Transcript Highlights:

• come on up and testify, or hopefully don't testify, please, by all means, feel free to use that to adjust
• Specifically, we found that the department failed to adjust agricultural rental rates to reflect market
• But as of November 2023, the department had not adjusted its agricultural rental rates since 2006.
• Uh, do you have an approximate or a ballpark figure that you think are used for employee salaries?
• Uh, do you have an approximate or a ballpark figure that you think are used for employee salaries?

Summary: The Joint Natural Resources and House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committees of Reference heard the Arizona Auditor General’s sunset review of the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. The audit found the board generally met some licensing requirements, but it did not timely investigate and resolve 49 of 159 complaints in fiscal year 2024, and it did not fully comply with conflict-of-interest disclosure and filing requirements. The Auditor General also identified weaknesses in continuing-education verification and other sunset-factor areas, and the board agreed to implement all 21 recommendations. Board staff said complaint volume has risen sharply since the pandemic, that the board’s process is slower because every case goes through an investigative committee and then the full board, and that it has already corrected some conflict-of-interest issues and is adding tools to improve continuing-education audits. The committee then heard testimony from the board’s executive director and from the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association. The executive director emphasized the board’s public-protection mission, described the shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians, and said the board is working to improve efficiency through a new e-licensing system and staff training. Members asked about the shortage of large-animal veterinarians, complaint backlogs, and whether the board could do more to recruit rural practitioners; the board said it lacks direct recruiting authority but supports multiple licensure pathways and loan-assistance efforts. The veterinary association supported the board’s oversight and said it is also working on rural and large-animal workforce issues through partnerships and advocacy. The committee then voted to recommend continuing the board for eight years, until July 1, 2034. The committee next took up the Arizona State Land Department, beginning with the Auditor General’s presentation on the department’s sunset review and prior special audit. The audit found the department had not updated its required five-year disposition plan since 2011, had sold more than 48,000 acres without an active plan, had allowed agricultural rental rates to go unchanged since 2006 despite market increases, and had not consistently inspected mineral-related leases or properly managed reclamation bonds. The Auditor General said these issues created risks of lost revenue, reduced transparency, and public-safety hazards, and recommended 18 corrective actions in the main review plus 34 additional recommendations on other issues; the department agreed to most recommendations but declined to adopt a written policy for commissioner-initiated land sales. Commissioner Robin Sahid said the department is working through audit recommendations, has created a rules team, improved its customer portal, and is pursuing new policies on water use, transportation-basin leases, and disposition planning. Members questioned the department about agricultural leases, groundwater valuation, the Fondomonte leases and reimbursement for improvements, the canceled Coyotes land auction, backlog and processing times, and the use of consultants and administrative funds. The commissioner said the department had over 2,000 applications in queue when she arrived, that it has made progress reducing the backlog, and that it is conducting stakeholder outreach on water-efficiency standards and lease addenda. No final vote on the land department continuation was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Von, Madam Chair, Representative Ric, yes, definitely the red flag of salaries at the nonprofit level
• Von, Madam Chair, Representative Ric, yes, definitely the red flag of salaries at the nonprofit level
• They might have gone for salaries, they might have gone for food; we don't know.
• I think about salaries at the NGO level.
• I think about salaries at the NGO level.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think that private sector salaries are a very fair comparison, although of course those have
• salaries which have been pretty stagnant over the last 10 or 12 years.
• Public sector salaries, this is an important point, have gone up quite a bit, particularly in the exec
• Underpayment of salaries for higher professionals.
• And so their salaries are. set in our budget, so through the ordinary appropriations process for.

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• salary schedule.
• for critical shortage areas, because the need is so dire, those teachers are guaranteed a minimum salary
• He said they are guaranteed at a minimum that salary on the district salary schedule.
• said the other piece of it that she hopes they can address is teacher pay, because their starting salary
• is lower than all of our starting salary is lower than all of our<00:15:47.319><c> as</c><00:15:47.480

Summary: The House State Government Committee met with a quorum and considered three bills. House Bill 73, as amended by committee substitute, added We Lead CS to the list of agencies participating in the Teachers’ Retirement System administrative provisions. The sponsor explained the bill corrects an oversight involving a computer science education service provider established in 2022. A question about fiscal impact was answered with no expected fiscal note or actuarial impact. The committee adopted the substitute and passed HB 73 19-0 with favorable expression. House Bill 441 addressed teacher shortages by expanding the number of retired teachers and critical-shortage-area teachers school districts may hire. The sponsor said districts could hire retired teachers up to 10% of staff and critical shortage area teachers up to 10%, replacing lower current limits and a temporary COVID-era provision that had expired. Members asked about work limits, salary rules, and how often shortage areas are identified; the sponsor said retired teachers remain subject to existing earnings limits, critical shortage teachers are paid at least a rank-two, 10-year salary, and shortage areas are identified annually by the Commissioner of Education. Supportive comments noted the bill was a stopgap and that long-term solutions should include recruitment, retention, and pay. The committee passed HB 441 19-0 with favorable expression. House Bill 462 would allow county clerks to correct marriage applications or licenses by affidavit, without requiring a lawsuit in circuit court, when there are obvious errors or omissions. The Kenton County clerk and another clerk testified that the change would help people who need corrected records for Social Security, Real ID, inheritance, and other legal purposes, while still preserving data needed by Vital Statistics. Members described the bill as a practical efficiency measure. The committee passed HB 462 19-0 with favorable expression, and the meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> This in addition to the starting salary This in addition to the starting salary for<01:19:38.159
• Yes, sir. and &gt;&gt; Marian adjustment center.
• Commissioner, I want to commend you on salary increases without creating a salary compression issue.
• </c> I want to commend you on salary I want to commend you on salary increases<01:53:26.960><c> without
• creating a salary increases without creating a salary compression<01:53:29.440><c> issue.

Summary: The committee opened with roll call, welcomed a new member, approved the July meeting minutes, and then took up testimony on the statewide emergency responder voice system, also described as the state police radio system replacement project. John Hicks, secretary of the governor’s executive cabinet and state budget director, testified that the project is unusually complex because it combines multiple IT replacements, land acquisition, and tower construction. He said the existing system dates to the early 1970s and that the administration is treating the project as a priority, with work proceeding in phases and weekly coordination among the Justice Cabinet, Kentucky State Police, and Finance and Administration Cabinet. Hicks said the project has already spent about $110 million, with nearly 1,900 portable radios acquired, microwave replacement completed at 56 sites and underway at 76 more, and routers, switches, and network upgrades addressed. He explained that because the State Police are not set up to handle real property work, the administration brought in outside real property consulting vendors through an RFP, and three vendors are now qualified to help identify and negotiate sites. He said the goal is to speed up land acquisition and tower construction while the State Police continue the technology work, and he emphasized that the project is intended to close coverage gaps for state police first and later benefit local governments and other first responders. Members of the committee expressed concern about the project’s cost and pace. Representative Petri noted that about $218.8 million has been authorized since 2018 and questioned whether the project could stretch into 2030 or later, asking what more the General Assembly could do to help. Representative Blandon also raised concerns about the long timeline and the risk of the project becoming another costly, delayed infrastructure effort, while asking when the vendor RFP was completed and whether any sites had been acquired since then. Representative Sharp asked whether there was a detailed plan and timeline, and Hicks responded that the technology side is well defined but the property acquisition side must proceed site by site because each location depends on ownership, access, power, and other factors. Hicks said the west-to-east phasing has been a smart approach and that the executive branch should improve performance to beat the current timeline expectations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And today, we have one... the next bill is Senate Bill 5927, Workers’ Comp Adjustments.
• The cost of living adjustment is based on the change in the average monthly wage.
• The COLA's The cost of living adjustment is based on the change in the average monthly wage.
• It preserves annual adjustments, but sets responsible guardrails over the year-over-year growth.
• It preserves annual adjustments, but sets responsible guardrails over the year growth.

Bills: SB5379 , SB6106 , SB6147 , SB6180 , SB5927 , SB6287

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Costs associated with these requirements include hiring additional clinical staff, increased salaries
• He increased her salary to $15 an hour. Weekly, that's about $600.
• But I'll say this: the salaries are high in comparison. St.
• Some people, you know, her salary is way more than the teacher's aide salary.
• Her salary is way more than the people who pick up our trash salary.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several budget requests tied to health and human services. Louisiana Children’s Advocacy Centers asked for continued support and a supplemental appropriation of $1.173 million for infrastructure and standardization, explaining that the money would expand use of the Guardify digital evidence system, improve chain of custody, and reduce reliance on DVDs. Baton Rouge and statewide CAC leaders said prior funding helped eliminate a therapy wait list and speed services for abused children. Members asked detailed questions about the digital system, MDT coordination, and how the request related to SB 237, which would strengthen multidisciplinary review of child abuse cases. The Alzheimer’s Association sought $824,000 to sustain the dementia care specialist program, saying it helps families navigate services, keep loved ones at home longer, and reduce Medicaid costs. AARP and the Live at Home Coalition also testified for 750 additional Community Choice waiver slots at a state cost of $3.3 million, arguing that home- and community-based care is cheaper than nursing homes and that the current wait list is more than 11,000 people. Legislators discussed the size of the need, the state’s long-term care spending mix, and whether more support should go to family caregivers and community-based options. Testimony also focused on disability support services, substance use treatment, and developmental disability provider rates. A parent and direct support worker described the Children’s Choice waiver’s 20-hour cap and low pay, saying it makes it hard to retain caregivers and meet the needs of medically fragile children. Odyssey House and O’Brien House asked for higher Medicaid reimbursement rates under ASAM 4, warned that removal of room-and-board payments and weak Medicaid eligibility pathways are reducing access, and called for more oversight of sober living homes; members questioned outcomes data, length of stay, and links to homelessness. Finally, the Arc of Louisiana said the LDH rate study confirmed underfunding and supported a $53.6 million increase in state general funds, with local ARC leaders describing the services they provide and the need for higher direct support professional wages.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, so what was requested of us with the industry was to adopt a similar salary adjustment program that
• </c><01:32:04.239><c> adjustment</c><01:32:04.880><c> program</c><01:32:05.360><c> that</c> similar salary
• adjustment program that similar salary adjustment program that we<01:32:05.920><c> did</c><01:32:06.080
• <c> can</c><01:38:43.920><c> u</c><01:38:44.480><c> and</c> uh salary adjustments when we can u and uh
• salary adjustments when we can u and uh<01:38:45.520><c> support</c><01:38:46.159><c> what</c><01:38

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• As mentioned, they moved the LFC recommendation and then added some additional money for salaries and
• We don't divert money from salaries and benefits.
• We put money into salaries and benefits if we need to.
• We have a very low reversion rate in salaries and benefits. I think it was 0.24 last year.
• That's to bring up people's salaries. The HB 2 does not include a special for that.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes salaries, benefits, and expenses associated. $48 million to DEX.
• This includes salaries, benefits, and expenses associated with establishing new sworn law enforcement
• , because we're going to go ahead and give them a salary bump.
• How in this bill are we recognizing law enforcement for a salary increase?
• How in this bill are we recognizing law enforcement for a salary increase?

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met to hear SB 2-C, a major immigration enforcement bill sponsored by Senator Gruters and co-introduced by Senator Fine. The sponsor described the bill as a response to federal immigration priorities and said it replaces a single immigration officer with a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, expands local-federal cooperation, increases penalties for crimes committed by unauthorized immigrants, requires detention in certain cases, broadens information sharing, funds detention-bed expansion and law-enforcement training, and ends in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. The bill also includes provisions related to sanctuary policies, voter fraud, transport of unauthorized aliens, and driver’s license-related offenses. The sponsor said the bill appropriates roughly $300 million overall, including $250 million for grants and $48 million for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for interdiction and border-related enforcement work. Committee members questioned the bill’s scope, costs, and implementation. Senators focused heavily on the tuition-waiver repeal, asking how many students would be affected and whether the bill would harm students who have long lived in Florida. They also pressed on whether the bill should include stronger E-Verify provisions, how sanctuary-policy enforcement would work, whether local officials could be penalized for policy choices, and how immigration status would be verified in court and jail settings. The sponsor and Senator Fine said the tuition waiver would be removed for undocumented students, that the bill does not address E-Verify, and that the measure is intended to make immigration status a factor in detention and sentencing. Questions also addressed detention-bed capacity, reimbursement rates, and whether corrections staff would receive bonuses or salary increases; sponsors said bonuses are included for participating law enforcement, while broader salary issues would be handled in the regular budget process. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters and information-only witnesses, including Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and former officials, said the bill would help Florida coordinate with federal authorities, expand bed space, and close loopholes in existing immigration enforcement. Opponents from the Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU of Florida, Florida Policy Institute, labor groups, and immigrant advocates argued the bill is unconstitutional, likely to trigger litigation, and harmful to families, schools, and the economy. They warned that the pretrial detention provisions could lead to wrongful detentions and that the tuition changes would reduce access to higher education and cost the state tuition revenue. No final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt, but the committee continued through public comment and extended the meeting to complete the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Have all the school districts been able to reach the minimum salary of $47,500 for all teachers?
• So does the allocation of $100 million for teacher salaries mean that for some schools it will be able
• Actually, the individual universities set their own salaries.
• It's specifically up to the university to set their salaries. We don't dictate what they can do.
• Retirees in the special risk class will receive an alternative cost-of-living adjustment of 1.5% after

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• And today, we have one... the next bill is Senate Bill 5927, Workers’ Comp Adjustments.
• The cost-of-living adjustment is based on the change in the average monthly wage. The COLA’s...
• The cost-of-living adjustment is based on the change in the average monthly wage.
• It preserves annual adjustments, but sets responsible guardrails over the year-over-year growth.
• Thank you so much, panel. living adjustment for injured workers at just 3%.

Summary: The Labor and Commerce Committee heard public testimony on several bills. Senate Bill 618, the Eric Schrauss Memorial Act, would remove the current time-and-exposure qualifiers for the workers’ compensation presumption that certain heart problems in firefighters and law enforcement officers are occupational diseases. The sponsor and family members of fallen firefighters testified in support, describing delayed claims and arguing the bill would spare grieving families from lengthy appeals. Opponents including counties, self-insurers, cities, and L&I’s research staff said the current qualifiers are based on science, warned the change would greatly expand claims and costs, and noted a 2023 advisory committee did not recommend the change. No vote was taken. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5379, which would extend interest arbitration rights to Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission law enforcement rangers. The sponsor and a park ranger testified that rangers are commissioned peace officers who cannot strike and are paid less than comparable law enforcement, leading to staffing shortages and turnover. The bill was presented as a fairness and retention measure. Testimony on Senate Bill 6147, concerning grocery store closures in food deserts, was split: supporters from Tacoma, labor, and local government said a six-month notice requirement would help communities respond to closures like the Fred Meyer shutdown in South Tacoma, while grocers and industry groups argued the bill was too prescriptive, would add legal risk, and would not solve underlying crime and business pressures. Senate Bill 6106, requested by the Employment Security Department, would exempt tribes from the state WARN-style notice law and make employee names and addresses submitted in layoff notices confidential under the Public Records Act. ESD and business groups supported the bill as a clarification and privacy fix, and no opposition was heard. The committee then took testimony on Senate Bill 5927, which would cap future workers’ compensation COLAs at 3%; employers and self-insurers supported it as a way to address volatility and long-term liabilities, while labor, injured-worker advocates, and others opposed it as an across-the-board benefit cut that would erode wage replacement. L&I explained it has been studying possible COLA changes but did not bring forward its own proposal. Finally, Senate Bill 6287 on kratom would restrict adulterated or harmful kratom products, require labeling, set a 21+ sales age, and allow local regulation; supporters backed the age limit and bans on concentrated 7-OH, while some industry witnesses opposed the private right of action and local patchwork rules. The committee adjourned after public testimony; no final votes or executive action were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• To make some adjustments.
• adjustment.
• adjustment.
• adjustment.
• “Let’s make some adjustments.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was to pay for the salaries and fringes of our federally funded positions, operating costs such
• As I previously mentioned, this is mainly for the salaries and fringes of our state-funded positions,
• As I previously mentioned, this is mainly for the salaries and fringes of our state-funded positions,
• No longer needed or make adjustments to the current purchase orders.
• Adjustments that have taken place.

Summary: The committee met to receive a detailed financial operations presentation from the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, with staff walking members through funding sources, budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and grants management. Sabrina Walker explained VR’s blended funding structure, including federal grants, state appropriations, program income, and interagency contracts, and emphasized that state funds are essential to meeting the federal match and maintenance-of-effort requirements. Members asked repeatedly about transparency, audit controls, and the risk that state cuts could reduce federal drawdowns; staff responded that all reports reconcile back to the SCEIS accounting system, are subject to state audits and internal reviews, and that even modest state reductions could significantly reduce total available funding. The committee also discussed pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, with staff confirming services are offered through school districts, charters, and private schools, and that contracts are monitored for performance and compliance. The presentation then shifted to budgeting and internal controls. Walker described a zero-based departmental budgeting process, monthly monitoring reports, contingency reserves for unexpected expenses, and a formal annual cycle that culminates in board approval. Members asked about facilities tracking, culture, and how the agency maintains accountability; staff said facilities staff inspect buildings and equipment, supervisors justify line-item requests, and the process has become smoother over time as departments learned the system. Cynthia Johnson followed with an accounts receivable overview, describing invoicing, receipting, aging, customer verification, year-end reporting, and the use of cross-training, shared email inboxes, and spreadsheets as checks and balances. She also explained work training center billing, interdepartmental transfers, and the revolving fund used to issue consumer checks more quickly than standard vendor payments. Olivia Perez presented accounts payable operations, including invoice processing through SCEIS and OnBase, the three-way match, travel reimbursements, revolving fund checks, State Treasury Office interactions, and handling of reversals, rejections, and levy notices. She reported that AP processed 67,723 SCEIS payments, 13,670 case management system invoices, 3,379 travel reimbursements, and 15,693 revolving fund checks in fiscal year 2025, with only 70 payment rejections. The final portion of the meeting covered Grants and Funds Management, where Walker explained federal reporting, drawdowns, payroll allocation, asset tracking, lease and IT contract reviews, cost allocation, and closing packages. She noted upcoming system changes such as S/4HANA, Workiva, and SC Pro, but said the agency is receiving training and feedback opportunities. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the presentation portion beyond approval of the prior minutes and a brief recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• Everything else has been evolving and adjusting over time.
• So for us, 87% of our budget goes to salaries and benefits.
• So for us, 87% of our budget goes to salaries and benefits.
• So if we're asked to absorb another one point, our budget goes to salaries and benefits.
• We are currently making budget adjustments. Our salaries and benefits are up 28% in this biennium.

Bills: SB6251 , SB6259 , SB6325 , SB5978 , SB6209 , SB6217 , SB6227 , SB6235

Committee: Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2019, we spent an average and teacher salary of this much money, not what we spent, but if it was
• today it would be adjusted to kind of language, which doesn't make any sense.
• So, I struck out the annual adjustment for inflation language in both sections three and four.
• adjustment for inflation adjustment for inflation um<00:45:46.720><c> language</c><00:45:47.760><c>
• And so I adjusted section four to be the, um, the actual district's yearly average administrative salary

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• 3 beginning on page 3 item e under other funding changes pertain to the by analyzing of statewide salary
• electric service and then on the water side, the same types of rate cases and interim charges, plus a adjustments
• For salary increases what's the what are the pay scales and what's your lowest paid employee with your
• We are not requesting any salary increases. A lot of new FTEs, sorry.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislature does provide a fixed appropriation for the Endowment Fund Investment Board for salaries
• These were tied to board requests to raise the salaries of the staff members.
• You will see also on the screen that the TPA adjustments for CEC and inflation are zero.
• The governor's recommendation was to not also include an adjustment for the Timber Protective Association
• Chairman, I would stand for questions at this time, but... ...also on the screen that the TPA adjustments

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, in order to make sure we have adequate teachers in the classroom, we're going to require salary
• , you've talked to your partners in the House, and you've adjusted, and I believe this bill is ready
• If there's ways down the road that this thing needs to be adjusted or made better in other ways, I know
• They've negotiated with the employer's salary and benefits.
• I mean, I'll just use my district as of salary negotiations and benefits.

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance led by pages, and several guest recognitions before moving to the special order calendar. The chamber first took up a series of claims and relief bills, including SB 6 for L.E. against DCF, SB 26 for the estate of Mark Legata, and later other measures such as child welfare, public records, and professional licensing bills. Most of these bills were explained by sponsors as targeted fixes or relief measures, and several were substituted with identical House bills before final passage. Votes were overwhelmingly favorable on these items, including unanimous or near-unanimous approvals on the claims bills and education-related measures. A major floor debate centered on CS/CS/SB 354, the Blue Ribbon Projects bill, which would create a new framework for large-scale planned developments on at least 15,000 acres with substantial conservation set-asides. Supporters argued it would provide a structured path for long-term growth and development, while opponents from both parties warned it was too vague, could undermine local control, and lacked enough specificity on conservation, infrastructure, and land-use protections. After extensive debate, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than brought to a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 21 on land-use regulations tied to hurricane recovery, SB 530 on lottery operations, SB 556 on Special Olympics as a PE substitute for students with disabilities, SB 688 on naturopathic medicine, SB 758 on the Justice Administrative Commission, SB 830 creating public-records exemptions for certain local officials and their families, SB 878 on clinical laboratory personnel, SB 914 on dry needling by occupational therapists, and SB 1002 on child welfare and parental drug abuse. Another lengthy and contentious discussion involved CS/CS/SB 1632 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles, which included provisions on foreign law, domestic terrorist designations, and restrictions on public support for designated organizations. Senators debated an amendment to remove references to Sharia law; that amendment failed. A second amendment with broader revisions and notice procedures was then taken up, with questions focused on notice, appeal rights, and the designation process. The transcript ends during that amendment discussion, before final disposition is shown. Throughout the session, many bills were substituted with identical House companions and then passed by recorded vote, often with strong bipartisan support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every dollar, all the salary.
• </c> every dollar, all the salary. every dollar, all the salary.
• </c> additionally all the monthly salary additionally all the monthly salary everything<00:48:56.720>
• The Lao government does not provide<00:49:02.960><c> any</c> provide any provide any salary. salary.
• salary.

Bills: HF3919 , HF3467 , HF3741

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division