Transcript Highlights:

• And so we're able to track some level of visitation using that.
• How are we going to have revenue to pay for other budgetary items if we're going to cut tourism?

Committee: House Special Committee on Tourism

Summary: The Special Committee on Tourism met in executive session and approved three House bills: HB 2307, designating Missouri Military Academy as the official military academy of Missouri, passed 10-0; HB 3264, designating Kansas City as the barbecue capital of Missouri, passed 10-0; HB 1960, naming the smooth chanterelle the official state mushroom, passed 9-1; and HB 3074, establishing William Lacey Clay Senior Day in Missouri, passed 10-0. After the executive session, the committee opened a public hearing on HCR 36, which would designate June 3 as Josephine Baker Day in Missouri. The sponsor and a witness described Baker’s St. Louis roots, international entertainment career, service in the French Resistance, civil rights work, and her significance to Missouri heritage and tourism. Committee members voiced strong support and asked questions about her legacy, including her adopted children and her role as a model for Black women and civil rights advocacy. The committee then heard a presentation from Stephen Fouts, director of the Missouri Division of Tourism, on the state’s tourism marketing efforts and economic impact. He said tourism generated more than $21 billion in economic impact, over $18 billion in direct spending, and supported more than 307,000 jobs, with more than 43 million visitors in the last fiscal year. He outlined the division’s marketing strategy, including the Mo character campaign, cooperative marketing grants for local DMOs, the Meet in Missouri Fund, film incentives, and major event promotion tied to the World Cup, Route 66 Centennial, and America 250. He also reported strong returns on marketing investment and discussed sports tourism, youth sports, and the importance of the cooperative marketing program to local communities. A major topic of discussion was the possibility of significant budget cuts to tourism. The chair and several members argued that tourism is a major economic driver and said they would oppose deep reductions, with multiple members offering to sign a committee letter or otherwise advocate against cuts. Members asked how reductions would affect marketing, sports tourism, and the cooperative marketing program; Fouts said large cuts would likely reduce co-op funding proportionally and could harm local partners. No final action was taken on HCR 36 during the hearing, and the meeting adjourned after testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• United States brought executive orders that could bear upon the state of Minnesota in a variety of budgetary
• United States brought executive orders that could bear upon the state of Minnesota in a variety of budgetary
• United States brought executive orders that could bear upon the state of Minnesota in a variety of budgetary
• United States brought executive orders that could bear upon the state of Minnesota in a variety of budgetary

Transcript Highlights:

• This will significantly alleviate the service-level reductions caused by lower-level federal funding
• Can you elaborate and talk a little bit more about that from the local level and the state level type
• And can you elaborate a little more on the structure itself, local level, state level?
• This is getting to the next level.
• On July 1, we go back to pre-pandemic levels. Pre-pandemic spending levels was $10 million ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• mean by cost-benefit analysis and payback returns, that it sort of almost did a little bit of a basic level
• kind of almost did a little bit of a of kind of almost did a little bit of a basic<00:13:15.959><c> level
• but but I think they got the basic level but but I think they got the data<00:13:18.480><c> there</c
• place to allow us to make sure that in the rare event that we do see higher utilization at the LEA level
• At the LEA level of Medicaid dollars, we would not have any delay, depending on the calendar dates, to

Summary: The committee first recessed briefly, then took up HB 570, the prescription drug affordability board (PDAB). The chair and several members discussed the House amendment to repeal the board, which removed the fiscal note. The main concern raised was that the PDAB had not yet produced a clear business case showing value for the taxpayer investment, despite several years of work and four annual reports. Supporters of the repeal said the board’s recent report was largely redundant and that the board should either demonstrate a strong return on investment or be shut down; others cautioned against discarding the program too quickly and urged more time to refine the mission and legislative language. No vote was taken, and the committee appeared to agree to retain the bill for further work, with the possibility of revisiting it in a formal executive session on Tuesday. Members also shifted into discussion of HB 2, beginning with Section 85 on opioid abatement trust fund dollars for shelter programs. Department of Health and Human Services officials explained that the provision would provide $10 million from the opioid abatement trust fund, replacing general funds in the governor’s budget, while also noting an additional $2.5 million prioritized needs request for shelter care that was already fully funded. Committee members asked about shelter bed capacity, job placement efforts, and the remaining balance in the opioid fund; DHHS said there are 934 contracted beds and that case management includes help with housing and employment. Officials also said the current proposed budget includes another $1 million later in HB 2 from the opioid fund. The committee then began discussion of Sections 86 through 87, which would preserve the department’s ability to transfer funds between personnel lines. DHHS said the provision is operationally critical and that losing it would make it extremely difficult to manage the department, though it would not have a direct fiscal impact. The next item introduced was Section 88, extending a suspension related to eligibility for services until July 1, 2027; DHHS indicated that if the suspension were not continued, it would likely increase expenditures for Community Mental Health Centers and potentially others. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> I'm</c> revenue on the other level so I'm revenue on the other level so I'm confused<00:46:44.280
• uh crafting a budget Point of budgetary uh crafting a budget Point of View<01:02:23.119><c> kind</c>
• </c> education we'll we'll start high level education we'll we'll start high level here<01:21:11.800>
• we do not at very least at that level we do not know<01:30:24.920><c> how</c><01:30:25.119><c> the</
• the poverty level of people who<01:31:15.360><c> can</c><01:31:15.560><c> apply</c><01:31:15.800><c>

Summary: The committee first heard Representative Sweeney present and defend the budget amendment legalizing video lottery terminals (VLTs) and setting a 30% tax rate, with 65% of the tax going to the state and 35% to charities. He argued the lower rate was needed to encourage operators of historic horse racing (HHR) machines to convert to VLTs, saying the higher 45% rate would discourage adoption. He walked through revenue projections for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, estimating significant increases in state and charity revenue as machines transition over time, and said the amendment was designed to expand charitable gaming revenue overall. Several members questioned the assumptions behind his projections and the basis for his analysis, including why his independent research differed from the governor’s and Lottery Commission’s estimates. Sweeney said his figures were based on research into other states and conversations over many years, and he maintained that a 45% tax would likely result in no VLT adoption. Members also debated whether the transition costs for operators would be quickly recouped and whether the state’s share should be larger. One member emphasized that the committee was effectively choosing between a lower operator share and a higher state share, while Sweeney argued the 30% structure would produce revenue for everyone. The committee then moved to other revenue items on the tracking sheet. It voted 7-0 to accept the Lottery Commission’s revised base revenue estimates. Members also discussed an amendment to repeal the local option requirement for Kino games, which would expand Kino availability and was estimated to generate additional lottery profit in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. That amendment drew opposition from members who said local control was an important part of the original Kino policy and that removing it would override municipal decisions. The committee also noted that the VLT/HHR revenue item had already been adopted and was being revisited only to confirm the associated revenue estimates.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so you have three levels of jobs in the drainage situation.
• And the purpose of that was because they dropped it all... ...at different levels.
• On May 15th, when I checked, the lake level was 1450.2.
• We’re probably not going to have much of a decline in the lake level.
• And although these people, these people... ...lake level.

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Overwhelmingly, it has no budgetary or physical impact.

Bills: SB248 , SB985 , SB1307 , SB1319 , SB1405 , SB1530 , SB1919

Committee: House A&B Natural Resources Subcommittee

Keywords: tourism, revolving fund, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, real property, fund management, Oklahoma Local Food for Schools, school meals, local food procurement, farm to school, school districts, Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, local producers, meat processors, reimbursement program, agriculture, nutrition, farmers, ranchers, local sourcing

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> not uh available there in the levels not uh available there in the levels that<02:18:28.160><c>
• I don't like it when earmarked projects are happening at the federal level.
• I don't like it when earmarked projects are happening at the federal level.
• I don't like it when earmarked projects are happening at the federal level.
• I don't like it when earmarked projects are happening at the federal level.

Bills: HF2438

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• That’s the clip level they’re post-statehood.
• All of it is paid for at the state level everywhere else in the country.
• It would be like something like 35% to get to the same level? Absolutely not, right?
• It would be like something like 35% to get to the same level? Absolutely not, right?
• The actual numbers are more important for budgetary staff like you guys, right? Exactly.

Summary: The Committee on Finance held informational briefings first with the Department of Defense on its FY 2026 budget request, then with the Hawaii School Facilities Authority. Major General Steve Logan outlined the Department of Defense request for $40.5 million in state funds, which he said would leverage about $74 million in federal matching funds and support 411 open projects that could attract up to $2.3 billion in additional federal grant money. He said the budget focuses on sustainment, safety, and reorganization in light of lessons from the Maui wildfires. Key requests included $1.3 million to sustain IT systems, $2.7 million for 32 HEMA emergency management positions, three new Hawaii Army National Guard positions plus four upgrades, and $1.9 million for the Youth Challenge Program to cover state-mandated fringe costs and staffing needs. He also reviewed capital improvement projects, including Youth Challenge facility upgrades, siren modernization, ADA improvements, building retrofits for disaster resilience, Army facility upgrades, a third state veterans home on Maui, HEMA EOC improvements, and a maintenance/fuel building at Diamond Head. Members asked about the siren modernization timeline, and HEMA said roughly 26 to 31 sirens would be modernized this year, with 15 on Maui, eight on Oahu, and eight on the Big Island. Questions also focused on Youth Challenge and Job Challenge enrollment and vacancies, with the department saying the Hilo Job Challenge Academy is growing and that combining Youth Challenge recruiting statewide into one Kilauea program has helped enrollment. Logan also answered questions about the New Year’s Eve medical transport mission, explaining the Hawaii Air National Guard’s relationship with active-duty Air Force assets and saying the flight cost is about $20,000 per flight hour, though the final bill had not yet been determined. On the Maui veterans home, staff said the University of Hawaii site was no longer viable after faculty senate opposition, so the department is now focused on a 10-acre Puna District site; the project remains tied to a certified $35 million state match and August 2025 and August 2026 federal suspense dates. Logan said the veterans home remains one of the department’s highest priorities, but it could not be moved higher in the submitted CIP ranking. The department also discussed a Governor’s add-on for a fire marshal/Office of Recovery and Resiliency proposal. Logan said the fire marshal position was reestablished last session but has not yet been filled, and that if the function is transferred to the Department of Defense, the department wants funding ready to move quickly. Staff later said the request would include about $1.1 million for seven positions and about $2.2 million for operating costs, though details were still preliminary. The committee then reconvened for the School Facilities Authority briefing, where Executive Director Ricky Fujitani described the agency as a startup created in 2020 to improve school and workforce housing development through standardized designs, prefabrication, best-value procurement, and public-private partnerships. He said Hawaii’s single school district still functions like 15 different districts because of its 264 schools across 15 complex areas, and that the authority’s goal is to create more efficient, maintainable, and cost-effective facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Twin Cities landowners have donated easement value in excess of $30 million, yet despite this level of
• of donation these land owners this level of donation these land owners are<00:31:21.200><c> being</c
• </c> would be overall not a huge U budgetary would be overall not a huge U budgetary impact<00:48:50.760
• Minnesota has built a stronger level Minnesota has built a stronger working<01:14:09.440><c> Family<
• so some specifics about the level so some specifics about the Minnesota<01:14:30.040><c> working</c>

Bills: HF1698 , HF632 , HF1352 , HF2197 , HF618 , HF1248 , HF1697

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: property tax, exemption, leased land, public use, commercial property, HF632, Minnesota property tax, conservation easement, conservation restriction, assessed value, property valuation, tax assessment, real property, land conservation, farmland preservation, natural areas, riparian buffer, water quality, water quantity, county assessor

Transcript Highlights:

• serving more than 41,000 students and offering more than 180 degree programs, from the bachelor's level
• Morales of Maverick relating to the course levels offered at Sol Ross State University Rio Grande College
• Eagle Pass, Del Rio, and Uvalde, but it's currently limited to offering only junior and senior. year level
• HB 1022 strikes just two words, upper level. level, but it unlocks a world of possibilities for those

Bills: HB630 , HB420 , HB767 , HB1708 , HB2842 , HB1404 , HB2457 , HB140 , HB333 , HB227 , HB913 , HB201 , HB2198 , HB 109 , HB2763 , HB519 , HB 1261 , HB 1135 , HB1318 , HB2358 , HB2415 , HB2765 , HB2735 , HB3307 , HB1373 , HB694 , HB 1242 , HB272 , HB1437 , HB1888 , HCR78 , HCR12 , HCR128 , HR7 , HR11 , HR37 , HR69 , HR83 , HR89 , HR100 , HR123 , HR129 , HR137 , HR254 , HR258 , HR289 , HR293 , HR318 , HR324 , HR350 , HR368 , HR370 , HR372 , HR379 , HR406 , HR407 , HR432 , HR445 , HR471 , HR504 , HR506 , HR507 , HR528 , HR567 , HR572 , HR591 , HR592 , HR593 , HR603 , HR614 , HR621 , HR673 , HR684 , HR685 , HR687 , HR700 , HR701 , HR711 , HR712 , HR754 , HR757 , HR758 , HR760 , HR764 , HR765 , HR766 , HR767 , HR768 , HR769 , HR770 , HR771 , HR772 , HR774 , HR776 , HR777 , HR778 , HR779 , HR780 , HR783 , HR784 , HR784 , HR6 , HR6 , HR17 , HR17 , HR18 , HR18 , HR49 , HR49 , HR170 , HR170 , HR236 , HR236 , HR247 , HR275 , HR355 , HR356 , HR364 , HR672 , HR690 , HR690 , HR755 , HR755 , HR756 , HR756 , HR759 , HR759 , HR762 , HR762 , HR763 , HR763 , HR781 , HR781 , HR785 , HR785 , SB2 , SB260 , SB569 , HB2 , HB2000 , HB213 , HB222 , HB645 , HB1458 , HB 1022 , HB141 , HB643 , HB3093 , HB1700 , HB 117

Keywords: outboard motors, certificate of title, vessel regulation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, marine documentation, HB 420, Texas Water Code, special district, water district, board meetings, meeting location, teleconference, videoconference, remote meeting, public hearing, tax rate hearing, special districts, Cedar Creek Reservoir, county boundary, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:31.680><c> decisions</c> to make difficult budgetary decisions to make difficult budgetary
• </c><00:43:12.800><c> this</c> matter their family's income level this matter their family's income level
• </c> checks what you're family's income level checks what you're family's income level is<00:59:27.960
• The impact at the school level is quality of food has decreased; kids are taking food and throwing it
• The impact at the school level is quality of food has decreased.

Bills: HF51 , HF1161 , HF2201 , HF2786 , HF1053

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: HF51, Sibley County, State-Aid Highway 21, capital investment, bonding bill, general obligation bonds, transportation infrastructure, road improvements, sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, local infrastructure, county grant, Minnesota Department of Transportation, bond proceeds fund, public works, utility infrastructure, education finance, school district funding, tax base adjustment

Transcript Highlights:

• They were coming from the enterprise wide level. Not so much for the programs.
• We researched that level. Not so much for the programs.
• We had a lot of lower-level positions that are some positions.
• And so you have a level of skill at different levels where folks buy in to what we're doing.
• I mean, we can always use a little bit more pay at the lower levels of our agency.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also provide $10 million for the continued upgrade of Camp Blanding to a level two facility, and we
• We're way above the national levels.
• the highest levels.
• like the highest levels.
• state that are lower-level that are still professional tennis tournaments.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there is a budgetary component of it. Correct.
• It would allow us to sweep the fund at a lower level, the current statute level.
• And so we have a budgetary shortfall.
• The fees are based on the level of emissions that they push out.
• So when were those changes made on a federal level?

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 129-0 vote. Members then used points of personal privilege to recognize Law Enforcement Week, discuss personal health and family matters, and honor colleagues, spouses, interns, and guests in the gallery, including students, community members, and a visiting governor from Uzbekistan. The chamber also received Senate messages on House Bill 1871 and House Bill 2818, and fiscal review committee reports recommending passage of several deferred bills, including Senate Bills 953, 1470, and 1871, and House Bill 1940. The House agreed to conference requests on Senate Bills 835 and 1111 and on Senate Bill 1020, the latter a Department of Revenue bill focused on customer service and inspection language. Senate Bill 977 and 1011, dealing with limits on international organizations and foreign law, drew extended debate. Supporters argued the bill would protect Missouri from foreign or international mandates and foreign laws that conflict with constitutional rights, while opponents said such bodies already lack authority in Missouri and warned the bill was unnecessary, politically motivated, and could create problems for forum non conveniens and private arbitration. The bill ultimately passed 99-45. House Bill 1470, revising legislative research and statutory publication procedures, was amended on the floor to remove privacy-sensitive provisions and change a state auditor duty from mandatory to permissive; a later amendment to alter committee composition was defeated 50-94. The bill then passed 148-1. House Bill 1940, the newspaper/public notice bill, was adopted and finally passed 142-1 with two present. House Bill 1871, an elections administration bill, was also taken up with debate over added Senate language, including campaign finance and election testing provisions; discussion continued near the end of the transcript, with no final vote shown before the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first was that we tried to add some level of specificity and guardrails.
• I'm just trying to get a little bit of clarity in my mind about the 70 dB level.
• How far would something 50 yards away or 100 yards away be able to be heard at that level or not?
• Though I will admit that that may not be the right level, and should it not be the right level, we have
• not be the right level, we should it not be the right level, we have<01:20:27.360><c> all</c><01:20:

Transcript Highlights:

• leaders, in particular, to figure out how to utilize the funds that we are distributing from the state level
• to the local level to utilize those best in their local communities, responding to the needs of the
• students that are coming through their doors. ...to the local level to utilize those best in their local
• While it may help encourage more private funding on this issue, which is positive, it has no budgetary
• are looking to exempt income tax for these college players, which takes everything to a whole new level

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, as part of OFM's budgetary role in administering state capital projects, it requires agencies
• to know if the Clover Park School Board is in contact with the Department of Education on a federal level
• Once the legislature approves a certain level of funding, our staff work to get project agreements in
• Once the legislature approves a certain level of funding, our staff work to get project agreements in
• depending on the program and the criteria for the program, there are criteria related to population levels

Bills: HB2470 , HB2353 , HB2420 , HB2338

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: HB2470, school construction assistance, capital budget, school facilities, on-base schools, military base schools, military installations, public school construction, school plant projects, state funding assistance, superintendent of public instruction, OSPI, school capital funding, instructional space, school district construction, alternative learning experience, ALE, free and reduced-price meals, special housing burden, district growth

Transcript Highlights:

• As of today, the budgetary process of each city in Texas is affected by the travesty that befell Odessa
• This particular area has actually been a... ...receiving some level of services from the city since 1891
• passed an ordinance that codified what had been the practice since 1891: they were receiving some level
• When the new dam was put in, it raised the water level, which affected most or all of those original
• And remember the fire chiefs coming in and trying to say that they've had service level issues.

Bills: SB1079 , SB1243 , SB1504 , SB1579 , SB1708 , SB1844 , SB1851 , SB1879 , SB1921 , SB1951 , SB2237 , SB2238 , SB2406 , SB2407

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• We think we'll probably get to a level set here in the next year or so about 200.
• we look at the Cape Canaveral area specifically, I think that's a much more, if you will, tactical level
• And it could be... ...with your future growth, future mission, and it could be budgetary or it could
• and has been a huge part of the success, like I said, is the partnerships we've had from the federal level
• , ...all the way to the local level.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard first from Space Florida President and CEO Robert Long, who described the agency’s role as the state’s aerospace finance and business development authority and spaceport authority. He reported a pipeline of about 187 projects, nearly $7 billion in potential private investment, and roughly 8,000 potential jobs, with 161 projects in the fiscal-year pipeline, up about 30% from the prior year. Long said Space Florida is focusing on workforce development through its Space Florida Academy with 23 school districts, and on target markets including advanced air mobility/eVTOL, flight simulation, and satellite manufacturing. Members asked about infrastructure, federal-state coordination, LNG planning, environmental mitigation, workforce, and how the Legislature’s recent $5 million recurring increase is being used; Long said the funds are mainly supporting staffing, contracted services, and IT improvements to handle growth and move projects through faster. The panel then heard from Blue Origin, Leonardo (through LSN Partners), and Lone Star Data Holdings. Blue Origin said its Florida manufacturing and launch operations have grown far beyond initial commitments, with more than $3 billion invested and over 3,000 employees in the state, and emphasized the need for roads, water, wastewater, and other launch-site infrastructure as launch cadence increases. Leonardo highlighted its TH-73A Navy helicopter program in Milton and a new 70,000-square-foot maintenance facility at Whiting Aviation Park, crediting state, local, and federal partners and noting future potential for its AW-609 tiltrotor aircraft. Lone Star Data Holdings described its satellite-based data storage and disaster-recovery business, said Florida was its first customer, and urged the state to use Florida as a pilot project for protecting data and expanding space-based data infrastructure. Members repeatedly focused on what the state should do next, and the panel’s main answer was continued investment in infrastructure and long-term planning. Specific needs mentioned included road widening, traffic signals, fire suppression, water pressure, wastewater capacity, power, transportation links, environmental mitigation, and LNG-related planning at the spaceport. No formal votes or bills were taken up in the meeting, and the session ended after member questions and comments with a motion to rise and adjourn.