Transcript Highlights:

• So, to that end, in that conversation, has there been any reduction in services?
• To my knowledge, there's not been any reduction in services, especially from the crisis Area.
• operational changes have yielded a measurable results the procurement division has achieved a55% reduction
• We used our natural attrition to address the reduction in FTEs.
• So, as far as the increase in reduction, maybe a percent or two on our actual turnover rate but nothing

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Recommendations also include a decrease of 14.1 million in coastal erosion response fund 5176 for reductions
• Recommendations also include a $0.6 million reduction in one-time costs for the West Texas State Veterans
• And that includes one-time cost reductions of $7.4 million in economic.
• three FTEs for the GCPD, which is a decrease of $549.4 million from the 2015 budget, which is a reduction
• the Gulf Coast Protection District and address a wide range of issues. and long-term coastal risk reduction

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides a smoother glide path for districts to make budget reductions over time.
• To be clear, is your question, Senator Davis, about the 3% reduction? Thank you.
• So all those numbers represent about 3% across-the-board hospital reductions.
• All those numbers represent about 3% across-the-board hospital reductions. And I'm very thankful.
• And so in doing so, it looks like a reduction, but it's actually not a reduction.

Summary: The Senate took up the 2026-2027 budget package, beginning with an overview of the $115 billion General Appropriations Bill (SB 2500/HB 500). Appropriations Chair Hooper said the budget is smaller than last year’s, maintains strong reserves, and includes a 3% pay raise for all state employees and 5% raises for state law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then highlighted major spending in their areas, including $34.9 billion for Pre-K-12 education, $11.9 billion for higher education, a $2.1 billion-plus increase in health and human services, $7.9 billion for criminal and civil justice, $16.8 billion for transportation/tourism/economic development, and major environmental and regulatory investments such as Everglades restoration, water quality, and land acquisition. Members asked detailed questions about several items. Topics included the Emergency Management Trust Fund, arts and cultural grants, Florida Forever land acquisition versus conservation easements, teacher salaries and charter school funding, New College funding, ADAP/HIV drug assistance, Medicaid rate reductions for non-critical access hospitals, DOC operational deficits and inmate health/food costs, judicial staffing, and school enrollment supplements. Chairs explained that some reductions reflected shifts in how scholarship and categorical funds are tracked, that the ADAP appropriation would take effect immediately upon enactment but would only cover part of the year, and that hospital reductions were tied to a broader DPP funding increase. Questions also covered lottery staffing, concealed carry licensing workload, and whether vacant positions were being eliminated as part of budget right-sizing. After the budget discussion, the Senate substituted House bills for the Senate budget bills and adopted amendments placing the Senate language onto the House vehicles. The chamber then passed HB 500, HB 503, and HB 5201, and agreed to conference on each. It also passed SB 7028/HB 5205 on retirement, SB 2506 on fuel taxes, SB 2508 on the state agency law enforcement radio system, SB 2510/HB 5401 on court trust funds, SB 2512 on judgeships, SB 2514 on K-12 education, SB 2516 on higher education, and SB 2518 on health, with each bill passing by unanimous or near-unanimous votes and then being sent to conference or requested of the House for concurrence.

Transcript Highlights:

• To be clear, is your question, Senator Davis, about the 3% reduction? Thank you.
• So all those numbers represent about 3% across the board to hospital reductions.
• All those numbers represent about 3% across the board to hospital reductions.
• And so I'm wondering why these allocations had the reductions that they had.
• And so in doing so, it looks like a reduction, but it's actually not a reduction.

Summary: The Senate took up the 2026-2027 budget and related implementing bills. Appropriations Chair Hooper presented a $115 billion General Appropriations Bill, saying it reduces overall spending from the prior year, preserves reserves, and includes a 3% raise for state employees and 5% raises for state law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then outlined major budget areas, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and environmental/agricultural agencies. Highlights included increased funding for school safety, teacher and scholarship funding, workforce education, Medicaid and kid care, corrections operations, judgeships, affordable housing, hurricane recovery, Everglades and water quality projects, and arts and cultural grants. Members asked detailed questions about several items. Senators discussed the Emergency Management Trust Fund, cultural arts grant allocations, Florida Forever land acquisition versus conservation easements, teacher salary support, charter school capital outlay funding, Bright Futures and EASE funding, New College funding, DOC deficits and inmate health care/food service costs, the ADAP HIV drug program, Medicaid reductions for non-critical access hospitals, and the use of opioid settlement and COVID relief funds. Chairs explained that some apparent reductions reflected shifts below the line or reclassification, that the ADAP appropriation would only cover about six months, and that some vacant positions were being removed as part of a right-sizing effort. Questions also covered lottery staffing, concealed weapons permit processing, elections security funding, and arts grant selection and proviso language. The Senate then substituted House bills for the Senate budget and implementing measures, amended them into the Senate posture, and passed them. HB 5001 (the appropriations bill), HB 503 (implementing bill), HB 5201 (collective bargaining), and HB 5205 (retirement) all passed 36-0 and were sent to conference. Other budget-related bills also passed, including SB 2506 on fuel taxes, SB 2508 on the state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge, SB 2510 on court trust funds, SB 2512 creating 13 circuit and 12 county judgeships, SB 2514 on K-12 education, SB 2516 on higher education, and SB 2518 on health. Most of these passed unanimously, with the Senate requesting the House either pass the Senate versions or include them in budget conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're hoping because of the reduction in the rate of receiving new applications and through the work
• The guardianship waitlist reduction, you know, we've Got recommendations both in the base budget and
• I'm hoping that waitlist Reduction will happen naturally as applications come down, and we do support
• And so, if we have a reduction in those contractual services, we're already short ombud service dollars
• And a reduction on top of that.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in this presentation... ...results in prevention or reduction of future hospitalizations.
• I also want to say this is a $2 billion-a-year endeavor, a poverty reduction tool to keep families with
• We do expect that we'll see a reduction in the caseload for several reasons.
• And so that would translate into about a $46 million state reduction.
• So the total five-year incremental change compared to the March 2025 revenue forecast is a reduction

Summary: The committee held a work session focused first on juvenile rehabilitation system capacity. DCYF officials said the juvenile rehabilitation population is older, includes more adult-sentenced youth, and has longer lengths of stay, especially for “post-25” youth who must remain in secure facilities and cannot go to community beds. They described overcrowding at Green Hill School, placement limits at Echo Glen and Harbor Heights, staffing turnover, mental health acuity, and the need for more medium-security and specialized mental health beds. DCYF said it is pursuing a Parkland facility proposal, a staffing model decision package, and a broader feasibility study and master plan update. No votes were taken; members were asked to follow up with questions later. The committee then heard on behavioral health system capacity from the Behavioral Health Administration and the Health Care Authority. DSHS described growth in forensic and civil bed need, expansion at Olympic Heritage, Maple Lane, and Brockman, and construction of a new 350-bed forensic hospital at Western State expected to open in 2028. HCA reported progress on long-term civil commitment beds, intensive behavioral health treatment facilities, PACT teams, and intensive residential treatment teams, saying the community-based system is being expanded to support step-down care and reduce hospital reliance. Members asked about whether capacity is right-sized, the difference between facility types, and federal match eligibility for services. A federal funding update followed, covering the effects of H.R. 1 and H.R. 5371 on SNAP, Medicaid, marketplace coverage, long-term services and supports, K-12, higher education, and hemp regulation. OFM and agency staff said H.R. 1 adds work requirements, changes non-citizen eligibility, increases state administrative and benefit costs, reduces Medicaid and marketplace subsidies for some groups, tightens redeterminations, and may significantly affect provider payments and state-directed payments. H.R. 5371 extended federal funding through January 30, 2026 and included some agency appropriations and other provisions, including changes affecting hemp producers. Members asked about SNAP error rates and special enrollment periods. Finally, budget coordinator Mary Monroe gave a 2026 supplemental budget preview. She reviewed the state’s near general fund outlook, noting revenue declines since the enacted budget, the effect of reversions, and a preliminary maintenance-level outlook showing a projected increase in NGFO spending over the four-year period. She said the supplemental will reflect updated caseload and cost forecasts and mandatory impacts from H.R. 1, but not policy proposals. No actions or votes were taken during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I see that the agricultural land reduction. Is a 42% reduction in taxes. Is that purposeful?
• So, I see that the agricultural land reduction is a 42% reduction in taxes. Is that purposeful?
• Is a 42% reduction in taxes. Is that purposeful?
• So, I see that the agricultural land reduction is a 42% reduction in taxes. Is that purposeful?
• Is a 20% reduction. Why is there a larger reduction proposed for agricultural land and homesteads?

Bills: SJR50, SJR51, SJR52, SJR53, SJR54, SJR39, SB1290, HB4028, HB4029, HB4073, HB4074, HB4075, HB4076, HB4077, HB4078, HB1250, HB2951, HB2961, HB3151, HB3581, HB3705, HB3970, HB3972, HB3980, HB3981

Keywords: Medicaid, federal funding, state law, healthcare, low-income adults, Oklahoma Constitution, healthcare regulations, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, permanent rules, joint resolution, OHCA, health care rules, administrative rules, major rule, Title 75, Title 317, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 317:30, health policy, state health programs

Transcript Highlights:

• That's about a $35 million reduction from FY26, and it's roughly 2% of the overall budget.
• No, that is actually one of the governor's core reductions that he made.
• There are reductions that are in this ITSD consolidated core.
• There was a core reduction in ITSD's budget that core reduced $33,000 GR.
• We did have some reduction in retirees, but it was mostly new state employees.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it was about a 40,000 kid reduction.
• There's also a reduction in births that happened after the Great Recession 2011.
• Well, I mean, a one percentage point reduction in average daily attendance, even with.
• The same number of kids is a $380 million reduction in district budgets. Okay. Statewide.
• This explains the small reduction in the early draft of the 2026 UTP.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and also the inflation reduction act. and also the inflation reduction act.
• <00:21:26.880> in expected to lead to a reduction in expected to lead to a reduction in overall
• The big money within House Bill 1, when we did another rate reduction, the rate reduction conditions
• reduction reduction the<01:00:51.200> rate<01:00:51.520> reduction<01:00:52.079> conditions
• the rate reduction conditions the rate reduction conditions hit<01:00:55.599> in<01:00:56.319

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on preliminary fiscal 2026 revenue estimates and the governor’s office request for an official revision to fiscal 2026, with members reminded that any estimate adopted now would not bind the December official estimates. Staff from S&P Global walked through three forecast scenarios—control, optimistic, and pessimistic—based on recent federal tax changes, tariffs, and other policy developments, emphasizing that the outlook remains highly uncertain. Under the control scenario, the presentation projected below-trend real GDP growth of 1.8% in fiscal 2026, slowing to 1.5% by fiscal 2028, with unemployment peaking around 4.5% and the Federal Reserve cutting rates three times to a long-run range of about 2.75% to 3%. The optimistic scenario assumed lower effective tariffs, stronger growth, and better labor and housing outcomes, while the pessimistic scenario assumed a broader trade war, higher effective tariffs, faster deportations, weaker employment and consumer spending, and unemployment rising to about 6.3%. Speakers also noted that the forecast was prepared before later BLS revisions and that recent data on inventories and AI-related investment made the recent quarters look unusually volatile. Members discussed how the current fiscal 2026 outlook compared with earlier assumptions and noted that the eventual revenue revision may be smaller than the spread between the optimistic and pessimistic economic scenarios. The governor’s office and committee members also reviewed sector-specific impacts, including manufacturing, housing, light vehicle production, exports, and consumer sentiment, with particular concern about Kentucky’s auto and housing-related industries. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe a tribal nation has been impacted by this reduction.
• has been impacted uh by this reduction has been impacted uh by this reduction also<01:23:49.040>
• , an estimated predicted reduction, in the fiscal 2026-27 biennium.
• <01:46:18.480> an then yes there is a reduction an then yes there is a reduction an estimated
• reduction of estimated predicted reduction of in<01:46:23.080> the<01:46:23.199> fiscal

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Program reductions, delayed facility maintenance, I can't buy a bus.
• Program reductions, delayed facility maintenance, I can't buy a bus.
• here are the results staff reductions here are the results staff reductions increased<00:10:46.639
• <00:10:51.639> delayed district program reductions delayed district program reductions delayed
• <00:42:16.920> in the following concerns reductions in the following concerns reductions in

Bills: HF957, HF877

Keywords: education, mandate relief, school funding, local control, state laws, fund transfers, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes a review process upon notice of agency denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of
• , suspension, or termination of reduction, suspension, or termination of long-term<00:05:18.960> care
• in custody and petition for a reduction in custody and replaces replaces replaces uh<00:18:49.760>
• <01:20:12.000> And reduction in custody on their own.
• And reduction in custody on their own.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have been advocating for meaningful, significant tax cuts for years, the reduction of our taxes to
• We have been advocating for meaningful, significant tax cuts for years, the reduction of our taxes to
• We have been advocating for meaningful, significant tax cuts for years, the reduction of our taxes to
• We have been advocating for meaningful, significant tax cuts for years, the reduction of our taxes to
• Their surviving spouse will see a 59% reduction in her VA benefits when the veteran passes away.

Bills: HF169, HF195, HF194, HF1756, HF2133

Keywords: HF169, Minnesota insurance, health plan, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, patient assistance program, deductible, health insurer, consumer disclosure, out-of-pocket costs, medical assistance funds, copay assistance, health coverage transparency, chapter 62Q, enrollee, HF195, Fairmont, street reconstruction, bonding bill, capital investment

Transcript Highlights:

• shift, and we're hopeful that they will, you know, we'll see a reduced impact, or kind of a reduced reduction
• <00:01:57.200> to um or kind of an a reduced reduction to um or kind of an a reduced reduction
• <00:26:00.000> Um,<00:26:00.559> so government aid uh reductions.
• Um, so government aid uh reductions.
• the spreadsheet will show is a reduction the spreadsheet will show is a reduction uh<00:26:37.200

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The purpose of this bill is to provide a reduction in the personal income tax.
• The House of Delegates lowered the income tax reduction from 10 percent.
• The House of Delegates lowered the income tax reduction from 10 percent.
• First, we passed a 27 and a quarter percent tax reduction a couple of years ago.
• And today we've added to that with an additional 5 percent reduction in personal income tax.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first considered confirmations from Senate Executive Message No. 4. On a 33-0 vote, it confirmed all nominees except number 54, then separately confirmed nominee 54 on a 30-3 vote. The special order of business was then closed. The chamber then took up a series of House-amended bills and generally concurred in the amendments before passing each bill. These included SB 723 on law enforcement cooperation with bordering states; SB 947 on birth certificate copies for homeless minors; SB 392 on personal income tax reduction; SB 54 on criminal penalties for abuse or neglect of incapacitated adults; SB 228 on technology in child abuse and neglect investigations, including a three-county caseworker aid pilot; SB 231 on value-based payment requirements; SB 402, the Workforce Readiness Opportunity Act, with House removal of tax credits and other provisions while retaining micro-credential programs; SB 553 on transfer of contractor licenses to qualifying immediate family members; SB 575 on refusal review hearings; SB 686, the Coal Tenancy Modernization and Miners' Protection Act; SB 906 on lawful prescription of crystalline polymorph psilocybin under FDA recommendations; and SB 1226 on penalties for disturbing religious worship. Most final passage votes were unanimous or near-unanimous, and several bills were made effective from passage or given a specific effective date. Later, the Senate concurred in House amendments to SB 63, the Creating Sustaining Opportunities for Academics and Rural Schools Act, after discussion noting the House removed county charter school language and changed the effective date. The bill passed 32-2 and was made effective from passage. The Senate also concurred in amendments to SB 502, the Women's Collegiate Sports Protection Act, and SB 153, creating the Unemployment Automation and Administration Fund; SB 502 was set to take effect July 1, 2026, and SB 153 was also made effective July 1, 2026. Finally, the Senate reconsidered and again passed SB 392 by a 32-2 vote. The session ended with several introductions, announcements, and a recess until 5:30.

Transcript Highlights:

• of funding in order for them to reduce their overall fiscal impact by going through a head count reduction
• These funds would be used to pay for software as well as the reduction in the head count.
• used to pay for software as well<00:02:25.240> as<00:02:25.600> the<00:02:26.000> reduction
• well as the reduction in the head count. well as the reduction in the head count.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor requested a 3% reduction from this number.
• He requested a 3% reduction from that $716.6 million.
• And then the next one over is the governor's 3% reduction.
• the 3% governor reduction.
• And I know you've got a 3% reduction.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor requested a 3% reduction from this number.
• He requested a 3% reduction from that $716.6 million.
• the governor's 3% reduction.
• That would see a reduction in funding even after the 3% governor reduction.
• And I know you've got a 3% reduction.

Summary: The committee met to discuss higher education funding and capital building policy. Members first heard an update from NDUS Deputy Commissioner Lisa Johnson on low-producing academic programs. She described a proposed board policy using a five-year rolling window and thresholds of fewer than 10 undergraduate graduates or fewer than 5 graduate graduates, with programs flagged for three consecutive review periods going to the board. Possible outcomes would include continuation, continuation with modifications, inactivation, or termination. Members asked about how the review would account for program costs, service to other students, workforce demand, and the difference between inactivation and termination. Johnson said the board would consider broader factors and that campuses already do detailed program analysis. Several members also asked about cost savings and staffing impacts from program terminations, and Johnson said the board would try to provide more information later. The committee then received a report on the Capital Building Fund from Jamie Wilkie. He reviewed the program’s history, matching requirements, and recent uses, noting that about $334 million in state and matching dollars has been invested overall, with most going to deferred maintenance and extraordinary repairs. Members discussed whether the program is reducing deferred maintenance and requested updated systemwide data on deferred maintenance and campus space utilization. Wilkie said the board is considering a new study to update deferred maintenance figures, which are based on information more than 12 years old. He also reported that several institutions have used current biennium funds for projects such as residence hall renovations, health sciences housing, generators, and building repairs. Later, the committee began a detailed walkthrough of a draft bill that would replace the current higher education funding formula with an FTE-based model and also revise the capital building fund structure. The draft would use fall enrollment FTEs, add completion incentives for degrees in in-demand fields, and create a separate research funding component for UND and NDSU tied to doctoral completions and external research expenditures. Members raised concerns about the use of older data in the formula, the treatment of waivers, the weighting of professional and health sciences programs, and the use of CIP codes to define CTE and education incentives. The bill draft would also combine capital building fund tiers, broaden eligible uses for deferred maintenance and legislatively authorized projects, change matching requirements, repeal the old formula chapter and the capital pool, and transfer funds from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund into the capital building fund. No final votes were taken during the portion provided; the meeting was primarily discussion and review.

Transcript Highlights:

• high priority or an urgent need, we recommend that if it approves it, it finds dollar-for-dollar reductions
• We do offer a backfill to a reduction to the state court facilities construction fund based on improved
• We do offer a backfill to a reduction to a backfill to the state court facilities. a backfill to a reduction
• The savings amount reflects a reduction in total contract costs.
• This will significantly alleviate the service-level reductions caused by lower-level federal funding

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to review May Revision proposals for several departments and emphasized that no votes would be taken that day. The Legislative Analyst’s Office opened with a warning that the state budget is balanced only through one-time resources and still has structural deficits, recommending that the Legislature avoid new ongoing spending and instead preserve reserves and other solutions. The Judicial Council then presented proposals for language access and interpreter services, appellate court security, a backfill to the state court facilities construction fund, and an extension of the lactation-room mandate; Finance supported the language access item with reporting language and supported keeping the court facilities backfill. Members raised concerns about judicial pay freezes, judge vacancies, and uneven judge allocations across counties, and also asked about the cost and completion of courthouse lactation rooms and remote-hearing infrastructure. The Board of State and Community Corrections items focused on $10 million one-time grants for missing and murdered Indigenous people and for a human trafficking vertical prosecution program. The LAO suggested the Legislature consider whether the Tribal Nations Grant Fund could support the MMIP work, while Finance said it preferred General Fund support and wanted more review before any fund swap. On the human trafficking grant, Finance said the need was clear based on reported cases and California’s share of hotline reports. Members strongly supported MMIP funding and discussed whether ongoing funding would be needed beyond the one-time proposal, while also debating whether BSEC or OES should administer the prosecution grants. The Department of Justice presented antitrust litigation funding, Medi-Cal fraud and elder abuse staffing, organized retail criminal enterprise case completion, and a continuous appropriation for the Victims of Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund. The LAO raised concerns about the Unfair Competition Law Fund’s solvency and recommended rejecting that portion unless DOJ could show the fund could support it without General Fund repayment, and it opposed the continuous appropriation in favor of more legislative oversight. Finance said the fund would remain solvent under current projections and defended the continuous appropriation as necessary to pay victims promptly. Members also clarified that the Medi-Cal fraud unit targets providers, not beneficiaries, and asked about delays in restitution payments. A lengthy portion of the hearing covered CDCR’s May Revision package and the Boston Consulting Group cost-savings effort. CDCR described revised savings from workforce optimization, workers’ compensation, and procurement, but members repeatedly expressed frustration that the promised savings had fallen far short of earlier estimates. The LAO recommended deeper cuts to some parole positions, more detail on proposed eliminations and contract changes, and caution about counting unallocated future savings. CDCR also presented population projections showing continued declines and the LAO again urged the administration to close a prison to reduce ongoing costs. The committee also heard proposals on workers’ compensation, Corcoran honor housing, incarcerated firefighter pay, agricultural food purchasing requirements, menopause care, mental health receiver staffing, resource teams, crisis intervention teams, medical classification staffing, and AI note-taking in electronic health records, with the LAO generally recommending limited-term approvals and reporting requirements while Finance defended ongoing funding and said it was open to additional reporting language.