Transcript Highlights:

• And I had the opportunity to work with our Department of Revenue.
• It does have an excise tax or sin tax that's been worked out with the Department of Revenue.

Bills: SB282 , SB300 , HB72 , HB396 , SB282 , SB300 , HB72 , HB396

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: virtual currency, cryptocurrency, tax exemption, state tax law, digital assets, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, business incentives, economic impact, firefighter, license plate, fees, funds distribution, support programs, memorial, disabled veterans, property tax exemption, debt-to-income ratio, homestead, veterans affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• fully funds the department of educa Department<00:05:11.160><c> of</c><00:05:11.440><c> Agriculture<
• </c> and I do not want to see the department and I do not want to see the department of<00:18:40.919>
• </c><00:19:09.679><c> in</c> breaks and um we need that department in breaks and um we need that department
• </c> amended funding for the uh Department amended funding for the uh Department itself<00:37:01.520>
• <c> for</c><00:37:01.760><c> Department</c><00:37:02.079><c> of</c> itself for Department of itself for

Bills: HF1704 , HF1722

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: Minnesota agriculture budget, Department of Agriculture appropriation, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, farm bill, rural development, agricultural grants, soil health, livestock compensation, crop damage, meat inspection, poultry inspection, county agricultural inspectors, biofertilizer, nitrogen management, commercial nitrogen fertilizer, water quality, farm down payment assistance, beginning farmers

Transcript Highlights:

• So if, if there are any, they have to call PD or El Paso PD or the sheriff's department.
• Like I said, my name is Robert Martinez Jr. and I'm here to testify on behalf of my department, which
• Like, you know, the way they see it is like you guys are the police department for your jurisdiction,
• They, they go through the, uh, Department of the Interior Federal Training Program in New Mexico.
• You can get into very small communities that have very robust police departments with detectives and

Bills: HB176 , HB180 , HB176 , HB180 , HB333 , HCR35

Committee: House S/C on State-Federal Relations

Keywords: tax, ad valorem, voter-approval, local government finance, property tax, repeal, tax rates, school finance, tax reduction, compressed tax rate, education, funding, HB 176, Texas border security, interstate compact, Government Code Chapter 794, Texas-Mexico border, border enforcement, immigration enforcement, ICE 287(g)

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Labor—Texas, Oregon, Florida, Nebraska, Kentucky all have five.

Bills: HB191 , HB35 , HB29 , HB123 , HB35 , HB29 , HB191 , HB123

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: sales tax, use tax, sales and use tax, local tax exemption, county tax, municipal tax, county commission, municipality, Alabama Department of Revenue, tax exemption, ordinance, resolution, fiscal year, September 1 effective date, notice requirement, local government, tax administration, revenue law, state and local taxation, volunteer firefighters

Transcript Highlights:

• If you publish it on the newspaper's website or on the centralized U website from the Department of Finance
• , or you do... from the Department of Finance, or you do direct mail to the bidders on the bid list.
• going to strike out "by the awarding authority" and leave it as a centralized website just for the Department
• It also eliminates references to past... ...and it also eliminates references to past departments that
• creates a technology quality assurance board, which serves as a clearinghouse between the various departments

Bills: HB320 , HB207 , HB208 , HB290

Committee: House State Government

Keywords: public works, sealed bids, bid notice, public notice, newspaper advertisement, centralized website, digital platform, Department of Finance, Department of Transportation, county commissions, municipalities, contracting, procurement, construction bidding, Alabama code Title 39, bidding requirements, electronic bidding, online bid posting, HVAC, heating and air conditioning

Bills: SF298 , SF331 , SF293 , SSB1063 , SSB1078 , SSB1132 , SSB1134 , SSB1041

Committee: Joint Natural Resources and Environment

Keywords: fishing fee, muskellunge, natural resources, state regulations, community events, youth hunting, deer license, hunting regulation, Iowa hunting laws, SF 293, SF 424, Iowa deer hunting, nonresident hunting license, special deer tags, deer license allocation, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, governor allocation, conservation organizations, wildlife habitat fee

Transcript Highlights:

• the Department of Social and Health Services in 2018.
• Monica, the fiscal note, are those staff not in the department now?
• Let's hear from Steve Ewing from the Department of Revenue.
• Any other questions for the department? Okay, thank you. Thank you.
• Any other questions for the department? Okay, thank you. Thank you.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on nine bills. Senate Bill 5872 would create the Pre-K Promise Account to receive philanthropic donations for ECAP preschool slots; supporters, including DCYF, the governor’s office, and early learning advocates, said it would help expand access to high-quality pre-K with a 10-year Ballmer Group commitment for up to 10,000 new seats annually. Senators asked how the money would flow, and staff and witnesses explained it would be governed by an MOU and deposited annually; no vote was taken. Senate Bill 5879 would eliminate two JLARC studies, one on lodging tax reporting and one on training benefits; supporters said the reports were duplicative and burdensome, while the hospitality industry warned against losing transparency, and no action was taken. Senate Bill 6047 would permanently codify various capital budget administration rules, including minor works flexibility and early learning grant changes; testimony focused on technical cleanup and on provisions affecting co-located child care and community projects, with no vote taken. Senate Bill 5988 would authorize the Department of Health to charge fees for accrediting opioid treatment programs, with support from DOH and tribal/nontribal providers who want the state to continue providing the service; no vote was taken. Senate Bill 5923 would allow Island Hospital in Skagit County to qualify as a critical access hospital, with local hospital leaders and residents supporting the measure to improve reimbursement and sustain rural care; no vote was taken. Senate Bill 5832 would raise the Lemon Law arbitration fee from $3 to $6 to fund the Attorney General’s consumer protection work, and the AG’s office, dealers, and the sponsor said the program is effective and underfunded; no vote was taken. Senate Bill 5970 would make permanent the property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizen centers, with AARP supporting the bill as a benefit to seniors and caregivers; no vote was taken. Senate Bill 5994 would preserve timber tax distributions for school districts that recently had qualifying levies, and forest industry witnesses supported the bill while suggesting a possible amendment for state forest transfer lands; no vote was taken. Senate Bill 5949 would narrow the B&O tax exemption for insurance-related businesses so it applies only to the entity paying the insurance premiums tax, retroactive to 2019; the Department of Revenue and bill supporters argued it restores tax equity, while insurers, health plans, and business groups opposed it as retroactive, ambiguous, and likely to raise premiums. The committee heard extensive testimony on that bill, but the transcript ends with adjournment and no recorded vote or executive action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Colby White, Department of Finance. Yes. And.
• Colby White, Department of Finance.
• First with the Department of Finance.
• And in October of 2024, we were unfortunately notified by the Department of Justice and the Department
• Treasury.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then finally, community development agencies and the Florida Department of Transportation, because
• So if it's not in by that point, March 1st, a letter would go to the Department of Commerce through the
• of Revenue and the Department of Financial Services or Florida Commerce, as appropriate. ...and the
• Treasury.
• Treasury.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to consider several audit requests and enforcement items involving local governments and special districts. The committee approved operational audits of the City of Miami Beach, the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority, and the City of Daytona Beach. In each case, the requesting member described concerns about transparency, financial management, or internal controls, while local officials or representatives generally said they were willing to cooperate and, in Delray Beach’s case, noted that an internal audit had already been completed and that some issues were being corrected. The committee also received a presentation on the statewide review of neighborhood improvement districts. The reviewers reported that 15 of 21 districts were active and six inactive, with common findings including outdated or missing performance plans, weak web presence, inadequate meeting notices, and limited management mechanisms. They said staffing levels often correlated with the ability to meet statutory requirements, and they recommended updates to district governance and transparency practices. On enforcement, staff reviewed local governments and special districts that had failed to file required financial reports or had submitted audit reports missing required information. The committee approved staff recommendations to proceed under the statutory enforcement process for the noncompliant entities, with flexibility for the chair and vice chair to delay action if additional information is provided in good faith. The committee also voted to send a letter to the Union County Legislative Delegation encouraging a local bill to dissolve the Town of Rayford, based on staff’s view that the town lacked employees, services, debt, and a clear reason to continue existing as an incorporated municipality.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is basically a Department of Revenue update to help hopefully the department become a little bit
• And again, this came from the department.
• “That would probably be a question for the department.
• So we'll work with the department.
• Okay, so the Department of Defense also, U.S.A., are U.S. Department of Geological Survey— Our U.S.

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• So, first on our agenda today, members, we are going to receive a presentation from the Department of
• Children, Youth, and Families based on the February 2026 forecast, and I will kick it off to our department
• I'm Ashley Reisenauer, I'm the Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families
• So, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families operates five forecasted programs, and I'll talk
• So, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families operates five forecasted programs, and I'll talk

Bills: HF3415

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: child care, day care, licensed child care center, license-exempt child care, immigration enforcement, ICE, Customs and Border Protection, CBP, USCIS, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, judicial warrant, facility access, sensitive locations, immigrant families, Minnesota Statutes chapter 142B

Bills: SB205 , SB242 , SB205 , SB242

Committee: House Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure

Keywords: appropriation, education funding, priority schools, Alabama education, State Department of Education, codification, state law, legal revisions, Alabama code, legislative updates, underground damage prevention, notification system, construction safety, infrastructure, commercial driver license, English proficiency, work authorization, impoundment, false documentation

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of which are quite good, offered by the Environment Department and others.
• Next up, we have a presentation from the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
• Certified Economic Development Organization by the department at a later date.
• That's been a great step for them in that department.
• Development Department.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• are some fee increases rather, even if it is regressive, that needs to happen in order for the department
• Native plants fees that are related to the Department of Environmental Quality, water...
• This vehicle registration fee was supposed to help fund the Department of Public Safety, and instead
• Treasury has not yet issued regulations explaining how this program will work.
• Treasury has not yet issued regulations explaining how this program will work.

Committee: House House Ways & Means Committee of Reference

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee first heard SCR 1028, a voter-referral constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds legislative vote for state fee and assessment increases set by agencies, closing what supporters described as a loophole that has allowed fee hikes without direct legislative approval. The sponsor argued the measure would restore accountability and prevent agencies from using fees as a workaround for tax increases, while opponents from business and economic groups warned it would make agencies less responsive, delay needed adjustments for inflation and program costs, and shift costs to taxpayers or reduce funding for services. After debate, the committee returned SCR 1028 with a do pass recommendation by a 5-3 vote, with one member absent. The committee then took up SB 1142, which would have Arizona opt into a federal tax credit program for donations to scholarship-granting organizations and set eligibility requirements for those organizations. Supporters said the program would bring in private dollars at no state cost, expand school choice, and help students with tutoring, special needs, transportation, and other educational expenses; they also argued that if Arizona does not opt in, donations could flow to other states. Opponents, including the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, said the federal program was not yet fully written, lacked guardrails, and could further strain public schools by diverting resources away from the majority of students who remain in district schools. The committee returned SB 1142 with a do pass recommendation by a 5-3 vote, with one member absent, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• DSHS is to adopt rules and policies that require document and record sharing between and within department
• I'm the Assistant Secretary in the Department of Social and Health Services for the Home and Community
• For the record, I am Angela Ramirez, Secretary for the Department of Social and Health Services, and
• This is department request legislation, and thank you to Senator Bateman for prime sponsoring this bill
• As a first step, the department dissolved three existing service administrations—aging and long-term

Bills: SB5681 , SB6024 , SB6036 , SB6063

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: employment services, community inclusion, age limitations, disability services, home and community living, community residential services, oversight, monitoring, service providers, streamlining, foster care, licensure, adoption, child welfare, support services, terminology alignment, social services, Washington state code, department reorganization, legislative amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• The third would direct the GLO and Department of Public Safety to enter into an interagency agreement
• Patient, the $500 million is not in the state's treasury.
• We're going to move on to the Department of Health.
• On the Department of Agriculture, Rachel Stegall? Stegall. Stegall. Go ahead, Ms.
• They want to replicate that. only four states where the Ag Department runs nutritional programs.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Bills: HR113 , HCR121 , HR152 , HCR162 , SB2835 , HR61 , HCR67 , HR94 , HCR102 , HR20 , HCR19 , HR98 , HCR106 , HR57 , HCR63 , HR96 , HCR104 , HR132 , HCR140 , HR133 , HCR141 , HR77 , HCR85 , HR90 , HCR98 , HR155 , HCR165 , HR156 , HCR166 , HR74 , HCR82 , HR190 , HCR200 , HR15 , HCR13 , HR83 , HCR91 , HR117 , HCR125 , HR193 , HCR203 , HR119 , HCR127 , HR114 , HCR122 , HR116 , HCR124 , HR22 , HCR22 , HR120 , HCR128 , HR32 , HCR32 , HR115 , HCR123 , HR138 , HCR146 , HR182 , HCR192 , HR88 , HCR96 , HR50 , HCR54 , HR169 , HCR179 , HR170 , HCR180 , HR31 , HCR31 , HR86 , HCR94 , HR23 , HCR24 , HR7 , HCR8 , HR12 , HCR10 , HR136 , HCR144 , HR108 , HCR116 , HR33 , HCR33 , HR175 , HCR185 , HR129 , HCR137 , HR192 , HCR202 , HR194 , HCR204 , HR19 , HCR18 , HR131 , HCR139 , HR163 , HCR173 , HR109 , HCR117 , HR56

Keywords: Hawaii, House Resolution, HR113, Mermaid Caves, Nanakuli, coastal hazards, sea caves, shoreline safety, public safety, digital maps, navigation apps, Google Maps, Apple Maps, point of interest, recreational destination, emergency response, drownings, rescues, cave safety, DLNR

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Deputy Attorney General Jungman Charles Lee for the Department of the Attorney General.
• They can spend money out of their treasuries without disclosing it. definition.
• They can spend money out of their<00:19:39.679><c> treasuries</c><00:19:40.160><c> without</c><00:19:
• </c> their treasuries without disclosing it. their treasuries without disclosing it.
• I'm here on behalf of the DCCA Insurance Division, and the department stands on its written testimony

Bills: SB2004 , SB2039 , SB2042 , SB2043 , SB2044 , SB2132

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee opened its first hearing of the year with remarks from Chair Jared Kohole outlining hearing procedures, a two-minute testimony limit, rules for remote testimony and decorum, and a revised testimony-publication pilot that keeps 96-hour notice but returns to a standard 24-hour testimony deadline. He then moved through the agenda, beginning with SB 2004 on outdoor advertising, which would increase penalties for violations of billboard and outdoor advertising laws. Testimony on that measure was limited; Henry Curtis of Life of the Land was first up, and written support was noted from Hawaiian Electric and the Outdoor Circle. The committee then heard SB 2039 on election campaign finance, which would prohibit certain business entities from engaging in campaign finance activities. The Attorney General’s office offered comments and did not take a formal position at the hearing. Several proponents testified in support, including Josh Frost, Tom Moore of the Center for American Progress, Hapa/Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, and Common Cause Hawaiʻi, all arguing the bill would curb corporate and dark-money influence and return elections to the people. Moore distinguished between regulating corporate “rights” and limiting corporate “powers,” and said the state can redefine the powers it grants corporations. In questions, Senator McKelvey asked whether the bill could be expanded to include unions; the Attorney General said he would need to get back with legal analysis, while Moore said his preferred approach would include all entities and that leaving out nonprofits or unions would create problems. Members also discussed whether the bill would affect PACs, and Moore explained that the proposal would prohibit corporate and dark-money flows into PACs while leaving individual political giving and existing political committees in place. The committee then moved on to the next measure. SB 2042, relating to insurance, was heard next. The bill would reduce the unimpaired minimum capital and surplus required of class 4 sponsored captive insurance companies under certain circumstances. The DCCA Insurance Division said it stood on its written testimony, and the Hawaii Captive Insurance Council testified in support, describing the change as a narrow, risk-based adjustment that would not affect the commissioner’s authority where actual risk resides and would help keep Hawaii competitive. The committee noted additional written support and proceeded without a vote or final action in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Insurance Department.
• And yes, to your question, there is annual reporting to the Department of Treasury.
• Once we commit 80% of our capital in the first tranche, we then go to the Department of Treasury, and
• Yeah, the Department of Treasury views it for compliance purposes. We're viewing it.
• To your question, the Department of Treasury doesn't expect us to deliver dollars back to them, so the

Summary: The committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with the statewide Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and OMB reported a clean, unmodified opinion for the state, with strong financial results including a $40.6 billion net position, $30.99 billion in assets, $1.81 billion in liabilities, and continued Legacy Fund growth. OMB also explained the new GASB 101 compensated-absences reporting change and discussed pension-liability fluctuations tied to discount-rate assumptions and investment performance. Members asked about how the state compares to others and about the effect of short-term commodity price swings, and OMB said the report reflects actual fiscal-year results rather than forecasts. The committee then heard the University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund revenue, insufficient monitoring of service organizations at CTS, NDSU, and UND, improper bank reconciliations at Dakota College of Bottineau, Dickinson State, and Williston State, and investment/cash reconciliation problems at Bismarck State College related to bond proceeds. University officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations. Members raised questions about NDSU’s use of certificates of deposit, and university staff explained that CDs are used to earn interest on funds being accumulated for future projects. Several other audits were presented, most with clean opinions and no findings, including the State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Notable exceptions included a State Fair Association audit with an adverse opinion on the foundation component unit because its financial statements were not available for audit, and a Securities Department performance audit finding that performance-based pay increases and bonuses were issued without required evaluations. The committee also discussed the State Auditor’s future needs, including more staff capacity, data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, possible subpoena authority, independent legal counsel, and whether some audits—such as the Ethics Commission and State Fair—should be handled by independent third parties or under different statutory arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The program authorizes DNR to use suppression funding to assist local fire departments during the initial
• In the substitute bill, it directs the Department of Fish and Wildlife to obtain a water discharge permit
• We have Katie Raines, the director of food system initiatives with the Washington State Department of
• We have a work session from the Washington State Department of Agriculture, local farms, workers, and
• We have Katie Raines, the director of food system initiatives with the Washington State Department of

Bills: HB2104 , HB2223 , HB2348 , HB2554 , HB2619

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response, irrigation, district director, contracts, beneficial interests, agriculture, timber sales, land sales, process efficiency, legislation, department language, tribal rights, fishing rights, salmon management, state-tribal agreements, natural resources