Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:48.680><c> access</c><00:08:49.040><c> control,</c> employee access control, employee access control
• Our next testifier is Scott Stillman, former retired DHS employee. >> [snorts] Thank you, Chair.
• Conducting work as a DHS employee for a company that held contracts with DHS was against policy, was
• And we would have sanctions for state employees who lie to the OLA.
• who lie to sanctions for state employees who lie to the<00:57:40.640><c> OLA.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There is not a single employee in our organization who could not get more by going elsewhere.
• :09.840><c> our</c><01:14:10.080><c> organization</c> a single employee in our organization a single
• employee in our organization who<01:14:11.360><c> could</c><01:14:11.600><c> not</c><01:14:11.840><c>
• </c> reimbursement and have poached employees reimbursement and have poached employees across<01:14:21.199
• for our employees, liability insurance to<01:17:45.520><c> cover</c><01:17:45.760><c> our</c><01:17:

Bills: HF2216 , HF1978 , HF2354 , HF1963 , HF1994 , HF1995 , HF1894

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: assisted living, nursing home, long-term care, guardian, conservator, resident rights, arbitration, mandatory arbitration, consumer protection, fee increase, rate increase, price hike, private pay, public funds, Medicaid, waiver services, elderly, seniors, older adults, disability rights

Transcript Highlights:

• going to read it and then be done: Scott County's Child Protection Division has had a 40 to 50% employee
• </c> to four hours of a person's of employees to four hours of a person's of employees time<01:02:47.440
• </c><01:03:12.440><c> are</c> provide guidance uh the employees are provide guidance uh the employees
• Recruitment and retention of employees is a super big problem for local governments.
• I talked about the employees, but the incredible knowledge and experience that is something we draw upon

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• These employees are unicorns. They are different.
• We have employees that rely on their jobs.”
• We have employees that rely on their jobs.
• We have employees that rely on clinic. We have employees that rely on their<01:26:36.800><c> jobs.
• c> therapists, our employees, everybody therapists, our employees, everybody been<01:36:24.639><c> working

Keywords: During the committee meeting live stream, portion of the video was lost due to network issues. There were also some technical difficulties with content and the incorrect background image being used. The lost footage was recovered from backup, and the other issues corrected in post production editing. 1. 00:00:41 Call to Order 2. 00:01:02 Roll Call 3. 00:02:54 Approval of Minutes 4. 00:05:06 Statutory Reports and Data Requests 5. 00:35:14 2025 and 2026 Session Update 6. 01:03:10 Board Structure Updates and Subcommittees 7. 01:05:20 Public Comment 8. 02:23:14 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight Board meeting opened with quorum, approval of the March 9 and March 16, 2026 minutes, and a welcome to new member Representative Willner. The board then heard a presentation from the Department of Medicaid Services on several statutory reports: the quarterly budget analysis (LRC) report, the quarterly MCO report, the provider tax and assessment report, the enrollee demographic report, the annual behavioral health/substance use disorder utilization report, and the Medicaid pharmaceutical rebate fund. Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Bechal explained the reports and answered questions. On spending, DMS said the quarterly budget analysis report should be read using the summary tabs because the first tab reflects only traditional Medicaid and does not include all populations. Lee said the first three quarters of fiscal year 2026 showed about $191 million more in waiver spending than the same period last year, about $250 million more in other categories such as nursing facilities, CCBHCs, and FQHCs, and roughly $450 million more in total fee-for-service spending. She also noted that Medicare Part D premiums are 100% state funds and estimated the state-fund increase at about $140 million. For managed care, DMS said pharmacy, inpatient hospital, and outpatient hospital spending made up about 66% of MCO payments so far this fiscal year. Members asked about administrative costs, provider tax impacts, citizenship-status categories, medical loss ratio, and whether the reports could be expanded to show recoupments and citizenship-based spending. DMS clarified that the spending figures discussed were benefit costs only, not administrative costs, and said administrative match rates vary. On the provider tax and directed payments report, Lee said the new CMS proposed rule would allow separate payment terms to continue through the grandfathering period, but that the impact would be substantial for providers even if the administrative effect was minimal. She also said DMS was still reviewing unusual citizenship categories such as “other” and “unspecified,” and would provide more information on medical loss ratio and recoupments if available. Auditor Ball raised concerns about alleged waste, duplicate Social Security numbers, ineligible enrollees, and high error rates in other programs. Lee responded that Medicaid focuses on fraud, waste, and abuse, but said the cited $800 million figure was not factual because it did not account for people enrolled in more than one Medicaid program at the same time. She said DMS is reviewing eligibility systems, including changes tied to community engagement requirements, and is working with the cabinet’s eligibility staff and ombudsman division on error rates. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• and higher education employees to the 2024 market tables.
• Footnote two provides 13 full-time employees if federal funds are available for the Army Guard.
• Footnote 2 provides 13 full-time employees if federal funds are available for the Army Guard.
• </c> that full-time or to part-time employee that full-time or to part-time employee positions,<00:35
• Footnote number three authorizes the part-time employees which are associated motion from last?

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this empowerment zone was set up for the city of Springfield, and so I have two of the original employees
• They just didn't go so far as to name the employees of ZEP to be eligible for the retirement board, and

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held its 22nd hearing of the 194th General Court to consider late-file bills, with the chairs outlining testimony limits and instructions for submitting written testimony. The committee heard testimony on several local bills, including H.5520, which would allow George Petrinos of Dudley to continue serving as a call firefighter past age 65 until age 70. Representative John Moran said the bill had town support, would have no pension or fiscal impact, and was intended to let Petrinos continue a long record of service. The committee also heard testimony on H.4499 concerning the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership. Witnesses Colleen Curran and Matthew Brunell said the bill would correct an oversight so certain employees of the zone could participate in the public retirement system. They described the organization as a public body subject to open meeting and procurement laws, performing functions similar to a public school district, and said a prior administrative decision had recognized it as a public entity but not extended retirement eligibility to its employees. Finally, the committee took testimony on Senate Bill 3165 for the town of Holbrook, which would authorize the appointment of Patrick Daugherty as a firefighter despite the maximum age requirement. Holbrook Fire Chief Luke McFadden and Senators John Keenan and Representative Mark Cusack said the department needs paramedic-qualified firefighters, Daugherty is already known to the town and fully qualified aside from the age issue, and the exemption would help address staffing shortages. No questions were raised after the testimony, and the committee then moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grant Wallace, Director of the Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk. The record.
• Grant Wallace, Director of the Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk.

Committee: All ALC-STATE INSURANCE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee met to review and approve several State Board of Finance actions related to employee benefits and pharmacy coverage. Grant Wallace, Director of the Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk, presented a $280,000 Boston Consulting Group contract to help develop a third-party administration RFP, and the committee approved it. The committee then considered pharmacy formulary recommendations for December 2025, January 2026, and February 2026, along with February 2026 medical drug recommendations. Across the formulary items, Wallace explained that some drugs were being removed from prior authorization requirements, some were being updated to reflect FDA guidance or dosage changes, and others were being left not covered because lower-cost alternatives already exist or clinical evidence was insufficient. Notable changes included removing Skyrizi and Renvoke from the pharmacy formulary in favor of lower-cost biosimilars, adding certain generics, and adding a subcutaneous version of Keytruda for faster administration. The committee approved each set of recommendations by motion and voice vote. Members also raised broader questions about the impact of new drug-pricing programs such as Trump RX, Cost Plus, and other manufacturer discount efforts, as well as concerns about PBM oversight and whether Navitus is complying with state law. Wallace said the department is still studying those issues and working with Navitus to assess pricing opportunities and compliance. Senator Boyd also asked about whether affiliated pharmacies are being paid more than independent pharmacies, noting he had not received a prior response; Wallace was asked to follow up. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• affordability strategies, albeit at the state taking on a larger share of health care costs for education employees
• , building off of what you've done for state employees, but also for people receiving health care on

Bills: HB2 , SB48 , SB64 , SB100

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, State Fairgrounds District, fairgrounds bonds, public financing, bond authorization, gross receipts tax, gaming tax, tax-backed bonds, infrastructure funding, Albuquerque fairgrounds, State Fair Tid, economic development, municipal bonds, revenue pledge, capital projects, New Mexico finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Blaylock, during the rulemaking process, the board determined that allowing this license for five employees
• During the rulemaking process, the board determined that allowing this license for five employees didn't

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's typically done during the interim because bills have to go through the employee benefits programs
• Chairman and Rebecca, so having been on employee benefits since I joined the legislature, and chairing

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The conference committee on HB 1248 met to review differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, which concerns the PERS pilot program and insurance mandate process. Rebecca Frickie, executive director of PERS, explained that the Senate version removed the House provisions repealing the insurance mandate process, kept the two-year PERS pilot intact, and preserved the requirement for a report at the end of the pilot while removing language that would have required PERS to submit a bill to expand coverage to the commercial market. Members discussed the bill’s cost-benefit analysis requirements. Frickie said the current law triggers a cost-benefit analysis at the start of the pilot and again when a bill is introduced to roll coverage out commercially, but the Senate draft would change that to only one analysis at the end of the pilot if a rollout bill is introduced. Legislative Council indicated that if the committee wants that simplified approach, additional conforming changes are needed elsewhere in the code. Senators also asked about the purpose of the initial analysis and whether it is used beyond being attached to the bill packet; Frickie said PERS relies primarily on its own actuary and was not aware of broader use. The committee discussed whether the revised process would still require legislative sponsorship for any future rollout, and Frickie confirmed that a legislator or other sponsor would need to introduce such a bill. Examples mentioned included insulin caps and breast exams as possible future pilot items. The committee agreed to request Legislative Council draft the needed language changes and planned to reconvene after receiving the updated draft; no final vote was taken and the meeting was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a small business owner, have had the business for over 37 years, with 22 employees.
• About a thousand employees altogether.

Committee: House House Commerce & Economic Development Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• We shouldn't protect some employees and contractors acting...
• We shouldn't protect some employees and contractors acting on behalf of the state while hanging local

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with a prayer recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The Secretary then read Governor DeSantis’s proclamation calling the Legislature into special session from January 27 to January 31, 2025, limited to five subjects: combating illegal immigration, condominium regulation, agricultural relief after natural disasters, replenishing the My Safe Florida Home Program, and changes to the citizen initiative petition process. The chamber read the filed bills within the call, including several Senate bills on illegal immigration and petition process issues, all referred to Fiscal Policy. A motion was adopted to send any bills filed outside the call to the Rules Committee to determine whether introduction was warranted. The Senate President then discussed President Trump’s immigration executive orders and said Florida would align with federal efforts while preserving the Legislature’s constitutional role. He announced that Senator Gruters would sponsor legislation to implement Trump’s border and immigration plan, including funding to reimburse law enforcement costs and incentives to recruit more officers. He said the bill would be posted, referred to Appropriations later that day, and heard on the floor the next day. The session then adjourned sine die by motion without objection, with senators told the chamber would reconvene momentarily for the special session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Local 589 is working closely with MBTA leadership and has formed an employee assault task force.
• They have formed de-escalation training for all employees to take.
• Workers feel unprotected, riders feel emboldened, and more employees are questioning whether this job
• We may not be employees of the MBTA, More workers get hurt.
• We may not be employees of the MBTA, but you are citizens of the Commonwealth.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered a wide range of Judiciary Committee bills, with much of the testimony focused on criminal justice, public safety, and civil asset forfeiture reform. Several lawmakers and advocates supported bills to increase penalties or create new offenses related to assaults on sports officials, assaults on transit workers, reckless discharge of firearms, fires and explosives, pill press machines, and drug-induced homicide. Testifiers described rising harassment and violence against youth sports officials and transit workers, as well as the fentanyl overdose crisis and the need for stronger tools to prosecute dealers whose conduct leads to death. Supporters of the sports-official and transit-worker bills emphasized declining referee availability and repeated assaults on commuter rail and MBTA workers. District attorneys also backed bills on reckless firearm discharge and fires/explosives, saying current law does not adequately address dangerous conduct that endangers bystanders. The committee also heard testimony on several proposals related to youth diversion and prison mitigation. Supporters of the youth court justice fund bill said youth courts are peer-led diversion programs with strong compliance and low recidivism, and argued for a stable funding source rather than annual earmarks. A representative from Bridgewater supported a prison mitigation fund for municipalities that host state prisons, saying the costs of public safety and emergency services are not fully covered. On gun policy, testimony split between supporters of a bill to ban in-state manufacture of assault-style rifles for civilian sale and opponents or skeptics of other firearm-related measures, including a bill on collateralizing firearms and a bill to increase penalties for drug trafficking combined with illegal firearm offenses. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to civil asset forfeiture reform. Advocates from the ACLU, CPCS, the Boston Bar Association, the Institute for Justice, and others supported bills to increase the burden of proof, improve transparency and reporting, require counsel, and limit or eliminate the current practice of directing forfeiture proceeds to law enforcement. They argued the current system creates perverse incentives, lacks adequate due process, and is insufficiently transparent. District Attorney Paul Tucker defended current forfeiture practices, saying his office has reporting and oversight, uses the funds for investigations and community programs, and warned that reducing forfeiture revenue would hinder crime fighting. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing; the chairs repeatedly thanked witnesses and indicated the bills would remain under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Examples of this are programs with no background checks for employees, no coordination with county probation
• , for employees, no coordination with county probation for ongoing supervision or violations, no perimeters
• a framework for making sure that the youth who are in these facilities have the proper care, the employees
• They struggle to ensure the safety of employees and customers and avoid certain areas.
• Parker Clark on behalf of the California School Employees Association in support.

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to public safety, juvenile justice, mental health, and criminal procedure. SB 1157 by Senator Archuleta would create a framework for less restrictive juvenile placements in the probation setting, with Judicial Council rules on issues such as insurance, staffing, background checks, notice, and zoning. Supporters said the bill would add needed safeguards for youth still serving custodial terms, while opponents argued it would impose rigid standards on a diverse continuum of placements and that the Judicial Council is the wrong entity to set substantive program rules. Members generally supported the goal of accountability, but the bill was not moved because quorum was not yet established at that point in the hearing. SB 1012 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, the Fire Camp to Career Act, would require CDCR to connect California Conservation Camp participants to state-approved apprenticeships and require apprenticeship programs to consider prior fire camp training. Supporters, including labor organizations, formerly incarcerated workers, and fire-training advocates, said the bill recognizes real skills gained in fire camps and creates a path to stable employment after release. Committee members largely supported the measure, with one noting that certification still must reflect demonstrated competency. SB 1012 was presented favorably, though the transcript does not show a final roll-call vote before the meeting moved on. SB 1306 by Senator Cortese would align California law with federal exemptions for certain low-concentration GBL chemical mixtures used in semiconductor manufacturing and research. Supporters said the bill would reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens without affecting pure GBL or public safety, and committee members expressed support. SB 1401 by Senator Stern would align felony incompetent-to-stand-trial procedures with existing misdemeanor procedures, including timelines, information-sharing, and conservatorship referral tools. Supporters said it would prevent people from falling through gaps in the mental health system, while opponents warned it could expand court control and weaken confidentiality and due process. The committee passed SB 1401 to Appropriations on a roll-call vote, with members voting aye and the bill held on call for absent members. The committee also heard SB 1027 by Senator Strickland, which would create a task force to study street prostitution, human trafficking, victim services, and community impacts. Supporters from law enforcement, cities, and district attorneys said the bill would help identify victims and develop better statewide responses; some opponents remained opposed to the bill as introduced but said they would review the amendments. Members praised the amended version, and the committee passed SB 1027 as amended to the Governmental Organization Committee on a roll-call vote, with the bill held on call for absent members. SB 1307 by Senator Jones, dealing with fraudulent or forged real estate documents and clouded titles, was also heard; after opposition withdrew, members supported the measure and moved it forward as amended, held on call for absent members. The transcript then shifted to SB 1276 by Senator Rubio, which would clarify that knowingly viewing livestreamed or AI-generated child sexual exploitation is criminalized; the author and witnesses described it as a needed update to keep pace with technology and close loopholes protecting predators from accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• and future employees in that field.
• But the last question was: If a public employee or public official with disciplinary, appointing, or
• budgetary authority over your department puts pressure on any public employee to violate a protected
• First Amendment right of another employee, how does your department proceed?
• So I give you a call and I pressure you to discipline or terminate that employee.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee first adopted revised JBC rules, which staff said were updated to reflect legislation passed in the 2025 session. It then heard a presentation from DFA Secretary Jim Hudson on the governor’s proposed balanced budget for FY27, with no action taken. Hudson said the budget reflects three priorities: limiting state-government growth, continuing investments in education, and advancing income-tax cuts. He highlighted increases for education funding through EFAs, pay-plan costs for Corrections, DPS, and the Attorney General, higher education productivity funding, drug task forces, a Corrections medical contract, the governor’s 1033 initiative, SNAP error-rate reduction efforts, and an additional $100 million set aside for Medicaid sustainability. Committee members questioned the size of the tax cuts, the balance requirement, public education funding, Medicaid trust-fund levels, EFA funding, and the expected impact of new SNAP cost-sharing rules. The Division of Higher Education then presented its productivity-based funding recommendations. Officials said institutions were 2.61% more productive overall, with funding changes driven by a statutory formula that rewards degree production, underserved populations, and high-demand fields. Members asked about declines at UA Little Rock, the formula’s multipliers, the role of the Arkansas Access Act and a new return-on-investment metric, and how two-year colleges are adjusted for size. The committee also reviewed special items and approved two letters: one authorizing 17 net personnel changes across nine institutions, and another adding special language for North Arkansas College’s entry into the University of Arkansas system. The committee then adopted the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recommendations for all institutions. A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on the University of Arkansas system, especially Fayetteville’s athletics funding and the broader impact of the House/NIL settlement. Chancellor Charles Robinson and system officials explained that the board had waived a longstanding campus transfer and directed the university to provide an additional $6 million to athletics, with some costs likely to be passed through to students but partially offset by existing budget growth. Members debated whether the university should prioritize academics or athletics, how the transfer originated, and whether the athletic changes would affect affordability. The committee also discussed the 1890 extension program at UAPB and the Division of Agriculture’s land-grant funding. UAPB officials said the state match is intended to be one-to-one, that the current recommendation aligns appropriation with actual spending, and that a $2 million set-aside remains available if needed. The Division of Agriculture later clarified that its Smith-Lever extension and Hatch research funds are part of the UA system’s separate budget and that the state matched about $6.2 million in federal extension funding last year. The committee then moved to the Department of Corrections. It approved G1, transferring 51 positions to the secretary’s office to activate a recidivism program, with an estimated cost of about $4 million. Staff then began walking through the department’s FY27 budget, noting an increase of about $8 million for administration and shared services, including a $170,000 sex-offender assessment appropriation moved under Act 723 of 2025 and roughly $6 million more for medical contracts. Questions on the Corrections budget had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our latest estimates put the economic impact around $7 billion and 54,000 employees as of 2023.
• We have upward of 28 employees, and we employ over 500 performers a year.
• A significant share of these are essential workers, nurses, service industry employees, call center staff
• billion, 13% of all jobs in the city of Philadelphia are in the nighttime economy, about 132,000 employees
• Patrons of nightlife, but also for the employees and also for the services that must be provided.

Summary: The Select Committee on Downtown Recovery held a hearing titled “Revitalizing California’s Downtowns Through the Nightlife Economy,” focused on how nightlife, arts, entertainment, and late-night transportation can support downtown recovery after the pandemic. Chair Matt Haney framed nightlife as a major economic and cultural sector and said the committee hopes to produce policy, budget, and legislative proposals, building on last year’s downtown recovery bills. The hearing included three panels: nightlife policy experts and a venue owner; representatives from entertainment, tourism, and rideshare; and remote witnesses from London, Philadelphia, and New York discussing how other cities manage 24-hour economies. Witnesses on the first panel emphasized that nightlife is an ecosystem that includes workers, venues, transportation, and public safety. Michael Fishman described the growth of night managers and argued that zoning, licensing, and land costs can either support or choke off creative venues; he also said extending hours can reduce congestion and unsafe spillover if done in a regulated way. Ben Van Houten highlighted San Francisco’s entertainment zones, hospitality zone liquor licenses, Type 90 music venue licenses, and other local reforms, while urging more state coordination and possible tax and licensing changes. Darcy Drolinger of Oasis said independent venues are operating on thin margins, have faced repeated near-closures, and need tools such as extended alcohol service hours to remain viable and preserve community and LGBTQ+ cultural spaces. The second panel focused on tourism, major events, and transportation. Another Planet Entertainment’s Mary Condi said festivals and venues like Outside Lands, the Castro Theatre, and the Fox and Greek theaters draw large numbers of visitors, support hotels and restaurants, and require close coordination with city agencies; she also raised concerns about unexpected possessory interest tax bills and the burden of secondary ticketing and cannabis taxes. Amelia Zamani of Cal Travel said travel and tourism remain a major economic engine and argued that nightlife is central to attracting international visitors, conventions, and major events, especially if California wants to compete with cities that allow later alcohol service. Lyft’s Nicholas Johnson said late-night rides serve workers as well as patrons, reduce DUI risk, and are essential for safe access to downtowns and event venues. In the final panel, officials from London and Philadelphia described their nighttime governance models. London witnesses said the city created a 24-hour city strategy, a night czar, and a nightlife commission, and found that nightlife supports economic activity, workforce retention, and safer, more diverse districts when paired with flexible licensing and better transit. Philadelphia’s Rahim Manning said his city treats the nighttime economy as a major industry, with a $26.2 billion annual impact, and stressed that it includes manufacturing, logistics, health care, transportation, food service, arts, and sports—not just bars and clubs. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with committee members asking questions about extended hours, transportation, family-friendly programming, cannabis activation, ticketing, and how California can better support a safe and competitive nighttime economy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our latest estimates put the economic impact around $7 billion and 54,000 employees as of 2023.
• We have upward of 28 employees, and we employ over 500 performers a year.
• A significant share of these are essential workers: nurses, service industry employees, call center staff
• the pressure, you create an opportunity not only for the patrons of nightlife, but also for the employees
• and also for the services that must be provided. ...patrons of nightlife, but also for the employees

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• time, and it was a time frame of about three weeks after the system initially verified that that employee
• And it was a time frame of about three weeks after the system initially verified that that employee was
• back and say, actually, you've been employing somebody for two to three weeks who is not a legal employee
• Our standard employee training that we go through, it's a year-long complex training based on our programs
• Our standard employee training that we go through, it's a year-long complex training based on our programs

Committee: House General Laws

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• did it that way through DOH so that we had really good control, but already the infrastructure and employees
• It depends on whether you have ADA issues that are employee-related, access to the building, or using
• Chair, but my understanding was mismanagement of the state, a state employee... ...was mismanagement
• of the state, a state employee.
• It was the state and the state's employee that have the responsibility and that put that money back in

Bills: SB132 , SB241

Committee: Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: SB132, DOIT, Department of Information Technology, software replacement, equipment replacement, technology funding, revolving fund, capital equipment, enterprise services, state IT budgeting, software budgeting, amortization, depreciation, State Treasurer, Department of Finance and Administration, New Mexico, information technology, IT infrastructure, fund accounting, legislative appropriation

Summary: The committee first heard HB 158 as amended, which would require state agencies receiving appropriations from the Grow Fund to submit accountability and evaluation plans to the State Budget Division and the Legislative Finance Committee. LFC staff said the bill would put existing practice into statute and formalize agency reporting and evaluation responsibilities. The bill drew no opposition testimony, and after questions about whether agencies or LFC would do the evaluations, it passed on a 9-0 due pass vote. HB 255, the Public Safety Workforce Building Program, was then presented as a bipartisan measure to consolidate public safety workforce funding into a competitive grant program for local law enforcement, fire, detention, and public attorney offices. The sponsor said it would not require a new appropriation. There was no opposition testimony, and the committee approved it on a 9-0 due pass vote. The committee then took up SB 309, which would replace the lottery’s 30% return requirement with a fixed floor return for several fiscal years, with a reversion to the current law if the floor is not met. Lottery officials and supporters argued the change would let the lottery offer more competitive prizes, including higher-value scratchers, and potentially increase scholarship revenue; opponents, including Think New Mexico and a nursing student, warned it could cap long-term growth and reduce scholarship funding. After extended debate, the bill passed on a 7-2 due pass vote. Later, SB 79, creating a statewide mosquito-borne disease prevention program through the Department of Health, was presented by its sponsor as a response to West Nile virus and warmer winters. Testimony from the sponsor and the state entomologist emphasized rising mosquito risk and the need for county grants and statewide coordination. Although the committee initially moved to table the bill because funding had already been included in the budget, that motion failed and the bill ultimately received a due pass vote. The committee also heard HB 295, which would create a centralized accessibility reporting position in the Department of Health; after testimony for and against, an amendment stripping the appropriation was adopted, and the bill passed 5-3. The committee then heard HB 124, establishing an Office of New Americans within Workforce Solutions to coordinate workforce integration for immigrants with lawful status. Supporters described barriers faced by immigrant workers and the need for bilingual training and centralized assistance, while the sponsor said the office would have no first-year budget impact. The bill passed 6-4. Finally, the committee considered SB 273 and SB 274, both involving state financial support for affected entities and the Patient Compensation Fund. SB 273, which would provide temporary state assistance to communities affected by economic disruption, passed after debate about precedent and economic recovery. SB 274, which sought repayment from the Patient Compensation Fund for prior state infusions, drew opposition from hospitals and physicians who warned of higher surcharges and questioned the timing and legality; discussion continued around the committee substitute and the fund’s statutory restrictions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It pays employee salaries, rent, IT costs, and was already put forward as a measured request.
• It pays employee salaries, rent, IT costs, and was already put forward as a measured request.
• It pays employee operating adjustment.
• It pays employee salaries,<00:21:07.760><c> rent,</c><00:21:08.159><c> IT</c><00:21:08.600><c> costs<
• We represent over 19,000 state employees across all agencies, boards, and commissions, including the

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house