Video & Transcript : 'federal shutdown' :

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WA
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Mar 4th, 2026 at 09:30 am

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • So what we did is we aligned with the federal government regulations related to attendance policy.
  • And although I can appreciate some of the reforms, some of which the good lady mentioned about the federal
  • regulation, appreciate some of the reforms, some of which the good lady mentioned about the federal
  • TK, local effort assistance, running start, bus depreciation, federal bus depreciation, you name it.
  • And so if we want to... ...start, bus depreciation, federal bus depreciation, you name it.
Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2487 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB5831 , SB6134 , SB6136 , SB6137 , HB2689 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5957 , SB5988 , SB5994 , SB6011 , SB6065 , SB6103 , SB6151 , SB6244 , SB5420 , SB5868 , SB6044 , SB6132 , SJM8002
Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives
Summary: The House convened with a quorum, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard a prayer from Tammy Stamphley, a Presbyterian minister and hospital chaplain. After approving the previous day’s minutes and receiving a Senate message, the chamber moved to second and third reading of several bills, with multiple measures advanced under suspended rules. The first major vote was on Engrossed Senate Bill 5872, which establishes a pre-K-related account to support up to 10,000 additional early learning slots for three- and four-year-olds. Supporters emphasized the Balmer Group’s private funding commitment and the value of early learning and family support; the bill passed 97-0. Substitute Senate Bill 5834, a Department of Retirement Systems request bill changing the fund source for legal, medical, administrative, and fraud-prevention expenses using interest earnings from pension funds, also passed 97-0. Substitute House Bill 2689, dealing with the Working Connections Child Care program, drew the most debate. Supporters said it aligned attendance policy with federal rules, adjusted reimbursement rates, and helped balance the budget while preserving child care resources. Opponents argued it cut support in rural and underserved counties, would worsen child care deserts, and placed budget savings on the child care industry; it passed 53-44. The House then passed Senate Bill 5922, allowing school districts to transfer vehicle depreciation funds with OSPI approval, by 59-38, and Senate Bill 6065, a narrower bill for districts under enhanced financial oversight such as Prescott, by 97-0. The session ended with announcements that both caucuses would meet later in the day.
WA
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Mar 4th, 2026

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • to that number: right now these opioid treatment facilities are being accredited or certified by a federal
  • learned from them on how to do government-to-government consultation about the sovereignty of the 29 federally
Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2487 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB5831 , SB6134 , SB6136 , SB6137 , HB2689 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5957 , SB5988 , SB5994 , SB6011 , SB6065 , SB6103 , SB6151 , SB6244 , SB5420 , SB5868 , SB6044 , SB6132 , SJM8002
Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives
Summary: The House received a Senate message announcing passage of Substitute House Bill 1570 and then moved several bills from Rules to the second reading calendar, including Substitute Senate Bill 5242 on anaphylaxis medications in schools and Senate Bill 6132 on Inland Port District debt. The chamber then took up a series of bills, beginning with Senate Bill 5988 on Department of Health accreditation fee authority for opioid treatment programs. An amendment to cap the fee at $17,000 was debated at length but failed, and a separate amendment was ruled beyond the scope of the bill. Senate Bill 5988 then passed 62-34. The House next considered Substitute Senate Bill 6309 on enhanced municipal permitting tools for high-capacity transit projects. Several amendments were offered to require written consent from abutting property owners, preserve setback and seismic/critical-area protections, and add transparency provisions, but the scope challenge to the transparency amendment was sustained and the other amendments failed. Supporters argued the bill would streamline permitting for Sound Transit and reduce taxpayer costs; opponents said it gave a large transit authority too much discretion and weakened property-rights and land-use protections. The bill passed 56-38. The House also passed Substitute Senate Bill 5886 on personality rights and digital likeness protections, and Senate Bill 6136 on workers’ compensation transparency, both with strong bipartisan support. After caucuses and a rule suspension to work past 10 p.m., the House took up additional second-reading bills. It passed Substitute Senate Bill 6034 to codify the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, Gross Second Substitute Senate Bill 5395 on prior authorization and AI in health care, Substitute Senate Bill 6248 creating the Washington Travel Insurance Act, Substitute Senate Bill 5720 on uniform consumer debt default judgments, Senate Bill 5995 on port modernization funding with labor-related concerns, and Senate Bill 6103 affecting rural hospitals and enrollment status subject to appropriation. Later, the House passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6110 on e-motorcycle regulation, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5156 allowing smaller elevators in some housing, Substitute Senate Bill 6269 updating motor fuel definitions to include hydrogen, Substitute Senate Bill 6189 extending time for Thurston County to pursue an aquatics public facilities district, and Senate Bill 6134 requiring unemployment applicants to acknowledge repayment if retroactive union pay is received. Most bills passed with large majorities, though some drew dissent over labor, property rights, transit governance, or regulatory scope.
AL
AL

Alabama 2026 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee Mar 3rd, 2026

Judiciary

NH
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Finance Division I (03/09/2026)

Transcript Highlights:
  • polling location to the statewide centralized voter registration database on each state, local, and federal
  • That’s what I’m trying to avoid. on each state, local, and federal on each state, local, and federal
  • repealed in order to permit investments in gas-fired plants that are less efficient at startup and shutdown
  • investments in gas-fired plants that are less efficient on occasion, particularly at startup and shutdown
  • </c> particularly at startup and shutdown particularly at startup and shutdown times<01:36:44.719><c>
Keywords: 1189, house, all
Summary: The committee began a work session on House Bill 1600, concerning access to the centralized voter registration database on election days. Secretary of State David Scanlan testified that the state already has a new statewide voter registration system connected to town clerks and supervisors of the checklist, and that the bill was probably unnecessary but acceptable if the legislature wanted it. He raised concern about language that could require direct electronic access in every polling place, noting that some polling locations lack reliable internet or cell service and that municipalities can change polling locations, which could make a rigid requirement expensive and impractical. Members discussed whether the bill should be clarified to allow direct or indirect access, including use of a phone-based workaround, and the secretary said that would address his concern. The committee then voted on HB 1600. Representative Maguire moved ought to pass with an amendment adding “direct or indirect access” on page one, line seven, and the motion was seconded. The amendment was adopted 9-0 by voice vote, and the committee then voted 9-0 to OTP the bill. The chair stated that HB 1600 would be placed on consent. The committee next took up House Bill 1197F FN, a technical correction to insurance laws. Members noted it had already passed the House with amendment and that the fiscal note was effectively indeterminate but would not affect the general fund because the insurance agency is self-funded. The committee voted 9-0 to OTP the bill; the chair said consent calendar placement would be decided by the full committee. Finally, the committee opened a work session on House Bill 11:30 FN regarding judicial performance evaluations. Representative Lynn, the bill’s sponsor, argued that the fiscal note overstated the immediate cost and said the judicial branch could likely manage through the current biennium while implementing the new system. He also supported making judges’ names public and said the bill’s anonymity provisions were aimed at protecting the identities of questionnaire respondents, not the judges being evaluated. Members asked about public disclosure, internal access to evaluation materials, and the removal of language allowing the governor and executive council to receive evaluations on request; discussion continued on those points, but no final vote on HB 11:30 FN was taken in the portion provided.
OK
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations and Budget 2nd Revision: Oklahoma Department of Transportation will present at 10:30 a.m.

Appropriations and Budget

Transcript Highlights:
  • We project the resources that we believe we will have available, both state and federal, in this chart
  • This is straight from the federal highway Administration. we have been hit every bit of as bad as this
  • Use these dollars to match federal funds, and they're providing rides, whether that's medical rides or
  • The appropriations process is crucial because federal funding from our federal highway bill represents
  • I would compare that to some of the bureaucratic burden that we have on the federal side.
Committee: House Appropriations and Budget
Keywords: 914, all
WA
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Higher Education Committee Dec 3rd, 2025

Joint Higher Education Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • They also have fiscal responsibility requirements to ensure compliance with student financial aid federal
  • also have fiscal responsibility requirements to ensure compliance with the student financial aid federal
  • We also have federal rules with IPEDS, ways we have to report our different functional expenses to be
  • practices and federal agencies' operations, and it would probably be accurate... because of...
  • Anticipate longer than normal delays in waiting for federal data moving forward.
Committee: Joint Joint Higher Education Committee
Summary: The Joint Higher Education Committee met for a work session on higher education accounting practices and financial transparency. OFM Deputy Director Sarah Rupp explained how state accounting rules and higher education reporting differ, including what data is captured in AFRS today and what will move into Workday, with universities generally reporting summary-level fund data, mandatory codes, and most balance sheet and income statement activity, but not transaction-level detail or vendor payment information. Representatives from the University of Washington and Washington State University described the complexity of their own accounting systems, the many entities and business lines they must track for audits and compliance, and the need to reconcile university-level accrual accounting with state reporting requirements. The committee also heard from the Education Research and Data Center on the public four-year finance dashboard created under Senate Bill 5512; ERDC said the dashboard is based on publicly available data, is best used to examine institutions individually rather than compare them directly, and will be updated with additional metrics in 2025 and 2026. The committee then received a presentation from the Washington Student Achievement Council on the Workforce Education Investment Account (WIA). Joel Anderson reviewed WIA’s creation under House Bill 2158, its revenue sources, and its intended uses for higher education, financial aid, and workforce development. He said recent legislation significantly increased WIA revenues and that, in the 2025–27 budget, the account is being used in new ways, including to replace general fund support for University of Washington operations and to fund a larger share of the Washington College Grant and some faculty compensation costs. Anderson said roughly 98% of current WIA appropriations go to higher education, but the share used to supplant other higher education funding has grown, and he estimated about 60% to 70% of current spending still aligns with the account’s original intent. He also described a new effort to track WIA appropriations across biennia in more detail and noted the WIA Oversight Board’s role in recommending uses of the account and monitoring outcomes. No votes were taken; the committee ended by moving into executive session for staffing issues and then adjourned.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2025 Regular Session

Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children (10-22-25)

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> general fund, and federal. general fund, and federal.
  • </c> federal dollars. federal dollars.
  • But then we were told on 10/1 to pause SNAP Ed operations due to the federal shutdown.
  • </c><01:18:46.160><c> So,</c><01:18:46.400><c> currently,</c><01:18:47.280><c> our</c> federal shutdown
  • So, currently, our federal shutdown.
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its September 24 meeting after a motion and second. It then heard a presentation from New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Secretary Elizabeth Gragensky on that state’s early childhood system and planned universal child care rollout. She described how New Mexico consolidated multiple prenatal-to-age-five programs into a cabinet-level department, expanded pre-K to a longer day, and uses a cost model to set reimbursement rates intended to cover true provider costs, including wages, benefits, occupancy, food, and reserves. She also said the state created an Early Childhood Trust Fund and secured a constitutional amendment to dedicate 0.60% of the land grant permanent fund to early care and education, with the department’s budget growing from about $400 million in 2021 to just under $1 billion this year. Gragensky said families can begin applying for universal child care on November 1, with participation voluntary for both families and providers. She reported that New Mexico is aiming to expand capacity by adding 1,000 registered home providers, 120 group homes, and about 55 more centers, supported in part by a $13 million low-interest loan fund and a request for an additional $20 million. She said the state has seen growth in early childhood professionals, including a 64% increase over the last three to four years, and pointed to reported outcomes such as a 21% increase in literacy and a 75% kindergarten readiness rate, while noting that some measures are new and baseline comparisons are still being developed. Members asked about the funding sources, provider profitability, workforce development, and measurable outcomes. Gragensky said the program is designed to support provider sustainability through rates tied to true cost and includes allowances for sick leave, vacation, benefits, and reserves. She also said maternal labor force participation is 10% higher than the national rate and attributed that in part to child care access. The committee then moved to a separate presentation by Department for Community Based Services Commissioner Lisa Dennis and Division of Family Support Director Roger McCann on anticipated cuts to TANF and SNAP, beginning with an overview of TANF as a federal block grant with a fixed annual Kentucky allocation of about $180.7 million.
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations Committee May 14th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Do pass as amended to make contingent upon appropriation or the availability of federal or private funds
  • SB 1257, Federal Immigration Enforcement Report. The motion is do pass.
  • SB 1077, CalFresh Federal Government Shutdown. The motion is do pass. Roll call vote.
  • amended per author to remove the urgency clause and correct conflicting language between state and federal
Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met for a suspense-file hearing and voted only on measures already heard previously, with no public testimony. The chair explained that bills were taken up quickly in author order, with amended bills to be followed by addendum analyses. The committee considered a very large slate of Senate bills and two Assembly measures covering wildfire resilience, housing, insurance, energy, transportation, public safety, elections, health care, labor, environmental regulation, and various administrative and tax issues. Most measures were approved, many on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, while a substantial number passed on 5-2 or 5-1 party-line votes with Republicans generally voting no. Several bills were amended before passage, including changes to funding contingencies, timelines, reporting requirements, definitions, and removal of certain enforcement or private-right-of-action provisions. A few members noted concerns on specific bills, including Senator Richardson on SB 1203 (private security training), though he said he would vote for it at this stage. Among the notable actions, the committee advanced bills on wildfire smoke, wildfire recovery, mobile home parks, insurance nonrenewals, AI transparency, data center energy issues, Medi-Cal and health coverage, criminal justice, election administration, housing, and labor/workforce standards. The committee also approved AB 46 and AB 736. No bills were held for testimony because the hearing was vote-only, and the meeting adjourned after all items on the agenda were disposed of.
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations Committee May 14th, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • Do pass as amended to make contingent upon appropriation or the availability of federal or private funds
  • SB 1257, Federal Immigration Enforcement Report. The motion is do pass.
  • SB 1077, CalFresh Federal Government Shutdown. The motion is do pass. Roll call vote.
  • amended per author to remove the urgency clause and correct conflicting language between state and federal
Committee: Senate Appropriations
Keywords: 987, senate, all
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services May 21st, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Under the new federal rule, we are expecting forthcoming federal guidance, which may help the administration
  • Under the new federal rule, we are expecting forthcoming federal guidance, which may help the administration
  • But there still would be a federal drawdown.
  • ongoing eligibility for federal funding.
  • The fear of another government shutdown or withheld federal funding is real.
Summary: The committee first heard May Revision child care and human services items. The Department of Child Support Services described two technical adjustments, which the analyst supported. The Department of Social Services then walked through child care proposals, including a reduction in federal and Proposition 64 funding absorbed through a shift from General Child Care to the Alternative Payment program, a 2.01% child care COLA, disaster-related infrastructure grants, a new administrative support cost structure for Alternative Payment agencies, the removal of prospective pay funding after a federal rule change, a reappropriation for existing infrastructure grants, and estimates of unspent child care funds. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended asking for more justification for shifting reductions to CAP, supported the COLA reduction but wanted consistency across programs, recommended removing prospective pay funding, opposed the administrative cost shift, and suggested further review of disaster grant alignment. Members pressed the administration on why more slots would be cut for the same savings, why the COLA was reduced, and whether the administrative percentage would grow over time. The administration said the changes were intended to avoid disrupting currently enrolled families, reflect point-in-time relinquishments and unspent funds, and stabilize contractor operations. Public commenters, including providers, advocates, and county representatives, urged full COLA funding, rejection of child care slot reductions, preservation of prospective pay, and continued investment in child care infrastructure and access. The subcommittee then recessed before moving to health items. In Part B, the Department of State Hospitals presented its May Revision proposals, including a central utility plant replacement project at Metropolitan State Hospital, funding for a continuum electronic health record system, reduced county bed billing authority to reflect phase-in of additional LPS beds, limited contract exemption authority for online clinical subscription services, reversion of prior-year unspent operating funds, and a workforce development proposal to use Behavioral Health Services Act funds instead of General Fund for training programs. The department said the EHR would modernize records and improve continuity of care, and that the contract exemption would prevent delays in essential clinical information services. No votes were taken in the excerpt provided.
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services May 21st, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Under the new federal rule, we are expecting forthcoming federal guidance, which may help the administration
  • It's a federal, new federal clarification from this administration. Can you help me?
  • But there still would be a federal drawdown.
  • The fear of another government shutdown or withheld federal funding is real.
  • The fear of another government shutdown or withheld federal funding is real.
Keywords: 987, senate, all
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee May 12th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Federal approaches to flood and terrorism and natural catastrophe financing approaches are also executed
  • Federal approaches to flood and terrorism and natural catastrophe financing approaches are also executed
  • More than double Cal Fire's combined annual budget and more than the federal government spends on wildfire
  • bankruptcy judge, which, Under the supervision of a federal bankruptcy judge, which was the situation
  • achievements was getting PG&E out of bankruptcy back to where it could be regulated here without a federal
Summary: The hearing focused on the SB 254 Natural Catastrophe Resiliency Study and its recommendations for addressing California’s wildfire risk, utility liability, and the financing of catastrophic losses. Committee members and presenters discussed the history of the wildfire fund created after the 2018 fire crisis and PG&E bankruptcy, the role of the California Earthquake Authority as fund administrator, and the report’s three broad policy pathways: continuing mitigation investments, more equitably allocating catastrophe costs, and considering expanded state involvement in catastrophe financing. Presenters emphasized that the report was intended as a neutral, stakeholder-informed analysis rather than an advocacy document, and that the status quo is not working well for survivors, ratepayers, insurers, or utilities. CEA, CPUC, and the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety each described their contributions and recommendations. CEA outlined options such as risk-tolerance standards for utilities, preserving safety certificate accountability, tying executive compensation more directly to safety, confidential near-miss reporting, liability reforms, and a fast-pay facility for survivors. CPUC stressed that wildfire mitigation and liability costs are a major driver of electricity affordability problems, and said the state should broaden how wildfire recovery and mitigation are funded beyond ratepayers alone. Energy Safety highlighted its wildfire mitigation plan oversight and recommended stronger safety reporting and stronger safety weighting in utility executive compensation. The modeling portion of the report estimated that a more durable wildfire fund could require about $36 billion in capitalization, with lower initial capital needs if risk transfer or liability reforms are used, but potentially higher ongoing premium or assessment costs. The report also examined state-backed insurer or backstop models, post-event funding mechanisms, and targeted community wildfire mitigation, which could reduce overall funding needs. Members raised concerns about the cost burden on ratepayers, the financial stability of utilities, the fairness of asking communities outside high-risk areas to pay, the role of local governments and home hardening, and whether broader climate-related liability or insurance reforms should be considered. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further committee hearings and stakeholder discussion.
NM
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Land Grant Oct 7th, 2025

House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • of the way public schools were funded in the past through the Land grants that were given by the federal
  • My goal is to get a Superfund within the federal government to help mitigate and clean that up before
  • Federal funding is up in the air, as we all know, and so it's hard to know.
  • Chair, and thank you for the presentation, state and federal. Laura, thank you for getting the.
  • We asked for federal money, but we didn't get any.
Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs
OK
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources Subcommittee Feb 9th, 2026 at 10:30 am

A&B Natural Resources Subcommittee

CO
CO

Colorado 2026 Regular Session

Colorado House 2026 Legislative Day 008 Jan 22nd, 2026

Colorado House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • . >> Uh, all members, we will, uh, have our rescheduled public safety power shutdown hearing September
Keywords: 981, all
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee Jun 16th, 2026

Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials

Transcript Highlights:
  • have to operate from a fundamental grounding in the facts of what is existing law today, both at the federal
  • , state, the facts of what is existing law today, both at the federal, state, local, and regional level
  • ve heard before, but I represent hundreds of thousands of workers who do the maintenance, repair, shutdowns
Committee: House Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials
Keywords: 988, house, all
HI
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

CPN, CPN, CPN DEFER, CPN-JDC, HHS-CPN, CPN DEFER Public Hearings 02-17-2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> allowing us to move with the federal allowing us to move with the federal law.<00:23:36.880><c>
  • federal things at play. one is they narrow<00:32:38.159><c> the</c><00:32:38.320><c> federal</c><00:
  • </c> all this is we don't have federal all this is we don't have federal guidance<00:33:22.000><c> on
  • federal law. three.
  • </c> as part of the ending of the federal as part of the ending of the federal shutdown<00:37:30.400>
Keywords: 912, senate, all
Summary: The committee first heard SB 888, which would bar operators of smart household security devices from sharing user data with law enforcement unless the user consents or police obtain a warrant. DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection offered comments and Judiciary submitted written support. Several individuals also submitted written support. The committee recommended passage with amendments clarifying that the Office of Consumer Protection may enforce violations and adopting Judiciary’s recommended changes, while also deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. The motion passed unanimously among members present, with one senator excused. The committee then took up SB 2777 on insurance disclosures. The bill would require authorized insurers to disclose claim-handling data to consumers, including claims open at the start of a period, closed with payment, closed without payment, and open at the end of the period. The committee described amendments to clarify the bill, remove a requirement for the DCCA insurance division to handle publication, and defer the effective date to July 1, 2050. The measure was passed with amendments and the recommendation was adopted, with one member voting no and another excused. In a joint Commerce and Consumer Protection/Judiciary hearing on SP2738 relating to tax haven abuse, the Department of Taxation offered comments and the Tax Foundation testified in opposition, arguing the state should rely on IRS audits and existing worldwide reporting rules rather than create a separate state approach. Other written testimony was noted in both support and opposition. The committees recommended passage with amendments adopting Taxation’s technical changes and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050; the recommendation was adopted, with one senator noting reservations. The joint hearing then moved to health-related bills, including SB 2690 on primary care spending, SB 3103 on energy assistance, SB 3137 on Department of Health authority over food, drugs, and cosmetics, SB 3164 on child welfare service organizations, and SB 3206 on cannabinoids. SB 2690 drew strong support from physicians and advocates who said it would address primary care shortages, especially on neighbor islands, while HMSA and others warned a fixed spending percentage could raise costs and suggested a working group. SB 3164 drew support from child welfare providers and opposition from the Attorney General over indemnification language, and SB 3206 drew mixed testimony: state agencies raised federal-law and vagueness concerns, while hemp and cannabis advocates and some farmers supported the measure and urged broader legalization or amendments.
HI
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

House Chamber - Wed Mar 25, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 34

Hawaii House Floor Meeting

HI
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

House Chamber - Tue Mar 24, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 33

Hawaii House Floor Meeting

KY
KY

Kentucky 2025 Regular Session

Legislative Oversight & Investigations Committee (10-9-25)

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> federal funds available for the program. federal funds available for the program.
  • Are we impacted by that shutdown in terms of being able to get federal monies to help support this program
  • The reduction in the federal funding that was supporting federal programs.
  • </c> supporting federal programs. supporting federal programs.
  • </c> year federal funding. year federal funding.
Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:01 SERVS Informational Update- 00:01:22 Child Removal and Reunification Update: Department for Community Based Services Financials- 00:03:00 Small Business Sales Tax Websites: Department of Revenue-00:28:05 Senior Citizen Meal Programs: Department for Aging and Independent Living-00:35:50 Adjournment-01:41:57, 958, all
Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the September 11 meeting by motion and voice vote. It then received a brief update on the statewide emergency responder voice system, but no presenter was present. The chair said he expected a more substantive update in November and warned that if there is not real progress on acquiring needed private properties, the committee may consider further action, including possibly freezing funding. The main discussion centered on the Department for Community Based Services’ child removal and reunification work and its structured decision-making tools. Commissioner Lisa Dennis and General Counsel Wesley Duke explained that the intake, safety, and risk assessment tools are being used at very high rates and that the department is still implementing and evaluating the system. Dennis said the tools are meant to inform, not replace, professional judgment; when staff disagree with a recommendation, the worker and first-line supervisor consult and decide together. Members questioned whether the system favors keeping children in the home, whether the department has studied safety outcomes for in-home cases versus removals, and whether foster home shortages affect removal decisions. Dennis said child safety remains the top priority, that the practice has not changed, and that the department would provide additional data on outcomes later. Members also asked about permanency timelines and delays in termination of parental rights cases; Dennis said federal timelines are difficult to meet because of family progress, substance use recovery, and court delays, and she confirmed foster parent shortages were not the reason for those delays. The committee then heard a presentation from the Department of Revenue on the new My Taxes portal. Staff said the portal, launched in March, replaced DOR’s portion of the old Kentucky One Stop Business Portal and now allows businesses to file and pay multiple taxes, update account information, and receive official notices. They reported the system is available 24/7 except for scheduled maintenance every other Thursday evening, has maintained over 99% availability since launch, and now has a dedicated contact center with 50 agents plus a public help line and email. In response to questions, the department said early downtime was caused by unexpectedly high traffic, but server capacity was increased and in the last three months there had been only one day of unexpected downtime.