Transcript Highlights:

• By inference, you would imagine Carver County was one of the 10 or more counties involved. any clarity
• So, I imagine there were any number of other ordinances and state laws that were also broken.
• So, I imagine there were any number of other ordinances and state laws that were also broken.
• So, I imagine there were any number of other ordinances and state laws that were also broken.
• had vouched for that information would be handed over to the county attorney's office, and I would imagine

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I can just imagine what a help this would be to Eric if counties had this set up.
• located at our CAP location, and that was actually the most convenient situation that I could have imagined
• /c><01:36:19.679><c> I</c><01:36:19.840><c> could</c><01:36:20.000><c> have</c><01:36:20.480><c> imagined
• </c> um situation that I could have imagined. um situation that I could have imagined.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from the previous meeting, and heard a presentation from Western Kentucky University’s Disaster Science Operations Center. WKU described its multidisciplinary disaster science effort, including meteorology, emergency management, the Kentucky State Climate Center, the Kentucky Mesonet, and the Disaster Science Operations Center, which was created in 2021 and serves as an operational hub for forecasting, emergency planning, crisis management, training, and decision support. Speakers emphasized applied learning, student field work, partnerships with industry and event venues, and a five-year NSF/UK-led research project focused on weather hazards, disaster preparedness, and building a statewide disaster database to improve mitigation and resilience. Members asked about flooding, the relationship to EKU’s program, Tennessee’s capabilities, and the timeline and goals for the research project; WKU said the data collection is underway and that the evidence suggests tornado risk is shifting east and occurring more at night. A WKU graduate student also described the value of hands-on storm-chasing and operational forecasting experience, saying it helped prepare her for work in forecasting and emergency management. Members asked about her motivation for joining the program and about the practical realities of storm chasing. The discussion also touched on whether Kentucky’s tornado risk is shifting east; WKU said the evidence from tornado observations and other studies points in that direction, with added concern about nighttime events and communicating warnings to vulnerable communities. The task force then heard from Amy Shaquinn of the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group, who outlined the county-level recovery process after the 2021 tornadoes. She said Kentucky ranks among the top states for federally declared disasters, has seen a high number of tornadoes in recent years, and also faces major flood risk and earthquake concerns along the New Madrid fault. Shaquinn stressed the distinction between immediate response and long-term recovery, explaining that response covers rescue, cleanup, temporary housing, and short-term assistance, while recovery is the longer effort to restore survivors to safe, sanitary, and secure housing through local long-term recovery groups. She said community-led recovery is essential and that preparedness and mitigation follow once immediate recovery needs are addressed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you imagine that? This little old dude who just wants to go and mow people's lawns.
• </c><01:19:09.920><c> Can</c><01:19:10.159><c> you</c><01:19:10.320><c> imagine</c> he's just an outlaw
• Can you imagine he's just an outlaw. Can you imagine that?
• I was told, imagine for a moment the fear and uncertainty these business owners felt.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tech is poised to transform our lives in ways you cannot imagine, and we must be ready.
• Tech is poised to transform our lives in ways you cannot imagine, and we must be ready.
• transform our lives in ways<00:14:45.240><c> you</c><00:14:45.519><c> cannot</c><00:14:46.399><c> imagine
• and</c><00:14:47.560><c> we</c><00:14:47.720><c> must</c><00:14:48.000><c> be</c> ways you cannot imagine
• and we must be ways you cannot imagine and we must be ready<00:14:49.480><c> finally</c><00:14:49.959

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• She said she was imagining more of a situation where a parent has fentanyl, a kid ingests it, and then
• She suggested expanding on that a little bit more because she would imagine public safety would have
• that might help with that because I I that might help with that because I I would<00:59:04.640><c> imagine
• public</c><00:59:05.359><c> safety</c><00:59:05.760><c> would</c><00:59:06.000><c> have</c> would imagine
• public safety would have would imagine public safety would have uh<00:59:06.799><c> a</c><00:59:07.040

Bills: HF1918 , HF2305 , HF897 , HF2191 , HF2617 , HF2551 , HF2137

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF1918, Department of Children Youth and Families, DCYF, child welfare, foster care, out-of-home placement, permanency planning, relative search, noncustodial parent, kinship care, family preservation, African American Child and Family Well-Being, racial disproportionality, maltreatment reporting, educational neglect, truancy, school attendance, Great Start compensation, child care provider payments, TEACH early childhood program

Transcript Highlights:

• What's happening is often, as you can imagine, there's a lot of movement with body cams.
• what's happening is often times as you what's happening is often times as you can<00:09:07.800><c> imagine
• 08.279><c> a</c><00:09:08.399><c> lot</c><00:09:08.519><c> of</c><00:09:08.640><c> movement</c> can imagine
• there's a lot of movement can imagine there's a lot of movement with<00:09:09.240><c> body</c><00:09
• This information is, as you might imagine, highly sensitive and, if revealed, could place the tenant

Bills: HF1855 , HF102 , HF1082 , HF1354 , HF2184 , HF1792 , HF2296 , HF2429 , HF2543 , HF2566

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: veterans, benefit services, accreditation, consumer protection, civil penalties, disclosure requirements, HF102, Sibley County Road 166, Freedom Drive, Arlington, Sibley County, Minnesota transportation bonds, bonding bill, capital investment, road extension, highway access, intersection improvements, right-of-way acquisition, water main, sewer improvements

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I would imagine any venue that whips up something in an igloo cooler would also have that same issue
• So, I would imagine any venue that whips up something in an igloo cooler would also have that same issue
• that.<01:05:16.400><c> So,</c><01:05:16.799><c> I</c><01:05:17.119><c> would</c><01:05:17.200><c> imagine
• So, I would imagine any venue that that.
• So, I would imagine any venue that whips<01:05:19.520><c> up</c><01:05:20.000><c> something</c><01:05

Bills: HF1392 , HF2233 , HF695 , HF2228 , HF1289

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: consumer protection, restitution, attorney general, consumer enforcement, unclaimed funds, victim compensation, settlement funds, special revenue fund, general fund, restitution account, consumer fraud, state treasury, eligible consumers, distribution of funds, tax subtraction, income tax, refund, unpaid compensation, Minnesota Department of Revenue, consumer redress

Transcript Highlights:

• Imagine being in a medical crisis, confused, afraid, and unable to understand your doctor.
• So imagine how difficult going to the doctor or to a clinic can be for immigrants and refugees coming
• So imagine<01:40:57.920><c> how</c><01:40:58.159><c> difficult</c><01:40:58.639><c> going</c><01:40:58.880
• ><c> to</c><01:40:59.040><c> the</c> imagine how difficult going to the imagine how difficult going to

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Imagine if one person could make the decision to deprive you of liberty. Thank you very much.
• Imagine if one person could make the decision to deprive you of liberty. Thank you very much.
• <00:34:40.919><c> one</c> necessary to have three and not one necessary to have three and not one imagine
• 42.560><c> person</c><00:34:43.040><c> could</c><00:34:43.200><c> make</c><00:34:43.399><c> the</c> imagine
• if one person could make the imagine if one person could make the decision<00:34:44.440><c> to</c><00

Committee: House Health

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Health heard testimony on several bills. On SB 1441, which would repeal the transfer of the Oahu Regional Health Care System from HHSC to the Department of Health, the Department of Health said it strongly supports the measure and requested clarifying amendments. HHSC/Oahu Region also supported the bill and said it had no objection to the department’s amendments. In response to questions, witnesses said the agencies have been working on an MOU to support transfers of long-term care patients to Leahi, with the current goal being about 10 to 15 patients, but transfers would occur only as space and staffing allow; one patient was reportedly being admitted at the time, and the process was described as slow and case-by-case. The committee then heard SB 1443 on payment rates for state hospital patients and related Department of Health services. The hospital administrator said the bill would allow rates above Medicaid for community or foster-home placements if patients cannot be placed at Leahi or elsewhere, and would set Medicaid-level reimbursement for outside medical services used by state hospital patients. He said at least one provider was interested in offering services at that rate and that the population involved is largely non-ambulatory long-term care patients. Members asked about availability and training, and the witness said special training could be provided. SB 1322, a broad mental health bill, drew mixed testimony. The Department of Law Enforcement supported giving crisis-intervention-trained officers more discretion to transport people to medical care instead of arresting them. The Attorney General supported the bill but recommended revisions to emergency-transport language and restoring liability protections. HHSC and Queens Hospital supported the overall goal but sought amendments to preserve the mental health emergency worker role in decision-making and to avoid negative impacts on emergency departments. The Disability Rights Center and ACLU opposed parts of the bill, arguing that it weakens due process, reduces protections in involuntary treatment and transport, and should retain a three-person treatment panel rather than reduce it to one. A Queens representative said the current program works well and reported that more than 90% of MH1 cases once went to hospitals, but that figure has dropped to about 60-70%, with about 20% now diverted to community settings or the behavioral health crisis center. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• section would be you know very I um this section would be you know very I would<00:54:31.079><c> imagine
• 31.520><c> be</c><00:54:31.640><c> a</c><00:54:31.720><c> very</c><00:54:31.920><c> similar</c> would imagine
• it would be a very similar would imagine it would be a very similar application<00:54:33.000><c> procedure
• I mean, I would imagine this is going to be a pretty large tax revenue.
• I mean, I would imagine this is going to be a pretty large tax revenue.

Bills: HF1262 , HF1741 , HF472 , HF1668 , HF2055 , HF1786 , HF1876 , HF1089 , HF1121 , HF509 , HF1545 , HF2027 , HF642

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: food truck, liquor license, temporary license, community events, catering, municipal regulations, food hall, St. Louis Park, on-sale, intoxicating beverages, food vendors, common seating area, HF472, Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato, MSU Mankato, Taylor Center, special liquor license, on-sale wine license, malt liquor license

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you imagine what something's going to be called two or three years from there, and then they're going
• 37.239><c> you</c> right exactly okay that's right can you right exactly okay that's right can you imagine
• 37.840><c> something's</c><01:37:38.199><c> going</c><01:37:38.280><c> to</c><01:37:38.400><c> be</c> imagine
• what something's going to be imagine what something's going to be called<01:37:38.880><c> two</c><01
• I can't imagine that this is going to get signed into law very, very late.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee work session of the Education Policy and Administration Committee focused on House Bill 131 and House Bill 781, which were described as nearly identical bills addressing student cell phone use in schools. Members noted that HB 781 is an early bill and therefore needed committee action by Wednesday, while HB 131 did not face that deadline. The chair and members discussed the bills’ shared goal of requiring school boards to develop and adopt policies on student personal device use, with debate over whether the state should set minimum standards or leave more to local control. A major topic was funding. One member urged the committee to avoid creating an unfunded mandate and asked for some funding support, while others argued it was too early to commit money and that the committee should first establish the policy framework. The governor’s proposed funding was discussed, including a $1 million figure in the budget and a separate $250,000 amount referenced in the bill, but several members said the money would likely be insufficient to cover all students or pouch systems statewide. The committee also reviewed a handout reflecting proposed budget language that would require school boards to adopt policies on personal device use during the school day, with schoolwide implementation and exceptions for medical disability or language proficiency needs, and a DOE-administered grant program. Members spent considerable time on drafting details, especially deadlines and exceptions. They debated whether the bills should require school boards to “develop,” “adopt,” or also “implement” policies, and whether the effective date of the act should also serve as the deadline for school boards. They also discussed whether exceptions for classroom instructional use should be mandatory or merely encouraged, and whether the bills should explicitly include or exclude charter schools. Additional proposed exceptions included IEPs, 504 plans, English learners, and medical needs such as glucose sensors or insulin pumps, with some members suggesting medical issues be certified by a physician. No final vote or formal action was taken in the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:47:23.400><c> didn't</c><00:47:23.599><c> want</c><00:47:23.760><c> to</c><00:47:23.920><c> imagine
• </c><00:47:24.280><c> the</c> um I and I didn't want to imagine the um I and I didn't want to imagine
• So the mandate, like I can't imagine the mandating reporting... good um representing Keeler thank you
• you worry about your children, and I just want you to know I appreciate your testimony, and I can't imagine

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I would imagine there's some IPPs that can come in that aren't impacted by the credit rating, and it's
• recovery on a premium interest rate, they would have to provide some sort of support for that, I would imagine
• 00:23:24.240><c> would</c> sort of um support for that I would sort of um support for that I would imagine
• 26.840><c> to</c><00:23:27.039><c> say</c><00:23:27.200><c> that</c><00:23:27.320><c> they're</c> imagine
• but what's to say that they're imagine but what's to say that they're going<00:23:27.559><c> to</c><

Committee: House Energy & Environmental Protection

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several energy and environmental bills. On HB 974, which would authorize state step-in agreements for certain power purchase agreements and create a trust fund/reserve mechanism, the Attorney General’s office raised concern that the state should not incur liability beyond the trust fund. The Division of Consumer Advocacy said it had comments but did not take a position, while the Public Utilities Commission, Ameresco, Hawaiian Electric, and other industry groups supported the measure, saying it would help developers secure financing for renewable projects and improve reliability. Hawaiian Electric said the bill would not use state funds and that its proposed reserve account would be held in trust and returned to customers if unused. Committee members questioned whether the reserve would raise customer costs; Hawaiian Electric said the amount would be small and would be offset by avoiding higher financing costs, while Consumer Advocacy suggested the language should be strengthened to ensure unused funds are fully returned. The committee then heard HB 338, which would clarify that premium interest-rate adjustments for non-fossil fuel generation are just and reasonable and allow the PUC to include them in rates. DCCA and the State Energy Office supported the bill, and the PUC also supported it. Hawaiian Electric opposed unless amended, arguing the PUC already has discretion and warning the bill could weaken competitive procurement by encouraging higher bids tied to the utility’s credit rating. DCCA said the concern was that developers might not seek the best financing if premium rates are recoverable, but said Hawaiian Electric’s suggested amendment requiring clear and convincing evidence of unavoidable financing-cost increases would help. Members also asked about refinancing and whether developers could later lower debt costs after locking in a premium rate; DCCA said that ability exists and suggested a time limit or review mechanism. For HB 337, which would direct the PUC to establish standards requiring utilities to remove certain fossil-fuel costs from the rate base when adding renewable resources, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Hawaii Clean Power Alliance, and the State Energy Office supported the measure. Hawaiian Electric opposed it, saying it misunderstood utility cost recovery and could threaten grid reliability because fossil plants provide ancillary services such as voltage regulation and balancing, not just energy. Hawaiian Electric pointed to its integrated grid plan and recent fossil-unit retirements as evidence of ongoing transition, and asked the committee to defer the bill and leave oversight to the PUC. The committee also heard HB 879 on cesspool conversions, which would raise the maximum grant from $20,000 to $30,000 and add DOH positions; DHHL, DOH, environmental groups, Hawaii Realtors, and others supported it, while DOH discussed staffing needs and the practical effect of the higher grant cap. The committee also began HB 379 on requiring denitrification capacity for certain wastewater systems near shorelines or groundwater, with DLNR testifying in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Imagine with me: you are 10 years old, waking up in your bedroom.
• Imagine what doors would open for so many families that need tuition... ...individual needs.
• Imagine what doors would open for so many families that need tuition assistance in order to access a
• Imagine how much more we could accomplish if our public schools were better equipped to prepare the next
• But imagine if Texas public schools were among the top 10.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Several senators emphasized support for public education, teacher pay and safety, parental choice, and the combined K-16 jurisdiction of the committee. The chair also reviewed hearing procedures, including public testimony registration and time limits. The main item was Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, laid out by Chairman Creighton. He described the bill as an education savings account program intended to expand school choice, with a $200 million universal eligibility pool and an additional $800 million targeted to students with disabilities and lower-income families. He said the bill includes anti-fraud safeguards, criminal background checks for vendors, reporting requirements, data protections, and annual testing for participating students, while not imposing STAAR on private schools or homeschoolers. He also said the bill removes a prior hold-harmless provision for public schools and is separate from public school funding and teacher pay legislation. Members questioned the bill’s income threshold, lottery and priority structure, treatment of homeschoolers, microschools, charter schools, religious freedom protections, citizenship/lawful presence language, cybersecurity, open records, and disability-related issues, including whether 504 students and foster children should be included. Creighton said the bill is designed to prioritize former public school students with disabilities or lower incomes, while also allowing universal eligibility within the program’s first funding tier, and that the Comptroller would oversee vendor screening and cybersecurity rules. He said the bill does not direct curriculum or interfere with religious beliefs and that amendments may be offered later on citizenship and other issues. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, starting with EdChoice representative Robert Inlow, who testified in support of SB 2 and cited national growth in school choice programs and studies he said show positive effects for students and public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you can imagine what that does to the cost of health care when we fly a patient from Two Harbors
• patient<00:53:50.319><c> and</c><00:53:50.480><c> you</c><00:53:50.559><c> can</c><00:53:50.720><c> imagine
• </c><00:53:51.040><c> what</c><00:53:51.160><c> that</c> patient and you can imagine what that patient
• and you can imagine what that does<00:53:51.440><c> to</c><00:53:51.599><c> the</c><00:53:51.720><c>
• There is no ambulance, and so you can imagine the challenges that that presents.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And it probably doesn't look like what you imagine a landfill looks like.
• here that we can pass around if you folks would like to look at it. doesn't look like uh what you uh imagine
• doesn't look like uh what you uh imagine a<00:15:35.800><c> landfill</c><00:15:36.680><c> looks</c><
• But I imagine it still contains quite a lot of toxins.
• But I imagine it still contains quite a lot of toxins.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before the Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Chair Nicole Lowen and other legislators opened the meeting by framing the issue as important statewide and encouraging recycling, composting, and proper use of the curbside bins. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, led by Director Roger Babcock and Deputy Director Mike O’Keefe, then presented the background and siting process. ENV explained the legal and technical constraints that shaped the search, including the 2019 Land Use Commission decision requiring closure of Waimanalo Gulch by March 2, 2028, and the 2020 Act 73 restrictions on landfill siting near residences, schools, hospitals, conservation districts, airports, and tsunami inundation areas. They said a landfill advisory committee reviewed six candidate sites in 2021-2022 and rejected them because they fell within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. After further evaluation and an extension of the naming deadline, the city selected a site in central Oahu near Wahiawa, on agricultural land currently used as a Dole pineapple field. City officials said the selected site was chosen as the best of the evaluated options and, in their view, could be permitted under state and federal law. They described planned environmental protections, including a modern sanitary landfill design with double liners, leachate collection systems, monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring, and said the existing Waimanalo Gulch landfill has operated for 35 years without leachate leaks. They also emphasized that the site would still require a special use permit, Department of Health approvals, an environmental impact statement, and other public permitting processes, and that public engagement would continue over the next several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're the most intelligent animal—you can't even imagine.
• from the time they are delivered, it kills you to see them treated like this by a predator, to just imagine
• from the time they are delivered, it kills you to see them treated like this by a predator, to just imagine

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from University of Idaho representatives on the university’s land-grant mission and its role in federalism, followed by detailed overviews of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Natural Resources. Speakers described the Morrill, Hatch, and Smith-Lever Acts, the university’s history, and examples of research, extension, and workforce training in agriculture, engineering, law, forestry, fire science, and youth programs such as 4-H. They highlighted facilities and programs including research stations, the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, the deep soil ecotron, the Wildland Fire Center, the experimental forest, and the policy analysis group, while also noting the impact of federal and state funding delays and cuts on staffing and research capacity. Committee members asked about several current issues, including quagga mussels, screw worm, chronic wasting disease, and the effects of funding cuts. University officials said they were not actively researching some of those wildlife and livestock disease issues but were willing to help if capacity and funding allowed. They also said budget reductions had caused real losses, including layoffs and reduced programs, and that federal grant delays had disrupted research timelines. The committee also raised questions about conflicts of interest and university employees’ outside work; the university said it has annual conflict-of-interest and conflict-of-commitment training and review procedures. The committee then heard from Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse and the Idaho Sheriffs Association on the federal 287(g) immigration partnership program. Hulse argued that participation should remain voluntary and locally controlled, describing the different 287(g) models, the training and liability concerns, and the distinction between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. He said Idaho agencies already cooperate with ICE in other ways and that mandatory participation could create staffing, legal, and community-trust problems. Members asked about costs, liability, detention standards, and whether deputies lose local control under task force arrangements; Hulse said the answer depends on the specific model and operation, and he emphasized the need for local discretion. Later, the committee took testimony on the long-running bighorn sheep and domestic sheep conflict affecting western Idaho grazing allotments. Idaho Wool Growers representatives and affected ranchers described the history of state legislation, federal litigation, and the closure of grazing areas after bighorn sheep transplants, which they said cut livestock operations in half and caused major financial and personal hardship. They argued that the state and federal agencies had not lived up to assurances that permittees would be held harmless, and they urged continued attention to the issue. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, some of them are quite easy to pass, I would imagine.
• becoming a mom, I've tried even harder to give my daughter a plastic-free babyhood, which, as you can imagine
• I'm also... ...as you can imagine, is also extremely difficult.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a heavily attended hybrid hearing focused primarily on plastics reduction bills, along with a few local and related waste-management measures. Chair Rauch and Chair Barber outlined strict testimony rules because of the large number of speakers. Before the plastics docket, the committee heard support for a local Sharon sewer-extension bill for a Sunrise Senior Living project, and the bill’s proponents said the project would help address senior housing needs and would still require MWRA and local approvals. The chairs also noted a separate local matter involving Sharon and the MWRA. A major portion of the hearing centered on the Plastics Reduction Act and related bills addressing single-use plastics, including plastic bags, polystyrene, black plastic, plastic beverage bottles, non-flushable wipes, skip-the-stuff provisions, and truth-in-labeling. Sponsors and supporters said the bills would reduce litter, microplastics, greenhouse gas emissions, and municipal waste costs, while creating statewide consistency and supporting environmental justice communities. Several speakers cited local bans already adopted by many Massachusetts cities and towns, and many urged the committee to advance comprehensive statewide action. The committee also heard testimony on a boat wrap recycling bill, a mattress recycling bill, and a bill to prohibit hotels from providing small plastic toiletries. Municipal officials and waste professionals supported extended producer responsibility for paint and labeling for non-flushable wipes, saying these measures would shift costs away from cities and towns and reduce strain on wastewater systems. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, Mayor Ruth Ann Fuller of Newton, and a Franklin County waste official all backed paint EPR and wipes labeling. Fire Chief Brian Nardelli testified for the Fire Chiefs Association in support of lithium-ion battery legislation, citing fire safety and disposal concerns. Other speakers, including environmental groups, local activists, and business representatives, supported bag and polystyrene bans, though the Retailers Association of Massachusetts urged any bag policy to be truly statewide and said any bag fee should be retained by retailers. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1970s when all— Well, what that is: Facility Planning was created in the 1970s when all—if you could imagine
• And then for this year, because we were funded, and as you can imagine, And then for this year, because
• we were funded, and as you can imagine, when you're building out a huge infrastructure system like this

Summary: The committee met for an informational hearing focused largely on the state capital outlay process and House Bill 2. Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration/Facility Planning and Control described how the office prepares and administers the capital outlay bill, said the bill has grown substantially over five years, and argued that recent changes in culture, staffing, project management, cash-flow analysis, and use of third-party support have more than doubled project expenditures and improved delivery. Members asked about the use and cost of third-party project managers, delegation of smaller projects to agencies, hiring difficulties, and whether the changes represented better interpretation of existing law versus statutory changes. Husser said some statutes were amended, some internal customs were removed, and the office would provide a list of those changes. He also explained that the office is trying to move away from overly rigid practices and toward faster project completion while still following public-bid and oversight rules. A major portion of the discussion centered on the size and structure of the capital outlay bill, especially the gap between Priority 1 cash capacity and the much larger Priority 5 backlog. Husser said the current annual Priority 1 limit is tied to construction inflation and is about $574 million, with additional surplus funds also available, but that the bill contains far more Priority 5 funding than can realistically move in a five-year plan. He and members discussed dormant projects, scope creep, legacy projects that have sat in the bill for years, and the problem of false expectations for non-state entities. Proposed solutions included limiting Priority 5 to five times Priority 1, requiring annual re-endorsement by members, setting district or project caps for non-state projects, requiring time limits and reporting for grant-like non-state projects, placing matches in escrow, requiring design readiness before submission, and consolidating the many existing reporting requirements into one clearer report. Members also discussed bundling multiple projects under one agency project, which the House had begun piloting for LSU, UL Lafayette, Southern, and DOTD, and which Husser said could improve flexibility, reduce overappropriation, and better reflect actual spending. Baker then explained cash-flow management and the commitment process, saying FPC now analyzes projects annually to estimate what can actually be spent in the next fiscal year and uses commitments to allow projects to proceed when future-year funding is expected. He said overappropriations can result from poor cash-flow estimates, delays, dormant projects, or projects coming in under budget, and that the office is already reworking cash-flow assumptions and reappropriating savings where possible. Members also raised concerns about change orders and low bids; staff said project managers review change orders closely, require concurrence on non-state projects, and sometimes reduce scope to keep projects within budget. After FPC’s presentation, the committee heard the beginning of Louisiana Economic Development’s capital outlay discussion, where LED explained that its projects generally fall into three categories, including the Economic Development Awards Program and Site Readiness Program, both used to support targeted economic development and job creation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, what that is, so Facility Planning was created in the 1970s when all—if you could imagine the time
• And then for this year, because we were funded, and as you could imagine, And then for this year, because
• we were funded, and as you can imagine, when you're building out a huge infrastructure system like this

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: 965, house, all