Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:21.199> which um our organizational structure which um our organizational structure
• ,<00:04:33.759> because multiple salary structures, because multiple salary structures, because
• 00:04:51.199> authority has a very complex tax authority has a very complex tax authority structure
• Kentucky<00:04:53.520> actually<00:04:53.919> has<00:04:54.320> one structure
• Uh, Kentucky actually has one structure.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: Personnel Cabinet and Kentucky Employees Health Plan officials presented a request to replace the Kentucky Human Resources Information System (CHRIS), the state’s HR/payroll ERP system procured in 2007. They said the system supports core HR and payroll for about 48,000 state employees, 24 sheriff and county clerk offices, and the Kentucky Employees Health Plan, which covers more than 300,000 lives. Officials emphasized that SAP has said the system will be end-of-life and out of support by 2030, which would eliminate security updates, vendor maintenance, and tax-compliance support. They argued that replacement is necessary to protect sensitive personnel and health data, maintain payroll accuracy, and avoid major operational and cybersecurity risks. Officials described the project as a true replacement, not just an upgrade, and said the proposed $151 million request covers a five- to six-year implementation, stabilization, and ongoing maintenance period. They broke down the estimate as including roughly $54 million for software licensing and hosting, about $76.5 million for systems integrator/professional services, and additional amounts for independent verification and validation, dependent verification for the health plan, FSA administration, contingency staffing, and hardware-related needs. They said the cost increase from prior estimates was mainly due to inflation and updated requirements. They also noted that payments would be tied to deliverables and checkpoints, with third-party IV&V oversight, and that the cabinet expects to continue normal quarterly IT reporting to LRC while also providing at least monthly project updates because of the 2030 deadline. Committee members asked about the total cost of ownership, recurring operating costs, the size of the integrator contract, how vendor costs were estimated, and how progress would be tracked. Officials said they used market research, peer-state comparisons, vendor discussions, and independent reviews, including input from AON and a third-party QA resource. They explained that the integrator would handle requirements mapping, system design, configuration, training, change management, and implementation support across the Personnel Cabinet, KHP, and other stakeholders. No vote or formal action was taken during the discussion; the meeting consisted of testimony, questions, and answers on the funding request and implementation plan.

Transcript Highlights:

• As long as you have systems and structures in place, you can make sure that everything.
• So our communication structure of this is what it looks like.
• So our communication structure of this is what it looks like.
• So our communication structure of this is what it looks like.
• You know, so we’re making huge growth and really it’s putting systems and structures in place.

Summary: The committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met to discuss chronic absenteeism, district attendance interventions, and related truancy procedures. Chair Simon reviewed Florida’s attendance laws and escalation process, including school-based interventions, child study team meetings, referrals to the Department of Juvenile Justice, truancy petitions, and possible sanctions for parents and driving privileges. The committee heard first from University of Florida professor Dr. Chris Curran, who presented state and national absenteeism data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023-24. He emphasized that absenteeism has multiple causes, including transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family barriers, and said effective responses include early warning systems, multi-tiered supports, mentoring, and community partnerships rather than relying only on punitive measures. Members questioned Dr. Curran about whether absenteeism is a behavior or barrier issue, whether exclusionary discipline is counted, the need for a uniform definition across districts, and whether more punitive truancy enforcement is effective. He said the issue is usually a mix of barriers and choices, that excused and unexcused absences both matter for chronic absenteeism data, and that root-cause analysis and supportive interventions are generally more productive than punishment alone, though consequences can still play a role. The committee then heard from Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli and district staff, who described a highly structured attendance system built around attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, multilingual outreach, and frequent parent notifications. They said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023-24 and credited their success to early contact, community partnerships, and a strong district culture around attendance. Volusia County Schools Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a newer districtwide attendance initiative that uses automated letters, same-day notifications, data dashboards, MTSS tiers, incentives, and community supports such as bikes, washers and dryers, and faith-based partnerships. He reported Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023-24 to a projected 29% and said the district is now seeing about 20% in the first quarter of the current year. No formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will now go over some key elements of the structure of today's hearing.
• harms still felt by Californians today, from disparities... ...their structural harms still felt by
• But this bill is not anticipating—there's no change in the fee structure.
• There will be an administrative structure in order to implement this. And I'd ask for an aye vote.
• There will be an administrative structure in order to implement this. And I'd ask for an aye vote.

Summary: The committee heard several higher education bills. It first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 67 and SB 619. The main discussion centered on SB 437, which would direct the CSU system to develop a fair, evidence-based process for verifying whether someone is a descendant of a person enslaved in the United States, as part of the state’s reparations work. Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by the Reparations Task Force and would create a transparent, credible lineage-verification process; opponents argued genealogy methods already exist, the bill would waste money and delay action, and some raised constitutional concerns. The committee took a vote on SB 437, but the roll was left open after the initial tally showed three ayes and three noes. The committee then heard SB 790, which would allow California to join the interstate reciprocity agreement for online postsecondary education. The author and supporters said the bill would improve consumer protections for California students taking out-of-state online courses and help California institutions compete more effectively by reducing the burden of seeking separate state approvals. Opponents, including University of Phoenix and other groups, argued the bill conflicted with the existing reciprocity framework, could exclude some institutions, and might not actually secure California’s entry into the agreement. The committee voted 3-1 to pass SB 790 as amended to the Business and Professions Committee, with the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 391, which would authorize the Community College Chancellor’s Office to charge fees for research partners seeking access to data. Supporters said the office is absorbing significant unfunded workload from data requests and that fees would help recover costs; opponents, including the California Teachers Association community college association, warned the fees could create barriers for faculty and smaller researchers. Members discussed possible exemptions and implementation details. The committee voted 5-1 to pass SB 391 as amended to the Appropriations Committee, with the roll left open. Finally, the committee heard SB 685, a pilot program to provide cost-of-attendance assistance at four CSU campuses for students who experienced homelessness in high school. Supporters said it would help students cover housing, food, and transportation costs and reduce dropout risk; members asked about eligibility and implementation, and the author explained the bill would use McKinney-Vento homelessness designations and target students at risk of “summer melt” and college homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wrote a dissertation about it, but we integrate lots of structured literacy.
• High school structure Um, high school support structure, uh, policy to allow students to retain at a
• A transparent, structured application process run through the public education department for schools
• So could you speak to the structured literacy?
• Do you have those same tutors for literacy, for the structured reading?

Transcript Highlights:

• The structure of the office and the process for selecting the head of the office set forth in HB 5 are
• Anything that we can do to better what we're doing for our kids, I just have some structural question
• Because the structure was changing radically.
• It's the structure of saying all departments report to the governor.
• It also ensures that there is a structure to make sure that this is happening.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh<00:50:23.840> to<00:50:23.960> the Or a stand-alone structure, not facility; it's structure
• structure not facility it's<00:51:31.440> structure.
• it's structure. it's structure.
• <00:52:13.480> that take that's a stand alone structure that take that's a stand alone structure
• renovate the stand alone structure? renovate the stand alone structure?

Bills: HF4094, HF3390, HF3813, HF3583, HF3751, HF4324, HF4789, HF3596, HF4033, HF4424, HF4053

Keywords: Crosby, local sales tax, bonding authority, community projects, voter approval, Owatonna, use tax, special law, community center, municipal finance, capital project, sales and use tax, local option tax, city tax, public facility, general election, bond referendum, debt limit, levy limit, Minnesota local government

Transcript Highlights:

• and a different structure.
• :19:05.200> structure.
• I don't want and a different structure.
• If you think of the incentive<00:46:54.400> structures, incentive structures, incentive structures
• <01:08:58.000> that's relationship and structure that's relationship and structure that's

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a very complicated structure, and you will find on your desk a copy of the structure that we are
• ... ...and you will find on your desk a copy of the structure that we are establishing.
• You'll see the workgroups listed on the whole organizational structure.
• And it introduces the creation of structured career paths.
• With no reductions allowed for being temporary structures.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, doctor and guest introductions, and then took up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley described the bill as a major criminal justice and behavioral health reform measure that would expand pretrial mental health diversion, strengthen treatment-based probation conditions, broaden grant uses for mental health and substance abuse programs, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, require certain DOC mental health evaluations, and create a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in strong support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, data collection, and the Murphy family’s role in advancing the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then approved 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then received the Senate’s 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill, SB 2500, with Chair Hooper outlining a $117.4 billion budget that he said reduces spending, preserves reserves, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and reporting requirements. Committee chairs summarized their portions: K-12 funding at $34.7 billion with increases for FEFP, scholarships, VPK, school hardening, and school safety; higher education at $11.5 billion with workforce, nursing, reading, autism, and student aid investments; health and human services with a $1.8 billion increase for Medicaid, mental health, opioid response, disability services, and veterans programs; criminal and civil justice at $7.6 billion for corrections, juvenile justice, law enforcement, courts, and judgeships; transportation/tourism/economic development at about $18 billion including roads, housing, Visit Florida, and cultural grants; and agriculture/environment/general government with major Everglades, water quality, citrus, food bank, and agency IT funding. Members then questioned several budget items, especially education funding formulas, the shift of scholarship dollars below the line, the impact on public school districts, AP/IB and other accelerated program funding, the APD wait list, opioid settlement spending, arts grants, and the My Safe Florida Home and condo pilot programs. Chairs generally said scholarship and accelerated-program dollars were being restructured for transparency and flexibility rather than cut, that school districts would still receive funding based on enrollment, and that APD and other human services issues would continue to be worked out in conference. The budget discussion concluded with remarks praising staff and noting a 4% across-the-board pay raise for state employees and targeted increases for law enforcement and firefighters, followed by a recognition for FAMU Day at the Capitol.

Transcript Highlights:

• different cost structures in the bill.
• Uh that tiered structure is bill.
• Chair. in the structure that the two in the structure that the two representatives<00:25:25.800> have
• We field a a structural fire team.
• us to fight structural fires. us to fight structural fires.

Bills: HF1016, HF2800, HF156, HF3051, HF526, HF2658, HF2062, HF2801

Keywords: local government aid, Baldwin, taxation, base year formula, municipal funding, population aid, aid penalty forgiveness, Minnesota, city funding, appropriations, HF156, lawful gambling, veterans organizations, licensed veterans organization, Minnesota gambling law, gross profits, lawful purpose, real property repair, facility maintenance, capital assets

Transcript Highlights:

• By permitting schools to start before Labor Day, districts can structure their academic calendars in
• <00:06:54.240> their Day districts can structure their Day districts can structure their academic
• Senate File 1336 provides schools with much-needed flexibility to structure their academic calendar in
• First, as you heard, Minnesota has a strong authorizer and charter school accountability structure in
• it's addressing this the big structural it's addressing this the big structural issue<01:31:14.159

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you could implement one structural change today, what would that be to stabilize?
• And if you could implement one structural change today, what would that be to stabilize the fund?
• Just if you had one tip of one structural change today to help stabilize Fund 9, what would that be?
• I mean, there's some structure...
• This is a significant investment in bringing these historic structures, which are iconic in a number

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The skills required in the workforce will continue to change, and so we are creating structures to be
• The workforce will continue to change, and so we are creating structures to be responsive to learners
• Things of that nature that could be more structural change to kind of implement.
• The infrastructure just is that at CDE or at the site level currently, as the contract structured in
• the budget, we provide a... ...as the contract structured in the budget, we provide as much assistance

Summary: The committee heard an update on the administration’s Career Education Master Plan and the new California Education Interagency Council. Administration and agency staff described efforts to better connect K-12, higher education, workforce, and data systems, including the California Cradle to Career Data System, e-Transcript California, and a proposed career passport. They emphasized regional coordination with workforce boards and community colleges, and said the new council’s immediate tasks are to hold its first meeting by the end of June, enter into a data-sharing MOU, and complete a strategic plan by the end of November. Members asked about the council’s authority, reporting requirements, and how it would relate to the broader Master Plan for Higher Education; staff said the council will make recommendations but does not have implementation authority. The committee then took up the Governor’s proposed $100 million one-time expansion of dual enrollment grants and related changes to instructional minute requirements. Finance and the Department of Education said the proposal would support middle college, early college, and CCAP programs, add technical assistance, prioritize high-need LEAs, and reduce the minimum instructional day for certain dual enrollment students from 240 to 180 minutes to ease scheduling barriers. The Chancellor’s Office strongly supported the investment, citing access, acceleration, and equity benefits, while the LAO recommended rejecting the funding, arguing the state already provides ongoing support and that the proposal does not address major barriers. Members raised questions about adult learners, A-G alignment, reporting on outcomes and expenditures, rural access, transportation, staffing, and whether the funding would create lasting program capacity. The item was left open after discussion. The committee also considered trailer bill language to align the definition of long-term English learners across data systems. Finance and CDE said the change would simplify identification by defining LTELs as students who have not attained English proficiency within seven years and RTELs as students not proficient within six years, matching the dashboard and research-based timelines. CDE said the current mismatch between dashboard and assessment definitions creates confusion and delays, while some members and advocates worried the change could reduce earlier intervention or should be handled through policy committees rather than the budget process. The committee voted to reject the proposal and refer it to policy, though the administration said it still supports the budget language. Finally, the committee heard a proposal to extend the Supporting Inclusive Practices project by one year, through June 30, 2027. CDE said the project is promising but raised concerns about the contract structure and fiscal management, while Marysville Joint Unified School District testified that SIP had helped expand inclusive preschool and district-wide practices and reduce reliance on more restrictive placements. Members questioned why funds had not been fully encumbered and whether the remaining money should be redirected to areas with greater implementation need. The item was discussed but no final action was described in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I taught students from a variety of family structures and belief systems and perspectives and I also
• We would really structure. We would create that function in a way. That will work for our kids.
• The structure that is, I can't even call it redundant, it is redundant for sure.
• Dividing folks that need to be working together and as I read this structure, as I read the structure
• The structure is really problematic.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whenever I think of and structure.
• So is that an effective co-chair structure?
• So is that an effective co-chair structure?
• So is that an effective co-chair structure?
• <02:32:02.800> as officials on the board um structure as officials on the board um structure

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any new construction or reconstruction of a tall public structure in the state of Minnesota ought to
• Any new construction or reconstruction of a tall public structure in the state of Minnesota ought to
• We have to look at the whole structure given the multi-use of that facility, and we will do that.
• We have to look at the whole structure given the multi-use of that facility, and we will do that.
• How does the current cost share structure affect a city like Richfield?

Bills: HF192, HF268, HF1214, HF494

Keywords: Minnesota income tax, dependent exemption, personal income tax, tax relief, family tax relief, children, dependents, tax deduction, tax exemption, state revenue, inflation indexing, tax year 2025, taxable income, household tax policy, family tax credit, HF268, Joshua Schmidt Memorial Highway, memorial highway, highway naming, road designation

Transcript Highlights:

• It narrows the assessment<00:11:42.120> structure.
• It prevents assessment structure.
• It narrows and clarifies the assessment structures.
• It protects the plans that structures.
• It's very structure. That's not vague.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under legislation, the constitutional structure is every state is allowed to have.
• This was really it's a formal structure to have structured input on our policy, on rules, and on system
• What is the fee structure compared to say the state offices?
• The current structure.
• We'd like to figure out how we want to structure the LCF in the long term.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• By providing structured supportive educational environments, NMMI aims to break the cycles of recidivism
• Rising juvenile offenses post-pandemic and staffing consistencies demand scalable, proven structures
• So, I know the governor's office and I know the legislature is looking at employee salary structures
• NMSU is also looking at employee salary structures.
• And the reason is it provides that participatory learning structure in... ...collaboration with public

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1167 establishes a structure that motivates utilities to follow the rules.
• AB1167 establishes a structure that motivates utilities to follow the rules.
• That is where the financing structure of this bill and the development authority sit hand in glove.
• There are no contracts for the NEM rate structure.
• So if we reformed that rate structure, that NEM rate structure, to have solar customers pay a little

Summary: The committee heard several energy and utilities bills, with testimony largely focused on wildfire mitigation, affordability, clean energy planning, and utility accountability. AB 706, by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, would create a fund to support projects that use forest biomass waste from wildfire mitigation and forest restoration; supporters said it would reduce open burning and emissions while providing reliable renewable power, and the bill later passed 13-0. AB 39, by Assembly Member Zbur, would require larger cities and counties to adopt electrification planning strategies for transportation and buildings; it drew broad support from clean energy, labor, environmental, and local government advocates and passed 9-0. AB 1167, by Assembly Member Berman, would restrict investor-owned utilities from charging ratepayers for lobbying, promotional advertising, and similar shareholder-benefit expenses; supporters framed it as an affordability and transparency measure, while utilities argued the bill was overly broad and already covered by existing rules. It passed 7-0, with some members not voting and the roll left open. The committee also considered AB 1417 on offshore wind community funding transparency, which was amended to remove new fees and instead require reporting on developer support for local and tribal community capacity-building; opposition was withdrawn and the bill passed 9-0. AB 367, by Assembly Member Bennett, would require water districts in high fire-risk areas of Ventura County to have backup power, full tanks during red flag warnings, and hardened facilities; water agencies opposed unless amended due to cost and liability concerns, but the bill passed 10-0. The consent calendar, including multiple additional measures, was approved 11-0. Other bills drew more divided testimony. AB 745 would allow securitization to finance utility undergrounding and prohibit a return on equity for undergrounding projects; supporters said it would lower ratepayer costs, while utilities warned it would effectively discourage undergrounding and could raise other rates. The bill passed 7-4 and was left on call. AB 1423 would apply reliability standards to publicly funded EV chargers installed before 2024; supporters said taxpayers should get functioning chargers, while charging-network representatives objected to retroactive requirements and possible conflicts with existing agreements. It passed 13-0. AB 388 would create a narrow exception to utility regulation to facilitate green hydrogen projects using private power lines; supporters said it would unlock low-cost renewable hydrogen and jobs, while utilities raised concerns about customer protections and grid planning. It passed 12-0. The committee also began hearing AB 825, which the author said would address the high cost of financing major transmission and generation buildout, but the transcript cuts off before the full presentation and action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• structure the Chief Justice<00:03:39.360> currently<00:03:39.840> Natalie<00:03:40.360
• Through this funding, we are able to make our compensation structure more competitive with our public
• Through this funding, we are able to make our compensation structure more competitive with our public
• We have our own compensation structure, um, we currently have three unions.
• We have our own compensation structure, um, we currently have three unions.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee heard a presentation from State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba on the Minnesota judicial branch’s 2026-27 budget request. He outlined the courts’ structure and workload, noting 322 judges, about 2,800 staff, roughly 1 million district court cases annually, and a current budget of about $479 million. Shorba emphasized the courts’ constitutional role, the fact that court fines and fees are deposited into the general fund rather than retained by the branch, and recent legislative investments that helped reduce pandemic-era backlogs, improve technology, sustain treatment courts, and raise interpreter and examiner pay. The budget request focused on several areas: a 6% judicial salary increase to address recruitment and retention problems, including a 15% rise in turnover and a 27% drop in applicants since 2020; funding for health care and office lease cost increases; digital accessibility compliance work required by new federal ADA rules; a modernized justice partner access system for court records; higher pay for forensic psychological examiners, whose workload has risen sharply; increased juror compensation from $20 to $100 per day and mileage adjustments; and ongoing funding for interpreters, jury services, and cybersecurity. Shorba said the total request would be a 12% increase over the FY 2026-27 base budget. Members asked follow-up questions about funding for newly launched treatment courts and how those courts are financed after federal grants expire. Shorba said he would provide more detail later and noted the branch generally starts treatment courts with federal funding before seeking state support. Representative Ric also asked about labor negotiations, and Shorba explained that the judicial branch negotiates its own contracts rather than using the executive branch, with three unions involved and many unrepresented employees. No votes or formal actions were taken during the discussion.