Transcript Highlights:

• I think right now it's dependent. It's dependent on the actual agency employee sometimes.
• And obviously, I would say it depends on what the firearm is, or if that group thinks it's excessive.
• It really depends on the policy of each one of these contract agencies and what they decide the information
• Depending on what the liability is, if it was a patient care lawsuit, something along those lines, yes
• There are very different, radically different costs of expenses depending on where in the state you are

Bills: HB660, HB4845, HB3902, HB5396, HB4615, HB1825, HB1403, HB4336, HB4585, HB4371, HB863, SB1589, HB5223, HB3195, HB2734

Keywords: child protective services, adult protective services, caseload limits, call processing goals, child-care licensing, employee workload, reporting requirements, employee caseload limits, protective services, workload management, accountability, Department of Family and Protective Services, employee goals, call processing, child care, human resources, government accountability, Medicaid, provider enrollment, revalidation

Transcript Highlights:

• Right, so depending on the perpetrator and the other matches, if none of the other matches chose to go
• However, that can change and fluctuate depending on the year, as the training can differentiate a little
• So really it can depend upon...
• So really it can depend upon the facilitator, it can depend upon the vignettes and the discussion from

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think it depends on not feasible. So I think it depends on the<00:28:38.240><c> topic.
• </c> &gt;&gt; 13, 15 depends on the project. &gt;&gt; 13, 15 depends on the project.
• Actually, it simply depends education.
• </c> same answer, which is it depends, right? same answer, which is it depends, right?
• And and the answer is it depends, okay. And and the answer is it depends, right?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the October 15 minutes and a brief discussion of the committee’s report process, including the likelihood of a minority report and a deadline of November 1 for any separate report. Members then heard from Jod Adams of the New Hampshire Alliance for Public Charter Schools, who gave an overview of charter schools in the state: there are 37 charter schools, with 6,034 students last year, and schools are formed by certified teachers, parents, or nonprofit organizations. She said charter schools receive about $9,180 per pupil in adequacy aid and charter school grant funding, must fundraise for additional money, and are governed by their own boards under their charters and bylaws. Members asked about admissions, governance, transportation, and special education. Adams said charter schools are open enrollment, not geographically based, and may use lotteries when applications exceed available seats. She explained that districts and charter schools coordinate on special education and busing, with the sending district responsible for special education coordination and certain transportation obligations depending on where the student lives and attends. She also said charter schools are public schools, not selective, and that each school’s board operates independently of the local district school board, though some schools may have special arrangements. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on funding and statutory obligations. Adams and members discussed how special education aid follows the student, while charter schools do not receive some district-level aid such as catastrophic aid; free and reduced lunch funding and Title funds can go to charter schools. Members also raised concerns that some state laws and administrative rules do not clearly specify whether they apply to charter schools, creating confusion and, in some cases, causing districts to perform services such as dyslexia screening for charter students without additional funding. Adams agreed that clearer statutory language would help and noted that charter schools are subject to many state requirements, including testing and reporting, even though not every public-school rule applies to them.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it would depend on... Yeah, okay. Now I remember.
• So it's going to be dependent on the sub recipients to do what they need to do.
• So it's going to be dependent on the sub recipients to do what they need to do.
• So it's going to be dependent on the sub recipients to do what they need to do.
• It depends on their level of care.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• 2024, if you filed a separate return and were married filing separate, or if you were claimed as a dependent
• number of children you have, and then the income at which the credit is fully phased out varies depending
• on another return uh the as a dependent on another return uh the child<00:03:14.799><c> credit</c><00
• on how many phased out varies depending on how many kids<00:04:20.560><c> you</c><00:04:20.680><c> have
• on what's going on with their depending on what's going on with their infrastructure<00:54:01.640><c

Bills: HF2254, HF2302, HF2502, HF2315, HF2475, HF2086

Keywords: HF2254, Minnesota child credit, baby bonus, child tax credit, income tax, individual income tax, tax relief, newborn, birth credit, family tax credit, tax refund, advance payment, Department of Revenue, taxable year, parenting, families with children, child credit, state regulations, families, taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• claim for the dependent, then the dependent is committing blatant voter fraud.
• </c><01:04:44.079><c> will</c> assumption that the dependent will assumption that the dependent will
• c> is</c> for the dependent then the dependent is for the dependent then the dependent is committing<
• </c> does goes on to state that dependent does goes on to state that dependent students<01:06:58.520>
• </c><04:29:34.560><c> on</c> the terms of citizens united depend on the terms of citizens united depend

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because lead variability in water depends on vibration, chemistry, pH, variability in water depends on
• And it ranges depending on where you are, what your drinking sources were.
• It depends on the system, it depends on the type of contaminant, it depends on the length of the contamination
• Our water really depends on it.
• We that depend on it daily.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered a broad set of environmental and water-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on blue economy and circular economy proposals, drought management, drinking water safety, flood resilience, and water infrastructure funding. Supporters of bills such as H. 987 and H. 988 described grant programs for blue economy workforce development, research, small businesses, and public education about a circular economy. Other speakers backed measures on coastal erosion research, recreational boating dredging, cranberry water-right transfers, sand mining oversight, and a voucher program for home water filtration in PFAS-impacted communities. Several elected officials and advocates also urged passage of bills to require private well testing, improve school drinking water safety, and address sand mining pollution and PFAS contamination. Water supply and drought issues drew extensive testimony. Senator Eldridge and others supported legislation to let the state, through DEP and the drought management task force, impose regional water-use restrictions during droughts and make the task force permanent in statute. Advocates from watershed groups, farms, and environmental organizations said the current town-by-town approach is inconsistent and ineffective, and they described drought impacts on rivers, farms, private wells, and wildfire risk. A related bill on private wells was supported as a way to help homeowners test and remediate contaminated wells, especially in rural areas without public water. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to allow the Lynnfield Water District to join the MWRA, with local officials saying the move would help address PFAS and other contamination and improve supply reliability. Another major panel supported a water infrastructure funding bill, arguing that aging drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems need major new investment, including support for PFAS treatment, sewer rate relief, biosolids research, and regional interconnections. Members asked about costs, funding sources, and the relationship to existing revolving loan funds; witnesses said the bill would need to be paired with future bond funding and new revenue ideas. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs repeatedly invited written testimony and noted the large number of speakers.

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes dependent special districts, independent special districts, MSTUs, etc.
• And the capacity really depends on, again, not only their cash flow, what is coming in, but also how
• So we're giving small businesses a slightly slower... ...services that small businesses depend on.
• So county by county, that number changes, right, depending on the county.
• There's only five dependent fire districts in the entire state.

Summary: The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, the proposed constitutional amendment on property tax relief, which would reduce assessment growth on non-homestead property, expand homestead exemptions, create a new exemption for new homesteaders, and direct counties, cities, and school districts to use property tax revenues for specified core services. Senator Avila presented the measure as the governor’s plan to provide historic relief and argued that local governments should tighten budgets and prioritize core functions. Senators raised concerns about the lack of fiscal scoring, the breadth and ambiguity of the permitted uses, the effect on special districts and local services, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes. The committee adopted several amendments, including Avila’s amendment clarifying that ad valorem revenues could be used for county and municipal operations and administration and other expenditures not prohibited by law, and Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal. Other amendments failed, including proposals to allow user fees and non-ad valorem assessments, add a sunset, redirect tourism development taxes, narrow the small-business provision, and change the ballot title to reference local service reductions. Grall’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund requirement was adopted, while the committee also rejected Berman’s title-change amendment and Smith’s sunset and tourism-tax amendments. The committee then returned to the bill as amended for questions, including extended debate over whether the proposal would affect noncitizen residents, the impact on local government finances, and whether local governments would respond with higher fees or special assessments. The meeting ended with the bill still under discussion after the final round of questions, with Avila saying he would continue working with the governor’s office on the language before the next vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• It depends. It depends. We work closely with them.
• It depends. It depends. We work closely with them.
• It depends. Okay. We'll wait for the email. All right. No, I'm not sure. Oops, wrong way again.
• You'll see a little bit of crack cocaine, depending on that. Followed by marijuana and fentanyl.
• You'll see a little bit of crack cocaine depending on the circuit.

Summary: The committee met to review the Attorney General’s budget and related agency operations, beginning with Legislative Council staff walking members through compliance reports and a blue-sheet base budget document. Staff highlighted current-biennium items such as FTE changes, one-time appropriations, litigation funding, opioid settlement receipts, continuing appropriations, and major special and federal funds. Members asked for clarification on items including the Missing Indigenous People Grant Fund, the Internet Crimes Investigation Fund, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit grant funding. Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness then gave an overview of the office’s structure, staffing, and budget pressures. She emphasized the office’s broad statutory duties, the value of its legal services to state and local government, and concerns about attorney pay lagging behind other agencies. Members discussed whether attorney compensation should be benchmarked more consistently across state government and whether some legal work could be consolidated within the AG’s office. Ness also addressed questions about AG opinion turnaround times, boards-and-commissions training, the new-and-vacant FTE pool, operating expense cuts, office leases, and the state’s criminal justice information systems. The crime lab presentation drew significant attention. Director Jennifer Penner described severe space, safety, and infrastructure problems at the current lab, including cramped work areas, glycol leaks, outdated fire and burglar alarms, air-handling limits, and equipment failures that have delayed toxicology work. She said the 2024 study projected a much larger facility would be needed and that the preferred location would be near the current health department site, but in a new building. Members asked about possible evidence risks, backlog status, and whether the proposed building would solve the current problems; Penner said it would and noted backlogs have improved overall, though some delays remain. The committee also heard from the new Medicaid Fraud Control Unit director, who described the unit’s civil and criminal work, federal-state funding split, and examples of fraud such as billing for services not provided or upcoding. The gaming division reported continued growth in charitable gaming and e-tabs, with members expressing concern about large trust-account balances, site competition, and possible misuse of proceeds. Finally, BCI outlined its caseload, cybercrime work, missing Indigenous persons task force, and the surge in CSAM cyber tips; members asked about AI-generated CSAM, and the AG’s office noted that last session’s law increased penalties and expressly allowed AI-generated CSAM to be prosecuted like other CSAM. No formal votes or actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• First is that the shift to self-enumeration made the Census Bureau increasingly dependent on state and
• So essentially the shift to self-enumeration makes the Bureau more dependent on the knowledge and social
• essentially over the last 50 years, state and local governments and the Census Bureau become more dependent
• So it depends which of the demographic characteristics you're focusing on.
• There are parts of the 1040 form that ask for a relationship of dependents, and so you may be able to

Summary: The hearing focused on census data privacy, administrative data sharing, and the role of state and local governments in improving census accuracy, especially for the 2030 census. Dr. Philip Rocco testified first, arguing that the census is increasingly intergovernmental and that state and local investments in address list work, outreach, and complete count commissions can materially improve self-response and reduce undercounts. He emphasized that hard-to-count communities are most affected when states delay planning, politicize census work, or lack capacity, and he pointed to examples such as LUCA participation, outreach funding, and group quarters review as important tools. He also warned that recent federal actions and a broader climate of distrust could threaten 2030 operations, and urged Massachusetts to begin readiness planning now. Members then questioned Dr. Rocco about the use of administrative data such as DMV, TANF, SNAP, and WIC records, and about group quarters enumeration. He explained that those data-sharing efforts were voluntary agreements with the Census Bureau, unlike group quarters data, which are often provided by facility administrators and sometimes state agencies. He said the Trump-era effort to use DMV and other records was tied to Executive Order 13880 and was widely resisted because states had confidentiality and legal concerns, and because the stated purpose appeared to shift toward citizenship-related uses. On group quarters, he described e-response, paper response, in-person enumeration, and administrator-provided directory information, noting that privacy issues arise mainly from FERPA limits on university data and from missing demographic details in administrative records. A second panel, Beth Giroz and Amy O'Hara, then explained how administrative data are used by the Census Bureau and why data quality and privacy concerns matter. They described administrative data as records collected for operational purposes, useful for frame-building, nonresponse follow-up, enumeration, and post-enumeration evaluation, but often incomplete or mismatched on key census variables such as race, ethnicity, household relationships, and residence timing. They highlighted that some sources, like IRS, Medicare, USPS, SSA, and Bureau of Prisons records, are especially valuable, while others such as SNAP, TANF, WIC, Medicaid, CHIP, foster care, and driver’s license data vary in completeness and sharing. They stressed that privacy means collecting only what is needed, and that the Bureau typically uses limited header or roster data rather than full records. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing, and the committee recessed briefly before continuing testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, right now, there are a certain amount of slots available depending on the age a provider can
• Importantly, implementation is entirely optional and dependent on local capacity.
• Importantly, implementation is entirely optional and dependent on local capacity.
• Dependency courts are being asked to make reunification decisions.
• Access to due process and quality legal defense should not depend on income or zip code.

Summary: The committee first adopted a 4-0 consent calendar for SB 1345, SB 1410, and SB 1421. It then heard SB 1200 on child care, which would redefine infant and toddler age categories so providers could count 18- to 24-month-olds as toddlers without changing ratios. The author and family child care providers said the bill would better reflect child development, improve reimbursement, increase capacity, and help keep family child care businesses open; there was no opposition, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. The committee next approved SB 971, a permissive framework for counties to offer senior education and technology training through local public health systems and community partners. Supporters said it would help older adults with digital literacy, fraud awareness, health, and social connection, while remaining optional and locally tailored. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 4-0 to the floor. The committee also passed SB 1234, which requires fentanyl to be included in court-ordered drug testing in dependency cases when drug testing is already ordered. The author, an angel family member, and a sheriff’s office witness described child deaths and fentanyl exposure risks; the bill passed 4-0 to the floor. SB 1109, dealing with oversight of short-term residential therapeutic programs in small rural counties, drew substantial testimony. Supporters from Alpine County argued that two facilities there strain local emergency response and that annual review should be triggered by repeated serious citations or placement in counties lacking basic infrastructure. Opponents said the bill was too broad and could destabilize needed placement capacity. After discussion, the author accepted committee amendments, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations as amended. The committee also passed SB 961, which would notify financial aid applicants that they may be eligible for CalFresh; students and advocates said it would reduce food insecurity and improve college success, with no opposition, and it passed 4-0 to Appropriations. Later, SB 1099, clarifying local governments’ authority to provide state or local public benefits to all residents under federal PRWORA exemptions, was heard and supported by local government attorneys; it was held on call after a 2-0 roll. SB 1190, creating licensing and safety rules for youth transport companies used in out-of-state residential placements, was supported by survivors and advocacy groups, with some support-if-amended testimony; it passed 4-0 to the Public Safety Committee. Finally, SB 1325, a narrow San Diego County measure to allow Feeding San Diego to participate in Cal Food under specific conditions, drew support from the author and Feeding San Diego but opposition from the California Association of Food Banks, which argued it would shift limited resources and add administrative burden. The transcript ends during committee discussion on SB 1325, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Each bill sponsor handler is given four minutes depending on the presentation.
• Each bill sponsor handler is given four minutes, depending on the presenter. Let's see here.
• It could be, but for reasons that, you know, are not going to be impacted depending on whether you choose
• If we want to continue down the path where your constituents have low, dependable rates, we need to stay
• “Service that our customers currently depend on.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But, um, so we may, you know, have to make adjustments depending on what the revenue forecast looks like
• We are somewhat dependent on the provider billing us quickly, uh, so that is sometimes the barrier.
• Lastly, their average, I'm sorry, their area median income has to be at or below 60% depending on the
• What these folks receive is depending on the rent and what their eligibility is, between 6 and 9 months
• It just depends on. Some of their addiction issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, they are very dependent on the supply chain from Vietnam and they probably are really worried
• They are very dependent on it. And that's part of why we have this huge trade deficit.
• of U.S. product dependent. on this.
• It will it will depend on the tariff rate.
• We're dangerously dependent on imports from other countries.

Keywords: tariffs, Trump administration, economy, public testimony, trade policy, market access, export controls

Summary: The meeting focused on various significant topics concerning the recent tariff policies and their wide-ranging implications on the American economy. Members expressed their concerns regarding the negative impact of increased tariffs as proposed by the Trump administration, with specific emphasis on how families might suffer from higher costs and market access issues. The discussion was lively, with members questioning the clarity of the tariff plan and raising concerns about its potential effects on small businesses and American exports.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it really depends upon the knowledge of the mother's hepatitis B status.
• It completely depends on what the drug is.
• It depends on what the risk is from the disease. It depends on what the benefit from the drug is.
• It depends on what the... 20 trusted studies? What's your number?
• on the rest of the world—more dependent on ourselves.

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, that'll vary as we go along depending on the subject and the sense of the bills.
• So again, that'll vary as we go along depending on the subject and the sense of the bills.
• So again, that'll vary as we go along depending on the subject and the sense of the bills.
• So again, that'll vary as we go along depending on the subject and the sense of the bills.
• So don't think because a bill... along depending on the subject and the along depending on the subject

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> programs have different costs depending programs have different costs depending on<00:39:21.200>
• </c><00:41:34.400><c> on</c> pro- programs and it also depends on pro- programs and it also depends on
• I mean, I guess it depends on how it's written.
• </c> depending on programming evolution. depending on programming evolution.
• </c><01:55:09.080><c> on</c> happening there and it would depend on happening there and it would depend

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It depends what materials they're using. It depends on their maintenance schedule, etc.
• You know, the levels depend on maybe they had a recent project.
• Different doctrines apply and laws apply depending upon the use.
• Of course, that's weather dependent.
• Of course, that's water, weather dependent.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and heard updates from Department of Water Resources Director Reese Haas and Lieutenant Governor/State Water Commission Chair Michelle Strinden on statewide water funding, major projects, and two legislative studies requested in House Bill 1020. Haas reviewed the status of the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, noting NAWS construction is expected to move water by fall and Southwest’s Hebron-Rugby expansion phase one is in final design with bids expected next month. He also summarized the department’s budget outlook, including Resources Trust Fund and Water Project Stabilization Fund balances, the effect of oil price volatility and stripper well exemptions on revenues, and the status of project buckets, carryover, lines of credit, regionalization, bid trends, and administrative/process updates. Committee members asked about project prioritization, municipal funding demand, maintenance expectations, replacement versus deferred maintenance, and whether the 2025 session may have underfunded municipal water supply needs. Haas said the commission uses the same high/medium/low prioritization process across all buckets, reviews maintenance plans as part of policy, and is seeing strong demand in the municipal bucket. He also explained that the department’s 14-year projection is based on the next seven legislative sessions and that the state faces a projected $1.3 billion shortfall over that period if all planned projects are funded under current assumptions. Deloitte then presented draft findings from the cost-share policy study and the governance/finance study. For cost share, Deloitte said the model shows a roughly $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years and about $1.8 billion through 2031 under current policy, and offered seven options including tighter eligibility for replacement projects, state funding caps for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, a priority-based cost-share scale, timing shifts, use of existing lines of credit, and delayed reimbursement timing. For governance, Deloitte outlined draft options for Southwest, NAWS, and Red River ranging from maintaining current structures with stronger planning to transferring ownership or adding formal oversight, and recommended broader use of performance metrics, long-term financial planning, and clearer decision trees. No votes or formal actions were taken; the commission discussed the scenarios and the studies will return in revised form later in the spring.

Transcript Highlights:

• Depending on how my fight with my counterpart in Arizona is going.
• The agency still depends fairly significantly on the trust funds.
• But it really depends on the basin.
• It seems to me we're sort of dependent on precipitation patterns.
• You can have deep surveys or shallow surveys, depending on what you do.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you're online or in person, you can kind of shift back and forth depending if there's an issue
• So if you're online or in person, you can kind of shift back and forth depending if there's an issue
• And it depends on the the placing that.
• And it depends on the the general<00:42:22.880><c> speed</c><00:42:23.040><c> of</c><00:42:23.200><c>
• </c><01:07:49.359><c> on</c> have the same need and can, depending on have the same need and can, depending

Keywords: 1187, senate, all