Video & Transcript : 'community preparedness' :

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WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Transportation Feb 5th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Certainly, some of that communication need would be lessened if some of the policies were simpler.
  • They used Street Vision to review the impact of the targeted enforcement, and then communicated those
  • It affects communities beyond Pierce County. It affects our tourism in the area.
  • I can't..." "...businesses and communities that rely on this corridor as a gateway.
  • North Pierce County and surrounding communities..." "At its core, this issue is about access.
Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session focused on ignition interlock device compliance and broader traffic safety data. Traffic Safety Commission staff described a Yakima County pilot that provides enhanced probation supervision and support for DUI offenders, reporting that compliance with ignition interlock installation rose from roughly 16%–20% before the pilot to 41% among medium- and high-risk offenders, with barriers including cost, confusion about requirements, transportation access, and communication gaps. JLARC staff presented a statewide preliminary audit finding an overall 41% installation rate, with higher installation rates among higher-income drivers and limited use of financial assistance; JLARC recommended clearer goals for the assistance program and a formal coordination agreement between the Department of Licensing and State Patrol. State Patrol also reported on a Snohomish County outreach pilot that used troopers and door hangers to contact noncompliant drivers, found many were unaware of financial aid, and identified some drivers as physically unable to drive, without vehicles, or on warrant status. The committee then received a broader traffic safety update showing that serious injuries and fatalities rose sharply in recent years before declining somewhat in 2024; impaired-driving fatalities fell 15% from 2023 to 2024, while pedestrian fatalities remained near record highs. The Traffic Safety Commission also highlighted telematics-based research showing that targeted enforcement and visible patrols can reduce speeding, and that anonymized telematics data is being used to analyze speeding and distracted driving patterns statewide and at the corridor level. Members asked about privacy, enforcement methods, and how the data are used, and staff emphasized that the data are aggregate and opt-in through insurance or similar programs. After waiving five-day notice, the committee held a public hearing on Senate Joint Memorial 8016, which asks Congress and federal agencies to treat the Fairfax Bridge closure and replacement as an emergency and to expedite federal review and remove historic-register barriers. Supporters from Wilkeson, Carbonado, recreation groups, and nearby communities testified that the bridge closure has harmed tourism, emergency response, recreation access, and daily travel. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6230, which would require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five cents in light of the federal penny phaseout; staff said the Department of Licensing fiscal note showed a $186,000 technology cost, and retail and food industry representatives supported the bill but requested amendments for permissive language, safe harbors, consumer protections, and local preemption. In executive session, staff briefed members on several bills and substitutes, including snowmobile registration fee increases, gender designation record confidentiality, salvaged title transfer streamlining, fish-barrier/utility relocation changes, emergency highway work thresholds, a Traffic Safety Commission public-health-authority proposal, special parking privilege renewal changes, parked vehicle registration enforcement, and oil tanker tug-escort requirements. No final votes or bill actions were recorded in the excerpt beyond the motion to waive notice and the completion of the public hearings.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Feb 4th, 2026

Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • My name is Lisa Cahill, and I am the Director of Public Safety Communications.
  • I've served my community, first responders, and citizens for over 30 years.
  • I've served my community, first responders, and citizens for over 30 years.
  • I just want to thank all of you for what you do and what you've done for our community.
  • impact, the removal would impact that community.
Bills: S0302 , S0394 , S0480 , S0546 , S0636 , S0774 , S0796 , S1028 , S1050 , S1066 , S1120 , S1230 , S1288 , S1682
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Session Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am

Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • And I think we all know how important the Eagle Scout program is to scouting and to our communities and
  • Scouts all over Massachusetts performed over 200,000 hours of community service.
  • Scouting provides us with opportunities to get into the community and give back through community service
  • Community service is something that is alive and well in scouting.
  • And notably, and think about this, when it comes to community service, we have 200,098 hours.
Summary: The Senate convened for a ceremonial session centered on the annual scouting report to the Commonwealth and a recognition of April as Public Health Month under state law. The chamber welcomed scouts and adult leaders from across Massachusetts, with Senator Tarr introducing the program and recognizing flag bearers, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law. A keynote address was delivered by Eagle Scout Jimmy Porrier, who highlighted scouting’s role in leadership development, community service, outdoor education, and conservation, and noted his own achievement of earning all 139 merit badges. The annual scouting report, presented by Theodore Borden, summarized statewide scouting participation and service. The report cited 21,469 youth members, 10,236 adult volunteers, 10,461 youth participating in summer activities, 4,467 non-scouts served, 689 Eagle Scouts, 200,098 hours of community service, and 28,406 merit badges earned. Membership figures were also broken down by program, including Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouting, and Exploring. After the report, Senator Collins moved that it be printed in the Senate Journal, and the motion was adopted without objection. The Senate then concluded the ceremonial proceedings, thanked the scouts and organizers, and adjourned to meet again on Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Pro Forma Floor Session Jan 27th, 2026

Washington Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • In fact, I am encouraged by some of the folks in those communities in Germany who have actively taken
  • I don't live in right-wing communities. I live in a predominantly left-wing...
  • I don't live in right-wing communities. I live in a predominantly left-wing community.
  • I'm not going to go through all the other incidents that have happened recently, but our community is
  • So I hope that we can start paying more attention to the needs of our community so that we can truly
Summary: The Senate met in a pro forma session and first suspended Rule 46 so committees could continue meeting during the session. The journal was approved, and the chamber moved through introductions and referrals, including first reading of Senate Bill 6314 and a referral adjustment sending Senate Bill 6321, which would establish the Washington Institute for Scientific Advancement, to the Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. The main floor item was Senate Resolution 8670 recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The resolution recounted the history of the Holocaust, the liberation of Auschwitz, and the ongoing problem of anti-Semitism, including a cited rise in incidents in Washington State. Senator Solomon spoke at length in support, sharing personal family history tied to Nazi persecution and warning about rising anti-Semitism and the need for vigilance, remembrance, and community support. Senator Short also spoke in support, emphasizing responsibility to prevent such atrocities and the value of education and open-mindedness. Senator Hasegawa moved that the sponsor’s remarks be spread across the journal, and the Senate agreed without objection. The resolution was then adopted by voice vote. The President recognized guests from the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Holocaust Center for Humanity in the gallery. The Senate then adjourned until 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
  • . ...to me, and as I initially communicated to her, I have multiple reservations.
  • can get the help that they need, the people in our communities, the children in our communities that
  • They may have limited ability to communicate their name, their address, or their needs.
  • This bill highlights community paramedics and allows our community, under certain protocols from a medical
  • Blood centers such as the community aligns with the National Blood Donor Month.
Summary: The House first established a quorum after introductions of the Freedom of the Road Riders and Warsaw High School students. Members then took up House Bill 1855, a reporting bill on alpha-gal syndrome. The sponsor described the bill as a public health surveillance measure to add alpha-gal to Missouri’s reportable conditions, require lab reporting to the Department of Health and Senior Services, and send aggregated data to the CDC. Supporters said the bill would help identify hotspots, guide education and funding, and address a serious tick-borne condition affecting rural and urban Missourians alike. Opponents raised concerns about cost, false positives/negatives, and privacy, but the sponsor and others said the system would be HIPAA-compliant and de-identified at the federal level. Two amendments to HB 1855 were debated. An amendment changing the department’s follow-up authority from “may” to “shall” was adopted, with supporters arguing that if the legislature funds follow-up, the department should be required to do it. A second amendment creating an opt-in/opt-out consent process for reporting was rejected 41-10 after extensive debate over privacy, data collection, and whether consent would undermine disease surveillance. The House then adopted the House committee substitute for HB 1855 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. The chamber next considered House Bills 2230 and 2978, a revised education measure aimed at reducing screen time in K-5 classrooms and encouraging handwriting and cursive instruction. The sponsor said the bill was based on research linking heavy screen use to poorer educational and behavioral outcomes, and supporters emphasized local control, parent access to screen-time policies, and the need to bring experts together through a state-level focus group. An amendment to exclude virtual school programs was adopted. The House then adopted the committee substitute for HB 2230 and 2978 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. Finally, the House began debate on House Bill 2355, the Food Is Medicine Initiative. The sponsor said the bill would let Missouri use federal funds through 1115 waivers to pilot medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, nutrition counseling, and related interventions to improve health and lower Medicaid costs. Members generally supported the concept, citing food deserts and the benefits of better nutrition, but an amendment adding vitamin therapies and cleanup language prompted concern from one member about supplement quality and regulation; the transcript ends during that amendment discussion.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

03/24/2026 - House Education

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Are you aware, or have you worked with populations or communities in which students lack communities
  • This is bandwidth that teachers need to communicate with the police officers.
  • Or is this beneficial for the parents to be able to receive that communication?
  • What this does is it expounds upon ARS 41-1733, the Interoperable Communication Fund.
  • What this does is it expounds upon ARS 411733, the Interoperable Communication Fund.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

AGR Public Hearing - Wed Feb 18, 2026 @ 9:30 AM HST

Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:17:26.720><c> because</c> really outreach to the community because really outreach to the community
  • Therefore, the the our communities.
  • And at Maloy, it was a community year.
  • And the goal is to feed ourselves and our community.
  • And the goal is to feed ourselves and our community.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

Senate - Judiciary Feb 11th, 2026 at 05:25 pm

Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • This is to ensure continued community involvement.
  • perspectives, and community voice.
  • Youth making a change for themselves in their community.
  • Deserving Life, Community Engagement Center, N.M.
  • YADC…” “Whether it’s in the community or at a facility like YADC, we in the community get to suffer
Bills: SB41 , SB153 , SB165 , SB261 , SB264
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • the Kentucky Community Technical College System<00:03:46.239><c> for</c><00:03:46.560><c> making</c>
  • has been assembled such communication has been assembled such that<00:19:33.440><c> we've</c><00:19:
  • cooperation of this body, the local community, and all the workforce providers.
  • in a wonderful in an amazing community in a wonderful state
  • </c> uh decisions for their communities. uh decisions for their communities.
Summary: The committee met with a quorum to hear a recap of the 2021 special session legislation, Senate Bill 5, and then receive testimony from the Secretary of Economic Development on the Blue Oval SK project and related economic development issues. Staff explained that Senate Bill 5 appropriated five amounts from the budget reserve trust fund for a project tied to a minimum $2 billion investment: $350 million for forgivable loans through the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, $10,639,600 to pay off a Hardin County loan tied to 47 tracts of property, $20 million for Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training grants, $5 million for KCTCS training grants, and $25 million for a KCTCS on-site training center. Staff also noted there were no job-related requirements in the bill itself. The secretary said the Blue Oval SK incentive was structured as a $250 million forgivable loan rather than the state’s usual pay-as-you-go incentives, with clawback provisions tied to jobs, wages, investment, and changes in ownership or operations. He said the project had already exceeded the $2 billion investment threshold, that corporate guarantees were required from SK On and Ford, and that the agreement’s compliance period begins in December 2026 with payments starting in March 2027 and running through 2038. He said the state’s goal after the joint venture dissolution was to protect taxpayers, support affected workers, and preserve future job creation, while also ensuring the money would be repaid if performance targets are not met. Members asked about the workforce impact, the training programs, and whether the jobs targets would be revised. The secretary said the project had about 1,850 workers at the site, with both production and salaried employees affected, and described state-led job fairs, a job portal, and other rapid-response efforts to help displaced workers find new jobs or training. He said Ford had agreed to continue discussions, invest an additional $2 billion in the site for energy storage solutions, and pursue roughly 2,100 new jobs, while the state sought to keep the company accountable for the full repayment obligation if jobs are not created. One senator raised broader concerns about mega-projects displacing small businesses and creating infrastructure burdens in surrounding communities.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

ECD Public Hearing - Fri Jan 30, 2026 @ 10:00 AM HST

Economic Development & Technology

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:39:44.960><c> and</c><00:39:45.280><c> we</c> community statewide since 1959. and we community
  • This is about community trust.
  • Um, community being shipped off island.
  • </c> should be transparent so the community should be transparent so the community understands<00:42:
  • </c> something that we see as a community something that we see as a community issue,<00:54:53.359><c
Bills: HB1629 , HB1630 , HB1631
Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, beginning with HB 1829 on marine affairs. Most testimony was in strong support, with speakers from state agencies, ocean-tech companies, startups, nonprofits, and community groups backing the creation of an Office of Marine Affairs and a marine affairs coordinator under HTDC. Supporters said the measure would better coordinate ocean policy, strengthen the blue economy, and help Hawaii capture jobs, investment, and innovation in marine-related industries. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up HTDC-related measures, including HB 1615 and HB 1613, which also drew broad support from business, technology, and economic development interests. Testifiers said the bills would strengthen Hawaii’s technology and innovation ecosystem, support advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity, and help build a more diversified economy with higher-wage jobs. The committee also heard HB 1607 on public procurement and HB 1772 on small business procurement; state procurement staff and several business groups supported efforts to expand opportunities for local firms, while one speaker from the city’s economic revitalization commission argued that a flat 5% preference could help keep more revenue and jobs in-state. On HB 1636 relating to shopping carts, the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in opposition, saying the bill would penalize businesses for carts that are stolen rather than abandoned and would add costs that could especially burden small and local retailers. HB 1810 on charitable solicitation drew support from Goodwill Hawaii and other nonprofits, who said the bill would improve transparency around donation bins and protect donors from misleading for-profit collection practices; the Attorney General’s office asked for a delayed effective date to allow system changes and staffing. HB 1782 on AI and the protection of minors received broad support from state agencies, educators, and advocacy groups, but some business and retail representatives urged narrowing the definition of covered AI services so ordinary customer-service chatbots would not be swept in. Finally, HB 1759 on theft drew opposition from the Public Defender’s Office, which said the bill could create overly harsh penalties and should include defense representation on any task force; the office also noted existing laws already address conspiracy and related conduct.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • And if I were an advocate for the minority community, which I am, this is damaging to the minority community
  • And if I were an advocate for the minority community, which I am, this is damaging to the minority community
  • And if I were an advocate for the minority community, which I am, this is damaging to the minority community
  • And if I were an advocate for the minority community, which I am, this is damaging to the minority community
  • </c> Serv communities Serv communities policies<00:48:18.520><c> not</c><00:48:18.720><c> shut</c><00
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Postsecondary Education met to consider House Bill 4, relating to postsecondary education. Before taking up the bill, the committee adopted a committee substitute. The substitute removed language creating a private right of action and immunity provisions, added a definition of “indoctrinate,” revised language tied to the Attorney General, and added a new section directing the Auditor of Public Accounts to review compliance every four years. If an institution is found out of compliance, it would have 180 days to cure the issue or become ineligible for formula funding increases in the following fiscal year, with an opportunity to petition the Attorney General. The substitute also added language barring licensing authorities from requiring diversity, equity, and inclusion training as a condition of initial or renewal licensure. Representative Decker presented the bill as an effort to end what she described as unconstitutional DEI practices in Kentucky’s postsecondary system and to refocus colleges on academic instruction, equal opportunity, and affordability. She argued that DEI offices and initiatives have cost taxpayers heavily and have not improved enrollment outcomes for low-income and underrepresented students. Michael Frasier, testifying in support, framed the bill as an equal-protection measure rather than simply an anti-DEI bill, saying it targets preferential treatment and discrimination while exempting traditional civil-rights compliance offices such as Title IX, disability, and other anti-discrimination functions. He also argued that the bill aligns with recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent and that Kentucky should shift toward socioeconomic-based approaches. Several members raised concerns about the bill’s assumptions and effects. Representative Willner questioned the claim that DEI initiatives caused enrollment declines and asked why the state would not make such programs more inclusive instead of eliminating them. Representative Stalker argued that the bill ignored decades of exclusion in higher education and asked what would replace DEI efforts aimed at closing achievement gaps and preventing brain drain. Supporters responded that the bill addresses unconstitutional preferences and that the state should move toward equal treatment and socioeconomic factors rather than race-based criteria. After discussion, the committee substitute was adopted, and the committee continued consideration of House Bill 4.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 3/27/25

Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:03:13.920><c> development</c> organization or a community development organization or a community
  • Find your community and do me a favor: do yourself a service to those community members.
  • </c><01:13:28.440><c> so</c> it's going to hurt our communities so it's going to hurt our communities
  • </c><01:13:43.239><c> that</c> an issue it's always my community that an issue it's always my community
  • </c> appreciative of the open communication appreciative of the open communication and<01:34:46.360><
Bills: HF1538 , HF1965 , HF2251 , HF2838
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Debate on bill to bar transgender athletes from girls sports 3/3/25

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:23:10.360><c> ed</c> Christian Academy or on a community ed Christian Academy or on a community
  • No room for the intersex community.
  • No room for the intersex community.
  • </c><01:28:56.239><c> isn't</c> and thankfully our community isn't and thankfully our community isn't
  • </c> spoken in defense of our communities spoken in defense of our communities here<01:30:35.639><c>
CO

Colorado 2026 Regular Session

Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 076 Mar 31st, 2026

Colorado Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • For more change in their communities.
  • in their community.
  • But I had a developer in one of my communities communities communities got<00:59:52.880><c> uh,</c><00
  • </c> single-family homes in their community. single-family homes in their community.
  • </c> the banking community. the banking community.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

House - Chamber Meeting Oct 1st, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • I know other communities have been ravaged and we've seen loss of life.
  • Speaker, gentlelady, there are rural communities, including Just south of Socorro, communities were working
  • , sort of a border area community.
  • Twelve communities only have public broadcasting.
  • communities, and those communities are facing some of the most tremendous threats from extreme weather
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

FIN Info Briefing - Mon Jan 12, 2026 @ 1:00 PM HST

Hawaii House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> One of them is community trust.
  • They know we will the communities.
  • <00:42:25.680><c> patients</c><00:42:26.640><c> increased</c> community patients increased community
  • Um, as we put people in the community,<01:17:13.679><c> uh,</c> community, uh, community, uh, we<01:17
  • communications, typical normal communications<02:49:45.040><c> to</c><02:49:45.279><c> occur.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 22nd, 2026

Joint Committee on Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • The impact on homeowners and communities is significant.
  • We're community people. We're very local businesses, so we care about these communities.
  • We have 10 communities which have banned the use of all fossil fuels.
  • Crumbling concrete foundations is a serious problem for our communities and our industry.
  • More importantly, we live and work in our communities.
Bills: S3091 , H5477
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Committee on the Census Jun 21st, 2026 at 09:30 am

Senate Committee on the Census

Transcript Highlights:
  • And a lot of that, community, Hispanic Latino community was huge.
  • , to disability communities, to rural areas.
  • Zip codes for some smaller communities are delivered by other communities, causing residents to be counted
  • in the wrong community.
  • units that just weren't even counted in your community.
Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census met on December 8 at 9:32 a.m. to examine the dynamics that drive census undercounts and overcounts, with testimony first from Joseph Salvo and then from Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute. Salvo explained the Census Bureau’s two main evaluation tools: demographic analysis, which uses vital records, migration estimates, and Medicare data to produce a national benchmark, and the post-enumeration survey (PES), which compares a separate sample-based count to the census. He said the 2020 census showed a small national net undercount, but larger age- and race-based disparities, including the highest undercount among children ages 0 to 4, higher undercounts for men, substantial undercounts for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and overcounts among some older and college-age groups. He also described how self-response, non-response follow-up, administrative records, proxy responses, and imputation affected data quality, arguing that proxies and imputation were especially weak and that outreach remains critical for 2030. Committee members asked Salvo to clarify the methods and error bands, the role of international migration estimates, and how the PES differs from the census address list and LUCA. He explained that PES is based on a separate sample of blocks and can add units within sampled blocks, but it does not measure units missed entirely from the original address list; LUCA matters because it improves that list before enumeration. He also discussed age heaping, duplicate responses among older adults, and why group quarters and COVID-related disruptions complicated the 2020 count. Senator Driscoll briefly interrupted to describe Randolph’s successful appeal of its 2020 count after an undercount in disability care homes, and Salvo noted that the post-census group quarters review helped correct some missed facilities. Susan Strait then focused on Massachusetts-specific results. She said Massachusetts’ 2020 count was strong overall, with population growth above the national average and a PES-based finding that the state was overcounted by 2.24 percent, though she emphasized that this did not mean all areas were accurately counted. Using demographic analysis, she said Massachusetts had an estimated 4.15 percent undercount of children ages 0 to 4, with the largest county-level undercounts in Hampden, Suffolk, and Essex, and she linked higher child undercounts to lower educational attainment and female-headed households. Strait also reviewed operational metrics showing that Massachusetts had relatively strong internet self-response, but that non-response follow-up relied heavily on household interviews, administrative records, proxies, and imputation in different counties. She highlighted higher proxy use in college-heavy counties such as Hampshire and Suffolk, and said counties with more minority residents were more likely to have population-count-only cases and other indicators of harder-to-count populations. The hearing ended with discussion of how these findings could inform outreach and census planning for 2030.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • We know how hard it is that once you lose a child care slot in a community, how hard it is to try to
  • Child care services must be included in the funding because we work for the community.
  • If these cuts are not rescinded, the effect on our community will be catastrophic.
  • Child care is essential infrastructure that stabilizes families, communities, and all Californians.
  • It's vital to families, communities, and all Californians.
Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittees on early childhood education heard a broad review of the Governor’s child care and preschool budget proposals, with testimony from the Department of Finance, the Department of Social Services (CDSS), the California Department of Education (CDE), and the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO). The main topics were cost-of-care-plus and COLA adjustments, the California State Preschool Program, child care slot reductions tied to federal and Proposition 64 funding changes, disaster recovery grants for child care facilities, trailer bill proposals on family fees and absences, prospective pay, and several budget change proposals for departmental staffing and licensing. Officials also discussed the state’s transition toward an alternative methodology for setting rates based on the true cost of care. On rate reform, CDSS and CDE said the current reimbursement system remains below the alternative methodology in many counties and that providers continue to struggle with recruitment and retention. The LAO recommended aligning cost-of-care-plus increases across provider types, while CDE urged that any COLA be added to base rates rather than cost-of-care-plus payments because providers view the latter as less ongoing. CDSS said the next alternative methodology update will be developed with a contractor during fiscal year 2026-27, with public engagement and legislative input, and estimated that fully transitioning to rates informed by the methodology would take about 24 months once policy and funding are in place. CDSS also said the direct-service cost of care under the methodology was estimated at about $18.7 billion in a July 2025 report. A major point of contention was the proposed reduction of 4,167 child care slots due to lower federal CCDF funding and reduced Proposition 64 revenue. CDSS said it expects to absorb the reduction through unspent funds and relinquishments so currently enrolled children are not disrupted, while the LAO supported the reduction as a way to avoid worsening the structural deficit. Members strongly objected to the slot cuts, arguing the administration has repeatedly proposed reductions after prior budget agreements and emphasizing the economic and family benefits of child care. The committee also discussed preschool enrollment trends, including growth in three-year-old enrollment and a sharp increase in two-year-olds served under a temporary provision, with CDE warning that the temporary two-year-old authority expires in 2027. The committee also reviewed an $11.5 million Proposition 64 proposal for child care infrastructure grants for facilities impacted by 2025 state disasters, especially the Los Angeles fires, and members asked for trailer bill language to make the funds flexible for repairs, equipment, insurance, and permitting. On trailer bill items, the panel discussed codifying family fee reimbursement rules, defining excessive unexplained absences to allow disenrollment after prolonged nonuse, and expanding temporary provider absences; CDSS said the absence policy is meant to mirror federal CCDF rules, while CDE said it is already pursuing its own rulemaking. The hearing also covered prospective pay, with CDSS and CDE saying they are waiting for final federal guidance before moving ahead; LAO said the state could save ongoing costs if the federal requirement is rescinded. Finally, the committee reviewed staffing and support budget requests for CDSS and other implementation items, and held several items open for further discussion before the May Revision. Public comment overwhelmingly urged full funding for child care slots, true cost-of-care payments, and ongoing support for early education programs and county offices of education.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Legislative Finance Aug 19th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • However, New Mexico has over 800 unreconciled communization agreements.
  • In their community.
  • For communities and families, what is happening locally.
  • The EDI data gives us all a clear community-level picture.
  • And Director of Communications, Sonia Martinez, who's behind all our great communication.