Video & Transcript : 'Sun Bucks program' :
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HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
AGR-AEN Joint Info Briefing - Fri Jan 16, 2026 @ 10:00 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Mar 10th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And the STARS program has been working.
- And so the cap that we had on that program was a $35 million cap.
- The STARS program is a phenomenal program. It's done a lot of good for the city of Meridian.
- In particular, two federal programs.
- that is making that program more successful than maybe another program that's using harm reduction as
Summary:
The committee first heard House Bill 751, which would expand the STARS program for commercial transportation infrastructure by lowering the minimum project floor from $6 million to $5 million and raising the cap from $35 million to $100 million. Representative Monks explained that STARS lets developers front infrastructure costs and be repaid from a portion of new sales tax generated by the development, and supporters said it helps fund major roadway improvements without costing the state upfront. The committee advanced the bill on a due pass recommendation.
The committee then considered Senate Bill 1347, a transparency measure for Idaho Housing and Finance Association’s pass-through homelessness grants, specifically the Continuum of Care and Emergency Solutions Grant programs. Sponsors said the bill would require annual reporting on grant recipients, uses of funds, and outcomes such as housing exits, income changes, and referrals, while not changing funding levels. Testimony included support from transparency advocates and concerns from a senator and nonprofit/housing professionals that the bill could duplicate existing federal and IHFA audits and add unnecessary reporting burden. The committee sent the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with Senators Robbie and Taylor voting no.
Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 1352, which would create state standards for “starter home subdivisions” on parcels of at least four acres in cities over 5,000 population by limiting minimum lot sizes and allowing higher density, while preserving local authority over infrastructure, safety, and environmental requirements. Supporters argued the bill would help address Idaho’s housing shortage by enabling smaller, more attainable homes and reducing regulatory barriers; opponents from city, planning, and local government groups said it would override local control, lacked an income-based affordability requirement, and could create infrastructure and neighborhood impacts. After extensive testimony, the committee’s initial motion for a due pass recommendation failed on a 4-5 roll call, and the bill was then moved to the 14th order for possible amendment. Senate Bill 1354 was held over until the next meeting.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- And the STARS program has been working.
- And so the cap that we had on that program was a $35 million cap.
- The STARS program is a phenomenal program. It's done a lot of good for the city of Meridian.
- In particular, two federal programs.
- that is making that program more successful than maybe another program that's using harm reduction as
Committee:
Senate Local Government and Taxation
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The JET Grant Program provides funding for equipment used in career and technical education programs.
- maintenance of technology solutions necessary to support eligible career and technical education programs
- types of programs for these athletes.
- Senator West: I think your institutions are running those types of programs for these athletes.
- Witness: About these programs? Just very basic knowledge. The same. I mean, we do it.
Committee:
Senate Education K-16
Keywords:
election laws, attorney general, prosecution, criminal offenses, voting integrity, education, property values, school districts, comptroller, funding formula
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met to hear testimony on a full agenda of education-related bills. Several measures were laid out and left pending, including HB 322 to allow JET Grant funds to be used for subscription-based and ongoing technology costs for career and technical education; HB 3062 to require fentanyl and drug-poisoning prevention instruction for entering college students; HB 121 to update school safety laws, including TEA peace officer commissions, annual renewal of certain safety exceptions, new reporting requirements, and special education behavior threat assessment changes; HB 3627 to let the State Board of Education chair employ staff; HB 5515 to curb inflated shipping and handling charges on instructional materials; HB 2674 to prohibit new state regulation of homeschool programs; HB 2310 to require a statewide strategic plan for early learning and inclusion for young children with disabilities; HB 367 to standardize documentation for excused absences due to serious illness; HB 1178 to speed certification for out-of-state educators and military spouses; and HB 1481 to expand cell phone restrictions to the full school day.
Testimony was generally supportive on most bills, with some concerns raised on HB 121 about school district police departments investigating misconduct and on HB 2674 about how it would interact with the new ESA program in SB 2. HB 5515 drew support from instructional materials coordinators who described extreme shipping invoices and argued the bill would restore transparency and fiscal responsibility. HB 2310 was supported by disability advocates and early learning groups, who said a coordinated state plan would improve access and inclusion for children with disabilities. HB 367 was presented as a simple clarification to reduce confusion for medically vulnerable students and families, and HB 1178 was described by TEA as a modest pathway that would help bring experienced out-of-state teachers into Texas schools more quickly.
HB 126, updating Texas’ NIL law to align with the pending House settlement and allow direct payments and pre-enrollment NIL agreements, received extensive testimony from university counsel and committee questioning about the settlement, recruiting, and future college athletics rules. HB 1481, expanding school cell phone restrictions from instructional time to the entire school day, drew strong support from parents, students, educators, and advocates who linked phones to distraction, cyberbullying, and mental health harms; one teacher asked for flexibility so phones could still be used for limited academic tasks. No bills were voted out; each measure heard was left pending subject to the call of the chair, and the committee then recessed to attend the floor session.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Apr 11th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
North Dakota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Just curious, we know several of these grant programs.
- food grant program.
- There's also a new bill or a new program called a rural catalyst grant program.
- There's also a new bill or a new program called the Rural Catalyst grant program, and then there's a
- The first report is done by the PERS program, and then we got this other report for the PERS program
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call showing 46 members present. It then took up multiple House messages and amendments, appointing conference committees on several measures, including SB 2007, SCR 4007, SB 2374, SB 233, and House bills 1029, 1218, and 1022. The chamber also considered a series of House bills on the sixth and 14th orders, often adopting committee amendments before final passage or, in some cases, rejecting the bill outright.
Among the major policy items, the Senate passed HB 1524 on regional planning council grants, HB 1143 increasing a food bank appropriation to $10 million, HB 1126 modernizing cosmetology licensing and inspections, HB 1542 making student applications for admission exempt records, HB 1613 regulating law enforcement use of robots, HB 1582 directing a study on false reports and accusations, HB 1214 revising school transportation funding, HB 1448 creating a study on advanced technologies, HB 1280 on drainage project voting rules, HB 1499 protecting records related to federal judges, and several Senate bills returned from the House, including SB 2221, SB 2117, SB 2198, SB 2120, and SB 2214. The Senate also adopted amendments to HB 1541 on septic systems before rejecting it on final passage.
Several high-profile bills failed after debate. HB 1566, dealing with kratom regulation, saw an amendment to convert it to a study fail on a 21-25 vote, after which the chamber laid the bill over for one legislative day rather than take final action. HB 1283, which would have eliminated cost-sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams in the state employee plan, was defeated 22-24 after extensive debate over cost, precedent, and insurance impacts. HB 1527, requiring Holocaust education in statute, also failed 22-24, with supporters emphasizing the importance of the subject and opponents arguing curriculum belongs in standards rather than statute. The Senate adjourned after announcements, scheduling its next meeting for Monday, April 14, 2025.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Expanded college grant program, HF2090, considered in higher education committee 3/18/25
Transcript Highlights:
- There's also a requirement to report back the progress of the program recipients.
- It is a big hole in the State Grant program, so this is making that hole much, much bigger.
- It's a big hole in the State Grant program, so this is making that hole much, much bigger.
- It is a big hole in the State Grant program, so this is making that hole much, much bigger.
- </c> expand the Northstar promise program expand the Northstar promise program rather rather rather than
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- But last week, the uh Walls administration's own program director of program integrity, Tim Ali, released
- But last week, the uh Walls administration's own program director of program integrity, Tim Ali, released
- The roadmap to program integrity finally admits what Republicans have been saying all along.
- </c> of the programs and its oversight. of the programs and its oversight.
- The bill requires that enrollment in programs be suspended upon report of a fraud, and in large programs
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
PBS Info Briefing - Mon Feb 3, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- , and then some more salient drill-down program information for each of the major programs within the
- ><c> down</c><00:11:25.440><c> program</c><00:11:25.800><c> information</c> Salient drill down program
- c> within</c> for each of the major programs within for each of the major programs within the<00:11:27.720
- Are the programs, um, Director Johnson, the rehab programs, are they all voluntary?
- Are these programs voluntary for the inmate to participate in? All the programs are voluntary.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Transportation Jan 28th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Program grants are prorated based on the amount expended by the transit agencies for operations.
- Under the bill, students enrolled in a degree-seeking or certificate-seeking program at community and
- These are students who would not qualify for the program and are in specific programs at the CTC.
- These are students who would not qualify for the program and are in specific programs at the CTC.
- So I heard from the capital program delivery folks, and they did say that the capital program delivery
Summary:
The Transportation Committee held public hearings on House Bill 2550 and House Bill 2645, then moved to executive session on three other bills. HB 2550 would require certain community and technical college students enrolled in degree- or certificate-seeking programs to be allowed to ride transit for free as a condition of transit support grant eligibility. Staff said the current program already requires zero-fare access for riders 18 and under, and the bill would expand that requirement to CTC students. Testimony from the sponsor, students, and transit advocates supported the goal of reducing barriers to education, while the Washington State Transit Association raised implementation concerns, including how eligibility would be verified and the potential loss of fare revenue and added administrative costs. The fiscal note discussion estimated local impacts of roughly $10 million to $12 million per year for affected transit agencies.
HB 2645 concerned the emergency replacement of the closed Fairfax Bridge on State Route 165. The bill and proposed substitute would declare an emergency and give WSDOT expanded authority to expedite bridge replacement by waiving or suspending certain state requirements. The sponsor and many local residents, business owners, recreation advocates, and emergency responders testified that the bridge closure has cut off communities, limited access to Mount Rainier and public lands, and significantly increased emergency response times. WSDOT testified that it is already moving forward with planning and design for a replacement bridge, but said much of the timeline is driven by federal requirements such as NEPA, historic preservation, and endangered species review. No vote was taken on HB 2550 or HB 2645 in the transcript.
In executive session, the committee adopted a proposed substitute for HB 2109, which allows certain towed vehicles with debris on them to be covered instead of cleaned before transport, and passed it out of committee 27-0. The committee also adopted an amendment to HB 2134, which updates regional transportation planning requirements related to greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled reductions, and passed the bill out 16-12. Finally, the committee adopted two amendments to HB 2323 creating the Blue Envelope Program for traffic stops involving neurodiverse individuals, then passed the bill out of committee 28-0.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Rural Health Transformation Committee - Appropriations Division Jan 13th, 2026 at 02:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- It's a provider designing a program that has an end to it.
- One can design a program so that it continues to have a benefit, or design a program where it's literally
- So, for example, if there was a program that involved equipment...
- This will be a program all of its own. We won't even... Right.
- So if, for example, we had a grant program or you set up a grant program for rural districts to apply
Summary:
The Appropriations Division met in a work session on the draft Rural Health Transformation appropriations bill, 25.1392.01000, with no public testimony taken. Legislative Council and the Department of Health and Human Services walked through the bill, which would appropriate about $397.8 million in federal grant funds over two federal fiscal years, provide transfer authority, allow certain federal funds to be used for salaries and wages without counting against existing transfer limits, and authorize OMB to adjust other agencies’ spending authority if they receive grant awards through HHS. The bill also includes several temporary statutory exemptions to help implement the program, plus recipient acknowledgement/reporting requirements, periodic reports to Legislative Management, and an immediate effective date upon filing.
Committee discussion focused heavily on how the federal rural health transformation money can be used and administered. Department officials explained that CMS will review projects for allowability and sustainability, that the state has flexibility to move funds among categories, and that the grant is limited to 10% administrative costs. Members asked about whether the funding could support renovations, equipment, ambulances, bulk purchasing, food distribution, and other rural health ideas, and were told many details will depend on CMS approval and the eventual applications. Questions also addressed cash flow, timing of obligations and reimbursements, FTE funding, and whether grant recipients should be told the program will not continue beyond the federal period; officials said the language is meant to prevent expectations of automatic continuation, not to bar future legislative action.
The committee also discussed the bill’s use of a two-year appropriation amount, with staff explaining that the state must appropriate enough authority to cover the federal grant cycle and that unused authority would lapse if the full amount is not received or spent. Members raised concerns about whether the bill’s language could limit creativity or future program design, but department officials and several members emphasized the need for flexibility because CMS may reject overly specific directives. After discussion, the committee voted to recommend the bill draft to the full committee; the motion carried on a roll call vote, and the chair said the full Joint Appropriations Committee would take up the bill at the special session next week.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine constructing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill, focusing on United States Secretary of Transportation's perspective. Apr 2nd, 2025 at 09:00 am
Environment and Public Works Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- The EV mandates and the NEVI charger program and it's... related discretionary program, budgeted $7.5
- So I wanna look at that program and ask you to look at it with me.
- As your team executes the program, can you assure us that the review process...
- In the mega program, $283 million for the Port of Long Beach.
- I would love that good Recreational trails program.
Keywords:
surface transportation, infrastructure reauthorization, bipartisan collaboration, safety, federal programs, funding challenges, bureaucracy, transportation needs, critical projects, public testimony
Summary:
The committee meeting focused on the development of the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. Discussions centered around key principles aimed at improving the safety and reliability of the transportation network, reforming federal programs for efficiency, and addressing the diverse transportation needs across various states. Members emphasized the importance of bipartisan collaboration to streamline processes, eliminate bureaucratic delays, and ensure timely funding for critical infrastructure projects. There were also notable conversations about specific projects and funding challenges, reflecting the urgency for action and commitment to modernizing America's infrastructure.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Finance Division I (02/09/2026)
Transcript Highlights:
- like the BFA and other programs.
- like the BFA and guarantees for programs like the BFA and other<00:07:30.960><c> programs.
- A lot of their programs are.
- A lot of their programs are.
- A lot of their programs are.
Summary:
The committee first heard testimony from State Treasurer Monica Misipelli on House Bill 1042, which would increase the contingent credit limit for the BFA. She explained that under RSA 66 the state’s debt capacity is capped at 10% of unrestricted revenue, and that guaranteed debt counts in the calculation even though it is not direct debt. She said the state currently has about 65% of its capacity used, roughly $120 million of remaining room, and that raising the BFA contingent credit limit from $200 million to $450 million would reduce that capacity. She noted the state’s debt-to-revenue ratio is about 4.2%, that the state’s credit rating is not immediately affected by the guarantee program unless the state actually has to assume the liability, and suggested unused guarantee authorizations, such as one for the Peace Development Authority, could be reviewed in the future.
Members asked whether a credit guarantee affects bonding ability like actual debt, what the usual debt level is relative to the statutory cap, and whether the increase would crowd out future capital borrowing. Misipelli answered that guarantees are included in the formula and do affect available capacity, though the current ratio remains manageable. She also said she had been using a $120 million benchmark for capital budget planning and was now modeling $130 million in future state debt. When asked whether the full $250 million increase was necessary, she deferred to the BFA, saying the question should be answered by the agency.
James Key Wallace, executive director of the New Hampshire BFA and interim commissioner of Business and Economic Affairs, then testified in support of the bill. He said the request was driven by larger project costs over the last several decades, with construction inflation causing guarantees to be used up in bigger chunks, and by the fact that the BFA has been close to its current cap. He said the agency does not use taxpayer funds, has never had a payout on a guarantee in nearly 35 years, and requires collateral, reserves, and an 80% loan-to-value buffer. He told members the Senate had a similar bill to raise the limit to $400 million and that the BFA considered that range acceptable. In response to questions, he said a smaller increase such as $150 million would cover known transactions but might not provide enough runway for future opportunities, and he confirmed the bill was brought at the BFA’s request. He also said businesses consider housing availability when deciding whether to locate in New Hampshire, since housing and workforce are key location factors.
At the end of the work session, the chair closed House Bill 1042 and opened House Bill 241, a bill on health insurance coverage of pain management services for chronic pain. Representative Nagel began introducing the bill and asked for copies of the treasurer’s debt-capacity report, but the transcript cuts off before any further action on HB 241.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- Preston-Sindler of the UCF Women and Gender Studies Program. Great program, despite debate here.
- I started my PhD program before I filed for office.
- , or our Medicaid program—especially our Medicaid program—I was a better legislator regardless of whether
- , or our Medicaid program, especially our Medicaid program, I was a better legislator regardless of whether
- programs.
Summary:
The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for Army Sergeant Benjamin Pennington, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum established. Members approved the journal and adopted the special order report setting the day’s calendar. The chamber also recognized Sheriff Mike Chitwood as law enforcement officer of the day and later held several introductions and farewell remarks, including lengthy closing speeches from Representatives Eskamani and Overdorf reflecting on their service and legislative priorities.
The House then took up and passed a series of Senate bills, often after adopting House strike-all or conforming amendments. CS/SB 590 on mandatory child abuse reporting was clarified to apply prospectively only and passed 111-0. SB 418 on law enforcement interactions with individuals with autism was amended to incorporate House language, including blue-envelope provisions, and passed 111-0. CS/CS/SB 1668 on the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association (NICA) was amended to preserve House provisions and passed 112-0. CS/SB 1246 on the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund was amended to expand eligible health science programs and allow certain non-health-care contributions, then passed 112-0. CS/CS/SB 1404 on memory care passed 111-0.
Later bills also advanced with broad support: CS/CS/SB 1030 on recovery residences passed 168-0 after debate over medication-assisted treatment; CS/CS/SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools passed 112-0 after amendments allowing limited coach support for student-athletes with parental consent; CS/CS/SB 422 on automatic dependent surveillance broadcasts passed 108-2; and CS/CS/SB 598 on funeral, cemetery, and consumer services passed 111-0 after an amendment on exclusive arrangements. The chamber then began debate on CS/CS/SB 1134, which would restrict counties and municipalities from official DEI-related actions and contracting practices. Members questioned its scope and exceptions, and Representative Gant offered an amendment to narrow the bill’s DEI definition; debate on that amendment was underway when the transcript ended.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Education Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Education
Transcript Highlights:
- Our associate teacher program is specifically designed as a pipeline to attract and develop these young
- My three children were talented and gifted program scholars whose development and academic habits of
- My three children were talented and gifted program scholars whose development and academic habits of
- It was so inspiring that I sought my own certificate program in education by enrolling at University
- This forces families into private programs, deepening the equity divide.
Committee:
Joint Joint Committee on Education
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Education held its 13th hearing, chaired by Senator Jason Lewis and Representative Gordon, and heard testimony on a large slate of bills covering personnel and miscellaneous education issues. The first major topic was House Bill 711 and Senate Bill 327, the “So All Students Thrive” proposal, which would change reduction-in-force rules so districts could consider teacher effectiveness, student impact, staffing needs, and diversity-related factors alongside seniority. Supporters from Educators for Excellence, including teachers and a former school committee chair, argued that current seniority-based layoff rules can push out effective early-career educators and harm efforts to build a more diverse workforce. Committee members raised questions about tenure, union involvement, and how the bill would interact with the Educator Diversity Act and local contract negotiations; members generally said they shared the goal of diversifying the educator workforce and encouraged continued collaboration and feedback.
The committee then heard testimony on House Bill 658, which would require educator training on gifted and advanced learners. Parents, teachers, researchers, and advocates said Massachusetts lacks required preservice or professional development on gifted education, leaving many advanced students unchallenged and underserved. Witnesses described students who are bored, under-identified, or even discouraged in school, and argued that training would help teachers recognize and support gifted students, including students of color, multilingual learners, low-income students, and students with disabilities. Testimony also supported related prior bills on advanced learners and emphasized that the state should act on a 2019 DESE report recommending such training.
The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 736 and Senate Bill 435, which would establish de-escalation training for school transportation. The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council said the measure would improve safety for students and bus operators, fill a gap in current school bus driver certification requirements, and better support students with disabilities. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4720, concerning the Athol-Royalston Regional School District’s state bailout-related reserve requirements; the superintendent said the district has long maintained fiscal stability but is still forced to leave over half a million dollars unspent each year, limiting resources for a high-poverty student population. After testimony concluded, the chairs read the full list of bills on the agenda, thanked the committee and staff, and the hearing was adjourned.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
06/12/2026 - Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology
Appropriations, Transportation and Technology
Transcript Highlights:
- Again, as an example of a program that we protected by this.
- They could have exempted these families from this program.
- We're not keeping our programs up enough to give public schools who are not in these programs equal opportunities
- universal ESA program that we have.
- So I support the program for special education for students with...
Bills:
HCR2048
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Education Feb 26th, 2026
Joint Committee on Education
Transcript Highlights:
- The second piece is variable programs are you offering.
- Or, you know, we need to be moving into additional programs.
- , or I’ve closed these programs.
- And would it be tied to some of the programs they offer? That is true.
- And I'm referring to the A+ program.
Committee:
House Joint Committee on Education
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Education met to hear an informational presentation from the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development on Missouri’s higher education funding model and related workforce trends. Commissioner Bennett Boggs described the department’s mission, its data and workforce partnerships, and the need to better align postsecondary education with Missouri’s labor market, noting projections that 65% of jobs in the 2030s will require education beyond high school. He emphasized that the current “base-plus” funding approach dates to 1992 and no longer reflects demographic, technological, or economic changes, and said the department wants every institution to remain healthy and serve its region.
Deputy Commissioner Leroye Wade outlined a proposed cost-based, performance-informed funding framework with four main parts: fixed costs, variable program costs, performance measures, and a mechanism for targeted legislative investment. He said the model is intended to be data-driven, transparent, and more responsive to enrollment changes, program mix, completion outcomes, workforce needs, and collaboration among institutions. He also reviewed the history of the effort, including a 2022 legislative appropriation for a study, a 2023 report, and subsequent interim and bill activity. Committee members asked about educational attainment goals, the P20W longitudinal data system, persistence and completion rates, and how the model would account for mission differences and student outcomes.
Representative John Black, sponsor of the bill discussed, said the legislation is meant to move Missouri toward a 21st-century higher education funding system by tying appropriations more closely to state goals and institutional performance rather than continuing automatic across-the-board increases. He said the department’s work and the bill are intended to prompt continued refinement of the model, and he warned that declining enrollments and tight state finances make reform urgent. No votes were taken; the committee heard the presentation, allowed brief public comment, and then adjourned.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- How long do these programs last? Sure. So, uh, the board has a number of options.
- Uh, they have substance use, uh, programs. They have a DWI program.
- So they have a number of different programs that.
- OK, uh, how long have you guys been doing this program? Uh, long, long time.
- If the inmate worked and or participated in programs. And so it's not a guarantee.
Committee:
House Corrections
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs Feb 12th, 2026
House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- As part of our BEAD program, the federal fund, $382 million, we ran two bidding processes.
- As part of our BED program, the federal fund, $382 million, we ran two bidding processes.
- We also awarded funds to Acoma Pueblo and Jemez Pueblo as part of that program.
- So this would be a neutral program, technology neutral. It's a lot of it.
- This would be a different program supporting affordability on a technologically neutral basis.
Summary:
The committee heard House Bill 323, Access to Affordable Broadband, sponsored by Rep. Pamela Herndon. The bill would appropriate $5 million from the general fund to expand broadband affordability for low-income residents, very small communities, unincorporated areas, and tribal lands. Jeff Lopez, director of the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion, testified that affordability is now the biggest barrier to broadband access in the state, even as infrastructure deployment continues through state and federal programs.
Members asked about rural service options, including low-Earth-orbit satellite providers such as Starlink and Amazon Project Kuiper, the use of unobligated broadband funds, and whether the bill would disadvantage existing New Mexico providers. Lopez said the office’s federal BEAD program included some satellite service in very remote areas, but that HB 323 would be technology-neutral and intended as either a pilot or a broader affordability subsidy depending on whether Senate Bill 152 becomes law. He also said the office is not pursuing the prior policy that favored Starlink in areas already served by wired providers.
Several members spoke in support, emphasizing the importance of broadband for education, business, and rural communities. The committee then voted do pass on the bill, with Representative Mason making the motion and Representative Garcia seconding it, and no opposition recorded.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - Part 2 - 03/27/25
Judiciary and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- The Minnesota Secure Choice program is a state-facilitated retirement program, which is a very efficient
- They can opt out of the program.
- Programs.
- Programs located in Plymouth.
- centers, battered women shelters, non-shelter programs, and sexual assault programs.
Committee:
Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- registration program is very Pro<00:34:44.040><c> business</c><00:34:44.760><c> and</c><00:34:44.960
- program for rental passenger<00:40:00.319><c> vehicle</c><00:40:00.599><c> fleets</c><00:40:01.000><
- once enrolled in the the in the program once enrolled in the program<00:40:24.240><c> they</c><00:40
- they will annually submit a program they will annually submit a current<00:40:25.960><c> certificate
- We're talking about a brand-new program, and I don't see DMV in the room.
Committee:
Senate Transportation