Video & Transcript : 'budget reform' :
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NM
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the Deputy Budget Director of the State Budget Division at DFA.
- And I'm wondering why it's in PED's budget instead of CYFD's budget? Mr.
- Chair, the legislation is reforming the reform fund. Okay. Very good. Thank you all. Thank you.
- How do we budget for those?
- I told him that I'm trying to budget and lay out a sound budget.
Committee:
Senate Senate Finance
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- need to make a correction from a statement I made yesterday in that I have always heard Governor's budgets
- So with that being said, we're not going to hear the governor's budget until some things change, because
- we can't go forward with the governor's budget when they can't get us numbers.
- </c> for a hearing on the governor's budget for a hearing on the governor's budget so<00:00:59.399><c
- </c><00:33:31.240><c> that</c> to the governor's proposed budget that to the governor's proposed budget
Committee:
House Taxes
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- The Florida Tax and Budget Reform Commission, which meets every 20 years, is convening next year.
- We do have a constitutional mechanism, and I would recommend the Tax and Budget Reform Commission deal
- The Tax and Budget Reform Commission should deal with this in its entirety so that it is uniform.
- put money in the budget to research what this type of property tax reform might do to our state, and
- That last year, we actually put money in the budget to research what this type of property tax reform
Committee:
Senate Appropriations
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.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Investments and Pensions Oversight Nov 5th, 2025
Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- And that reform is working. Is working.
- Little towns, little places that don't have big budgets.
- A budget and a bar is a budget change; where did you borrow that money from?
- To have it introduced because it is a budget bill in a sense.
- It's a budget issue.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session - Part 2 - 05/13/26
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- House File 1141, a bill for an act relating to housing, establishing a supplemental budget for the Minnesota
- For the budget items, rather than just $50 million in housing infrastructure bonds like my original bill
- </c> funding bridge until next year's budget funding bridge until next year's budget session,<00:03:42.160
- </c><00:04:16.239><c> for</c> oversight and accountability reforms for oversight and accountability reforms
- </c> secure meaningful budget-neutral secure meaningful budget-neutral investments<00:22:07.800><c> that
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Appropriations Jun 1st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The Florida Tax and Budget Reform Commission, which meets every 20 years, is convening next year.
- We do have a constitutional mechanism, and I would recommend the Tax and Budget Reform Commission deal
- And this is, I've been through two Taxation and Budget Reform Commissions, two Constitutional Revision
- That last year, we actually put money in the budget to research what this type of property tax reform
- If that's needed, I'm sure that Budget and Tax Reform Commission can look that up, and we'll deal with
Summary:
The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce property taxes by lowering assessment caps on non-homestead property, expanding homestead exemptions over time, and allowing local governments to increase exemptions further. The sponsor argued the measure would provide broad property tax relief while requiring revenues to be directed to core services such as public safety, education, infrastructure, and natural resource projects, with a trust fund intended to help local governments transition. Senators raised concerns about the lack of a fiscal score, the effect on counties, cities, school districts, and special districts, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes.
Several amendments were debated. Senator Polsky’s amendment to explicitly authorize user fees and non-ad valorem assessments to offset lost property tax revenue failed. Senator Avila’s amendment broadening permissible uses of ad valorem revenue to include county constitutional officers and other expenditures approved by local governing bodies was adopted after debate over whether the bill would otherwise underfund essential functions. Senator Smith’s sunset amendment, which would have made the constitutional changes expire after five years, failed. Senator Smith’s amendment to allow tourism development tax revenue to support public safety and education also failed. Senator Graal’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund language was adopted, with supporters arguing the Constitution should not promise an unfunded account.
Additional late-file amendments were considered. Senator Berman’s proposal to change the ballot title to more neutrally describe the measure as affecting property taxes and local community service reductions failed. Senator Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal was adopted, preserving school taxes. Senator Smith’s amendment narrowing the non-homestead assessment cap reduction to small businesses only failed. The committee then returned to the bill as amended and continued questioning the sponsor about eligibility, fiscal impacts, and whether the proposal could lead to local governments offsetting lost revenue through special assessments or other charges.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Mar 3rd, 2026
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions
Transcript Highlights:
- A lot of us supported public records reform.
- And I was proud to support that reform legislation back then.
- To vote on bills, to vote on budgets, to work on things like that.
- the public record reform bill that we're trying to pass on the ballot.
- So which budget records are you seeking?
Bills:
H5004
Keywords:
public records, public records law, transparency, open government, government accountability, legislature, general court, governor's office, executive records, legislative records, constituent communications, policy drafts, deliberative process, freedom of information, FOIA, records access, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 66, Chapter 4, veterans services records, initiative petition
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education Feb 12th, 2026
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education
Transcript Highlights:
- The next opportunity for us to roll out our budget will be next week.
- I chaired commerce, civil justice, and regulatory reform.
- I've been a national leader in education reform for two decades.
- I've been a national leader in education reform for two decades.
- I drove policy reforms. I authored technical guidance.
Summary:
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education opened by noting it would not present its budget that day, explaining the budget rollout would be delayed until the following week to align with House partners and Senate notice requirements. After a roll call confirmed a quorum, the chair explained that because of the large number of gubernatorial appointments, the committee would hear only a subset individually and consider reappointments in a block unless members requested otherwise.
The committee then heard testimony from appointees and reappointees to several university boards. Florida A&M University nominees Roderick Harris, Victor Young, and Rafael Vasquez emphasized service to their alma mater, support for leadership, student success, entrepreneurship, scholarships, and maintaining FAMU’s status as a leading HBCU. Florida Atlantic University appointees Linda Stock and Thomas Mersh highlighted FAU’s growth, R1 research designation, quantum computing, servant leadership, entrepreneurship, and expanded research opportunities. University of Central Florida reappointee Alex Martins focused on UCF’s preeminence, workforce needs, nursing and engineering, and keeping graduates in Florida.
Florida Gulf Coast University nominees James Gris-Mall, Douglas Van Orte, Robert Rommel, Sarah Partial Perry, and reappointee Joseph Fogg discussed workforce development, affordability, student success, water and environmental programs, business and entrepreneurship, nursing outcomes, and FGCU’s regional role. University of South Florida reappointee Rogan Donnelly cited USF’s AAU status, research growth, and focus on student success, health care, cybersecurity, and AI. Committee members generally praised each nominee’s background and the universities’ achievements. At the end of the hearing, the committee approved all nominees in a single block vote for confirmation and then adjourned.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee and Senate Environmental Quality Committee Aug 11th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- This has provoked calls for reform and more thoughtful oversight of pesticide use.
- Reform also addressed various inefficiencies and deficits that the department faced.
- I am with California Surpassive Reform.
- DPR has additional resources and has put internal reforms in place.
- And we need DPR reform.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- They can balance the budget that way, and they certainly will, even with a balanced budget.
- The more credible path to fiscal discipline lies in statutory reforms, enforceable spending caps, budget
- budget process reforms, and politically accountable, political accountability for deficit spending,
- We have this budget.
- We have this budget.
Committee:
Senate Judiciary and Rules
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- But I do think a lot of the reforms in this health care budget reconciliation bill will go a long way
- reason that I'm supporting this budget. ...in this budget package.
- Members, let's be clear about this budget. This budget is a partisan budget.
- This is a budget for the young. This is a budget for the old.
- She did not think we could pass tax reform. She did not think we could balance the budget.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Local Government (2-18-25) - Reupload
Transcript Highlights:
- We have done a lot of work on classification reform over the last several years, and we left some things
- out of classification reform that were more controversial, like taxing authority, some alcohol-related
- We have done a lot of work on classification reform over the last several years.
- The budget in the city of Goan has not been updated since 2021.
- But you're correct, the budget, the financial statement, we cut back greatly over the years.
Summary:
The committee met with a quorum and considered four bills. House Bill 131, sponsored by Representative Meredith, was amended with a committee substitute and would allow former second class city fire departments more scheduling flexibility, including hybrid shift patterns, while preserving existing collective bargaining agreements. There was no opposition or questions, and the committee adopted the substitute and passed the bill favorably by voice/roll call vote.
House Bill 256, sponsored by Chairman Flannery, would impose a 40-year statutory limit on root-of-title interests to clear dormant title issues and improve marketable title, while excluding coal and mineral interests. A committee substitute was adopted, and the bill passed favorably on a unanimous roll call. House Bill 290, sponsored by Representative Wilson, would update county law library funding/use rules to allow more modern expenditures such as online legal services; Representative Willner supported it as a useful modernization, and the bill also passed favorably on a unanimous roll call.
House Bill 368, sponsored by Representative Decker, would expand local governments’ ability to use online public notice alternatives instead of relying solely on newspaper publication in smaller counties. Supporters from local government groups argued the change would save money, improve efficiency, and still keep the public informed, while the Kentucky Press Association cautioned that website standards should be addressed and noted concerns about losing newspaper notice revenue. After discussion, the committee passed the bill favorably by roll call vote. At the end of the meeting, members recorded additional yes votes for HB 131, HB 256, and HB 290, and the committee adjourned.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- That is not a household budget.
- They deserve reform where reform is needed. But this bill is not reform. This bill is a gamble.
- Reform. It's a question mark.
- We have seen local budgets, local government budgets soar.
- Our voters are facing higher Local budgets, local government budgets are soaring.
Summary:
The Senate took up Committee Substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 2F, a proposed constitutional amendment on property tax reform. The measure would increase the homestead exemption in stages, lower the assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, and limit county and municipal ad valorem tax revenues to specified uses such as public safety, education, infrastructure, natural resources, debt service, employee benefits, and certain administrative costs. Supporters, led by Senator Avila, argued the proposal would provide meaningful property tax relief and push local governments to rein in spending, while opponents warned it would shift costs to fees, reduce local flexibility, and threaten funding for core services.
Several amendments were offered and rejected. Senator Sharief proposed an income-based circuit breaker for property tax relief; Senator Smith offered a sunset clause; and Senator Berman proposed revising the ballot statement to better match the amended proposal and remove outdated references. Each amendment failed on recorded votes. During questioning and debate, senators pressed Avila on the ballot language, the effect on local services, whether the legislature could later restrict local spending by statute, and whether renters would benefit. Avila said the ballot language was not his and repeatedly stated he was presenting the governor’s proposal, while also saying local governments would need to prioritize budgets and that future legislatures could address implementation details.
After the amendment votes, the joint resolution was read a third time and moved into final debate. Supporters said the proposal would give homeowners relief and force fiscal discipline at the local level. Opponents, including Senators Nathan, Bracey Davis, Smith, Polsky, and Errington, argued the measure was rushed, lacked a completed fiscal analysis or replacement revenue, and could harm police, fire, libraries, parks, housing, and other local services. They also criticized the ballot summary as misleading, especially regarding the staged homestead exemption increase. The transcript ends during debate, before any final vote on the joint resolution itself.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- Budget is $115.
- That is not a household budget.
- They deserve reform where reform is needed. But this bill is not reform.
- We have seen local budgets, local government budgets soar. Our voters are facing higher...
- Seeing local budgets and local government budgets soar, our voters are facing higher prices.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Ways and Means (02/19/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:29:10.159><c> and</c> eroding you know overall our budget and eroding you know overall our budget
- </c> address uh our budget address uh our budget and<00:54:52.720><c> my</c><00:54:52.960><c> colleague
- So what would happen if we did a bad tax reform?
- So what would happen if we did a bad tax reform?
- So what would happen if we did a bad tax reform?
Summary:
The committee first met in a revenue estimate work session to approve an LSR codifying the committee’s revenue estimates. Members reviewed the process for turning the LSR into a House Resolution and discussed how the adopted estimates would be used to amend House Bill 1. After a brief question-and-answer about current revenue splits and the governor’s proposed video lottery and tax-split changes, the committee voted 19-0 to approve the revenue estimates.
The committee then moved into executive session on HB 669, which would require all revenue from the statewide education property tax to be deposited into the education trust fund and set an equalized statewide tax rate. Supporters argued the bill would better direct education funding, while opponents said it was unnecessary or duplicative. The committee voted 12-7 to retain the bill (ITL), and a minority report was noted.
Next, the committee considered HB 290, which would raise cigarette and electronic cigarette taxes and create a study committee on tobacco and nicotine taxes. Testimony focused on revenue needs, inflation, public health, and concerns that a higher tax could reduce sales or drive purchases across state lines. The committee voted 11-8 to ITL the bill, with a minority report. The committee also ITL’d HB 402, dealing with whether Education Freedom Account payments are taxable income, after debate over unintended consequences and whether the bill’s language was misleading; that vote was 11-8 with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened HB 483, and Representative Tierney moved ITL, arguing the bill’s requirement that the scholarship organization be incorporated in New Hampshire would likely violate the Commerce Clause; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that bill.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:09:49.959><c> deficit</c> are all aware of the budget deficit are all aware of the budget deficit
- </c> look to reform look to reform this<00:25:26.600><c> now</c><00:25:27.000><c> I</c><00:25:27.200>
- What I would say is that this is really a presentation about the state budget, not our budget.
- budget.
- This is a presentation about Minnesota's budget, not my organization's budget. Mr. Clay, thank you.
Committee:
House Ways and Means
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine the nominations of Elise Stefanik, of New York, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador, and the Representative of the United States of America in the Jan 21st, 2025
Foreign Relations Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- We pay 22% of the regular budget, and we pay 25% of the peacekeeping budget.
- To increase the efficacy of U.N. programs, we must drive reform.
- We've talked about these reforms.
- Reforming is about improving over the long term.
- Important levers to wield authority to bring about reform?
Committee:
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
House of Representitives Mar 9th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- They should guide our budget as well.
- This budget keeps that promise.
- At $46.9 billion, this budget is smaller than last year's $50 billion budget.
- The legislature acted, consolidated, and reformed the system, but many of those reforms have been undone
- Consolidated and reformed the system, but many of those reforms have been undone.
Summary:
The House convened with a quorum, received and accepted multiple resignation notices from members representing Districts 37, 39, 60, 69, 97, and 100, and then recognized the election and qualification of the members-elect who filled those vacancies: Doyle Boudreau, Reese Broussard, Chasity Verrett-Martinez, and Edwin Murray. Each member-elect was sworn in, and the House also appointed committees to notify the Senate and the governor that it was ready to conduct business for the 2026 regular session.
The chamber then handled a large number of procedural actions related to prefiled legislation. By motion and without objection, the House suspended rules to refer prefile bills to committee and introduced a broad slate of House bills and resolutions. Topics included the state budget and appropriations, retirement system changes, carbon capture and sequestration, criminal justice and bail, public safety, education, health care, local government matters, transportation, and several memorial or commemorative resolutions. Several resolutions and bills were noted as lying over, and some prefiled bills were withdrawn from the files.
The House also received a Senate message that SCR 1 had been adopted, and the resolution was taken up without objection. The chamber then recessed for a joint session with the Senate to hear the governor’s address and a presentation honoring Technical Sergeant Adam W. Brister with the Distinguished Flying Cross. In his remarks, Governor Jeff Landry highlighted his administration’s priorities, including education, tax reform, workforce development, health and nutrition, insurance reform, transportation infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and criminal justice reform, while urging support for his agenda and several related bills and constitutional amendments.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Investments and Pensions Oversight Jul 18th, 2025
Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Finally, the first round of pension reform was passed in 2013.
- The reform was significant, but we... ...realized it wasn't quite enough.
- So in 2020, Pension Reform 2.0, in the form of Senate Bill 72, was also passed.
- As far as our budget, we run on an operating budget of about $411.1 million. $406.7 million of that pays
- I think our current budget is $4.11 million.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee and Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee Feb 11th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- While California's pending budget deficit and the balancing budget requirement, it's important to better
- And the key thing, again, about this reform are two, actually.
- And the key thing, again, about this reform are two, actually.
- And the key thing, again, about this reform are two, actually.
- I'm a Senior Policy Fellow at the California Budget and Policy Center.