Transcript Highlights:

• There has been no increase in fees. They're charging the same fees they've always charged.
• , we can then move it to another allocation.
• And so you can see there the allocations can be 100% federal.
• Projects, and so you can see there the allocations can be 100% federal.
• Obviously, through our annual plan, we allocate those dollars; they're fully allocated in each annual

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held an informational hearing on the state capital outlay process, with Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration’s Office of Facilities Planning and Control (FPNC) presenting a detailed review of House Bill 2 and proposed improvements. They said FPNC administers about 54% of the bill, while other agencies administer the rest, and emphasized that the capital outlay program has improved significantly over the last few years, with project expenditures more than doubling due to better cash-flow management, staffing changes, and more efficient project administration. They also explained how the bill is structured by priorities, how the priority-one cash line of credit is capped and adjusted for construction inflation, and how the bill has grown into a much larger, longer-range plan than a true five-year program, especially on the non-state side. A major theme was that the bill contains too many dormant, legacy, and low-priority projects, which creates false expectations and ties up funding. Committee members pressed the presenters on culture change, third-party project management, staffing shortages, and the use of technology and statutory interpretation to speed projects without sacrificing compliance. Husser and Baker said they had reduced internal bureaucracy, used staff augmentation because of hiring difficulties, delegated smaller projects to agencies when appropriate, and improved cash-flow analysis so projects can move forward with less money up front. They also discussed overappropriations, dormant projects, and the need to reappropriate unused funds to projects that can actually spend them. The presenters offered several recommendations and considerations: limit the number and size of new projects, reduce scope creep, require more regular endorsement of long-running projects, consider caps on priority-five funding, impose time limits and reporting requirements on non-state grant projects, and possibly require non-state entities to escrow or otherwise demonstrate their match earlier. They also suggested bundling related projects together, expanding that approach beyond the current pilot, and improving transparency by showing full project funding history and the first year each project appeared in the bill. No votes were taken, and the meeting remained informational, with members generally supportive of the efficiency reforms while also raising concerns about false hope, dormant projects, and the need for clearer expectations and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2236 Chen, digital financial asset fees, hold in committee.
• AB 803, Garcia. indirect source rules and ARB fees do pass as amended to strike sections 4 and 6 and
• AB 1031, Jeff Gonzales, fee cap for geothermal waste, holding committee.
• AB 650, Papen, Regional Housing Needs Allocation, due pass, out on an A-roll call.
• AB 556, Patterson, CalVet campus based fee waiver, holding committee.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We did allocate $20 million of funding.
• I don't know that that is a fee that we assessed. That fee was not really based on.
• , increased Tier 2 fee caps.
• What is a Tier 2 fee? Mr. Chair, the Tier 2 fee is the fee that accompanies Tier 2 reporting.
• This fee accompanies that report. Mr.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every 10 years, the legislature determines the annual allocation of HA funds.
• But for, for other students, they, they do retain that application fee. Thank you.
• The HAF is a is sort of a kind of standard ongoing set allocation institutions can use.
• more information about how we historically have allocated PU across the UT system.
• The only office that we had was in student life that was paid by student fees.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currency based on gold and silver authorizing a fee for the Committee on state affairs.
• AB 1050 by Derazio relating to the award of an attorney fees in certain suits involving a groundwater
• of gold and silver specie and the establishment of a currency based on gold and silver authorizing a fee
• HP 1061 by Bojani relating to the authorization and reimbursement for certain examination fees and other
• HB 1119 by GAAs relating to the manual report of the regional allocation of mental health beds, refer

Transcript Highlights:

• The previous bill allocated the money over.
• The previous bill allocated the money over.
• But those are additional new dollars placed on a fee on oil and gas.
• <00:57:26.120> uh that it was increasing fees uh that it was increasing fees uh on<00:57:27.160
• that we would be increasing fees. that we would be increasing fees.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and then received committee reports advancing several bills, including House Bills 1262, 1183, 1184, 1331, 1332, and 1333, along with Senate Bills 2, 20, 80, 137, and 141. The chamber also removed House Bill 1331 and Senate Bill 80 from the consent calendar and later took up special orders for second reading. Senate Bills 20 and 137 were considered on the consent calendar, their committee reports were adopted, and both bills passed second reading and were placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage. The Committee of the Whole report was then adopted by a 32-0 vote with 3 excused. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on House Bill 1332, which concerns the legislative department cash fund. Sponsors and supporters described the bill as transferring $12 million to the general fund and capping the fund balance at $8 million to improve transparency and align spending with current needs. Senator Pelton offered amendment L4 to lower the cap to $5 million and remove automatic inflation adjustments, but the amendment failed on a voice vote. The bill itself was then adopted. House Bill 1333, dealing with payment of legislative department expenses, was also adopted after discussion of salary-related adjustments and cash fund transfers. Senate Bill 141, which creates an optional $5 motor vehicle registration fee to fund wildlife crossings and related transportation improvements, drew the most debate. Supporters emphasized reduced vehicle-animal collisions, lower insurance costs, and the ability to leverage federal matching funds; several senators described personal or constituent experiences with wildlife crashes. Opponents argued existing bridge enterprise and wildlife cash funds should be used instead of creating a new fee, even if optional. Despite that opposition, the bill passed. Senate Bill 143, renaming the Colorado Youth Advisory Council review committee in honor of the late Senator Faith Winter, also passed unanimously. House Bill 1019 was laid over until April 27, and House Bill 1331, which modifies legislative interim activities and reduces an appropriation, passed after amendment L2 clarified that per diem and travel payments would not be made for meetings not actually held.

Transcript Highlights:

• and they haven't done it increasing fees and they haven't done it yet. yet. yet.
• I guess I'm not prepared to ask for a fee increase now, right? >> Yeah. Okay.
• increase for a fee increase for a fee increase >> now,<00:11:49.360> right?
• allocated allocated >> some<00:23:05.440> of<00:23:05.679> it<00:23:06.080> in
• And so it's probably the license card fee that's the issue here, right?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the September 24 and September 27 meetings unanimously. It then reviewed a spreadsheet and draft report tracking the status of various dedicated funds, with members deciding which items should be kept active, removed, or flagged for follow-up next year. Several funds were identified as no longer needing action because they had been repealed, terminated, or were already handled elsewhere, including mosquito-related funding, child care licensing, and the prescription drug affordability board item. In other cases, members agreed to keep the fund on the list but remove question marks and add notes for future review or for another committee to address. A number of funds drew more detailed discussion. Members agreed that the Fish and Game fee increase issue should not be handled by this committee directly, but that staff should notify the relevant sponsor/department that a legislative change would be needed. They also discussed a medical cannabis fund that was running down significantly; the committee agreed to keep it active, note the concern, and send a letter to the department and Representative McDonald suggesting that HHS review whether fees or another revenue source should be changed, with the possibility of a late bill if needed. The lead poisoning prevention fund was also kept, with a note that the department should take action if it wants changes, and the committee discussed a grants-and-aid escrow-related item, concluding it should remain active and be kept on the list. Members also discussed several legacy or special-purpose funds. They agreed to recommend deleting the broodstock reference, to keep the emergency fund while asking for a better explanation of its funding source, and to retain the building maintenance fund as active. The Recovery Monument fund was identified as inactive and likely eligible for transfer of its remaining $1,000 to the addiction treatment and prevention fund. The Matthew Elliott Trust Fund prompted the most extended discussion; members concluded it should not continue as-is and agreed to draft a letter to the Attorney General recommending that the fund be closed through probate court and the remaining $5,657 transferred to Fund 122, or otherwise handled as unclaimed property if appropriate. The committee also discussed a firemen’s association-related transfer and agreed it should remain, while noting that any broader change would require legislation and a sponsor in the relevant policy committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE SLOT ALLOCATION TYPICALLY IS FOLLOWED BY FUNDING FOR THE SERVICES THROUGH THE SLOTS.
• THE REVERSION FOR 23 24 THEY ARE REALLY TIED TO THE NUMBER OF PACE ORGANIZATION ALLOCATIONS THAT ARE
• BASICALLY IF YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT IS NOT SERVED BUT WANTS TO BE SERVED BUT THERE ARE NO SLOTS ALLOCATED
• EVEN WANT THE FUNDING ALLOCATED FROM LAST YEAR TO THE MEDICAID PROGRAM THROUGH LIVE HEALTHY FLORIDA'S
• THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR THIS IS EXTREMELY LOW AND THE FACILITY FEE FOR AN OPERATING ROOM

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We see a facility pay itself and then pay an inflated rent or fee to a related company that is also owned
• I'm shocked, all shocked to hear that they would charge a fee. Okay. Thank you. Not.
• The Medicaid program was fee for service.
• But in reality, the revenue that's allocated is only 35%.
• I'm saying if we take what that rate methodology is and allocate The dollars that we are given, that

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we allocated $5 million in general fund for that purpose, and we'll turn it over to ODE to tell
• And so we allocated $5 million in general fund for that purpose, and we'll turn it over to ODE to tell
• And again, no fee for the first 10 staff trained by the ESDs.
• And once you have that trainer, the fees for each individual that you train are very small, depending
• And once you have that trainer, the fees for each individual that you train are very small, depending

Keywords: 907, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our homelessness program needs to be augmented with a special allocation for at least $125,000.
• By severance tax bonds, and by statute, they do not allow a fiscal agent fee.
• So, all of our—we don't break it up by division in terms of that allocation.
• Working at IAD and a lot of different funding sources that we are allocating.
• It's a smaller amount of projects that get allocated every year.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that the nominal fee that's associated with them will, arguably, save lives, and we should
• I believe that the nominal fee that's associated with them will in arguably save lives, and we should
• , including the expert fees and the attorney fees on this, so we are opposed.
• public monies and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
• public monies and reasonable attorney fees and costs.

Bills: SB1071, SB1315, SB1317, SB1416, SB1493, SB1537, SB1542, SB1584, SB1626, SB1740, SB1751, SB1804, SCR1047, SCR1049

Keywords: Arizona Rangers, statutory repeal, security, state law, regulatory changes, school safety, interoperable communications, law enforcement, emergency response, funding, reentry programs, criminal justice, grants, recidivism, attorney general, missing children, kidnapping, reporting requirements, child safety, training

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1071, which would repeal the statutory framework for the Arizona Rangers. The sponsor argued the bill was about accountability and transparency, citing concerns about missing training and firearms qualification records; Arizona Rangers representatives and several sheriffs opposed the bill, saying the Rangers provide valuable volunteer support and that the real issue was adding oversight rather than eliminating protections. After discussion, the committee voted 4-3 to give SB 1071 a do pass recommendation, with members noting they expected amendments later. The committee then heard SB 1315, requiring school districts and charter schools to maintain interoperable emergency communications with law enforcement and to submit annual affidavits confirming testing and compliance. Testimony from school safety officials and sheriffs emphasized the value of real-time communication during emergencies and the need for secure sharing of campus maps and floor plans; concerns about cost and information security were addressed by supporters. The bill passed unanimously, 7-0. The committee also advanced SB 1317, which appropriates opioid settlement funds for county reentry planning programs; sheriffs and association representatives supported it, citing reduced recidivism and jail populations, and it passed 7-0. Several public safety and missing-children measures were considered next. SB 1416, as amended, revises missing child reporting requirements, adds runaway children back into reporting, requires faster photo and information sharing, and expands training requirements; advocates for missing children and law enforcement supported the compromise language, and the bill passed 7-0. SB 1740, which updates Turquoise Alert training and procedures, was also advanced 7-0 after discussion about statewide versus geographically targeted alerts and the need to keep alerts effective. Later, SB 1493, a strike-everything amendment affecting police officer termination appeals and fee shifting when an employer rejects a favorable administrative ruling, passed 5-2 despite opposition from chiefs’ representatives. SB 1537, renaming the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund and repealing its advisory commission, passed 5-2. The committee also approved SB 1751 and SCR 1049, which expand execution methods to include lethal gas and firing squad and make firing squad mandatory in certain cases involving the murder of a law enforcement officer; opponents raised constitutional, ethical, and practical concerns, while supporters framed the measures as aligning Arizona with other states and providing additional options. Both measures passed 4-3. Finally, SB 1542, which would create a framework and funding for MDMA research and treatment for PTSD in first responders and peace officers contingent on FDA approval, was heard with testimony describing promising clinical trial results and the need for Arizona research; the bill was then moved forward, though the transcript cuts off before the final roll call result is fully shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• recalculation of the cost allocations recalculation of the cost allocations performed<00:58:08.400
• fee fee schedule<01:02:10.319> Additionally<01:02:10.799> the<01:02:10.920> department
• Costs that were allocated using one method were found to be allocated correctly, and they were able to
• Costs that were allocated using one method were found to be allocated correctly, and they were able to
• particular the the one cost allocation particular the the one cost allocation one<01:20:41.719><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Fiscal Committee met on January 30, 2025, and first organized itself by electing Senator Jim Gray as vice chair, electing Representative F as clerk, appointing Michael Caine as legislative budget assistant, and adopting the committee’s rules and procedures. The committee also adopted an amendment to the rules allowing audits to be automatically released to the public once placed on the Fiscal Committee agenda, with members discussing that the change would improve transparency and reduce paper handling. The minutes from the November 15, 2024 meeting were approved, with members who were absent abstaining. The committee then worked through a consent calendar and several individual items. It removed or noted withdrawals on a few items, including item 25004 for further discussion, item 25016 withdrawn by the Department of Education, item 257 removed by Representative F, and item 25001 removed under Tab 4. Item 25004, concerning the newborn screening program, prompted testimony from the Department of Health and Human Services explaining that the program is mandatory with an opt-out provision; officials said 99.2% of newborns were screened in 2023, meaning the opt-out rate was under 1%. The committee also approved item 25007, related to DHHS community health workers and telework policy, after hearing that the workers are not placed in schools and that DHHS follows statewide telework policy. On the regular calendar, the committee approved a Department of Administrative Services request to extend the release date for fiscal year 2024 numbers to March 31, and approved a Department of Fish and Game item. It also approved winter maintenance funding for the Department of Transportation after hearing that the $5.7 million request might not last through the winter if additional storms occur; DOT said even a small storm can cost more than $1 million and that crews are dispatched based on road conditions and supervisory judgment. The committee then approved items for the Judicial Council and the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant. The final discussion focused on the Health and Human Services dashboard and the Youth Development Center claims. DHHS acknowledged a data error in the APS client line and said Community Mental Health Center caseload data is still not fully accurate because two centers are undergoing EHR conversions. Members also asked about the low census at the Sununu Youth Development Center and about the process for managing future claims related to the YDC settlement fund. Witnesses from the Attorney General’s office said the fund is handled through a unique arrangement involving DOJ appropriations and judicial branch staff, that current judicial budget cuts are not yet affecting the litigation pace, and that the average resolution so far has been about $500,000, though future claims may vary. No votes were taken on the discussion items beyond the approvals noted above.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and our fees, which by law we're required to ask for.
• Those fees are included in our capital budget estimates as well.
• <00:51:20.079> the<00:51:20.440> fees<00:51:21.440> the<00:51:21.520> fees
• <00:51:21.839> don't and the fees the fees the fees don't and the fees the fees the fees don't
• completed $990 million ARA allocation completed $990 million ARA allocation from<01:34:43.920>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented its capital budget process and priorities, explaining how agencies assess facility needs, rank projects, and submit requests to the governor’s office. DAS described its Plant and Property division, which maintains 96 state buildings, and Public Works, which develops detailed cost estimates for selected projects. Officials said the governor’s office has traditionally narrowed requests into priority tiers, but this year all projects were estimated, creating more work and less detail. They also emphasized that the capital budget book functions as legislative intent and can be binding on how approved funds are used. On the substance of the request, DAS highlighted several priorities: continued funding for the state ERP system upgrade to the cloud, with about $5 million requested for sustainability and related Treasury functions; emergency fund and annex renovation work; a sprinkler replacement at DMV; and elevator repairs at the main building. Karen Rocky also identified maintenance projects that rose in priority after a facility condition assessment, including HVAC work for Portsmouth Circuit Court and Coos County Courthouse, boilers and controls for Carroll County and Lebanon Circuit Court, brick repointing at the main building and annex, window replacement at Spalding, and Brown building elevator replacement. Officials noted that the governor’s proposed capital budget included fewer DAS projects than in past years and no projects for the Bureau of Court Facilities. The committee also discussed lapses and reprogramming of prior appropriations. DAS said the first eight projects approved in 2023 remain under construction and should be extended, while many 2021 projects are delayed because of ARPA-related workload and broader construction backlogs. Members reviewed a 2019 project list and agreed to lapse project number 49, the Spalding roof project, with about $81,000 remaining. DAS also said some small 2019 balances, including courthouse generators, a boiler, cooling and controls, roof and exterior repairs, and the State House Annex elevator, could be redirected through Capital Budget Overview toward the Hillsboro County South Cell Block project. The hearing ended with questions about project schedules, ARPA deadlines, and the division of authority between DoIT and DAS for the ERP system.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, there is language in there that is predicated upon the funding being allocated for Senate Bill
• for Senate Bill 151, but this allocated for Senate Bill 151, but this reg<00:30:00.840> puts<
• excuse me is in fact allocated. excuse me is in fact allocated. Thank<00:30:08.480> you.
• There's like a $50 fee for the use of it, just to kind of ensure that they come back to us, because they
• Um there's like<00:46:29.040> a<00:46:29.120> $50<00:46:29.800> fee<00:46:30.280

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed several Fish and Wildlife regulations. Staff explained amendments to 301 KAR 2:176, 4:112, and 6:030, including updating wildlife control tag language, creating an impoundment agent program for seized wildlife, and clarifying boating safety rules. A member raised a concern about boat wakes near docks, and staff said the commission had recently voted on related changes that were not yet included because the regulation had been filed earlier; those changes would have to come back later. The committee approved the staff amendments without objection. The Board of Veterinary Examiners then presented 201 KAR 16:767, which would require veterinary managers to be physically present during business hours and limit them to five registered facilities. Board representatives said they had tried to meet with affected parties before the hearing but had not reached agreement. A representative for Kentucky Pet IQ argued the rule was written for full-service hospitals and would be impractical for short, limited-service clinics that only provide vaccinations, preventive care, and parasite testing. Members expressed concern about the rule’s impact on veterinary access in underserved areas, and the committee voted to defer the regulation until the next month so the parties could continue negotiating. The committee next considered Transportation Cabinet 601 KAR 9:120, the online insurance verification system, in both ordinary and emergency form. The chair said staff had identified conflicts with a bill passed the prior year and moved to find the regulations deficient. The motion passed on a roll call vote, with six ayes and two pass votes. The committee then found ordinary ABC regulations 804 KAR 12:020 and 12:030 deficient as well, again by six ayes and two pass votes, after noting that the emergency versions had already been found deficient the previous month. Finally, the committee reviewed Cabinet for Health and Family Services 902 KAR 55:110, which would require veterinarians to report dispensed controlled substances to KASPER while exempting administered medications. OIG staff said the rule was meant to align regulation with statute, which includes veterinarians as prescribers, and emphasized that the reporting duty applies to prescriptions, not administration to animals. Some members supported the change as a needed anti-diversion measure, while others worried about implementation burdens and timing. After discussion, the committee found the regulation deficient by a 6-2 vote. The meeting then moved into full review of 922 KAR 1:565, a Department for Community Based Services rule implementing kinship care provisions from Senate Bill 151; staff said it was needed for implementation once funding is available, but a member criticized the two-year delay and the inclusion of language conditioning implementation on funding. A public witness from the Kinship Families Coalition argued the rule should not shift the 120-day application window in a way that could affect federal funding eligibility and urged the committee to reject the regulation as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is essentially being able to change spending of buckets from one allocation to another.
• We can then use the fees that are paid into that to support.
• if you waived those fees for people that were trying to obtain bilingual and or SPED.
• The investment goal was optimizing our assets. allocation and improving implementation.
• The asset allocation model I've already mentioned of the 28 billion dollars we moved We do have a you

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those fees range from $1 in the fisheries to $250 for the wildlife habitat fee.
• Those fees range from $1 in the fisheries to $250 for the wildlife habitat fee.
• Those fees range from $1 in the fisheries to $250 for the wildlife habitat fee.
• Those fees range from $1 in the fisheries to $250 for the wildlife habitat fee.
• I don't pay any fee; just the boat owner pays the fee, whatever the set fee is. That's correct.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , what does net of fees mean again?
• and taken the fees out.
• public markets book our overall fee public markets book our overall fee structure<00:14:16.120><
• We believe in this asset allocation.
• <01:25:10.920> of um considering what the allocations of um considering what the allocations

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• watercraft registration fees. watercraft registration fees.
• >> I was moving into fees next, Mr. >> I was moving into fees next, Mr.
• fees.
• per year that gets allocated to those. per year that gets allocated to those.
• <02:13:21.520> And obligations for those fees. And obligations for those fees.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Recommendations do include $2.9 million in funding allocated for border security.
• This provides a clearer view of how funds are allocated across these sectors.
• Of administrative fees, and we receive general revenue only for cybersecurity.
• Agencies may have fees related to those.
• There may also be fees collected for certain licenses and things like that, and those fees are processed

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