Transcript Highlights:

• We are not sitting with every utility employee, so we're not going to have necessarily the same volume
• and ensure that those employees are motivated to pursue affordability and rate reduction goals, and
• And finally, encouraging utility employees and contractors to report wasteful overspending.
• Their employees and the employees of their contractors.
• If any information obtained from an employee is used to reduce the amounts collected in rates, the employees

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their students and interns are equipped to be valuable graduates and successful employees here in the
• Their students and interns are equipped to be valuable graduates and successful employees here in the
• Their students and interns are equipped to be valuable graduates and successful employees here in the
• Their students and interns are equipped to be valuable graduates and successful employees here in the
• Their students and interns are equipped to be valuable graduates and successful employees here in the

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first considered an amendment to add a new “Lakes” license plate to HB 2, with proceeds directed to the cyanobacteria fund for lake cleanup. Representative McGuire said the bill had already passed on consent and asked that it be included in HB 2; members discussed that it had also gone to the Senate. The motion to adopt the amendment failed on a 7-8 vote. The committee then took up an amendment imposing a 5% administrative fee on certain dedicated funds, with several exemptions for funds that could not legally or appropriately be charged, such as those involving federal money or bequests. Supporters said it would make the treatment of dedicated funds more consistent and raise roughly $31 million over the biennium for the general fund, while opponents questioned the number of carve-outs and who currently pays the administrative costs. The amendment failed on a 4-5 vote. Next, the committee reconsidered and then adopted an amendment changing the distribution of business profits tax and business enterprise tax revenue, reducing the share going to the Education Trust Fund from 41% to 30% and increasing the General Fund share. Supporters argued the Senate had overfunded the Education Trust Fund and that the change would help balance the budget without changing education spending levels; opponents said they could not support taking money from the Education Trust Fund. The amendment passed 5-3. The committee also adopted, by the same 5-3 margin, an amendment incorporating HB 741 language on open enrollment and student attendance in public schools, with supporters calling it House policy and opponents noting it had been a close, partly partisan vote in the House. Finally, the committee considered a change to the University System of New Hampshire budget that would reduce general fund appropriations by $40 million per year, offset in part by $15 million in previously approved unique dollars for a net reduction of $25 million per year. Supporters said the cut was necessary to balance the budget and that other options had been exhausted; opponents called it harmful to the university system and argued the committee should instead look to other areas, including education freedom accounts, for savings. The discussion continued, but the transcript excerpt ends before a final vote on the UNH item.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Tom Williams, the executive director of the Employees' Retirement System.
• retirement system uh of the employees retirement system uh you<00:12:57.000><c> have</c><00:12:57.160
• They'd like to make the amendments requested by the IBEW require the retention of covered employees and
• </c><00:28:14.240><c> and</c> the retention of covered employees and the retention of covered employees
• Next up is SB 336, relating to defense of State employers and employees for legal challenges.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees considered a large number of Senate bills, with many measures advanced either unamended or with technical or substantive amendments. Early action included SB 88 and SB 11 SD1, both passed unamended, and SB 562 SD1 and SB 642 SD1, which were passed with amendments reflecting agency testimony. SB 1133 SD1 was amended to remove duplicative county requirements and clarify tax credit carry-forward eligibility, while SB 1569 SD1 on sports wagering was deferred. Later, SB 933 on nonprofit/federal funding support drew strong testimony from nonprofit and health advocates emphasizing the risk of federal funding freezes and the importance of protecting services such as early learning, domestic violence support, housing, and workforce supports; the committee recommended amendments to define eligible organizations, require reporting, and include the Judiciary. SB 934 and SB 935 were also amended, with SB 934 tying mass transit funding to Honolulu project milestones and SB 935 revising retirement-system language to change “fewer than five years” to “five or more years.” The committees then took up additional measures with targeted amendments. SB 1033 was amended to clarify that the bill applies to legal entities, not individuals, though members noted concerns about closely held family corporations and asked that the issue be reflected in the committee report. SB 1166, SB 1249, and SB 1256 were advanced with amendments or committee-report notes reflecting concerns from the Attorney General, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and Hawaii Farmers Union United, respectively. SB 1432 and SB 137, both relating to electric utilities, were amended to require retention of covered employees after mergers or acquisitions and to direct the PUC to consider whether proposed transactions further state policy goals. SB 157 on antitrust was narrowed to focus on coordinator conduct in rental housing markets, SB 252 on invasive species received a defective effective date, and SB 336 on defense of state employers and employees passed unamended. SB 536 on the Hawaii Community Development Authority was deferred to a later hearing, and SB 1064 on medical cannabis was heavily amended to authorize cultivator licenses with limits on canopy size, license counts, physician fees, and a special-fund appropriation for enforcement. In the Ways and Means portion, the committee passed several bills unamended, including SB 19, SB 124, SB 264, SB 345, SB 422, and SB 741 and SB 747 later in the agenda. SB 361 was amended to remove references to the attorney general and delete an appropriation section, SB 438 was amended to redefine buffer zones and landfill-unit language, and SB 441 and SB 494 were amended to blank appropriations and, in SB 494, assign charter-school audit responsibility to the state auditor. SB 659 was substantially amended to promote local procurement, including county-level geographic preferences and higher thresholds for locally sourced purchases, and SB 732 was amended to adjust film tax credit provisions, including the streaming-platform definition and sunset-related language. SB 819 was amended to replace references to “educators” with “teachers.” Throughout, most measures were adopted without recorded opposition, though several members noted reservations on particular bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• About 1,500 employees work on those tasks this year.
• Next, Adam Weinberger, President of the California School Employees Association.
• We represent a quarter million classified school employees... Employees Association.
• That independence protected students, school employees, and public education itself.
• Hello, my name is Cecilia Wilson, and I'm speaking on behalf of CDE employees.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee first heard two bills. AB 1665 by Assemblymember Pacheco would require school sports coaches to complete approved mental health training. Supporters said coaches are trusted adults who are often first to notice student-athlete distress, and a witness described personal experience with body image and disordered eating pressures in athletics. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved out of committee on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations, ultimately passing 9-0 after add-on votes. AB 2316 by Assemblymember Hoover would allow charter schools to apply for the same financial hardship relief in the state school facilities program that traditional districts can seek. Supporters argued this would improve parity and help smaller and low-income charter schools access permanent facilities; some initially opposed agencies said their concerns were addressed by amendments. The bill also passed unanimously, 9-0, to Appropriations. The committee then took up a consent calendar containing 12 additional measures, including bills on education funding, facilities, and other school-related matters, plus a resolution. Those items were approved on a 7-0 vote, with the roll left open for add-on votes. After the bill hearing portion was recessed and later reconvened, additional members added votes to AB 1665, AB 2316, and the consent calendar, bringing each to 9-0. The committee then held an informational hearing on state-level education governance, centered on Governor Newsom’s proposal to restructure the California Department of Education and the role of the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, with AB 2117 serving as a policy vehicle carrying the same language and no action to be taken. Testimony came from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Education Commission of the States, and former CDE chief deputy Richard Zager. Witnesses reviewed the history of California’s governance structure, compared it with other states, and discussed accountability, legislative oversight, and the role of the superintendent under the proposal. Committee members raised concerns about preserving checks and balances, the fiscal implementation plan, county-office relationships, and whether the superintendent’s role would be reduced too far; no vote was taken at the informational hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn't cover the cost of the 40 or more employees who are doing this work.
• are being terminated or let no employees are being terminated or let go,<00:30:13.360><c> but</c><00
• </c><00:31:09.680><c> So,</c> employees who are doing this work.
• So, employees who are doing this work.
• employees employees into<00:31:19.600><c> the</c><00:31:19.720><c> rest</c><00:31:20.040><c> of</c><

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:19 DCBS 00:01:58, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:23:00.400><c> training</c><01:23:01.400><c> employee</c> to um employee training employee to
• um employee training employee training<01:23:02.199><c> we</c><01:23:02.320><c> see</c><01:23:03.040>
• </c> to really focus a lot on employee to really focus a lot on employee development<01:23:30.159><c>
• That would be shown typically in that Class 17 employee special payments.
• </c><03:10:21.399><c> making</c> with the highest paid employees making with the highest paid employees

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met with New Hampshire DOT Commissioner Bill Cass and Finance Director Danielle Shandra to review the agency’s FY 2026 budget. Cass gave a high-level overview of DOT’s mission, organization, funding structure, and staffing trends, noting the agency has about 650 employees across five divisions. He said the Governor’s recommended FY 2026 budget totals $95.99 million, essentially flat from FY 2025, with funding primarily from Turnpike funds, Highway funds, federal sources, and a small General Fund share for non-highway units. Members asked about how Turnpike and Highway funds are treated in state accounting, and DOT explained that while they are enterprise funds restricted to their purposes, they are considered unrestricted from the statewide perspective and are appropriated through the budget process. A major topic was staffing and budget targets. DOT said its full-time staffing level has remained relatively flat since 2014 even as vehicle miles traveled increased and vacancies rose. To meet budget targets, the department unfunded seven permanent positions and nine temporary full-time positions, and later noted additional reductions in Finance, including the elimination of two full-time positions, reduced print shop equipment purchases, and deeper cuts to overtime, temporary help, equipment, and supplies in FY 2027. DOT also explained that it shifted funding for one unmanned aerial system position from General Funds to Highway Funds, saying the change was workable because the position supports highway-related work and federal-aid-eligible activities. Members asked for clarification on the state transit operating match, and DOT explained that the Legislature had previously provided about $1.8 million annually in General Funds to help local transit agencies meet federal match requirements, but that funding was not included in this budget. DOT said that could reduce the ability to draw down some federal transit funds, though the impact may not be immediate because those funds can be used over several years. The department also described its unmanned aerial system program, saying it has been used for about five years for mapping, survey work, construction oversight, and storm damage assessment, and that it now has about five drones and two full-time positions supporting the program. DOT said it is expanding cross-training so more employees can operate drones without adding positions. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> stability and confidence for employees stability and confidence for employees and<00:31:48.399><
• The minimum wage for Fayette County School employees today is $16.76.
• </c> employees today is $16.76. employees today is $16.76. 17,<00:38:42.480><c> not</c><00:38:42.800>
• These are the very frontline employees who make these gains possible.
• These are the very frontline employees These are the very frontline employees who<00:57:36.559><c> make

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that there are many businesses that are looking for employees.
• </c><00:41:23.160><c> and</c><00:41:23.599><c> uh</c><00:41:23.760><c> grows</c> empower our employees
• and uh grows empower our employees and uh grows bigger<00:41:24.800><c> than</c><00:41:25.000><c> who
• this English in retain good employees this English in the<00:41:44.160><c> workplace</c><00:41:44.640
• </c><00:41:48.880><c> who</c> 85% retention from the employees who 85% retention from the employees who

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're around 7,300, with 1,300 permanent employees, and 46% of those are licensed teaching staff.
• </c><00:59:05.680><c> to</c> contract with a licensed employee to contract with a licensed employee to
• </c><00:59:13.520><c> of</c> master contract of employee of master contract of employee of employment
• or licensed employee who are not<00:59:18.240><c> teachers.
• </c> must not become part of the employees must not become part of the employees continue<00:59:26.559

Bills: HF630 , HF1435 , HF1607

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: short-call substitute, substitute teacher, substitute teaching license, pilot program, teacher shortage, education workforce, school district, charter school, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, PELSB, background check, paraprofessional, education support personnel, temporary license, substitute training, retaliation, teacher pay, daily substitute pay, Minnesota education law, education innovation

Transcript Highlights:

• and potential employees.
• last year and than 4500 state employees last year and again<01:29:19.840><c> we're</c><01:29:20.119>
• </c><01:29:39.320><c> and</c> beneficial decisions for employees and beneficial decisions for employees
• and potential<01:29:39.960><c> employees</c><01:29:40.840><c> thank</c><01:29:40.960><c> you</c><01:
• 29:41.080><c> for</c><01:29:41.239><c> the</c> potential employees thank you for the potential employees

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several Human Services measures focused on Medicaid access, long-term care benefits, home health reimbursement, SNAP administration, trauma-informed child welfare, and child abuse reporting. HP 702 would increase funding for Medicaid in-home services if federal matching funds are secured, and testimony from disability advocates supported the measure as needed to help people with disabilities cover medical expenses. HB 1477, described as a correction to a prior session’s mistake, would clarify that the monthly needs allowance for certain long-term care residents does not replace state supplemental payments and would raise the ceiling by $25 to fix the prior issue and by an additional $20 as a new benefit; DHS supported it with amendments, and the committee indicated it would amend accordingly. HB 713 would fund a DHS rate study for home health services, with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii strongly supporting it and describing rising labor costs, losses on Medicaid patients, and access concerns if agencies cannot keep serving Medicaid clients. HB 1099 would appropriate emergency funds to DHS after a USDA penalty tied to SNAP response times, with supporters including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others arguing the money should be reinvested in staffing and systems to improve access and avoid further penalties. HB 1079 would direct the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS to create trauma-informed assessments and training for Child Welfare Services staff; testimony from state offices and advocacy groups supported it, citing the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, staff burnout, and the need for a sustainable train-the-trainer model. Finally, HB 239 would narrow when failure to provide a child’s needs constitutes abuse or neglect, but DHS raised concerns that the current wording could broaden abuse findings and leave families in poverty without a clear safety net, while the Honolulu prosecutor’s office opposed it, warning it could weaken mandatory reporting and hinder investigations of child abuse. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided, though the chair said HB 1477 would be amended and several measures were left open for further questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you give me a little more insight into how many employees or how many people you have underneath
• Sure, so the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is a little over 100 employees.
• I oversee roughly 30 to 32 of those employees for community development broadly speaking.

Bills: SB80 , SB1101 , SB1813 , SB1966

Committee: House Commerce & Economic Development Oversight

Keywords: SB80, legislation, state law, public safety, community impact, local governance, dental coverage, insurance reporting, healthcare access, dental loss ratio, community benefits, Oklahoma law, Athletic Trainer, Compact, interstate practice, licensure, public health, workforce development, military spouses, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• there's some issues walking around the Capitol, and I'm kind of concerned about our staff, about my employees
• , our employees here in this building, and just see some issues.
• My employee last year got into two car wrecks, not her fault, but each time it took 20 to 30 minutes

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> available to similar county employees. available to similar county employees.
• action against an employee based on the employee having a valid written certification for medical cannabis
• So thank you. against an employee based on the against an employee based on the employee<00:30:02.240
• having a valid written employee having a valid written certification<00:30:04.480><c> for</c><00:30:
• such an employee from using cannabis<00:30:16.399><c> and</c><00:30:16.720><c> being</c><00:30:16.960

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, journalized the prayer, and recognized Read Across America Day with a special resolution congratulating the Maryland State Education Association on the program’s 28th anniversary. Senators also welcomed several guests and student groups, including Eleanor Roosevelt High School students, Maryland Federation of Republican Women members for Red Scarf Day, medical shadows from Johns Hopkins, a student page prospect, and a group from Matthew Henson Elementary School. The chamber then took up multiple Finance Committee consent calendars and individual local alcohol-related bills, all of which were reported favorably, adopted without objection, and ordered printed for third reading. Measures included changes to alcohol license fee refunds for uniformed service members, Anne Arundel County license classifications and compensation for liquor board officials, a Baltimore City racetrack license extension, a Cecil County license quota change, and new or expanded licenses for golf courses, sports venues, and barber shop/beauty salon establishments. The Senate also advanced bills on social work licensing, a rural readiness economic development program, a Maryland-Ireland Trade Commission extension, peer-to-peer car sharing insurance rules, telematics-based auto insurance disclosures and appeals, and veteran status notation on public profiles. Several bills were amended before being advanced, generally with technical or clarifying changes and no recorded opposition. Senate Bill 18 would create a provisional social work license; Senate Bill 351 would regulate insurer use of vehicle telematics data; Senate Bill 395 would revise insurance and liability rules for peer-to-peer car sharing; and Senate Bill 197 would alter comprehensive plan elements in land use law. Senate Bill 439, protecting fire and rescue public safety employees from adverse action based on medical cannabis certification, also moved forward without amendment. One measure, Senate Bill 69, which would make permanent the nonprofit navigator position in the Department of Commerce, was discussed at length after a member raised concerns about oversight of nonprofit grant funding. On request, the bill was special ordered to the next day for further consideration. All other bills discussed in the transcript were advanced to third reading by unanimous or near-unanimous voice action, with no recorded roll-call votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those members employees who are members.
• Aren't these two companies paying their employees already today without an issue?
• Aren't these two companies paying their employees already today without an issue?
• Aren't these two companies paying their employees already today without an issue?
• Young. ...to pass to pay our employees.

Bills: HF1545 , HF2426 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical cannabis, cultivation, cannabinoid products, plant canopy, Minnesota statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• Because when the employees at Hampstead Hospital were temporary state employees, they were authorized
• Because when the employees at Hampstead Hospital were temporary state employees, they were authorized
• I do think it's important in part because there are several employees who, I said, kind of stuck with
• I don't have any issue with the employee benefits.
• I don't have any issue with the employee benefits.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And here the Senate provides three hours of paid leave for Minnesota state college and university employees
• and the rest of the state agency employees.
• Thank you. of Professional Employees or MATE. MAPE of Professional Employees or MATE.
• who work at Minnesota state employees who work at Minnesota State<00:25:17.200><c> Colleges</c><00:25
• We hope that this will agency employees.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The conference committee received a nonpartisan walkthrough of the House and Senate side-by-side for higher education-related legislation, with staff identifying Senate-only, House-only, identical, and technical-difference provisions. Topics included paid blood donation leave for Minnesota State employees, a revised higher education attainment goal, athletic fee restrictions, developmental course disclosures, American Indian Scholars Program eligibility, protections and definitions for pregnant and parenting students, online program management contracts, student aid reporting, work-study and dual training grants, private and out-of-state postsecondary education regulation, private career school licensing and data privacy, college savings plan changes, and several University of Minnesota-related provisions. House-only items also included an unemployment insurance aid adjustment, a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and $5,000 for Bemidji State University reforestation; Senate-only items included Board of Regents appointment language, limits on for-profit control of medical school curriculum, and reporting on for-profit funding in medical education. After the walkthrough, the committee moved to adopt the same and similar provisions and direct staff to make technical corrections. A senator asked about proposed adjustments to the pregnant and parenting student language, and the chair said amendments would be considered after adopting the same and similar provisions. The motion to adopt prevailed. During public testimony, Sydney Spre of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the Senate’s paid blood donation leave language, saying it would create parity for Minnesota State employees and encourage blood and plasma donation. Commissioner Dennis Olsen of the Office of Higher Education thanked the committee for adopting most of the agency’s proposed language and said he was available to help clarify remaining differences. In response to questions, he explained the Senate’s higher education attainment goal proposal, saying it would extend and broaden the existing goal, raise the target from 70% to 75%, expand the age range, and use additional metrics and partner agencies; he also said the overall attainment rate had been 63.5 under the prior goal. The transcript ends as the commissioner was being asked whether the proposal would require additional appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're trying to create new ones because these are higher-level, higher-skilled employees than the
• So we're trying to create new ones because these are higher-level, higher-skilled employees than the
• What we do have is every employee that is hired at the department through our HR section is provided
• employee that is hired at the department employee that is hired at the department uh<00:40:10.079><c
• </c><00:41:07.400><c> new</c> several weeks for employees new several weeks for employees new employees

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• at Phillips and Mayo all every employee at Phillips and Mayo all right<00:47:52.640><c> and</c><00:47
• </c> for their employees. for their employees.
• </c><01:41:33.920><c> and</c><01:41:34.159><c> I'll</c> need to retrain their employees and I'll need
• professional employees to have professional development<01:53:58.719><c> at</c><01:53:59.040><c> the
• </c> an appealing place for those employees an appealing place for those employees to<01:54:08.560><c

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:37:37.920><c> employee</c><00:37:38.320><c> grant</c><00:37:38.800><c> uh</c> um HCBS employee
• employee grant uh um HCBS employee employee grant uh scholarship<00:37:39.680><c> grants</c><00:37:40.000
• It will be employees of the company.
• And so this is just changing it to employee, which I believe was always the intent.
• ,</c> so this is just changing it to employee, so this is just changing it to employee, which<01:30:36.000

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> calling our state government employee calling our state government employee transportation<01:22
• I also noted in our testimony we're recommending fully subsidized transit passes for state employees,
• parking, as well as doing employee stall share, and also talked story with DAGS about that, and they
• parking as well as cost of employee parking as well as doing<01:24:09.800><c> employee</c><01:24:10.360
• So there's additional cost, and it would be considered income for the employee who gets that pass.

Committee: House Energy & Environmental Protection

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1077, a governor’s administration bill to increase transient accommodations tax revenue and split it between two new special funds: a climate mitigation and resiliency special fund and an economic development and revitalization special fund for tourism/resort areas. Supporters, including the Governor’s Office, recovery and resilience staff, climate and conservation groups, and several state agencies, said the bill would create a dedicated, more reliable funding stream for wildfire mitigation, coastal resilience, land clearing, infrastructure, and community-led projects. Some supporters also urged changes to the bill, including moving the fund to DLNR, adding DHHL and OHA representation, clarifying community grants, and ensuring the fund can support both state-led and community-led resilience work. The Attorney General’s office flagged a drafting issue, noting that the bill references fees deposited into the new fund even though the new chapter does not authorize fee collection, and recommended deleting that language or adding fee authority. The Climate Advisory Team representative also suggested adding DHHL to the decision-making body and requiring at-large members to have climate, resilience, conservation, or infrastructure expertise. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Kohala Coast Resort Association opposed the measure, arguing that the special fund structure does not meet statutory criteria, that the bill functions as a tax increase, and that the transient accommodations tax is not being collected equitably across all lodging types before any increase is imposed. Other opponents, including tourism and lodging interests, warned that hotels and timeshares already bear most of the tax burden and that raising the TAT could hurt an already struggling visitor industry and drive tourists away. Supporters countered that current funding is far short of what is needed and that a dedicated revenue stream is necessary to address climate impacts now. Committee members questioned why the Legislature should cede spending decisions to a separate executive-branch process, and the administration responded that the bill is intended to create a transparent, recurring mechanism for funding priorities that can be adjusted over time. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.