Transcript Highlights:

• strongly advocate for a community compounder position moving forward to fill this obvious knowledge deficit
• strongly advocate for a community compound or position moving forward to fill this obvious knowledge deficit
• Due to the board's enforcement actions in 2020, there has been a significant reduction in 503A sterile
• glutathione represents the most promising solution we have found in my entire career for cancer risk reduction

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate business committees held a sunset review hearing on the California State Board of Pharmacy, with board leadership describing the board’s consumer-protection role and its priorities around access, enforcement, and updating pharmacy law. The board emphasized a proposed shift toward a standard-of-care model for pharmacists, arguing it would reduce rigid protocol requirements and improve access to services such as HIV PrEP/PEP, contraception, and naloxone. Board representatives also discussed pharmacy deserts, possible fee waivers for pharmacies in underserved areas, concerns about payer practices contributing to closures, continuing education audits, and a request to restore more flexibility in licensure decisions and probationary monitoring for applicants with certain criminal histories. A major focus of the hearing was the board’s ongoing compounding regulations, especially the treatment of sterile versus nonsterile compounding and substances such as glutathione and methylcobalamin. The board said the proposal was not a ban on those substances and described the rulemaking as grounded in federal law, USP standards, and public comment, noting the process had gone through multiple modified texts and hearings. Testimony from stakeholders was sharply divided: pharmacists, veterinarians, firefighters, naturopathic doctors, and patient advocates warned the rules were restricting access to compounded medications and harming patients and first responders, while the California Medical Association, psychiatric physicians, and PhRMA raised concerns that the board’s proposals could expand pharmacist authority beyond training, affect physician practice, or create safety risks. Other public comments addressed pharmacy technician ratios, remote processing, flavoring medications, hospital-specific regulation, budget and enforcement transparency, and whether the board should add members with community compounding or pharmacy technician expertise. Committee members also asked about the board’s oversight priorities and the rationale for its standard-of-care proposal. Board staff explained that consumer protection includes education, licensing, policy, and enforcement, with the highest-priority enforcement cases being those posing imminent public harm. After public testimony concluded, the chairs thanked participants and adjourned the sunset review hearing, announcing an immediate transition to the joint informational hearing on the Department of Cannabis Control.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a responsible way to help address the forecasted budget deficit in that biennium.
• <00:26:58.320> When<00:26:58.559> this deficit in that bienium.
• When this deficit in that bienium.
• <00:36:47.520> We<00:36:47.839> need miles traveled reduction goals.
• We need miles traveled reduction goals.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Commissioner Willie Jett: I also want to address the proposed reductions at the top of this point of
• Commissioner Willie Jett: I also want to address the proposed reductions at the top of this point of
• Commissioner Willie Jett: The budget proposes reductions to Q comp, special education transportation
• You can see in fiscal year 26 it's a $71 million reduction, and then 18.4 in fiscal 27, 172 in fiscal
• budget um so uh the would the reduction budget um so uh the would the reduction in<01:42:41.679>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We did some reallocations and reductions in three different pots of money.
• We did some reallocations and reductions in three different pots of money.
• Because I was around when we had a five- or six-billion-dollar deficit.
• I was on the ed finance deficit.
• $30 million in in reductions. $30 million in in reductions.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:24.079> of<00:10:24.200> the<00:10:24.320> new the operating deficits
• of the new the operating deficits of the new underwriting<00:10:25.079> policies<00:10:25.519
• That remaining 6% of profit needs to cover your monthly principal reduction and any long-term capital
• and any long-term principal reduction and any long-term Capital<00:18:49.480> Improvements<00
• I don't know how they went into a deficit, but just another thought, and so I appreciate all this.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Before that happened, the governor could spend, could deficit spend at the Florida Division of Emergency
• We were allowed to deficit spend, and we, We were allowed to deficit spend, and we, to your point, or
• And that was before this bill, which allows, for lack of a better term, deficit spending.
• For lack of a better term, deficit spending, the governor has a lot of broad-based authority and can
• And Section A, the very first one, says reduction of vulnerability of people and communities of this

Bills: S7040, S0110, S0434, S0856

Keywords: property assessment, wind damage, home improvements, real estate, tax exemption, Florida statutes, ad valorem taxes, property listings, tax estimation, disclosure, Florida, residential property

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up three property-tax related bills before turning to a broader discussion of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund. SB 434, which would prohibit counties from increasing a residential property’s assessed value because the owner installed wind mitigation measures, was presented by Senator Lee and reported favorably. CS for SB 110, which clarifies that holders of 98-year-or-longer residential leases remain eligible for the homestead exemption even if the lease ends at death, was also reported favorably. SB 856, requiring online residential listing platforms to display estimated property taxes using prescribed calculation methods and not the current owner’s tax bill, drew support from property appraisers, Zillow representatives, and others and was reported favorably after questions about transparency and realtor obligations. The committee then considered SPB 7040, which would recreate and extend the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund through December 31, 2027. Senator DiCeglie and Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie argued the fund is needed for hurricane response, other natural and man-made emergencies, and reimbursement-based spending; they said the extension preserves legislative oversight that would otherwise lapse. Several senators questioned the use of the fund for immigration-related operations, detention facilities, and other non-disaster activities, as well as the lack of additional guardrails, reimbursement timing, and transparency. Guthrie said the division has used the fund for hurricanes, flooding, civil unrest, security operations, and other incidents, and that some reimbursements are still pending from the federal government. Public testimony on SPB 7040 was largely opposed. Speakers from the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Florida for All, and others argued the fund has been repurposed for immigration enforcement and detention-related spending rather than true emergencies, and raised concerns about deaths in detention and the absence of competitive bidding and oversight. Guthrie answered extensive questions about the South Florida and North Florida detention facilities, Operation Vigilant Sentry, State Guard support, reimbursement requests, equipment purchases, and legislative access to facilities. The committee did not take a final vote on SPB 7040 within the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• To balance our budget, we considered scenarios which included drastic reductions.
• Senate Bill 867 requires the total... ...amount of rent reduction below the prevailing market rent for
• The 'but for' is rent reduction.
• They wouldn't do it but for the need for rent reduction, and they have done that very well.
• This is a 20% rate reduction in a county that has grown 20% since 2020.

Bills: SB467, SB325, SB867, SB994, SB1052, SB1237, SB1449, SB1531, SB2063, SB2172, SB2173, SB2520, SB2529, SB2538, SB2541, SJR46, SJR84

Keywords: SB 467, Texas property tax, ad valorem tax, homestead exemption, residence homestead, fire damage, house fire, destroyed home, temporary tax relief, appraisal district, chief appraiser, local taxing unit, tax rollback, tax refund, Tax Code Chapter 11, prorated exemption, homestead improvement, disaster relief, property tax exemption, residential property

Transcript Highlights:

• It's for deficit gap funding.
• It's it's for deficit<00:21:02.960> gap<00:21:03.360> funding.
• <00:21:04.159> So<00:21:04.320> this<00:21:04.559> isn't deficit gap funding
• So this isn't deficit gap funding.
• There's the UDub reduction.

Bills: SF0032, SF0010, SF0001, HB0001

Keywords: 911 services, emergency response, grant funding, next generation technology, government accountability, public safety, mental health, detention, competency evaluation, treatment, contractual agreements, Wyoming, budget, funding, education, wildfire prevention, healthcare, community colleges, grants, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• surplus that lapse does occur and then a surplus that lapse does occur and then a surplus deficit
• statement you'll see in an deficit statement you'll see in an example<00:40:27.880> later<00:
• You may have heard during the governor's budget hearings the impact of a 4% reduction or 2% reduction
• We don't know the exact number, but we have heard agencies are putting together additional reductions
• What was behind some of the decisions, you know, just so the public may see a reduction of $100,000,

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee met for an organizational opening session in which the chair, Ken Weyler, called the committee to order and members introduced themselves. The introductions established the committee’s leadership and membership, including Vice Chair Dan McGuire, ranking member Mary Jane Wallner, deputy ranking member Karen Eil, clerk Jerry Griffin, and other members from both parties. Many members briefly described prior legislative service and professional backgrounds, with several noting prior experience on Finance or related budget committees. Chair Weyler then outlined committee procedures and expectations. He emphasized that Finance handles spending bills and fiscal notes, that bills will generally be heard by the full committee and then referred to the appropriate division, and that executive sessions may be used to save time when positions are clear. He reviewed rules on attendance, dress, phones, paperwork handling, committee replacements, conflict of interest and recusal, and the process for testimony, including that members should listen without debating witnesses and that sponsors of bills must recuse themselves from questioning witnesses on their own bills. He also described the committee’s structure and workload, noting three divisions and the role of legislative budget staff. Weyler said the committee would likely see bills from many policy committees that have fiscal impacts, and he encouraged policy committees to find offsets within their own areas rather than assume new spending will be added. No bills were heard and no votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, uh, we did move in appropriations a roughly $400,000 general fund reduction and a reduction
• reduction and a reduction<00:55:05.359> in<00:55:05.599> staffing<00:55:06.000> by
• <00:55:07.760> I<00:55:08.000> ask reduction in staffing by 3.3 FTE.
• I ask reduction in staffing by 3.3 FTE.
• Senate to create a $ 1.5 billion deficit Senate to create a $ 1.5 billion deficit along<01:16:26.239

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and heard several announcements about committee schedules and Capitol events, including Faith and Justice Lobby Day, Agriculture Week activities, and a tribute presentation for Sergeant Benjamin Pennington. The tribute honored Pennington’s Army service, his time at Fort Carson, and his death from injuries sustained in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base; he was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant. A member also offered remarks recognizing the sacrifice of service members, and taps was played. The chamber then took up third reading and final passage on multiple bills. Senate Bill 39, concerning Fire and Police Pension Association disability and survivor benefits, passed 63-1. House Bill 1311, regarding use of a bond in lieu of retainage in construction contracts, passed 55-1 after a brief explanation of support from a member. House Bill 1184, continuing the Colorado Forest Health Council, passed 50-1; House Bill 1305, on inpatient behavioral health access, passed 64-0; and House Bill 1234, on access to child abuse or neglect records, passed 64-0. Senate Bill 50, requiring certain child care center policy disclosures to caregivers, passed 56-8. Senate Bill 84, preserving privileges for certain state entities in connection with information provided to the state auditor and fraud hotline duties, passed 42-12. House Bill 1186, continuing regulation of bail bonding agents by the Division of Insurance, passed 61-13. House Bill 1181, continuing the Barber and Cosmetologist Act, passed 51-13 after a member requested removal of their name as a co-sponsor. The House also moved Senate Bill 21 back to the general orders calendar and set several bills as special orders. In the House Special Committee on Legislative Interim Activities, House Bill 1331 was heard; the appropriations committee report was adopted after members noted a roughly $400,000 general fund reduction and a 3.3 FTE staffing reduction. The bill itself would suspend 10 interim committees, repeal two committees, and limit travel and per diem reimbursements to help address the budget gap. Supporters said the measure was similar to last year’s bill and encouraged continued policy work outside formal interim committees, while opponents argued that some committees, especially those related to water, behavioral health, and youth, should be preserved and questioned the prioritization of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council and related costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, overall, this bill will increase the federal deficit by $3.4 trillion over the next 10 years.
• Uh most of that deficit increase comes through the extension uh and uh andor passage of new tax cuts
• > increase<00:04:49.919> comes of of that deficit increase comes of of that deficit increase
• <00:08:23.680> may<00:08:24.479> limit reduction in SNAP eligibility may limit reduction
• It's a $20 billion trade deficit that we have with seafood, over $20 billion a year.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 0:00:00 Approval of Minutes: 0:01:45 Federal Education Updates 0:02:12 Dual Credit Updates: 0:43:38 Kentucky State University's Doctoral Program Request: 01:27:08 Postsecondary Accreditation: 1:49:05 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations: 2:14:48 Adjournment 2:16:31, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the previous meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Austin Reid of the National Conference of State Legislatures on education-related provisions in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). Reid said the law is projected to increase the federal deficit over 10 years, with major savings coming from Medicaid, student loan changes, and SNAP. He focused on how those changes could affect schools, including possible effects on free and reduced-price meal certification, state funding formulas that use SNAP as a proxy for low-income status, and Medicaid-funded school services for students with disabilities. Reid also outlined the new federal scholarship tax credit, which gives a dollar-for-dollar credit for donations to qualifying scholarship-granting organizations. He said families up to 300% of area median income may benefit, the program begins in 2027, and states must opt in and designate eligible organizations. He noted unresolved questions about whether states can add their own criteria and said Treasury regulations will be important. He also described the expansion of 529 plans to cover more K-12 and postsecondary expenses. On higher education, Reid explained a new workforce Pell grant option for short-term programs, with states and governors playing a role in determining eligible programs. He said the programs must meet placement, completion, and earnings measures and that implementation is expected to be tight before the July 1, 2026 effective date. He also reviewed student loan changes, including lower institutional loan limits, prorated borrowing for part-time enrollment, new caps on graduate and Parent PLUS loans, and a new earnings-based accountability standard that could make some programs ineligible for student loans if graduates earn too little. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• care and custody of our agency for the provision of treatment services, we've seen nearly a 70% reduction
• or almost 80% reduction in those numbers, going from almost 10,000 kids a year committed to our agency
• to $19 an hour, you can already see just in that one year time period from fiscal year '22 the reductions
• Period from fiscal year '22, the reductions we started to have in those vacancies within our system,
• We definitely have to address this year, and it's contemplated in there the deficit associated with the

Summary: The Justice Budget Committee heard detailed presentations from the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections on staffing, services, and budget needs. DJJ Secretary Hall emphasized that the agency’s main public safety strategy is education, along with prevention and recidivism reduction. He described major staffing improvements after pay increases for probation, detention, residential care, and prevention workers, and outlined DJJ’s mental health, aftercare, and education continuum, including the Florida Scholars Academy and Florida Youth College. He said the new statewide education model is showing early gains in progress monitoring, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment, while also noting ongoing operational issues such as IT connectivity, rural staffing gaps, and the need for geographic pay adjustments for teachers. He also discussed detention center replacement plans in Hillsborough, Broward, and Palm Beach, and said DJJ would transition the Broward JAC to a security contractor after the sheriff’s office pulls sworn officers from the site. Members asked about campus performance differences, teacher pay, detention education quality, and concerns about the rollout and leadership of the Scholars Academy. Hall said some campuses face rural access and infrastructure problems, but the blended learning model provides continuity when internet or staffing issues arise. He defended the superintendent’s qualifications and said early problems with inappropriate online content were addressed. Representative Porras raised concerns about educational quality and the superintendent’s past disciplinary history, while Representative Barrera urged more mentorship and fatherhood-focused programming in juvenile facilities. DOC Secretary Dixon said the prison system is under pressure from rising inmate populations, staffing shortages, and overtime costs. He argued that the system needs funded posts for every functioning housing unit, noting that the department has added housing units without enough staff and now relies heavily on overtime, mobile officer deployments, and shift conversions to keep facilities operating safely. He highlighted that many officers are new, that outside-hospital transports have risen sharply, and that mental health units require additional staffing. DOC’s mental health chief described a large and growing treatment system with outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient, and court-ordered services, saying about a quarter of the prison population has a diagnosed mental illness. Community corrections staff described treatment programs, employment specialists, mobile probation and reentry units, and a new mental health first aid training initiative. Reentry staff reported expanded substance abuse, education, CTE, chaplaincy, and digital learning programs, including Edovo and a forthcoming Work Bay platform. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• County, where, you know, a medium-sized county, the effects of they're already dealing with a budget deficit
• California Association of Veterans Service Agencies, thanking the committee for the rejection of the reduction
• on Item 118, the reduction of the resources for behavioral health advocacy contracts.
• California Association of Veterans Service agencies, thanking the committee for the rejection of the reduction
• on item number 118, the reduction of the resources for behavioral health advocacy contracts.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Human Services held its final hearing on the budget, with the chair framing the Senate’s plan as a counterproposal that rejected major cuts and preserved revenues. Public comment was overwhelmingly supportive of the subcommittee’s actions, with advocates, counties, providers, and community groups thanking members for rejecting or delaying proposed cuts to Medi-Cal asset limits, immigrant coverage and premiums, IHSS, PACE, APS, behavioral health advocacy and innovation grants, mobile crisis services, and certain dental and provider payment reductions. Speakers also urged additional funding or trailer bill changes for county eligibility work, public hospitals, indigent care, CalFresh outreach and food benefits, child care slots and COLAs, legal services for immigrants, and long-term services and supports. A major theme was the Senate’s “Be Home Soon” proposal, which many disability, aging, home care, and health care organizations praised as a way to shift care from institutions to home- and community-based settings. Testimony also supported restoring or maintaining funding for behavioral health programs, including 988/mobile crisis infrastructure, community advocacy contracts, and Title IV-E workforce funding. Several county and provider groups asked the committee to consider alternative proposals related to H.R. 1 impacts, Medi-Cal coverage losses, and county indigent care costs, while others requested continued work on public hospital support, CFAP expansion, and implementation details for child care and IHSS. The subcommittee then took three votes on grouped budget items. The first consent block, covering a large set of items, passed 3-0. The second block passed 2-1, with Senator Grove voting no. The final block passed 3-0. The hearing concluded with the chair stating the subcommittee had done its part and adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:00.240> in would put the state into deficit in would put the state into deficit in
• This has an estimated revenue reduction of 365.9 million in fiscal 27 and a re-estimated revenue reduction
• of 365.9 million in fiscal 27 reduction of 365.9 million in fiscal 27 and and and a<00:20:54.960>
• re<00:20:55.280> estimated<00:20:55.840> revenue<00:20:56.159> reduction<00
• :20:56.559> of a re estimated revenue reduction of a re estimated revenue reduction of 197.3<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3524 and House File 3525 and laid both over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill, with no amendments adopted and no vote taken at this stage. HF 3524 would conform Minnesota law to the federal overtime tax deduction, and HF 3525 would conform to the federal tip-income deduction. The author argued both bills would help workers keep more of their earnings, simplify tax filing, support labor-force participation, and provide relief to workers in hospitality, trades, health care, and other industries. The committee heard testimony in support from a restaurant owner, Sandra Weiss of the Finnish Beastro in St. Paul, who said the bills would help tipped workers keep more of their income and would support hospitality businesses. She described her staff as roughly half men and half women, including students and long-term employees, and said front-of-house tipped workers and back-of-house workers face different pay levels. She also said Minnesota’s tip rules and lack of a tip credit create challenges for the industry. During questioning, members discussed wage disparities, the makeup of her workforce, and the practical effects of the proposals. Opposition testimony came from Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project and Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota, both of whom argued the bills are regressive, poorly targeted, and costly. They said the deductions would mainly benefit higher earners, violate horizontal equity by treating similar incomes differently, and could encourage compensation restructuring. They also warned the combined cost would exceed $500 million over the 2028-29 biennium and could pressure funding for health care, education, and other public services. Mark Havenman of the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence similarly criticized the bills on tax fairness and administrative grounds, noting the federal tip deduction framework is still under development and could create enforcement issues. Nonpartisan staff provided revenue estimates showing HF 3524 would reduce general fund revenue by about $365.9 million in fiscal 2027 and HF 3525 by about $126 million in fiscal 2027, with smaller ongoing impacts in later years. Members also raised questions about how the bills would be paid for and what income would qualify under the overtime deduction.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I I think burden reduction.
• in the reduction of them?
• in the reduction of them?
• So you uh presented reductions.
• So you uh presented presented presented reductions. reductions. reductions.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So as part of the enacted 2024 budget, and in order to solve a $47 billion deficit, there was a permanent
• reduction of $1.5 billion to reflect the elimination of vacant positions and a 7.95 percent reduction
• This $1 million reduction is a permanent ongoing reduction.
• Any reduction in funding for our programs will have a direct impact on California's low-income households

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had to do a 16 million dollar reduction in our budget without any real notification during that time
• I know it's it looked forward to the next year or where they just functioning in a deficit because it
• long-range fiscal outlook, the next slide, you will see that the newly adopted outlook shows a funding deficit
• It will be incredibly important with projected out your deficits to remember going into the 2026 session

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor's recommendation for DCYF includes cancellations or reductions in state federal fiscal year
• However, one of the difficult decisions made to address the impending budget deficit is to reduce funding
• With the budget deficit, it does make it difficult.
• I have moved to the point of we have a deficit, and I'm pro-STICS.

Bills: HF2436, HF470, HF2643, HF2456, HF102, HF1367

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, early education, scholarships, funding, children, families, Minnesota education, child care licensing, family child care, child care center, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, correction order, conditional license, fix-it ticket, documented technical assistance, license suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, do you have a goal or outcome from this reduction?
• So any reduction that we make in it, as we continue the series of reductions that we have made in the
• the series of reductions that continue the series of reductions that we<00:04:32.720> have<00
• <00:42:33.119> I'm bridge the gap left by this deficit.
• I'm bridge the gap left by this deficit.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in coverage and droing reductions in coverage and droing coverage<00:23:48.679> altogether<00
• start to hits I when the big deficits start to hits I just<00:43:05.599> want<00:43:05.720>
• But none of us like the billion and a half reduction in this part here, which is a comparable if you
• But none of us like the billion and a half reduction in this part here, which is a comparable if you
• that is not going to be useful. ...half reduction in this part here, which is a comparable if you take

Keywords: 1187, senate, all