Transcript Highlights:

• I have a question on the vacancy report. I have a question on the vacancy report.
• . position vacancies.
• How much have we used for vacancy How much have we used for vacancy savings?
• Kind of going back to vacancies, I guess how are we doing with our SHPD vacancies?
• those 17 vacancies we can actually fill. those 17 vacancies we can actually fill.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 42 FTEs The vacancies.
• We have one secretary vacancy and two victim advocates vacancies.
• I have no vacancies, prosecutors, no vacancies. But one of them is deployed.
• I have no vacancies, prosecutors, no vacancies. But one of them is deployed.
• Our agency is self-imposing a 6% vacancy rate. or 5% vacancy rate. Thank you very much.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the south part of the state, we see much lower vacancy rates.
• But I would tell you I think a 5% vacancy rate, five and a half percent vacancy rate, is we're doing
• If I've got a funded post, even if I have vacancies, the salaries associated with the vacancy dollars
• There are some prisons right now that are at 5% vacancy rate, 3% vacancy rate, not bad.
• It's not—there's always an anticipated vacancy rate. We get that.

Summary: The Justice Budget Committee heard detailed presentations from the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections on staffing, services, and budget needs. DJJ Secretary Hall emphasized that the agency’s main public safety strategy is education, along with prevention and recidivism reduction. He described major staffing improvements after pay increases for probation, detention, residential care, and prevention workers, and outlined DJJ’s mental health, aftercare, and education continuum, including the Florida Scholars Academy and Florida Youth College. He said the new statewide education model is showing early gains in progress monitoring, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment, while also noting ongoing operational issues such as IT connectivity, rural staffing gaps, and the need for geographic pay adjustments for teachers. He also discussed detention center replacement plans in Hillsborough, Broward, and Palm Beach, and said DJJ would transition the Broward JAC to a security contractor after the sheriff’s office pulls sworn officers from the site. Members asked about campus performance differences, teacher pay, detention education quality, and concerns about the rollout and leadership of the Scholars Academy. Hall said some campuses face rural access and infrastructure problems, but the blended learning model provides continuity when internet or staffing issues arise. He defended the superintendent’s qualifications and said early problems with inappropriate online content were addressed. Representative Porras raised concerns about educational quality and the superintendent’s past disciplinary history, while Representative Barrera urged more mentorship and fatherhood-focused programming in juvenile facilities. DOC Secretary Dixon said the prison system is under pressure from rising inmate populations, staffing shortages, and overtime costs. He argued that the system needs funded posts for every functioning housing unit, noting that the department has added housing units without enough staff and now relies heavily on overtime, mobile officer deployments, and shift conversions to keep facilities operating safely. He highlighted that many officers are new, that outside-hospital transports have risen sharply, and that mental health units require additional staffing. DOC’s mental health chief described a large and growing treatment system with outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient, and court-ordered services, saying about a quarter of the prison population has a diagnosed mental illness. Community corrections staff described treatment programs, employment specialists, mobile probation and reentry units, and a new mental health first aid training initiative. Reentry staff reported expanded substance abuse, education, CTE, chaplaincy, and digital learning programs, including Edovo and a forthcoming Work Bay platform. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• On Table 11, on your vacancy report, I know you have it listed as priorities for some of your vacancies
• for some of the vacancies for some of the vacancies are<00:41:28.200> in<00:41:28.359>
• <00:42:14.280> are answer your question these vacancies are answer your question these vacancies
• And when I look at your vacancy report, most, actually probably the overwhelming majority of your vacancies
• And when I look at your vacancy report, most, actually probably the overwhelming majority of your vacancies

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection heard the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs present its biennium budget request for fiscal years 2025 to 2027. Director Nainoa Ando said the department’s requests were primarily special-fund ceiling increases to meet operational needs. Major items included an additional $12 million to complete the King Kamehameha V Post Office building roof project after hidden deterioration and water intrusion were discovered, plus funding related to fringe benefits and central services assessments. The department also outlined requests for a new medical compact implementation cost, an auditor position, an engineer position, and a captive insurance IT modernization project. A significant portion of the discussion focused on the Office of Consumer Protection’s landlord-tenant call line and public service access. Senators raised concerns that callers often reach voicemail, are told to leave a message, and sometimes are referred to look up the law themselves. DCCA said the Oʻahu line is staffed by one full-time employee backed by two to three investigators, with one investigator each on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, and that calls are tracked in a case management system. The department said it plans to add one more Oʻahu staff position through a transfer from another division and that a new call-center/web system with time tracking is expected to go live in the summer. Members also discussed a possible bill related to Pearson VUE nursing certification testing, with one senator describing the burden on neighbor-island nursing graduates who must travel to Honolulu for a one-hour test. The senator said she intended to introduce legislation after receiving no response to repeated outreach. DCCA did not take action on that proposal during the hearing. For the PUC-related requests, the department explained a one-time $1 million request for outside consulting tied to Maui wildfire-related filings, including wildfire safety mitigation and hazard mitigation plans, and a separate $900,000 request through the Consumer Advocacy Division to hire consultants for review and analysis. The committee also discussed a captive insurance IT modernization request, which DCCA said would replace manual and spreadsheet-based processes with a cloud-based system to better handle filings, payments, and workflow; no vote or final action was taken on the budget items during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• County anymore there's a vacancy County anymore there's a vacancy um<01:19:26.920> have<01
• <01:19:28.480> or um have you filled their vacancies or um have you filled their vacancies
• <03:44:02.120> rates you you consider the vacancy rates you you consider the vacancy rates
• <03:46:52.680> areas vacancies in their High vacancy areas vacancies in their High vacancy
• that vacancy that vacancy rate<04:11:49.239> so<04:11:49.399> one<04:11:49.520>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then on uh and vacancy funding.
• Um they would be for vacancy funding.
• in special fund authority for vacancy in special fund authority for vacancy funding<00:43:02.960
• These are for vacancy funding. over LBR. These are for vacancy funding.
• <00:52:49.359> The Again, this is vacancy funding. The Again, this is vacancy funding.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 18 February, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee began with process instructions about using committee substitutes, identifying bills with reverse repealers, and taking up noncontroversial items in blocks. It then approved Senate Bill 3051, the DFA budget, which included LBR-level funding with a reverse repealer and agency-by-agency allocations for the status of women, DFA, tort claims, state property insurance, BEAM, and Mississippi Home Corporation. Senate Bill 3052, the governor’s support budget, was also approved as a final-action bill without a reverse repealer, with members noting the reduction from the prior year was tied to lower federal funding. The committee then handled the IHL budget bills. Senate Bill 3053, the general support bill, included a 3% across-the-board raise for IHL professors and $20 million for repair and renovation at universities, plus $5 million for UMMC; it passed as a committee substitute with a reverse repealer. Senate Bill 3054, the original IHL-related bill, passed without a committee substitute. Bills 3055 through 3059 were taken up in block and approved, providing 3% increases for A units at Alcorn State and Mississippi State. Senate Bill 3060, student financial aid, added about $7.7 million for scholarship costs, including MESG, MTAG, and Winters-Reed loan repayment, and passed as a committee substitute. The committee also approved the larger IHL budget bill with a reverse repealer and discussed, but did not fund, a UMMC cancer center request at that stage. Subcommittee 3 presented education-related bills. Senate Bill 3062 was approved at LBR with a reverse repealer and included a large transfer from the education enhancement fund. Senate Bill 3063 added $15 million for repair and renovation and $8.11 million for faculty pay raises, and passed as a committee substitute with a reverse repealer. On Senate Bill 3064, the Employment Security Commission budget, members discussed whether the committee substitute included a reverse repealer and noted they might revisit that on the floor if needed; the bill was advanced. Subcommittee 4 then took up Senate Bills 3065, 3066, 3068, and 3069 in block and approved them: Ethics Commission funding increased for salary realignment and a database; Judicial Performance Commission language was tightened to freeze the director’s salary and ensure youth court oversight funds were used solely for that purpose; Tax Appeals Board funding was increased to restore cuts and vacancy funding; and Workers’ Compensation Commission funding rose to cover commissioner salary increases and related language changes. Later, the committee approved Senate Bill 3067 for the Department of Public Safety, which included a reverse repealer, LBR-level funding, additional money for furniture for the new headquarters, and reappropriation language. Senate Bill 3071, the GCRF bill, was approved with a reverse repealer and reappropriation language for prior-year projects. Senate Bill 3072, the Department of Mental Health budget, was approved with a reverse repealer and included $12 million for the Canopy project, prior-year invoice funding, and language tied to mental health-related legislation. Finally, Senate Bills 3073 through 3075 were taken up in block for licensing boards, with increases for the Chiropractic Examiners, Dental Examiners, and Pharmacy boards, including funding for licensing system updates, vacancy funding, and expansion of the pharmacy recovery program.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our vacancy rate, I had a chart that said it was For all positions, 9.66.
• Our core staff, our non-attorney vacancy rate is at 5.1.
• Bauer is explaining: the funded vacancy rate is negative 2.1%.
• our facilities, and some of them have large vacancies.
• The rest of the facilities have much better percentages regarding vacancies.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is creating vacancies.
• Those are the counties where they've had vacancies, and some or all of their vacancies have been eliminated
• And this is creating vacancies.
• Those are the counties where they've had vacancies, and some or all of their vacancies have been eliminated
• have sort of filled their vacancies.

Summary: The work session began with a discussion of expanding opportunities in the legal profession, especially in response to shortages of lawyers in rural Washington and in public service roles. Washington State Bar Executive Director Tara Nevitt described a slowly growing but aging attorney population, noted that younger attorneys have declined, and outlined efforts such as supervised practice pathways to bar admission, reduced admission-by-motion experience requirements, expanded law clerk capacity, rural job fairs and grants, and a pilot program allowing innovative legal service delivery models. Members asked about bar passage score changes, loan repayment assistance, and the former Limited License Legal Technician program; Nevitt said the bar is monitoring other states and remains in dialogue with the court about paraprofessional licensing. Law school representatives from UW, Seattle University, and Gonzaga emphasized public service pipelines, financial barriers, and rural legal deserts, citing LRAPs, scholarships, stipends, clinics, and hybrid or regional programs designed to recruit and retain students in Washington. Seattle U highlighted its FlexJD and hybrid hub partnerships in underserved areas, while Gonzaga and UW reported substantial shares of graduates entering public service, though most still cluster in urban regions. The committee also heard from the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the Office of Public Defense, both of which described severe recruitment and retention problems in rural counties, with vacancies, low applicant pools, and the need for higher salaries, housing help, internships, and loan support. The Office of Public Defense said its internship and fellowship program, created by SB 5780, has already placed interns in rural counties and produced some commitments to return after graduation. The Washington State Bar’s law clerk program was also presented as a pathway that helps people train locally and remain in their communities, including by supporting succession for aging solo practitioners. The committee then shifted to family law and guardianship issues. On Title 26 guardian ad litem practice, presenters from Northwest Justice Project and private family law practice said GALs can play an important role but that training, oversight, and consistency remain major concerns, especially in domestic violence cases. They described problems such as inadequate training, bias, inconsistent recommendations, high fees, and lack of accountability, and suggested stronger, standardized training, more use of mental health professionals for custody evaluations, and better oversight mechanisms. Members asked about county practices, including rotation systems for GAL appointments and whether King County’s family court assessors provide a useful model. The discussion then moved to minor guardianships under the Uniform Guardianship Act. A Superior Court judge said the 2021 changes increased the need for court visitors and appointed counsel, but courts are struggling to find qualified attorneys and visitors, especially in rural areas. A former commissioner said most of the bill under discussion was technical cleanup to align prior amendments, though it would add some fiscal burdens. Administrative Office of the Courts staff reported that the statewide reimbursement program for UGA implementation has repeatedly run out of money earlier each year, with minor guardianship costs making up most of the expense. The Office of Public Guardianship then described rapid growth in demand for adult guardianship and less restrictive alternatives, noting that referrals and caseloads have risen sharply, but that the office is constrained by a shortage of certified professional guardians and low compensation levels. Finally, the committee began an update on Blake implementation from the Office of Civil Legal Aid, which funds civil legal services related to the decision, before the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• did not allow us to fill the remaining vacancies.
• The current vacancy rate is 15%.
• Now, we have a vacancy rate of 15%.
• It was the vacancy savings.
• Let's talk about seven vacancies or five vacancies; pick a number.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are still too many teacher vac vacancies.
• 834 teaching vacancies total inclusive of special education.
• And 17% of those or 140 are special education vacancies.
• Uh, a major impact on, um, on vacancy, on teacher vacancies.
• So you're, you're wanting vacancies by, by grade, special ed vacancies, special ed vacancies by grade

Transcript Highlights:

• , and I see a lot of research tech vacancies, extension agents vacancies, a whole number of them.
• , and I see a lot of research tech vacancies, extension agents vacancies, a whole number of them.
• vacancies, a whole number of them.
• do not have many vacancies.
• do not have many vacancies.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Committee on Higher Education and Agriculture heard Senate Bill 1158, which would authorize general obligation bonds and appropriations for a controlled environment agriculture research and demonstration facility at the Magoon Research and Teaching Site in Manoa. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from the University of Hawaiʻi, Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, Maui County, MetroGrow Hawaiʻi, and other agricultural groups, who said the project would strengthen food resilience, support year-round production, create clean jobs, and provide a demonstration site for urban vertical farming. University representatives said the project would include demolition of an existing condemned building, a research and lab component, and a multistory vertical farm, with an estimated cost of $6 million and a projected two-year build time. Members questioned whether Manoa was the best location, whether the project fit the university’s broader strategy, and whether the request would displace other priorities. The University said the site is tied to SEAR activities, close to students and faculty, and intended to support hands-on training and commercial-scale production. In response to concerns about soil testing and stakeholder needs, the University said it would restart the soil testing lab using internal funds, though not as part of this bill, and would request additional staff for efficiency. The committee then recessed and later reconvened in decision-making, where the chairs recommended and the committee adopted amendments to SB 1158, including a name correction and deferral to July 31, 2050, and the bill passed with amendments. The committee then took up Senate Bill 663, relating to the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and SEAR research and experiment stations. The University testified that the stations are important for locally relevant agricultural research but are short staffed, with 34 positions down since 2005, and that the bill requests eight new positions, including agricultural technicians and four county community coordinator positions, to improve station operations, community engagement, and workforce development. The Farm Bureau supported the measure, saying the positions are needed to revamp extension services and that Manoa is an appropriate urban location for the vertical farming component. Members questioned why vacant or existing positions could not be used instead of new ones, and the University explained that some listed vacancies reflected old federally funded positions or inaccurate counts, promised a written update, and said it was working to fill current openings. No final vote on SB 663 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 130,000 dollars increase in vacancy 130,000 dollars increase in vacancy funding<00:54:58.520>
• That would be in vacancy funding.
• over LBR, which consists of vacancy over LBR, which consists of vacancy funding,<01:50:06.600>
• We added back some vacancies.
• vacancies that we replaced for them. vacancies that we replaced for them.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 12 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the pledge, and then dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles. The chamber also recognized several guests and groups, including the doctor of the day, visitors from Quebec, the Sumrall High School boys soccer team, Starkville public safety officials, and the Hattiesburg High School choral arts program. A resolution honoring the long-standing partnership between Quebec and Mississippi was read and adopted, and Ms. Nathalie Rivard of Quebec addressed the Senate about historical ties and economic cooperation between Quebec and Mississippi. The Senate then moved through a series of procedural actions on the calendar, including multiple motions to table reconsideration on medical cannabis and ARPA-related bills, and several motions to not concur and invite conference on workforce and budget measures. Among those were Senate Bill 2294, the Mississippi Future Innovators Act, Senate Bill 2288 on workforce training, Senate Bill 2401 on workforce development, Senate Bill 2189 on budget transfers, Senate Bill 2895 on ARPA funds, and Senate Bill 2917 on appropriations transfers. These motions were adopted, sending the measures to conference or otherwise advancing them as noted. A major portion of the meeting focused on appropriations bills. House Bill 1935, the Education Department appropriation, was explained in detail and adopted after a strike-all amendment; the bill includes funding for the student formula, teacher and assistant pay raises, special education supplements, school attendance officers, testing contracts, early learning coaches, and CTE instructor raises, with offsets from reduced or eliminated line items such as school safety platforms and certain vendor programs. The Senate also adopted strike-all amendments and passed House Bills 1936 and 1937 for Mississippi Public Broadcasting and the Library Commission, and then moved on to House Bill 1933 for the Bureau of Building. The Senate recessed until 2:30 p.m. and announced an appropriations meeting shortly after recess, while leadership noted that many supplemental appropriations bills would be considered later with attention to whether they contained reverse repealers and would go to conference or final passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair Davids has moved to recommend that the House reject the election returns and declare a vacancy
• Chair Davids has moved to recommend that the House reject the election returns and declare a vacancy
• Chair Davids has moved to recommend that the House reject the election returns and declare a vacancy
• Chair Davids has moved to recommend that the House reject the election returns and declare a vacancy
• Chair Davids has moved to recommend that the House reject the election returns and declare a vacancy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ONE IS WITH OUR VACANCY RATE HERE AT THE SDOT.
• BACK IN THE EARLY 2000 WE CONSISTENTLY HAD A VACANCY RATE OF AROUND FOUR PERCENT.
• WE ACTUALLY REACHED A CRITICAL POINT WHERE OUR VACANCY RATE WAS ALMOST 17 PERCENT.
• JUST FILLING VACANCIES IS NOT THE STRATEGY.
• WHY IS THE VACANCY RATE IMPORTANT IN THE TYPE OF TALENT IMPORTANT?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• years now have about a 50 52% vacancy years now have about a 50 52% vacancy when<01:02:40.400>
• If you look at nursing, nurses are at a 51% vacancy rate, and LNA are at 52% vacancy rate.
• the maximum or what's the best vacancy the maximum or what's the best vacancy rate<01:15:40.719>
• baseline vacancy baseline vacancy rate<01:16:11.440> yes<01:16:12.040> I<01:16:12.120
• is more or less at our current vacancy is more or less at our current vacancy rate<02:07:12.280>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: Division 3 opened a work session focused on direct care agencies, with the chair saying the day would center on the Veterans Home and other state hospitals and homes. Members first discussed the upcoming Finance Committee process, including how many bills would be assigned to Division 3, whether they would appear on the House calendar, and how much time would be allowed for each bill. The chair said the division would likely spend about an hour on each bill, then return for a second day of review before making recommendations. Staff later identified three bills expected on the calendar: House Bills 704, 751, and 54. Members also raised a question about the use of educational trust fund money in the budget, but that issue was deferred. The main presentation came from Kim McKay, commandant of the New Hampshire Veterans Home, who described the facility as a long-term care intermediate facility serving eligible veterans. She said the home is licensed for 250 beds, budgeted for 225 veterans, and currently has 135 residents with four more scheduled to arrive. McKay highlighted improvements over the last two years, including a reduction in the admission wait list from more than a year to about three to six months, the creation of an LNA training program, energy-saving and Wi-Fi upgrades, and a new electronic learning management system that will provide mandatory training and continuing education units for staff. She said the home’s long-term goal is to return to a 225-bed census, but staffing remains the biggest hurdle. Members asked about admissions, wait times, staffing, vacancies, and the home’s use of contract nurses. McKay explained that the wait time is measured from the initial application date, not from a completed packet, and that staff now help families gather records and paperwork more quickly. She said the home averages about 45 deaths per year, residents stay about 2.5 years on average, and the vacancy rate is around 35 percent, though some positions are intentionally held open until census grows. She attributed staffing shortages largely to retention problems, citing higher private-sector pay, bonuses, and more flexible hours, and said the home has a handful of contract nurses, mainly on second shift. On finances, she said pharmacy services are contracted, the VA reimburses some medication costs based on disability, and the home is pursuing federal changes to cover high-cost medications and catastrophic disability cases. The discussion also covered the home’s off-book donation account, which is overseen by the state and transferred into the state system when funds are spent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our vacancy rate is now 7.4%.
• they've had with vacancies. they've had with vacancies.
• Is that to get more vacancies filled?
• <01:48:04.320> and filling critical personnel vacancies and filling critical personnel vacancies
• <01:48:48.400> rate an additional position our vacancy rate an additional position our vacancy

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We look for the number of vacancies.
• Uh, but we also gave additional money for counties that had the large vacancy component.
• So it is looking at actually where the real vacancies are, not a want to or, you know, we can't—it is
• So it these the large vacancy component.
• are not a want to or you know vacancies are not a want to or you know we<00:16:32.639> we<00:

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, you had vacancies. Can we look at the vacancies? Yeah. Table 11. That's page.
• >> Oh, you had vacancies. >> Oh, you had vacancies.
• we many vacancies and which vacancies we many vacancies and which vacancies we have.<00:57:09.839
• . vacancies. vacancies.
• >> Vacancies. >> Vacancies. >> Vacancies. >> No, no, no, no, no.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 12 vacancies.
• trying to call it the vacancy report. trying to call it the vacancy report.
• <00:35:47.359> are means that 40 60% of the vacancies are means that 40 60% of the vacancies
• We have a 27% vacancy. Our hiring. We have a 27% vacancy.
• would help me to fill those vacancies. would help me to fill those vacancies.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For too long, the Department of Industrial Relations has faced persistent staffing shortages, vacancy
• report also noted that in its enforcement branch and at several district offices, Cal/OSHA had a 40% vacancy
• report also noted that in its enforcement branch and at several district offices Cal OSHA had a 40% vacancy
• rate apprenticeship is the model mechanism to address these vacancies and increase enforcement as a
• department's division of Apprentices to address these vacancies and increase enforcement as a department's

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement heard three bills. SB 939 by Senator Laird, sponsored by CalPERS, would end new enrollment in the actuarial equivalent reduction option for service credit purchases starting in 2028 and require any unpaid balance at retirement to be paid within 90 days. The author said the change would reduce unintended consequences for members, employers, and CalPERS administration. There was no opposition, and the bill was approved on a unanimous vote and sent to Appropriations. SB 1038, also by Senator Laird and sponsored by CSEA, would expand CalPERS audit notification procedures so bargaining units receive notice when an employer is audited and receive relevant member information from final audit reports. Supporters said this would help unions protect members from benefit reductions or repayment demands caused by payroll or compensation errors, citing a Kern High School District audit example. Teamsters, the California Labor Federation, and AFSCME testified in support, with no opposition. The committee passed the bill unanimously and sent it to Appropriations. SB 1227 by Senator Drozdoff/Dorazo (as referenced in the transcript) would require the Department of Industrial Relations to work with unions on apprenticeship pathways into enforcement jobs, such as Cal/OSHA and Labor Commissioner classifications, to address staffing shortages and backlogs. The author and supporters from United Steelworkers, SEIU Local 1000, CSEA, the California Labor Federation, and others argued apprenticeship would create a pipeline of trained workers and improve labor law enforcement. The committee accepted amendments, voted the bill out on a unanimous vote, and re-referred it to the Committee on Labor and Employment.