Transcript Highlights:

• So on the program, so the very first page, by program, you've got patrol, and it jumped from $58.8 million
• or the college programs.
• Since we're funded by the state, Programs or the college programs.
• one of the college programs that they can attend.
• On these other On these other programs that have been granted authority to conduct our own training programs

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee reviewed the Idaho State Police budget, including the Division of Idaho State Police, POST, and the Brand Inspection Division. Legislative analyst Noah Peterson outlined current staffing, fund sources, and proposed FY 2027 requests. For the Division of Idaho State Police, the major request was a $12.6 million commissioned officer pay plan funded by an increase in the vehicle registration-related Project Choice fee from $3 to $12, along with a $500,000 commercial vehicle safety grant increase, a $551,500 mobile live scan pilot, and $3.23 million in replacement items, including patrol vehicles and ballistic vests. Peterson and Colonel Gardner explained that the pay plan is intended to address long-standing recruitment and retention problems, especially in patrol districts with heavy vacancies. Colonel Gardner gave extensive testimony on staffing shortages, saying some districts require troopers to be temporarily housed in hotels to cover calls, and that pay compression and the current structure of project-choice compensation are driving officers away after about four to five years. He said the new plan would move more of trooper compensation into base pay and make future CEC increases apply to the full wage. Members asked about the fee increase, the effect on county and city agencies, unspent personnel funds, and whether the state is losing trained officers after investing heavily in them. Gardner and finance officer Christine Otto said overtime is absorbing some vacancy savings, and Otto later estimated the cost to train and equip an ISP trooper at about $231,600. The committee then reviewed POST, where Peterson said the academy has 31 FTP and no ongoing FY 2027 requests beyond $324,100 for replacement vehicles, building repairs, and equipment. Administrator Brad Johnson said a 14-week Patrol Academy costs about $10,700 per student, and explained that POST-certified academy graduates sign a two-year repayment agreement if they leave the profession. Members asked about agency-run academies, college academy programs, and whether POST costs are changing as more agencies develop their own training. Johnson said POST remains the state’s accredited basic-training provider and highlighted its national award of excellence. Finally, the Brand Inspection Division budget was presented. Peterson said the division has 41.42 FTP, is funded by the State Brand Board Fund, and is requesting $288,100 in replacement items, mainly six trucks and some laptops/tablets. Brand Inspector Cody Burlisle said most full-time inspectors are POST-certified and perform both regulatory inspections and law-enforcement duties. Members praised the division’s work and its practice of keeping vehicles in service for high mileage. The meeting ended with instructions about upcoming work groups and a reminder that budget votes would occur later in the week.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> program and get a new job. So, Mr. program and get a new job. So, Mr.
• </c> are workforce components to the program. are workforce components to the program.
• </c> our unified work program. Sounds good. our unified work program. Sounds good.
• Youth Program.
• With this program, I most like me.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• global programs.
• </c> program and in that internship program program and in that internship program more<00:17:18.079>
• </c> and a um immersive internship program and a um immersive internship program with<00:17:28.439><c
• If you also have a job training program, a job placement program... Great question.
• If you also have a job training program, a job placement program... Great question.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to better understand across programs to better understand program<00:14:08.800><c> outcomes</c><00:14
• </c><01:23:50.639><c> I</c> particular with government programs I particular with government programs
• </c><01:24:48.360><c> fraud</c> investigations of State program fraud investigations of State program
• </c><01:27:18.159><c> that</c> advantage of government programs that advantage of government programs
• </c> across the executive branch programs across the executive branch programs with<01:36:06.400><c>

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• program.
• Services Program.
• Now they call it the CARES program.
• Services Program.

Summary: The House Health Care & Wellness Committee held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2232 would create a Department of Health-operated time-sensitive emergency data repository covering trauma, cardiac, and stroke events, with quality improvement reporting and support for rural facilities; it drew strong support from emergency physicians, nurses, and the Department of Health, while the Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals support the goal but lack the resources to absorb the added requirements. House Bill 1812, as a proposed substitute, would bar insurers and public plans from imposing anesthesia time limits or related reimbursement caps; the sponsor and anesthesia providers said it protects patient safety and fair payment, and the Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists asked for a clarifying amendment on physical status modifiers. House Bill 2250 would limit hospital charity care to Washington residents, while preserving emergency care access; supporters from rural hospitals and the Washington State Hospital Association said the change would help border hospitals facing rising nonresident charity care, and opponents from legal aid, patient advocacy, and LGBTQ groups warned it would create barriers, chill access for immigrants and other vulnerable patients, and conflict with Washington’s safety-net values. The committee also heard House Bill 2340, which would extend existing substance-use monitoring program protections and stipend eligibility to nursing assistants under the Board of Nursing’s CARES program. The sponsor described it as a simple equity measure, and the Board of Nursing supported it, saying it would improve access and reduce stigma; members asked where the stipend funding comes from, and staff and the board said it is currently general-fund supported at about $25,000 annually. House Bill 2577 would change hospital inspection law by requiring acute care hospital inspections every 18 months rather than on average, allowing some accredited inspections to satisfy the requirement every 36 months, and clarifying fire-protection reinspection standards; the sponsor and Department of Health said it responds to a JLARC audit and provides needed clarity, while DOH said it is still working to catch up from inspection delays caused by the public health emergency. The meeting ended after public testimony on the bills was closed and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Justice Programs.
• Justice Programs.
• Justice Programs.
• Justice Programs.
• Justice Programs.

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• PCA program.
• There is one organization for the four-year programs and another organization for the two-year programs
• </c> then which colleges and nursing programs then which colleges and nursing programs are<00:19:36.360
• </c><00:20:20.559><c> and</c> that is for the four-year programs and that is for the four-year programs
• </c> appropriation for the grant program appropriation for the grant program those<00:21:49.799><c> will

Bills: HF729 , HF728

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: human services, provider enrollment, medical assistance, healthcare, housing stabilization, substance use disorder, vulnerable adults, fraud prevention, respite care, children, licensed settings, home and community-based services, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• but</c> the program uh is a new program um but the program uh is a new program um but it<00:43:55.440
• in</c> benefit program.
• This program is in benefit program.
• So, we set up a huge program. summer. So, we set up a huge program.
• Please vote." worthwhile program. It doesn't solve the worthwhile program.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 39. to the meat inspection program at the department.
• Line 146 is the new agriculture program called Agri Works.
• Line 147 is for the agriculture support program.
• There is an increase in the tails to the FBM program under the agreed program.
• Development and Profitability Enhancement Program.

Committee: House Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• And as such, the Tax Commission is where that program is administered.
• So again, we're not changing the scope at all of the program. It's just clarification.
• just because they participate in a non-academic program.
• So... ...school district to be able to offer that program. So further questions?
• And again, I know we pay significantly for those programs.

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee met on March 20, 2026, to hear House Bill 934, the Idaho Parenthood Choice Tax Credit, presented by Representative Jason Monks. Monks said the bill was intended as a clarification of last year’s school choice tax credit law, not an expansion, and walked through several changes: clarifying that eligibility applies if a child is age 5 through 18 at any time during the tax year, defining tutoring as academic instruction, allowing qualified homeschool materials to be purchased from more than one vendor, confirming the one-time nature of the advanced payment, clarifying use of the state refund account, and specifying that participation in non-academic activities does not itself count as enrollment. He also said the bill was meant to address issues the Tax Commission had raised in administering the program. Representative Raymond questioned why the language on page three, especially the section dealing with students in non-academic activities and IDLA, was included in a technical corrections bill rather than handled separately, noting overlap with House Bill 780. Senator Lori Den Hartog responded that the language was meant to ensure the state was not paying twice for the same student, particularly where IDLA enrollment is involved, and said the provision reflected what sponsors and the governor’s office understood to be the original intent. Quinn Perry of the Idaho School Boards Association opposed the page three language, arguing it was not merely technical and would allow students to receive the tax credit while also participating in public school extracurriculars, which she said would burden school districts and amount to double dipping. In closing, Monks defended the language as necessary to prevent students from being wrongly excluded from the credit because of participation in non-academic activities, saying families already pay to participate in many extracurriculars and that the credit still saves the state money overall. Representative Ehlers spoke in favor of the bill as a narrow clarification, while Representative Birch objected that the bill did not reduce the program’s funding in line with cuts elsewhere. The committee then voted to send House Bill 934 to the floor with a do pass recommendation; the motion passed by voice vote, with several members recorded as voting no.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll go through each program.
• Veteran mental health program.
• We have a grant program.
• We have a women veterans program. This program focuses on the state.
• We have a grant program. That grant program awards over $40 million a year to not.

Committee: Senate Veteran Affairs

Summary: The Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs heard a briefing from the Texas Veterans Commission on its major programs and outreach efforts. TVC described its claims assistance, health care advocacy, education oversight, employment services, entrepreneurship support, mental health and suicide prevention work, women veterans services, grant funding for nonprofits and local governments, and support for veteran treatment courts. The agency also highlighted its communications strategy, including media outreach, events, newsletters, social media, and the Texas Veterans State Benefits Booklet, and noted that less than 58% of veterans were aware of TVC in the latest needs assessment. A committee member asked about performance metrics, and TVC said each appropriation has associated measures and that it could provide recent results. The committee then took up Senate Bill 651, which would allow a county veterans service office in a large county to report either directly to commissioners court or to a designated county executive official. Senator West explained the bill as a cleanup of current practice, and Dallas County testified in support, saying the change would streamline internal management. No opposition was heard, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 897 would reduce the non-state matching requirement for the Texas Veterans and Family Alliance grant program in larger counties from 100 percent to 75 percent in the committee substitute, rather than the 50 percent reduction in the filed version. Supporters from MetroCare and Emergence Health Network said the lower match would help sustain and expand veteran mental health services, citing increased demand and program growth. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also adopted its rules. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1814, which would create an interagency database to collect and coordinate contact information for transitioning veterans so agencies could proactively connect them with services. Senator Hancock said the goal was to better use information already being collected, though he noted the bill had a significant fiscal note. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1818, which would create a temporary six-month licensing and certification process for military members and spouses assigned to Texas while they wait for letters of good standing from other states. VFW testified in support, emphasizing the importance of employment for military families. Both bills were left pending, and the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> one</c> establishment date of the program by one establishment date of the program by one year<00
• </c><00:09:36.240><c> in</c> these ideas for collection programs in these ideas for collection programs
• </c> the challenges to the existing program the challenges to the existing program thank<00:31:25.559
• in Minnesota to fund the program.
• </c> contract uh with the stewardship program contract uh with the stewardship program or<01:03:05.520

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:16:27.600><c> would</c> uh long-term sustainable program would uh long-term sustainable program
• Uh, has the department conducted an actual study in another program or existing program or proposed program
• <c> proposed</c><00:24:19.120><c> program</c><00:24:19.679><c> in</c> existing program or proposed program
• </c> have a paid family leave program, right? have a paid family leave program, right?
• </c><00:31:21.440><c> However,</c> since it is their program. However, since it is their program.

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Program entered a new level of size and complexity.
• We all know that in any program, and I appreciate your efforts. Thank you.
• amount because it was a newer program at that time?”
• I may have to come back on which program.
• We make sure they're in compliance with the requirements of the program.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met to continue reviewing how Family Empowerment Scholarship students are funded through the FEFP and the role of scholarship funding organizations. Staff gave a statutory overview of parent, SFO, and Department of Education responsibilities, including application deadlines, eligibility verification, quarterly payment timing, cross-checks to prevent duplicate funding, and the 99% district FEFP limitation for certain awards. The committee then heard demonstrations from Step Up for Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation showing their parent portals, application workflows, reimbursement systems, school enrollment/invoice processes, and marketplace tools for tuition, tutoring, and approved goods and services. Step Up reported major growth since HB 1, saying its scholarship population expanded from about 260,000 to more than 440,000 students, with application processing averaging about 10 days. It also highlighted faster tuition, provider, and reimbursement payments, multilingual support in English and Spanish, and resources such as videos and a call center. Members asked about support for Creole speakers, optional Florida ID numbers, student identifiers, marketplace pricing, tutor qualifications, background screening, and how awards differ from funded status. Step Up said it does not currently support Creole, does not do background screenings for tutors, sets no marketplace prices itself, and uses a unique internal student ID separate from the state ID. AAA demonstrated its revised software for the 2025-26 school year, including an eligibility screener, household and student application steps, messaging with staff, reimbursement requests, and administrative review and payment batching. AAA said the new system is custom-built, more transparent about award value versus available balance, and designed to better handle quarterly funding for UA students. Members questioned AAA and Step Up about student ID numbers, public-school cross-checks, fraud controls, school fee schedules, whether schools must participate, and reimbursement timing. Both organizations said they report quarterly to DOE, receive public-school cross-checks, and recover funds when students return to public school; AAA said its average reimbursement turnaround is about 14 business days, while Step Up said its reimbursement approvals have improved significantly. The committee also requested follow-up information, including one-pagers, data on income levels and demographics, and additional details on forecasting and system costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes things like grow-your-own programs and teacher residency programs, apprenticeship programs
• This includes things like grow-your-own programs and teacher residency programs, apprenticeship programs
• This includes things like grow-your-own programs and teacher residency programs, apprenticeship programs
• This includes things like grow-your-own programs and teacher residency programs, apprenticeship programs
• 11:58.839><c> um</c> programs apprenticeship programs um programs apprenticeship programs um often<00

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Substitute Senate Bill 6184 renames this program the Housing Stability for Youth in Courts program.
• , the Housing Stability for Youth in Courts program.
• The last of these specific program changes relate to the independent youth housing programs, which provide
• H-Sync by updating the program.
• For example, it would ensure programs like the Homeless Student Stability Program are using the same

Bills: SB5957 , SB5977

Committee: House Early Learning & Human Services

Keywords: homeless youth, youth homelessness, runaway youth, young adult homelessness, housing instability, family reunification, family stability, youth services, homelessness prevention, protective services, Department of Commerce, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, DCYF, advisory committee, lived experience, data sharing, outcome measures, interagency coordination, service providers, at-risk youth

Transcript Highlights:

• So you're revising the program, but extending an existing program that expires at the end of 2025.
• The revised program is going to cost approximately the same as the existing program does in its last
• successful program in Florida.
• Additionally, Dallas College is opening up a program.
• If the program is repealed, then the state pays $409 million for the past backlog.

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard several tax and economic development bills. SB 935 would exempt counties from the motor fuels tax on fuel used exclusively in county vehicles; Sen. Hall and Cass County Judge Travis Ransom argued it would save counties money without changing fund allocations, and the bill was left pending while the committee waited for the House version. SB 2206 would extend and revise Texas’s research and development incentives by tying the franchise tax credit more closely to federal law and changing the program’s effective date; supporters from business, manufacturing, and tax policy groups said it would protect innovation jobs and help startups, while the Comptroller’s office explained the fiscal note and said the committee substitute was no longer needed. The committee later withdrew the substitute and left the bill pending before ultimately voting it out favorably. The committee also heard SB 2020, which would repeal the “rehab tax” on nonresidential remodeling. Sen. Campbell said a large fiscal note led him to delay a full presentation, but builders, architects, and contractors testified that the tax raises remodeling costs, complicates audits, and discourages reuse and reinvestment in existing buildings. The bill was left pending. SB 2018 would create a two-year “strong families” tax credit for businesses donating to nonprofits that provide family support services; supporters from Family First, Buckner International, and Texas Baptist said it would strengthen families, father engagement, and upstream prevention, while the author said the Comptroller and HHSC were still working on administration details. That bill was also left pending. After a quorum was established, the committee heard and later reported several bills favorably. SB 1030 would exempt certain aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul parts from sales tax for general aviation; industry, airport, and local economic development witnesses said it would keep high-wage aviation work in Texas and improve competitiveness with neighboring states, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 214 would create a temporary sales tax holiday for qualifying residential HVAC systems; it was laid out and left pending. SB 1901 would make administrative and ethics changes to the Opioid Abatement Fund Council, including staggered terms, conflict rules, and fund reallocation procedures; it was reported favorably. SB 266 would repeal the Texas Research Incentive Program and use the appropriation to address the existing backlog of unmatched donations; the chair and Sen. Paxton said the state should honor past commitments, and the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> programs at institutions. programs at institutions.
• ><c> programs</c> and we review programs and we review programs on<00:24:21.600><c> a</c><00:24:21.720
• </c><00:25:21.280><c> CP</c> program that we're going into. CP program that we're going into.
• </c><00:25:50.240><c> Um,</c> programs here. Um, programs here.
• And so, that's a finite program.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Artificial Intelligence Task Force met and adopted the prior minutes before turning to AI in education. Jeff Gagne of the Southern Regional Education Board described SREB’s Commission on AI in Education, which has organized its work into committees on policy, K-12 instruction, postsecondary instruction, and skills development. He highlighted eight commission recommendations covering statewide AI networks, targeted guidance for different user groups, professional development, standards and curricula, local capacity assessments, risk management, procurement, and AI-ready workforce skills. He also emphasized that states need more specific guidance for students, teachers, faculty, administrators, and parents, and that training is essential because many educators have not been prepared to use AI in instruction. Gagne also summarized two recent SREB reports: one on AI-ready workforce skills and one on AI use in K-12 classrooms. The workforce report recommends embedding AI across standards, strengthening computer science and digital learning standards, collaborating with industry and workforce agencies, building AI competencies into training and upskilling, providing educator professional development, and monitoring readiness. He said the report identifies three skill areas: success skills, industry baseline skills, and technical skills. The classroom guidance report promotes responsible AI adoption, with four pillars focused on increasing cognitive demand, streamlining teaching and administrative work, supporting personalized learning, and developing ethical AI users. He also noted that the report includes an AI procurement tool for school districts. Members thanked Gagne for providing outside examples and resources. One member noted JCPS has an introductory AI professional development offering for educators. Gagne said Kentucky’s David Couch serves on the SREB commission and that the commission’s member list and reports are available on SREB’s website. The committee then heard from Travis Powell of the Council on Postsecondary Education, who said CPE had surveyed campuses and found that Kentucky institutions have broadly embraced AI in teaching, research, student services, and administrative operations. He said all institutions have AI-focused degrees, minors, or courses, and many are integrating AI into general education and across disciplines. Powell also said CPE is considering an AI consortium and that campuses are using AI in research partnerships and applied work, while continuing to focus on ethical and effective use.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:01.360><c> really</c> so an investment of this program really so an investment of this program
• </c> the livestock investment grant program the livestock investment grant program soil<00:25:10.200>
• </c><01:35:43.360><c> this</c><01:35:43.560><c> program</c><01:35:43.880><c> promotes</c> CARE program
• this program promotes CARE program this program promotes healthy<01:35:44.560><c> food</c><01:35:44.960
• </c> speak to the advantages of the program speak to the advantages of the program thank<01:36:48.400

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I asked that question because um this program is one of the last remaining programs we have to try
• And I asked that question because um this program is one of the last remaining programs we have to try
• NRCS's programs, for example.
• </c><01:04:36.720><c> They're</c> program? So they're independent. They're program?
• </c> asking about the budget for the program? asking about the budget for the program?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 219, which would revise the renewable portfolio standard. Representative Bose explained that the bill would modify class one definitions, eliminate class two, reduce the utility obligation for class one thermal renewable energy certificates from 2.2% to 1.7%, and adjust alternative compliance payments for classes one, three, and four. He said the changes were intended to save ratepayers an estimated $5.7 million annually, would not materially harm the renewable portfolio standard, and would have little effect on class two because that market is already saturated. Members questioned the impact on consumers, the state budget, and the renewable energy fund; Bose said the fund had already been redirected in the state budget, and another member noted an amended fiscal note showing a $1.2 million reduction in general fund revenue. The committee also discussed the bill’s history, including that it had been added to HB 2 and later removed by the Senate, and Bose said the Senate’s eventual action was hard to predict. The committee then heard House Bill 164 on local records retention from Secretary of State David Scanlan. He said the long-standing local records manager position had never been funded, but that the need for it had grown as towns increasingly digitize records and must ensure accessibility, including ADA compliance. He described the bill as a way to provide state support and expertise to municipalities, especially smaller towns with limited resources, and said the fiscal note for hiring the position remained accurate, though broader website and storage costs could rise over time. Members asked about retrieving lost records, the cost of a public website, and whether records should remain local or be stored at the state level; Scanlan said the state would serve as a resource rather than take control of local records. Finally, the committee began work on House Bill 365, also with Secretary Scanlan, concerning proof of U.S. citizenship for indigent voters. He said the bill would help voters who may lack required documents under the new voter registration law by allowing the state to verify qualifications through federal, private, or other state databases and by providing vouchers to cover the cost of obtaining documents such as birth certificates. He compared the proposal to earlier voter ID accommodations and said the goal was to help qualified voters meet the new requirements without weakening them. Members raised questions about defining “indigent,” how out-of-state birth records would be handled, and the practicality of the verification process; Scanlan said the term would likely need further discussion and that the state would try to assist voters before election day whenever possible.