on term limits in other states, including examples from Nevada, Montana, and Colorado, with discussion of training programs, staffing changes, annual-session debates, bill limits, and impacts on decorum and leadership continuity. Several members requested follow-up data on part-time versus full-time legislatures, taxpayer costs, and nonpartisan staff devoted to oversight. The committee then considered revisions to the legislature’s workplace harassment policy and related forms. Legislative Council explained changes that clarified the definition of harassment, added captions for readability, extended several deadlines, allowed informal resolution before a review panel is appointed, clarified the role of Legislative Council in intake and documentation, and updated confidentiality/open-records language. Members, especially Senator Hogan, said the revisions better formalize the role of counsel and provide a less intimidating path for resolving complaints. The committee adopted the revised policy and forms by roll call vote. Finally, the committee approved a motion to enter executive session at 1:00 p.m. to review the results of a capital threat assessment and discuss legislator security, citing the applicable open-meetings exemptions. Members were instructed to limit discussion to the stated purpose and not take final action until returning to open session.

Transcript Highlights:

• It relates to our annual adjustments for reporting thresholds.
• The law requires that the commission adjust for inflation all reporting thresholds.
• However, that bill failed and therefore, we must continue making these annual adjustments.
• The adjusted thresholds are codified in the Texas Ethics Commission rules.
• Change the base amount to make adjustments to those elected pensions, um.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any amendments or adjustments to the minutes?
• Is there any amendments or adjustments to the minutes?
• We're going to take a brief recess while we adjust and get it down here to take a look and see what's
• ><00:08:49.519><c> recess</c><00:08:49.920><c> while</c><00:08:50.240><c> we</c><00:08:50.399><c> adjust
• </c> to take a brief recess while we adjust to take a brief recess while we adjust and<00:08:51.279><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and adopted the consent calendar after removing two items: DES rule FP 25127 concerning dug-in boat basins and HHS child care licensing rule 25132. The child care licensing item was then taken up separately. HHS staff said the rule had been developed over more than a year with the child care advisory council and the broader child care community, and that it was urgent because the department is out of compliance with federal Office of Child Care requirements and needs database changes completed in time for a September 30, 2025 implementation deadline. After brief questions, the committee moved to approve the rule as presented, and it passed unanimously. The committee also considered an HHS interim rule to restore expired rules and keep them in compliance while regular rulemaking proceeds. HHS explained the rules had expired in April and that the filing was intended to minimize the gap until permanent rulemaking could occur; the only fee in the rule relates to copying medical records, and the department said it is not collecting those fees. Committee members noted broader problems with keeping rules current in the state’s tracking system, but said the situation had improved. The committee then moved to approve the interim rule, and it was adopted unanimously. For DES rule 25127 on project-specific requirements for boat houses, staff and committee members focused on language about new dug-in basins. Some members were concerned the rule read like an absolute prohibition without clear statutory authority, while DES staff said a waiver process exists and offered possible edits to clarify that dug-in basins could still be approved in rare cases if a waiver is granted or if they are the least impacting alternative. Because the language needed further work, the committee postponed the item for one month and asked DES to return with written conditional-approval language. The committee also voted to move its October meeting to October 17 at 9:00 a.m. in State House 100, and was told to expect an emergency Lottery Commission rule on slot machines next month. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, line 154 adjusts nursing facility total care related payment rate limit.
• So, um, line 154 adjusts nursing facility total care related payment rate limit.
• </c><01:31:58.080><c> Um,</c><01:31:58.320><c> that's</c> adjustment at 2% per year.
• Um, that's adjustment at 2% per year.
• </c> that um uh the um operating adjustment that um uh the um operating adjustment at<02:20:54.479><c

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all