Transcript Highlights:

• conducted annually, ensuring that that's conducted at the beginning of the calendar year, to really help forecast
• or better forecast projections of FTE for the future year to ensure that we're calculating that effectively

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee held its first interim meeting, took roll, and established a quorum. Members introduced themselves, many noting backgrounds in education, school boards, local government, or parenting, and Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka outlined the committee’s goal of building the fiscal year 2025-26 Pre-K-12 budget. She also reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 education budget, noting that the Pre-K-12 portion totals about $21 billion, with the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) as the largest driver, along with major funding for VPK, school readiness, and school recognition. She explained that federal COVID relief funds have ended and that recent school choice legislation has affected budget structure. Commissioner Manny Diaz and department leaders then gave overviews of their divisions. Diaz highlighted Florida’s education rankings, record graduation rate, progress monitoring, expanded school choice participation, charter school growth, and teacher salary investments, while emphasizing a focus on literacy, math, and early learning. Carrie Miller described the Division of Early Learning’s school readiness and VPK programs, their funding, eligibility, accountability systems, and the importance of kindergarten readiness. Paul Burns outlined the Division of Public Schools’ work on educator quality, literacy, standards, certification, family outreach, federal programs, and school improvement. Suzanne Pridgen reviewed finance and operations functions, including budget management, FEFP calculations, grants, procurement, transportation, and emergency management. Adam Emerson described parental choice programs, including scholarships, charter schools, schools of hope, virtual education, and home education. Darren Norris detailed the Office of Safe Schools’ responsibilities for risk assessments, compliance inspections, threat management, grants, and training created after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy. Members asked questions about several issues, including whether the Safe Schools office recommends changes to the school safety grant distribution formula, whether early learning eligibility should shift from federal poverty level to state median income, how scholarship payments are verified to avoid funding students who return to public school, and whether daily attendance systems could improve funding accuracy. Other questions addressed hurricane-related survey disruptions, VPK provider reimbursement rates and instructional hours, teacher salary increases, school start time costs, and how voucher schools handle IEP accommodations. Department officials generally said some issues remain under review, supported moving school readiness eligibility to SMI, noted that scholarship and enrollment data are cross-checked and adjusted when needed, and said progress monitoring now helps schools support mobile students. On school safety, officials said exemptions are allowed in statute for some items but not for classroom doors, and that district-specific conditions matter. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond receiving presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, you saw yesterday when I was encouraging us to not adopt the forecast because I did not see

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House received a message from the Senate returning House File 4492, an act relating to veterans, with amendments and requesting concurrence. Representative Bliss moved to concur, and members discussed the bill as a combination of veterans-related provisions and changes to Minnesota’s READ Act and literacy law. Representative Mueller and Representative Clardy explained that the bill includes technical READ Act changes, expanded disability access language to better serve deaf and hard-of-hearing students, revisions involving dyslexia-related language, transparency in ongoing literacy material review, and a timeline adjustment after the Department of Education did not complete phase two work on time. Clardy described the literacy provisions as requiring universities to develop programs to better prepare teacher candidates to teach reading using science-based methods. Representative Jordan added that the bill also provides high school diplomas to veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars who did not previously receive one because of their service. The House approved concurrence, then took up third reading of the bill as amended by the Senate. After further brief remarks urging a green vote, the roll was called and the bill passed unanimously, 134 ayes and 0 nays. The bill was repassed as amended by the Senate, its title was agreed to, and the House then adopted a recess motion to the call of the speaker.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ARE CONSERVATIVE AND OUR FORECASTING AND OUR ACTIONS HAVE MAINTAINED THIS WELL.

Transcript Highlights:

• quantitatively evaluate alternative wildfire risk mitigation actions, to develop a wildfire risk baseline and forecast

Summary: The committee met to hear four Senate bills, with SB 345 (Hurtado) and SB 793 (Arreguín) placed on the consent calendar and both approved without discussion. The committee then heard SB 326, presented by Assembly Member Calderon on behalf of Senator Becker, which would create a framework for evaluating wildfire mitigation investments and require the State Fire Marshal’s office to develop planning tools, risk baselines, and mitigation scenarios. The only testimony was in support from the League of California Cities, and the bill was moved and passed to the Committee on Natural Resources on a vote of 5-0, with two members not voting. The final bill heard was SB 629 by Senator DeRazo, also presented by Assembly Member Calderon, as part of the Senate’s fire response, recovery, rebuilding, and prevention package. The bill would apply WUI building code and defensible space requirements to areas burned in wildfires, require urban conflagration modeling in fire maps, and mandate annual defensible space inspections in fire-prone areas. Local government representatives said they had concerns but appreciated amendments worked out with the author, while Assembly Members DeMaio and Hadwick spoke in opposition, citing burdens on private property owners and local governments. Despite those concerns, the bill was moved as amended to the Committee on Natural Resources and passed 4-3, with no roll held open before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• To answer the second question, yes, we used the consensus forecast. We came together.
• It's built into our forecast.
• Just Steve didn't bring them with him, but in the budget forecast there was an estimate in fiscal year
• 01:39.680> that fewer enroles incorporated into that fewer enroles incorporated into that forecast
• . forecast. forecast.

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:

• million that just showed up, or the million and a half dollars that just showed up on a governor forecast

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior journal, and then took up a series of memorial and commending resolutions out of order and in block. Members offered tributes to Colonel James T. O’Kelly for his Marine Corps service and later public service; to Taran Mehta and DeWan Anthony Stiegel, Jr.; to Noreen Torin for her long career in Central Virginia journalism; to Bernard L. Henderson, Jr. for extensive public and civic service; and to Child’s Family Orchards for growing a record-setting peach. Several additional memorial and commending resolutions were adopted in block, including newly added resolutions for Stephanie Daniel Myers and Lynn Kathleen McKay, among others. The chamber then considered the conference report on House Bill 30, the biennial state budget. Speakers praised staff and conferees for their work and noted provisions such as pay raises for teachers and state employees, infrastructure funding, a higher standard deduction, and a utility-related rebate issue. Some members criticized the budget as a large spending increase and argued it did not provide enough tax relief, while others supported it and emphasized keeping commitments to data center tax policy and adding co-ops to rebate efforts. After debate, the House adopted the conference report by a vote of 71 yeas to 22 nays. At the close of business, the House was informed that the calendar was complete, reminded about a constituent relationship management software survey, and then recessed pursuant to House Resolution 2069.

Transcript Highlights:

• We scheduled these presentations prior to this week's release of the February budget forecast so the
• Um, for a preview, forecast is coming out Friday that will be the focus of our first hearing when we
• have the Gavo next week is to walk through that forecast and talk about what it means moving forward.
• <01:48:00.719> and<01:48:01.040> talk walk through that forecast and talk walk through
• that forecast and talk about<01:48:01.280> what<01:48:01.440> it<01:48:01.600> means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So it was felt that a date preceding the next November forecast, with enough months remaining in the
• So it was felt that a date preceding the next November forecast, with enough months remaining in the
• 01:01:21.359> the<01:01:22.160> next<01:01:22.480> November<01:01:22.960> forecast
• <01:01:23.920> with the the next November forecast with the the next November forecast with
• fund is statutorily appropriated, but we do put a direct appropriation in the bill to reflect the forecasted

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 33.280> the know get the everything updated for the know get the everything updated for the forecast
• 34.319> happy<00:37:34.560> to<00:37:35.200> provide<00:37:35.520> a forecast
• we'd be happy to provide a forecast we'd be happy to provide a fiscal<00:37:36.000> analysis<
• We are all well aware of our current financial forecast as a state, and this proposal requires significant
• We are all well aware of our current financial forecast as a state, and this proposal requires significant

Bills: HF1005

Keywords: health insurance, medical assistance, behavioral health, reimbursement rates, primary care services, physician fee schedule, managed care, residential services, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• > didn't<01:08:06.039> and Representative Papovich, you were talking about how you forecast
• And we understand the nature of the forecast and the unusual spike in cost that made this happen, right
• 01:17:01.960> the and we understand the nature of the and we understand the nature of the forecast
• 03.080> unusual<01:17:03.600> spike<01:17:03.920> in<01:17:04.120> cause forecast
• and the unusual spike in cause forecast and the unusual spike in cause that<01:17:04.880> made

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee Division II met with the New Hampshire Department of Education to review school nutrition programs and related funding. Department staff Melissa White and Kelly Rambo walked through a packet covering the National School Lunch Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Community Eligibility (CEP), After School Snack Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program, explaining that these are federally funded USDA programs, with some state supplemental funding in certain areas. They also reviewed reimbursement rates for lunch, breakfast, child/adult care, and summer meals, noting that summer rates follow calendar-year timing while most others follow the state fiscal year. Members asked several questions about how the funding works, especially the difference between federal reimbursements and the state match. Staff explained that the state lunch line in the budget is a fixed match amount tied to federal participation, while breakfast funding is broken out by meal type and reimbursement category. They also discussed why FY 2022 federal spending was much higher during COVID, when USDA covered meals at the free rate for all students, and why FY 2023 and FY 2024 dropped as normal income-eligibility rules returned. A committee member also asked about the “severe need lunch” two-cent rate, and staff said they did not know USDA’s formula. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on summer meals and the distinction between the Summer Food Service Program and Summer EBT. Staff explained that SFSP provides meals at approved sites, which can be open or closed sites, while Summer EBT is a separate DHHS-operated benefit program that provides funds to families. They said some schools or sites may not qualify under USDA rules, but eligible children can often use another nearby open site, and the department posts an interactive map and phone line to help families find locations. The committee also discussed the Community Eligibility Provision. Staff said New Hampshire currently has three CEP schools, that the eligibility threshold had recently been lowered from 40% to 25% identified students, and that the program allows participating schools to offer free meals to all students while the local district covers the non-federal share. Members asked whether any districts in the 25% to 40% range had joined; staff said no. The department offered to provide the eligibility report in Excel and noted that the CEP intent is to reduce application burden, though the lower threshold can make the local cost share harder for some districts to absorb.

Transcript Highlights:

• wound<00:37:53.599> up<00:37:53.720> in<00:37:53.839> the<00:37:54.040> forecast
• <00:37:55.040> yes chair it wound up in the forecast yes chair it wound up in the forecast
• <00:37:56.200> was<00:37:56.359> in<00:37:56.480> that<00:37:56.640> forecast
• may qu how much was in that forecast may qu how much was in that forecast anyway anyway anyway so

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the budget forecast I always tend to wander over to the individual income tax revenue that comes
• And, uh, I think we can certainly get that on the most recent budget forecast.
• 01:34:05.080> budget get that on the most recent budget get that on the most recent budget forecast
• 06.159> seen<01:34:06.400> 830<01:34:07.119> million<01:34:07.440> in forecast
• I had never seen 830 million in forecast I had never seen 830 million in that<01:34:08.400> decrease

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have be budget neutral because we didn't have the<00:42:05.440> February<00:42:05.839> forecast
• <00:42:07.359> So,<00:42:07.520> we<00:42:07.760> waited the February forecast
• So, we waited the February forecast yet.
• So, we waited for<00:42:08.640> the<00:42:08.800> February<00:42:09.200> forecast.
• <00:42:10.240> But<00:42:10.480> as<00:42:10.720> we For the February forecast

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• January 2026 forecasts say they expect an additional, for the same reason, 12% to 13% hike in gas costs
• January<00:37:59.760> 2026<00:38:00.480> forecasts<00:38:00.960> say<00:38:01.119
• > they<00:38:01.359> expect January 2026 forecasts say they expect January 2026 forecasts
• decisions to reduce costs to customers in other proceedings, such as the decision in 2024 to reduce the forecasted

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In total, by 2035, the projections that we've looked at are forecasting an increase to the cost of electricity
• we've<01:15:23.280> looked<01:15:23.520> at<01:15:24.239> are<01:15:24.480> forecasting
• <01:15:25.120> an we've looked at are forecasting an we've looked at are forecasting an increase
• To Senator Dibble's earlier question, what I've seen as forecast just for the impacts of HR1, not looking

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, article 12 is the forecast that this committee has previously reviewed.
• Chair, article 12 is the forecast that this committee has previously reviewed.
• Chair, article 12 is the forecast that this committee has previously reviewed. Thank you, Mr. Bear.
• Chair, members, article 12 is the forecast article.
• So what I'm not showing here is the February 2025 forecast numbers, but just know that that is the base

Bills: HF1388

Keywords: BARR Center, Building Assets, Reducing Risks, education finance, school funding, grant appropriation, evidence-based program, student achievement, social and emotional learning, school climate, teacher effectiveness, high school graduation, students in poverty, students of color, BIPOC, equity in education, Minnesota Department of Education, urban schools, suburban schools, rural schools, school coaching

Transcript Highlights:

• can do to help our school districts out in these very challenging economic times with the budget forecast
• can do to help our school districts out in these very challenging economic times with the budget forecast
• <01:07:28.920> with<01:07:29.079> the<01:07:29.200> budget<01:07:29.720> forecast
• ><01:07:30.400> and<01:07:30.559> all<01:07:30.799> that um with the budget forecast
• and all that um with the budget forecast and all that but<01:07:32.319> the<01:07:32.520>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this amendment simply asks for better coordination, better forecasting, and better stewardship of
• ,<01:34:42.159> and coordination, better forecasting, and coordination, better forecasting
• <02:00:59.840> and dollar gap that we are forecasting and dollar gap that we are forecasting
• Of general fund in medical forecasts.
• of general fund um in medical forecasts. of general fund um in medical forecasts.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, led the pledge of allegiance, and established a quorum before approving the corrected journal. The Majority Leader then moved a long list of bills—House Bills 1150 through 1179—to be made special orders for February 11, 2026 at 9:15 a.m., and the chamber agreed without objection. The committee then took up House Bill 1150, a supplemental appropriation for the Department of Agriculture. Representative Serna explained it included technical adjustments tied to other agencies, plus a pilot program to test a biocontrol strategy for the mountain pine beetle infestation in Colorado’s ponderosa pine forests. After brief opposition from a member who said he would vote no on spending measures generally, the bill passed. House Bill 1151, the supplemental appropriation for the Department of Corrections, generated extensive debate. Supporters said the bill was necessary to cover major costs such as medical case loads, outside medical and mental health contracts, local jail payments, prison case load, private prison utilization, and food services, while also addressing staffing and parole/community corrections coordination. Opponents argued the state keeps funding more beds instead of investing in services that reduce incarceration, criticized DOC management and delays, and said the legislature should demand better accountability and efficiency. Supporters countered that DOC does not control the parole board or community corrections, that the prison population is aging, and that the state must pay for required custody and care. The transcript ends amid continued debate over the corrections supplemental, with no final vote on House Bill 1151 shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so presumably there were forecasts and projections of what this program would cost in the event these
• And at present, we are at $100 million, with a forecast of it going between $127 and $130 million
• load forecast indicates the need. load forecast indicates the need. 13<03:39:03.680> for<
• Economic forecasting subscriptions: $16,362.
• <04:57:51.520> 716,362 forecasting 716,362 forecasting 716,362 subscriptions<04:57:53.760>

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The committee and floor took up House Bill 1411, which concerned the Cover All Colorado program. Debate centered on whether removing the program’s cap would create an open-ended entitlement and add pressure to the state budget. Supporters and opponents argued over fiscal impacts, with several members saying the program had grown far beyond its original cost estimate and that the state needed to protect the budget and maintain a balanced plan. The bill was ultimately passed as amended. House Bill 1412 was then considered, authorizing the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to use statistical sampling and extrapolation to recover Medicaid overpayments in certain provider audits, including ABA therapy and non-emergency medical transportation. Sponsors said the measure would help recapture millions in overpayments tied to fraud, waste, and abuse, and noted safeguards such as strict benchmarks, internal audit review, and a third-party audit firm. An amendment striking the word “alleged” from the bill was adopted, and the bill passed as amended. House Bill 1413, which changes leave provisions for certain public servants, was also approved. The bill removes a statutory cap on how much sick leave state employees may earn, while leaving actual leave policies to departments and bargaining agreements, and increases annual military leave to align with federal law. Members described it as a modest employee-benefit measure in a year without across-the-board pay raises. The House also laid over House Bill 1410 until later in the day and received the committee of the whole report on a large slate of other bills. Later, Representative Richardson sought to reverse the committee’s action on an amendment to House Bill 1389, which involved the comprehensive human sexuality education grant fund, arguing the grant program should be repealed if it is no longer funded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a responsible way to help address the forecasted budget deficit in that biennium.
• way to help This is a responsible way to help address<00:26:54.799> the<00:26:54.960> forecasted
• <00:26:55.520> bud<00:26:55.840> budget address the forecasted bud budget address the
• forecasted bud budget deficit<00:26:56.559> in<00:26:56.720> that<00:26:57.320> bienium

Keywords: 1187, senate, all