Transcript Highlights:

• </c> tight budget year. tight budget year.
• Speaker, thank you and we request a roll call vote, please. budget, when every agency and every budget
• </c> I request a roll call vote. I request a roll call vote.
• </c> request a roll call vote. request a roll call vote.
• Speaker, the proposed budget that we just voted on is a flawed budget.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your leadership and million budget request for the California Arts Council.
• I respectfully request your support for the $50 million budget request for the California Arts Council
• I respectfully urge you to fully fund the California Arts Council's $50 million budget request, and I
• I respectfully request your support to support the $50 million budget request for the California Art
• I respectfully urge you to fully fund the California Arts Council's $50 million budget request, and I

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an item on the vehicle license fee backfill for counties, focused largely on San Mateo County and the related excess ERAF calculation. Department of Finance staff said the administration does not propose the requested $119 million backfill, arguing the payment is discretionary and that the existing statutory formula should continue to operate as written. Senators and public witnesses, including Senator Becker and former Senator Jackie Speier, argued the state has a longstanding obligation to local governments and that San Mateo County faces severe service cuts without the funds; they also discussed whether the issue could be solved through local school district boundary changes or other structural fixes. The chair held the item open after testimony. The committee then reviewed Secretary of State budget proposals. The department presented SB 851 implementation funding of $1.1 million General Fund in 2026-27 and $807,000 ongoing for four positions and software to track election-related litigation, update voting system standards, and expand vendor notice requirements. Members asked about election security, the impact of recent federal court decisions, the end of federal HAVA funds in 2027-28, and the staffing and timeline needed to implement the law. The committee also heard a $11.8 million General Fund request for the Cal Access Replacement System, intended to replace the outdated campaign finance and lobbying disclosure platform; staff said the project is on track for a November 2026 go-live with a stabilization period afterward. A separate item sought $9.795 million Business Fees Fund for the Notary Automation Program replacement, with the department explaining delays were due to more planning, a 2025 special election, and the need to secure a contractor, with go-live now projected for 2029. All three items were held open. The Department of Veterans Affairs presented its overall status and then its Yountville skilled nursing facility project. CalVet described progress on veterans homes, home loans, housing programs, and mental health initiatives, while noting higher-acuity needs among older veterans and continued support for underserved groups. For Yountville, the department said the new 240-bed skilled nursing facility is nearing completion and will replace the aging Holderman Hospital building, though some functions will remain in the old building and other campus projects, including roof and steam system work, are still underway. Members also raised concerns about retroactive tax liabilities for employees whose housing fringe benefits had not been reported, and CalVet said it has corrected the reporting, retrained staff, and is working with employees on repayment and lease adjustments. The committee also discussed a proposal to eliminate vacant positions under Control Section 4.12; CalVet said the positions were long vacant and could be given back without harming operations, while the LAO noted the Legislature had not concurred and keeping them would increase General Fund costs. The item was held open. Finally, the California Arts Council gave an informational update on its work and the cultural districts program. The director described the council’s grantmaking, technical assistance, and support for 24 cultural districts statewide, while members emphasized the economic and preservation value of arts funding and urged more investment, including a proposed $50 million General Fund augmentation and a $10 million carve-out for cultural districts. Staff explained that the original cultural district funding was reduced and that the program is currently unfunded and lacks dedicated staff, limiting its ability to expand beyond a small share of applications. Members from different regions noted that many parts of the state still lack cultural district designations and pressed the council to broaden access beyond major urban areas. The item was informational only, with no vote taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe this will be part of the Department of Corrections budget request as well.
• request as you begin the work leading up to and during the 2026 session to build a budget that meets
• The judicial branch legislative budget request is approved by the Supreme Court.
• In prior years, we've tried to keep our budget request modest.
• Does this legislative budget request support Florida's growing inmate capacity?

Summary: The committee met to hear fiscal year 2026-2027 legislative budget requests from several justice-related agencies. The Florida Commission on Offender Review requested funding for investigator and revocation staff salary increases to address turnover, plus nonrecurring funds for Wi-Fi, seven vehicles, technology support, and commissioner salary adjustments. The State Courts Administrator presented a broad judicial branch request focused on trial court case-management technology, additional case managers, trust fund authority for child support hearing officers, courthouse furnishings, district court flexibility in staffing, a future courthouse for the Sixth District Court of Appeal, Supreme Court elevator replacement, POM accounting implementation support, judicial security liaison positions tied to the Florida Fusion Center, expanded senior management service authority, and judicial salary adjustments. The Office of the Attorney General outlined pay and operating requests for consumer protection, citizen services, ethics, crime compensation, victim services, vehicle replacement, IT and cybersecurity, lease and operating costs, and PALM-related expenses, while several senators questioned the office about outside counsel contracts, contingency-fee arrangements, transparency, and the use of private law firms. The Department of Corrections made the largest presentation, describing severe staffing shortages, high turnover, rising inmate populations, increased assaults, and heavy overtime use. Secretary Ricky Dixon said the agency’s request was driven by constitutional and public safety needs and included funding for operations, security equipment, inflationary costs, vehicle replacement, offender information system modernization, technology restoration, inmate health services, drug and food cost increases, staffing pilots, maintenance, security infrastructure, Florida PALM, recruitment and retention, and $56 million for new correctional housing units. Members asked about inmate labor, prison safety, overtime, vehicle breakdowns, and whether more National Guard support was needed; Dixon said the agency needed more staffing and pay competitiveness rather than a long-term military presence. A correctional officers’ union representative also urged support for pay raises, citing low pay and staffing concerns. No votes were taken on the budget requests. The chair allowed extended questioning, especially for the Department of Corrections, but noted time constraints and asked agencies to return in a later committee meeting, including FDLE, which was deferred because of a House site visit.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our budget request is for a supplemental request for fiscal year 2026 for extraordinary litigation, statewide
• I noticed on their budget requests that the bulk of your request is the $70 million for capital, additional
• So, if fully staffed is 400, what would be the budget request for us to get to 400?
• Chairman, to the Supreme Court budget, which has the same two requests.
• They're professionals, and I'm proud to stand here and present their budget, this budget on their request

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to slide six, just a recap or summary of our FY27 budget request.
• So going to slide 17, our base program budget request is $323 million general fund.
• The law also directs the Healthcare Authority to budget for rate increases to the request.
• To reach those goals, our budget request builds on five key priorities.
• To go on to our FY27 budget request, our total budget request is $422.3 million, broken up into our four

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• budget requests, uh I Also, in terms of budget requests, uh I just<00:15:53.199><c> wanted</c><00:15:
• Um we're certainly budget requests.
• So our requests are very limited. Our budget request is officially...
• </c> uh requesting any um operating budget. uh requesting any um operating budget.
• </c><05:11:18.320><c> Um</c> budget request for um the bureau. Um budget request for um the bureau.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to present the budget.
• budget.
• It's a pleasure to be here this afternoon to share a few of our legislative budget request that the department
• The budget request will highlight the agency's priorities in public safety.
• The budget request will highlight the agency's priorities in public safety.

Bills: S0054, S0156, S0296, S0298

Keywords: cognitive function, psychotropic drugs, violent offenders, autopsy procedures, medical records, school safety, public records, open government, sunshine law, victims of dating violence, domestic violence, address confidentiality program, confidential address, voter registration, voting records, elections, supervisor of elections, Department of State, Attorney General, privacy

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 public safety budget, which totals about $8.2 billion within a $117.4 billion overall state budget. Caitlin Dawkins of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget outlined funding and reductions across the public safety silo, including the Department of Corrections, Juvenile Justice, FDLE, Legal Affairs, the courts, and related entities. Agency heads then presented their requests, with FDLE seeking funding for fentanyl enforcement, career offender registry staffing, alert system upgrades, alcohol testing equipment, officer mental health, criminal alien detection, and statutory staffing needs; DJJ requesting money for the Florida Scholars Academy, uniforms, residential contract rate increases, a new Broward detention center, and facility maintenance; and DOC requesting major funding for correctional officer pay increases, 500 additional FTE, facility construction and maintenance, communications and security technology, offender information system modernization, inmate health care, pharmaceuticals, and food service. Members discussed staffing shortages, prison conditions, immigration enforcement, public records burdens, mental health and substance use treatment, and the need for continued investment in corrections. A member of the public also testified about poor conditions in some prisons, including clothing, food, medical care, and maintenance issues. The committee then considered and passed CS/SB 156, the Jason Rayner Act, which would clarify that a person may not resist a law enforcement officer with violence when the officer is performing official duties and would increase penalties in cases involving violence against officers. The bill sponsor described the case of Officer Jason Rayner and said the measure was intended to prevent defendants from using claims about unlawful detention or arrest to justify violence. An amendment conforming the bill’s language was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably after support was noted from several law enforcement and municipal groups. Next, the committee passed CS/SB 54, which addresses use of substances affecting cognitive function. An amendment narrowed the medical-records language to records relevant to investigations of violent offenders and clarified privacy protections. The bill was then reported favorably. The committee also passed CS/SB 296, the Haven Act, which would direct a study of a secure web-based alert system for domestic violence victims so they can contact 911 without alerting an abuser, and would expand the Address Confidentiality Program to include dating violence victims. Testimony from survivors and advocates emphasized the danger victims face when trying to leave abusive situations. Finally, the committee passed CS/SB 298, the public-records companion bill, which extends confidentiality protections for participants in the Address Confidentiality Program to dating violence victims as well. All three bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I'd like to maybe start our conversation today with some of our general budget requests that you
• Moving into our capital budget request, I've given you just a one-slide overview, and then we'll look
• Moving into our capital budget request, Moving into our capital budget request, I've<00:05:59.840><c>
• , bianial budget, Morehead year budget, bianial budget, Morehead State<00:06:32.960><c> University</c
• </c><00:10:10.560><c> But</c> request or number three request. But request or number three request.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to hear from Morehead State University President Jay Morgan, who outlined the university’s budget and capital priorities. He described Morehead as a Kentucky-serving, largely low-income student institution with an aging campus, and said the university’s long-term plan is to renovate existing facilities, decommission older buildings, and replace outdated space with more efficient construction. He thanked the General Assembly for prior support, especially asset preservation funding, fire and tornado insurance premium support, and a prior university inflationary adjustment. On the operating side, Morgan asked that insurance premium support continue, that the earlier inflationary adjustment roll forward, and that the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s request for a minimum distribution in the performance funding formula be supported. He noted Morehead has received little or no performance funding in recent years and said that if no additional formula funds are added, the university would prefer a line-item appropriation. On the capital side, he requested continued asset preservation funding and outlined several construction priorities: a new applied science building, a new agriculture science building, a new space science technology building, and a cost-share replacement for the aging Maze Hall residence hall, with the state covering $10 million of a $20 million project and Morehead matching the rest. Morgan also discussed the Craft Academy, saying the current appropriation supports 200 students and that the university would like to increase the line item to expand enrollment by about 20 students. In response to questions from Chairman Tipton, he said Morehead had previously explored but ultimately rejected a public-private partnership model for housing, preferring to own and control its residence halls to keep housing costs manageable for students. He also explained that the land surveying courses in the applied science proposal are a popular part of related programs and that Morehead’s space science program is a major research-and-contracts-driven operation with about 250 students, federal and private research ties, and graduates working both in Kentucky and elsewhere. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes and discussed that upcoming postsecondary budget meetings would continue over the next several weeks to gather input on the new budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• IT, the second request.
• The agency's base request nearly zeroed out the indirect admin strategy and no FTEs were requested in
• During the LAI process, we did request and were granted a few tweaks to our base budget and we want to
• To sum up our request.
• These are Requests 4 and 6.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For the upcoming biennium, OPEC is requesting a baseline budget of 6.93 million, which includes 76% or
• In most budget cycles, TDI requests few or no exceptional items.
• It significantly distorts our budget request.
• Your budget request is very reasonable. Thank you.
• Uh, that's our base budget request, 25 million, a little bit less for the biennium, um. 85% of that goes

Transcript Highlights:

• On our budgeted full-time equivalents, we have 133.5 budgeted FTE at this point.
• Chair, and thank you all for the presentation over y'all's budget requests and performance.
• On your budget, sorry, incremental budget request number one on the church, I know it's an old church
• So when I go through this budget, you'll see some of the requests that we're going to make to reinstate
• so if you flip over to the Second page budget request: one was the teaching hospital.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce on its FY26 priorities, recent performance, and budget requests. Commerce said it had helped announce about 8,000 direct jobs and nearly $14 billion in investment year-to-date, while noting challenges such as tariffs, workforce recruitment, staffing/FTE management, and the condition of its 100-year-old office building. The agency highlighted projects and initiatives including a new Taiwan trade office, Route 66 Centennial planning, the National Main Street conference in Tulsa, Olympic-related coordination, census outreach, and continued improvements to its grants and CRM systems. Requested funding included $8.3 million for building repairs or relocation planning, census support, $300,000 for EDGE, $135,000 for IT/cybersecurity upgrades, $250,000 for the Taiwan office, and additional support for Head Start, senior nutrition, and the Strategic Air and Space Commission. Members asked about the meaning of the investment totals, the building condition, delays in senior nutrition distributions, and staffing vacancies; Commerce said the investment figures reflected formal company capital announcements, the building had significant facade and roof damage, delays were due to multiple contracting layers, and several open positions were expected to be filled soon. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department then presented its FY26 budget and goals. New director Amy Blackburn and special advisor Sterling Zearley said the department oversees 38 state parks, six lodges, seven golf courses, and nine travel information centers, and emphasized tourism’s economic importance. They reported savings from bringing marketing and tracking functions in-house and from shared services, but said the department faces more than $271 million in deferred maintenance needs, staffing shortages, and connectivity problems at parks. Their goals include increasing park visitation to 10.2 million, raising occupancy to 36%, and growing travel to Oklahoma, with major marketing tied to the Route 66 Centennial, America 250, the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics, and other events. The department also discussed a request to raise its purchasing exemption cap from $25,000 to $75,000, a possible TravelOK.com redesign, and efforts to improve restaurant operations at lodges through a new RFP structure. Members questioned the apportionment cap, the size and timing of deferred maintenance requests, park revenue, and the use of parking pass funds; tourism said annual park-related revenue is about $32 million to $34 million and parking pass revenue is about $2.5 million. Finally, the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority presented its budget request and program updates. The authority said it supports the veterinary teaching hospital and related student training, and that its FY26 budget is entirely state-appropriated. It requested continued support for hospital operations, the large animal scholarship program, and a new $12.5 million annual payment tied to the $250 million Legacy Capital Fund authorization for the veterinary teaching hospital, along with additional funding to expand in-state enrollment. Officials said in-state enrollment had increased from 58 to 69 students after prior funding, with a goal of reaching 90 of 106 total seats, and that there were 195 in-state applicants this year. Members asked whether standards would be lowered; the authority said academic standards would not change and noted strong board-pass rates and retention outcomes. It also said accreditation concerns tied to faculty shortages and off-site teaching had been addressed by bringing students back to the main campus and improving staffing. The committee ended by thanking the presenters and announcing its next meeting date.

Transcript Highlights:

• thank them for their hard work in putting together our budget request.
• We recently implemented a new budget adjustment request tracking system.
• We are requesting a flat budget over FY26.
• Chairman, in terms of the general fund budget, we are requesting a flat budget over FY26.
• So, DSA is the first agency that in this budget year that I've heard of requesting a flat budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• DSH also requests budget bill language to allow DSH to seek Department of Finance and legislative approval
• DSH requests provisional budget bill language for a training and education partnership contract exemption
• This comes with a $474,000 request in the budget year and a $342,000 request through 2027-28 to pilot
• The administration is withdrawing the budget request for the withdrawal of resources for rent adjustment
• What would happen to the separate budget request for $16 million for the diaper banks themselves, which

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The budget request It remained uncertain at this time because we don't have those funds.
• That is something that is hard for us, but it is absorbed in our budget requests for our overall total
• The subcommittee is happy to hear your budget request. Thank you very much.
• those cuts In this year, so basically our budget request is just gonna be the $3 million appropriation
• Although you would provide us in this year's budget, if everything is requested and given, would be 22.6

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Legislative Budget Office. Legislative Budget Office.
• c> the</c> management budget budget division in the management budget budget division in the development
• </c><00:10:00.399><c> and</c><00:10:00.560><c> should</c> request is an active request and should request
• I've been Legislative Budget Office.
• original budget estimate, the law, the original budget estimate, the<00:15:14.000><c> actual</c><00:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• What is your total budget? So, Mr.
• To mitigate this shortfall this year, we have submitted a Supplemental Budget Request of $160,000 to
• We have requested.
• I can ask for a budget adjustment because of where you were at on your flatlined budget.
• When we submit our budget requests, at least those capture those.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:10.120><c> request</c> present the Department's budget request present the Department's budget
• Next is our budget requests.
• </c><00:25:01.000><c> request</c> wide in closing our budget request wide in closing our budget request
• This is our budget request.
• This is our budget request.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance received an informational briefing from the Department of Education on its budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. The Superintendent and staff described the department’s mission, enrollment and staffing scale, recent gains in NAEP reading and math, persistent attendance problems since the pandemic, and the need for resources to support student recovery, middle school math, and other strategic priorities. The department said its proposal is intended to be aligned with its 2023–2029 strategic plan, fiscally balanced, and reliable for schools, while also addressing inflation, workforce needs, and uncertainty in federal funding. Assistant Superintendent and CFO Brian Hallet reviewed federal grants, non-general funds, and the budget development process. He said federal funds make up about 11% of the department’s FY25 appropriation and warned that House budget proposals could threaten predictable funding for core programs. He also explained that the department began its biennial budget work in April 2024 and used an internal review group to identify possible reallocations. The department characterized its request as a “flat” budget proposal overall, with a large share devoted to continued funding for existing recurring needs, and noted challenges including a projected state funding decline, inflation, lingering pandemic impacts, recruitment and retention, and uncertainty about future federal support. A major topic was the department’s capital improvement program. DOE officials argued for a risk-based, proactive approach using lump-sum “buckets” to manage facilities and deferred maintenance across more than 21.5 million square feet at 268 sites. They said this would allow more efficient prioritization of projects and better coordination with complex area superintendents, principals, and legislators. Members asked about how legislative priorities would fit into the bucket system, county-versus-state property jurisdiction issues affecting school facilities, enrollment decline and staffing ratios, and how the department plans to adjust facilities and human resources to shifting enrollment patterns. DOE said it is studying enrollment trends, will brief the Board of Education next month, and is willing to provide further briefings to legislators. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the macro of our budget request.
• So pinning your questions as I said, the budget request is that's just a straight line for the six on
• not only giving that 20 million back but maybe reducing our overall budget requests for the agency.
• So, is that acknowledgment reflected in this budget request? further questions, Senator Stanley.
• When you get ready to leave with this budget request, are you going to feel confident walking out the

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I want to try to be able to be mindful of the budget situation that we're in right now and the budget
• So we've requested that. We thought it would be in the budget, and it was not.
• So we have two requests today.
• CDTFA's request is for one year funding of three and a half million dollars in budget year 2526. and
• , we are requesting for a funding for about 869K towards this. current budget year, of which about 444K

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We received a budget change proposal request in the spring.
• Well, so the budget request is slightly higher.
• And so going forward with this Budget Act, irrespective of the request that's before you, we think that
• request.
• request.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an informational update on the state’s generative AI implementation and related oversight. Administration officials said several proof-of-concept projects have moved into minimum viable product phases, including work at CDTFA and Caltrans, and that CDPH has a May Revision request for up to $8 million to scale up its healthcare facilities inspections project. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the administration to publish a report on lessons learned from each POC and recommended limiting the new generative AI approval process to a pilot through the first two rounds of projects, with continued monthly meetings and stronger legislative oversight. Members pressed for more transparency and questioned why the CDPH request was not included in January; the administration said the cost estimate was not available then and that only one project is seeking additional resources beyond existing departmental budgets. The committee then reviewed a proposed $400 million loan from the Labor and Workforce Development Fund to the General Fund. Finance and the Labor Agency said the fund has grown because civil penalty revenues have risen sharply, and the loan would be repaid in 2029-30 with provisional language allowing earlier repayment if needed. The LAO agreed the fund could support the loan but warned that recent PAGA reforms may reduce future revenues. Public commenters, including labor and community groups, argued the money should instead support labor-law enforcement and outreach programs such as CWOP, and urged rejection of the loan. Members also heard a Department of Industrial Relations request for $19.1 million for phase two of Public Works Information Technology System Enhancements, which officials said will support labor-law enforcement and apprenticeship registration. The department said the project was delayed because a prior procurement did not result in a contract award and that completion is now expected in October 2026. The committee then took up an EDD Next reappropriation technical adjustment to extend UI fund spending authority through June 30, 2026; the LAO said the request was fine but again raised concerns about oversight of the larger modernization effort, which EDD said now totals more than $660 million and is expected to continue through 2029. Finally, the committee discussed DGS’s request for new parking facilities near the May Lee Building and a trailer bill shifting statewide telework policy language from DGS to CalHR while also expanding NDI eligibility for certain CEA employees. The LAO said the telework trailer bill should likely go through the policy committee process instead of budget, and union and employee witnesses strongly opposed it, arguing it would undermine bargaining rights and could be used to narrow telework. In a separate item on the governor’s return-to-office order, administration officials said departments are being directed to move to a four-day in-office expectation starting July 1, 2025, but they had no statewide cost estimate yet because departments are still assessing vacancies, exemptions, and space needs. Members criticized the lack of analysis and said the state should have clearer numbers before moving forward.