Transcript Highlights:

• benefits, and retirement survivors and disability benefits, or RSDI.
• These funds directly offset county expenses, preventing local tax increases and ensuring that essential
• allows benefits to be utilized to offset allows benefits to be utilized to offset the<01:25:11.080
• <01:25:43.440> County alone These funds directly offset County alone These funds directly
• <01:31:29.679> the provide full State funding to offset the provide full State funding to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services committee heard a presentation from Department of Children, Youth, and Families Commissioner Tiki Brown on the department’s 2025 budget and transition plans. Brown said the governor’s budget pairs targeted reductions with modest investments, resulting in net general fund savings, while preserving core safety-net programs. Major proposals included funding for program integrity, modernization of the child welfare SSIS system, compliance changes for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), operating adjustments, and a transition account reallocation as the new department continues moving programs from other agencies through July 1, 2025. A large portion of the discussion focused on CCAP fraud prevention and oversight. Brown and Assistant Commissioner Diane Hy explained that the proposed statewide electronic attendance recordkeeping system would replace retroactive paper-based attendance reporting with more timely data, making it harder to falsify attendance and claim payments improperly. Brown also said the department is working with the Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General and other partners on compliance and fraud controls. Senators pressed for more detail on current enforcement, whether payments can be withheld for violations, and whether recent media reports showed gaps in oversight; Brown said payments can be stopped for false attendance records, suspended or revoked licenses, or fraud allegations, but not for health and safety violations alone. The committee also reviewed other budget-neutral policy changes, including expanding permanency support services for relative foster care and tribal equivalents, strengthening tribal child welfare grants, updating TEACH scholarship rules for early childhood educators, and adjusting the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program to create a special revenue fund and extend a 10% payment increase to tribally licensed programs and programs on tribal reservation land. Brown also described a $1.5 million annual reduction to restorative practices grants, leaving a smaller ongoing base. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nursing Homes, and a one-time decrease in federal corona. virus relief funds, which is partially offset
• It's a 23% offset fund reduction versus being in the 50s when you compare the expended balance. and budgeted
• Legislature to provide grants to offset the cost of plugging leaking water wells in groundwater conservation
• experience. five years experience and moreover this biennium 30% of our staff will be eligible to retire
• that we retain those, especially with the idea that we're losing institutions. knowledge as people retire

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So basically the premium in the current budget is kind of viewed as an offsetting expense or revenue.
• So basically the premium in the current budget is kind of viewed as an offsetting expense or revenue.
• That Airbnb will be our retirement plan.
• <01:42:43.760> If Airbnb will be our retirement plan.
• If Airbnb will be our retirement plan.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1596, which would raise New Hampshire’s cigarette excise tax from $1.78 per pack to about $2.80, using an inflation-based adjustment since the rate was last set in 2008. Representative Jerry Stringham, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure would keep New Hampshire competitive with neighboring states, generate revenue, and help offset other budget pressures. He also described the bill as repealing an income-based premium charge in Medicaid/CHIP-related programs and restoring cuts to the University System of New Hampshire, arguing that the combined package would still leave the state in a positive fiscal position. He said the tobacco tax increase would likely have some cessation effect but would remain low relative to other New England states, and he cited prior testimony from health groups supporting a larger increase. Members questioned the sponsor about how the new rate was calculated, the prior tobacco tax reduction and restoration, whether tobacco companies would absorb or pass on the tax, and the fiscal note’s estimates for Medicaid premium revenue and UNH funding. Stringham said he used Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation data, that the earlier 10-cent reduction did not produce the expected sales increase, and that the current bill would eliminate the premium charges now in the budget. He later clarified that the Department of Medicaid Services had updated the revenue estimate, but said the bill still showed a surplus overall. He also said the federal government already imposes a $1-per-pack tax and that New Hampshire would remain below neighboring states even after the increase. Two public witnesses testified in opposition to the tax increase. Anna Bettincourt, a tobacco category manager, argued that higher tobacco taxes would unfairly target smokers, reduce New Hampshire’s tax advantage, and likely shift purchases to other states or illicit markets rather than reduce use. She said tobacco companies generally do not lower prices and that Massachusetts’ flavor restrictions had not eliminated sales. In response to questions, she maintained that a smaller increase would still be harmful and that enforcement problems make bans ineffective. The sponsor and some members countered that smokers impose higher health costs and that tobacco taxes are a policy tool for both revenue and public health. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• associated interest income over time would continue to provide a revenue stream for the state, offsetting
• 2% interest on outstanding balances, the program generates interest income that, over time, will offset
• And then all full-time employees are provided health and retirement benefits.
• But some producers may want to retire their irrigated acres, and they'll sell it to the NRD.
• We'll do an occupation tax, $10 an acre, go in and buy some marginal irrigated ground, retire it, turn

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the ability to do offsets or, I'm sorry, revenue recapture.
• A lot of the doctors we have are older and they are retiring.
• A lot of the doctors we have are older and they are retiring.
• A lot of the doctors we have are older and they are retiring.
• A lot of the doctors we have are older and they are retiring.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would remind everyone here, including those listening at home, we forget about after we did our retire
• , forget about after we did our retire, forget about after we did our retire, our<00:25:13.120>
• <00:54:54.880> and Uh, on individuals that have retired, and the fact that with the small
• a sudden end when in that same proposal there was $25 million in there for the new car dealers to offset
• To offset the sales tax on when trade in a used car.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ACTUALLY MORE THAN THAT BUT THERE IS SOME OFFSET WITH POSITIONS GAINED BUT THE NET LOSS WAS 1300.
• THE CHART SHOWS THE INCREASES OF THE CLERKS EXPENDITURES IN JUST ONE AREA AND THIS IS THE FLORIDA RETIREMENT
• INCREASES OF THE CLERKS EXPENDITURES IN JUST ONE AREA AND THIS IS THE FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
• ONE DAY THEY WILL RETIRE AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE YOUNG CLERKS A COMPARABLE MARKET RATES AND
• THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE HEALTH BENEFITS, OVER TIME, OR RETIREMENT.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, we ran into a retired reporter from the Associated Press and also Sean Wixman, who's with the
• <00:18:44.080> reporter reporter from the the a retired reporter reporter from the the a retired
• <00:46:11.920> to applied by the district as offsets to applied by the district as offsets
• And I just think it has to be offset And I just think it has to be offset with<01:10:17.679>
• The state shall provide funding to school districts to help offset such expenses, but districts shall

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:01:58.400> JAC state employees and those retired.
• JAC state employees and those retired.
• board, the retirement system?
• <01:05:15.599> So<01:05:15.839> they came from the retirement system.
• So they came from the retirement system.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Air Force retired combat veteran.
• I am a retired Texas State employee.
• I am the daughter of a retired Army Sergeant Major.
• I am the daughter of a retired civil servant, and I myself am a retired state employee.
• It requires that any legislation increasing mandatory spending or reducing revenues must be offset by

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sergeant Major Jimmy Thorne, USMC, United States Marine Corps, retired, is recognized and honored for
• United States Marine Corps who retired United States Marine Corps who retired after<00:16:30.959
• He just retired August 1st, and we're working to replace him right now.
• He just retired August 1st, and we're working to replace him right now.
• He just retired August assigned to that.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then spent much of the meeting recognizing members of the Falmouth Police Department and related support personnel. Representatives and senators described the department’s response to a May 17, 2025 shooting between two vehicles, saying officers secured the area, apprehended suspects, and prevented further harm within about 30 minutes. They also recognized Officer Jonathan Bis for helping rescue a person from a burning storage facility on May 3, and honored Chaplain Abram Croer and police administrator Marilyn Belure for their support roles. Members praised the officers’ service and presented citations; one member also noted the recent flooding in Falmouth and the strain on local responders. The committee also observed a moment of silence for a firefighter who died after a vehicle crash while responding to a call. The committee then recognized Sergeant Major Jimmy Thorne, USMC (Ret.), with a lengthy citation for his military service and community involvement. The citation highlighted more than three decades of service, including Vietnam, Lebanon, Somalia, multiple injuries, exposure to Agent Orange, and numerous decorations such as the Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal. Speakers also noted his continued civic work in Williamstown and Grant County. Thorne thanked the committee, said enlisting in the Marine Corps and moving to Kentucky were two of his proudest decisions, and received a committee coin. Members and guests offered additional remarks about his character and service. Finally, Brigadier General Charles Jones and Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson gave an update on spring storm response and recovery. They said Kentucky has had three declared disasters and one undeclared event this year, with 113 of 120 counties affected in the last 12 months, including February flooding, April flooding, and May tornadoes; a January ice storm appeal was denied. Gibson emphasized the rising frequency and cost of disasters, citing about $350 million in public assistance over the first 10 years of the period reviewed versus about $2 billion in the last five years. He reported on sheltering, disaster recovery centers, FEMA and SBA assistance, and said about $57 million in individual assistance had been paid and nearly $69 million obligated, while public assistance projects were still moving through review and payment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Executive Director of the Teacher Retirements System.
• First of all, thank you for all you do for us. our retired teachers.
• Retirement System on the ERS pension fund.
• Retired for 20 years as of December 31st, 2024.
• At retirement, it's around 22 years.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional funding will help to offset loss of purchasing power associated with inflation. As Dr.
• Additional funding will help to offset Additional funding will help to offset loss<00:35:35.440>
• And I have a retired economist doing economic impact.
• We have a lot of older farmers who are ready to walk away, retire, and we need the next generation.
• We have a lot of older farmers who are ready to walk away, retire, and we need the next generation.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 20 January, 2026; 2:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: Mississippi State University officials testified in support of the university’s separately funded agricultural, forestry, and veterinary units, emphasizing their economic impact, research output, and need for continued state support. Keith Cobalt, vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, said the division generates a $1.7 billion impact on Mississippi, but warned that state and local funding has not kept pace with federal dollars or inflation. He argued that global competition, especially from China and Brazil, is hurting row crop and forestry producers, and highlighted a Vision 2030 study finding about $10 billion in agricultural and forestry value leaves the state through value-added processing. He also raised concerns about rural depopulation and proposed rural innovation hubs to help retain population and jobs. Nick Frank, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said state appropriations make up about 25% of the college’s operating budget and are needed to support salaries, staffing, and service capacity. He described the college’s education, diagnostic, and clinical missions, including disease surveillance and responses to threats such as avian influenza, screwworm, and equine herpes virus. Frank said the college is expanding facilities with $18 million in 2024 state funding for a new farm animal hospital and cattle handling facility, but still needs additional support for equine and small animal renovations. He also requested support for rural veterinary scholarships and said inflation and salary competition from other schools and private practice are making retention difficult. In response to committee questions, Frank said the college enrolls about 118 to 119 students per class, with roughly 54 to 55 in-state students and tuition of about $29,900 for in-state and $53,000 for out-of-state students. He clarified that the “vet assistants” program is a four-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary medical technology, not a certificate. He also explained that staffing growth has largely been in the hospitals to address clinical shortages and improve care. Dr. Westberger, dean of the College of Forest Resources and director of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said Mississippi’s forests support a $19 billion economic impact, 84,000 jobs, and a $4.5 billion payroll, while also providing environmental benefits. He said the college and research center are nationally recognized, including an NSF ranking placing Mississippi State 10th in natural resource conservation research expenditures for a small university. Westberger highlighted research on forest management, pest detection, mass timber, wildlife disease surveillance, and value-added bioproducts, including efforts to attract mills and manufacturing. He said Mississippi has added 10 mills or mill expansions in five years with more than $1.5 billion in investment and over 1,000 high-paying jobs, and noted the college is planning a new mass-timber annex to address capacity and showcase the material. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• opportunity for veterans with disabilities to receive their full United States Department of Defense retirement
• Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without offset." Senator Reed. Senator Reed.
• Affairs disability<00:50:52.360> compensation<00:50:53.520> without<00:50:54.040> offset
• disability compensation without offset. disability compensation without offset.

Keywords: In an effort to stave off issues that may occur with long format live streams, we have split this stream into two parts., 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance will come to order.
• We're working with them now to kind of offset some of their costs for their renewal that is coming up
• we're working with them now to<00:17:55.120> kind<00:17:55.280> of<00:17:55.440> offset
• > of<00:17:56.240> their<00:17:56.480> costs<00:17:57.200> uh to kind of offset
• some of their costs uh to kind of offset some of their costs uh for<00:17:57.600> their<00:17

Keywords: 1:00 Roll Call 2:38 Overview of Citizen Identity Security and Threat Reduction 9:36 Identity Solution and Casts 13:51 System Application and Discovery Issues 21:31 Staffing and Timelines 29:14 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance received a presentation from Jim Barnhard, CIO of the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and David Carter, deputy CIO/CISO, on the state’s citizen identity management project. They said the project is intended to streamline citizen logins across agencies, reduce duplicated identity-management costs, improve security by centralizing authentication, and provide a flexible system that can scale with demand. The presenters described major implementation challenges, including integrating with diverse and legacy applications, and said the chosen software-as-a-service vendor was selected because it can connect to many systems and maintain the service in a federally certified cloud environment. The presenters emphasized that the project scope is limited to login, authentication, identity management, and identity proofing, while leaving authorization decisions to the individual applications and agencies. They said the work is being done in phases, beginning with discovery sessions with agencies, then selecting representative applications for onboarding rather than attempting a “big bang” rollout. They also said the vendor agreement includes professional services and knowledge transfer to reduce long-term dependence on outside support, and that the state has already begun outreach to agencies, including initial work with the Finance Cabinet and the Department of Revenue. Members asked about staffing, current spending, future costs, and whether existing systems or contracts could be reduced. The presenters said the project is being supported with existing staff, with no expectation of a large increase in positions, and that the vendor will carry most of the operational load. They said they did not have statewide spending figures with them but could try to gather them, and explained that the negotiated pricing is intended to be all-inclusive, with fixed costs for the first five years and capped increases in years six and seven. They said centralizing identity services should eventually allow the Commonwealth to stand down some duplicated agency-level licensing and reduce overall operational costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Proposals that threaten to increase costs for anyone investing for retirement.
• their investments, such as their 401Ks, their IRAs, and their pensions. to support them in their retirement
• I just want to say this And I'm worried that these fees are being used by the cities to offset. the taxes
• These aggressive sale tactics often involve false claims of tax credits and benefits of fully offsetting
• practices some solar sales people use to get a sale, especially towards older adults who have savings, retirement

Bills: SB264, SB542, SB924, SB1008, SB1029, SB1036, SB1057, SB1058, SB1185, SB1202, SB1358, SB1364, SB1376, SB1569, SB1664, SB1697, SJR50

Keywords: SB 264, Texas Workers' Compensation Act, group self-insurance, self-insured groups, workers' compensation, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, certificate of approval, guaranty fund, trust fund, wind down, dissolution, labor code, insurance regulation, employer coverage, risk pool, business and commerce, trade workforce economic development, property owners' association, water conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:34.320> combined<00:25:35.039> with<00:25:35.279> a retirements combined
• with a retirements combined with a proliferation<00:25:36.240> of<00:25:36.559> intermittent
• I know you're a retired English professor, so I realize I'm outgunned here.
• retired English professor so I realize I'm<00:49:43.200> outgunned<00:49:43.760> here.
• <01:20:04.000> by significant resource retirements by significant resource retirements by

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is certainly not fair. be a retired public school teacher.
• Um I be a retired public school teacher.
• <02:13:42.880> We My girlfriends and I are retired. We My girlfriends and I are retired.
• I'm a retired educator of 10 years.
• I'm a retired public school teacher from Concord, and um, I oppose this bill.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The RSVP program, retired senior volunteer program, is a program for retired seniors.
• It's a program for retired seniors.
• It offsets—it's not really a volunteer position.
• for the retirement system.
• Retirement System.

Summary: The PEER Review Subcommittee met to consider a large agenda of budget, appropriation, transfer, and contract items. Members approved temporary appropriation requests for several agencies, including the Auditor of State, Department of Education, and Labor and Licensing; ARPA return requests from Workforce Services; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requests for State Police and Agriculture; restricted reserve transfers for teacher scholarships, school facilities, and economic stimulus; a Commerce reallocation of positions and spending authority; cash fund, budget classification, overtime, and pay plan requests; and 17 methods of finance items for universities and other agencies. Most items were approved without objection after brief explanations from staff and agencies. Several items drew questions and were held or discussed further. A Department of Human Services discretionary grant package for the RSVP program was held over after Senator Irvin raised concerns about whether the grants were an effective use of state general revenue and asked for more information on administration costs and program operations. In the contracts section, Representative Richardson questioned a DHS sole-source contract with EMS Link for document management software and a DHS contract with Presidio; the EMS Link item was held for additional answers, while the Presidio item was clarified as not sole-source and was allowed to proceed. Members also asked for more information on a Department of Education mental health referral contract with Care Solace, which officials said is a statewide concierge/referral service connecting students to Arkansas providers and telehealth options. The committee also reviewed monthly reports, including the Medicaid Trust Fund. DHS and DFA officials said the fund was currently sufficient to finish the fiscal year, though it was being drawn down and would likely require a $100 million transfer from restricted reserves in FY27, with another $100 million set aside in the governor’s budget as a backstop. Members discussed the need to define a minimum reserve level and to better account for ongoing Medicaid costs in the budget. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of retirements coming up. Those items. We also have the exact same challenge on the IT side.
• A lot of retirements coming up. We're losing a lot of institutional knowledge at this point.
• We're now facing those retirements, competing priorities, and capacity challenges of our vendors, our
• This just needs to be a priority, and I'm just trying to figure out: do you hire people that retire,
• So it offsets our budget a little bit to help with some of our costs. Sure.

Summary: The committee approved the March 26 minutes and then received a quarterly update on major IT projects from NDIT. Staff reported the portfolio included 116 major projects totaling about $546 million, with the overall portfolio under budget but slightly behind schedule. They reviewed projects over the 20% variance threshold, including an Industrial Commission grants management system and DOT’s roadway pre-construction replacement, and then heard startup and closeout reports from HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT. Several previously troubled projects were closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning; some projects finished under budget and ahead of schedule, while others were significantly behind schedule or over budget but were now closed or being remediated. The committee also reviewed NDIT’s annual report, including service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how service-fund revenue and grant administrative charges are accounted for, how chargebacks work, and whether NDIT tracks customer satisfaction scores. NDIT said it does track CSAT-type measures in some service areas and has survey data, but it is not planning another customer survey this summer. Members encouraged more regular reporting of customer satisfaction, service-level metrics, and performance data to help guide future improvements. A major portion of the meeting focused on the state’s mainframe modernization effort. NDIT said the overall effort is still targeting about 2030, with multiple HHS and DOT projects underway and a $15 million tech-debt appropriation already removing some components. Staff described the main obstacles as data cleanup, complex integrations, limited staff capacity, retirements, and vendor constraints, and said they are seeking a vendor with modernization support in the next contract cycle. Members pressed for clearer accountability and faster progress, and NDIT and HHS emphasized that they are working jointly but need continued support and better tools. The committee then heard a cybersecurity update on NDIT’s statewide services and maturity assessments. NDIT explained that it provides vulnerability scanning, endpoint protection, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that these services are tied to a cybersecurity maturity assessment based on CIS controls. Members questioned the sharp drop in participation since 2020 and whether the self-assessment should be mandatory or tied more strongly to StageNet access or insurance incentives. NDIT said participation is voluntary, but Enderf is now requiring annual assessments to keep a 4% insurance discount, and members discussed whether stronger requirements or audit authority may be needed. The meeting ended as the committee began a follow-up discussion on BEAD broadband connection costs and why some locations are much more expensive to connect than others.