Transcript Highlights:

• H.R. 1 enacted a large and harmful cut to food assistance.
• Gabby Davidson with the California Association of Food Banks.
• Over 5 million Californians rely on food benefits, and food banks cannot make up the difference.
• Taking away food never helps anyone find a job, keep a job, or get more hours at a job.
• The California Association of Food Banks has asked Congress to repeal H.R. 1 food cuts to veterans and

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Food Northwest is the association of food manufacturers in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
• Food manufacturing is a foundational pillar of Washington's economy.
• I'll give you a handful of examples, to Del Monte Foods.
• I'll give you a handful of examples. to Del Monte Foods.
• Simplot operates food processing facilities in Washington.

Bills: HB2537 , HB2245 , HB2296

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: emissions, climate commitment act, environmental regulation, trade regulation, facility compliance, consumer-owned utilities, clean energy, port districts, market customers, energy transformation, distributed energy, renewable energy, energy resources, sustainability, energy policy

Transcript Highlights:

• how do we address food deserts, how do we make connectivity with small farmers, and get that food to
• industries with healthy, locally grown food and building that food-agriculture connectivity and addressing
• and build those that food agriculture connectivity and addressing food deserts which help support lower
• We reviewed existing food regulations.
• And I just want to kind of tie it back to the importance of our grow requests for our food and food manufacturing

Summary: The committee first recognized Mark Roper of the Economic Development Department for his long service and retirement, with members and the secretary praising his work on economic development across the state. Secretary Rob Black then presented EDD’s budget and special appropriation requests, describing strong recent job and income growth and outlining the department’s strategy around science and technology, site readiness, workforce development, foreign direct investment, and rural/community programs. He highlighted wins in advanced energy, quantum, space and defense, and biosciences, and asked for funding for quantum/DARPA matching funds, additional site readiness work, LIDA closing funds, JTIP training support, New Mexico Partnership, and healthy foods and other community programs. Members asked detailed questions about the quantum proposal, site readiness, the new mapping tool for industrial sites, workforce participation, trade missions, foreign investment, tariffs, water and produced water, tribal site evaluation, and public engagement on major projects. Black said the quantum request was intended to match federal dollars and build a workforce pipeline, that the site-readiness software would be a set enterprise license, and that the department was working with tribes and local partners on future site evaluations. He also said tariffs have created uncertainty but New Mexico’s infrastructure and foreign trade zones could help attract manufacturing, and he acknowledged concerns about transparency and community input while noting that some projects, such as Pacific Fusion, had gone through extensive public processes. The committee also discussed specific projects and funding balances, including Mantis Space’s move to Albuquerque, the status of Virgin Galactic’s spaceport lease, and the current LIDA fund balance and encumbrances. Black and Deputy Secretary Isaac Romero said the department was trying to use State Investment Council-backed venture funds to attract companies and that the new investments were already producing deals and jobs. Members generally supported the department’s direction but pressed for more targeted expertise, faster deployment, and stronger community involvement in future economic development decisions. Later, Secretary de Blassie of the Department of Health presented the department’s budget request and progress report. He said DOH had improved revenue cycle management, reduced old Medicaid-pending cases, increased census at facilities, improved budget and contract timeliness, and responded effectively to the measles outbreak. The department requested additional base funding for epidemiology and response, the DOH helpline, the Vital Records Virtual Vault, state labs, and the veterans home, along with special requests for respiratory vaccinations and marketing and lab equipment replacement. He also noted progress on MOUD and the medical psilocybin program, and said the department was not seeking to launch new programs given the limited time left in the administration.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems.
• We need it for our goals of doubling food production, farm to school, farm to food bank, our regional
• </c> for our goals of doubling food for our goals of doubling food production,<00:37:05.440><c> farm<
• </c> significantly to rural employment, food significantly to rural employment, food security,<00:55:
• I wanted to double food production. Give me Nella to double food production. Let's change.

Bills: HB1601 , HB1828 , HB1616 , HB1603 , HB1606 , HB1604 , HB1605

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:25.600><c> um</c><00:15:25.760><c> food</c> to health care and food um food to health care
• and food um food assistance.<00:15:27.440><c> I</c><00:15:27.920><c> know</c><00:15:28.160><c> you</
• ,</c><00:58:46.079><c> to</c> when we cut assistance um to food, to when we cut assistance um to food
• </c> need for rental assistance, food need for rental assistance, food insecurity<01:10:55.040><c> of
• </c> are going without uh food are going without uh food uh<01:15:42.800><c> people</c><01:15:42.960>

Summary: The Senate Rules and Administration Select Subcommittee on Federal Impacts on Minnesotans and Economic Stability met on February 20, 2026, to hear from Minnesota Management and Budget State Budget Director Anna Mingi about federal funding changes affecting the state budget. Before testimony began, Senator Rasmusson objected to a draft committee report that had been prepared in advance of the hearing, arguing it was inappropriate to summarize testimony before it occurred. The chair responded that nonpartisan staff had prepared the draft from Mingi’s submitted presentation and could revise it after the hearing if needed. Director Mingi explained that federal dollars make up more than one-third of state spending and support about 650 federal awards totaling over $23 billion this year, with more than $15 billion supporting state entitlement programs. She said the federal funding environment had changed significantly since January 2025 through executive orders, pauses, terminations, new grant conditions, delayed awards, and the July 2025 passage of H.R. 1, the federal reconciliation bill. Her main focus was H.R. 1’s effects on health care and food assistance, including work requirements for some adults, changes to eligibility for legal non-citizens, limits on retroactive Medicaid coverage and directed payments, new limits on provider taxes, and SNAP changes that shift some benefit and administrative costs to the state and counties. She estimated H.R. 1 would reduce federal funds to state-administered programs by about $327 million in the current biennium and $1.6 billion in the next, with additional costs to hospitals, counties, and other partners beyond the budget horizon. Members asked follow-up questions about whether the estimates were relative to the forecast and whether federal Medicaid funding would still rise over time. Mingi said the estimates were based on the November forecast baseline and that Medicaid federal dollars would likely continue growing overall, though the law still creates significant losses relative to prior projections. Senator Rasmusson emphasized that point in remarks to the committee. The discussion then shifted to federal grant pauses and cancellations: MMB’s tracker showed about six awards on hold totaling roughly $491 million, 13 confirmed cancellations across areas including clean energy, education, food assistance, and public health, and additional threatened or litigated cuts not included in those totals. Mingi identified two canceled violence-prevention-related grants, including a FEMA public safety grant and a justice reinvestment grant, and noted that CDC had recently moved to cancel or seek cancellation of several Minnesota public health grants, including a $65 million public health infrastructure award.

Transcript Highlights:

• .<00:47:16.480><c> Not</c> Food.
• Not Food.
• </c><01:46:04.000><c> shall</c> agriculture markets and food shall agriculture markets and food shall
• Um agriculture, markets, markets, markets, and<01:54:19.679><c> food.</c> and food. and food.
• Um, a food diversion program, wasted food—it’s terrible.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• It codifies the Farm to School program at the Department of Food and Agriculture.
• I know there's a lot of things in this budget that we are creating, from social networks to food banks
• How is this going to affect people who are going to food banks?
• access... ...eliminating over 700,000 people from being able to have food access.
• Josh Wright, with the California Association of Food Banks. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the final three-party agreement for the 2026-27 state budget and 19 implementing bills, including two budget bill juniors and 17 trailer bills. Committee leadership and administration officials described the budget as a balanced plan that reduces out-year structural deficits, maintains large reserves, and makes major investments in health care, education, housing, child care, public safety, and other core services while also responding to expected federal cuts and fiscal uncertainty. The Department of Finance outlined the package’s major components, including Medi-Cal adjustments, education funding increases, higher education changes, child care and human services updates, housing and homelessness funding, energy and transportation provisions, and tax and general government changes. Members asked questions about several provisions, including CSU enrollment targets and turnaround plans, the Prop. 98 settle-up mechanism, the plastics market development payment program, housing accountability measures, NextGen 9-1-1 implementation, and veteran services. Staff and administration witnesses explained that the higher education language is intended to improve campus-by-campus reporting and oversight, that Prop. 98 settle-up would be finalized later through the statutory certification process, and that NextGen 9-1-1 now includes one-time funding, quarterly reporting, an independent technical review, and a state audit. Members also discussed the HAP homelessness funding increase to $900 million and the balance between accountability and timely distribution of funds. The most extended exchange centered on comparisons between funding for veterans and Medi-Cal/immigrant health coverage. Republican members argued the budget spends far more on undocumented immigrant services than on veterans, while Democratic members and Finance staff responded that the comparison was misleading because many veterans’ services are federally funded and the state budget also includes dedicated veteran support. The chair and other members emphasized that the budget reflects difficult tradeoffs and that the package protects vulnerable populations, preserves health care access, and advances affordability. No final vote was described in the excerpt, but members indicated support for the overall package and said they would support it on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> up, Lauren Zerbal with Hawaii Food up, Lauren Zerbal with Hawaii Food Industry<00:02:18.160><c>
• ,</c><00:18:39.760><c> feed,</c> operation of agricultural food, feed, operation of agricultural food
• in a food desert.
• food in a<00:24:49.120><c> food</c><00:24:49.520><c> desert.
• </c> that we were here for local food that we were here for local food production.<00:25:04.720><c> But

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 449 relating to economic development, HB 1006 relating to the Agribusiness Development Corporation, and then began HB 1467 relating to housing resiliency. On HB 449, Director Wayne Enoy of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation and several business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii Food Industry Association, testified in strong support. They said the measure would help local manufacturers and tech-focused businesses adapt to uncertainty around tariffs and federal funding pauses, diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy, and expand workforce training and apprenticeship efforts tied to innovation and manufacturing. The bulk of the discussion focused on HB 1006 and proposed agritourism authority for ADC. ADC, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and other supporters said agritourism can be a value-added tool that helps farmers diversify income while keeping agriculture as the primary use of the land. One testifier opposed the bill’s direction without stronger guardrails, urging that a high percentage of revenue or land use remain tied to actual agricultural production. Committee members questioned ADC and Farm Bureau witnesses about how much land should remain in production, whether agritourism could expand on public lands, how enforcement would work, and whether responsibilities should be shifted from the Department of Agriculture’s marketing functions to ADC. Witnesses said ADC currently has no tenants engaged in agritourism, but would support standards, annual reporting, site visits, and the ability to reclaim land if production requirements are not met. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided. After concluding HB 1006 testimony and questions, the committee moved on to HB 1467 and called the first witness, Luke Meyers, before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've seen them wipe food from his mouth.
• In Texas, the average fast food worker earns more than $15 an hour.
• Food insecurity among low-income families and children.
• I had someone come in. ...do my laundry and help prepare food for me.
• We will never heal mental illnesses until we address physical root causes such as food dyes, food drugs

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• foods.
• Senator Sanders, I'm glad to see that you're interested in junk food.
• , sugar drinks, chips, Twinkies, Ding Dongs from food stamps.
• Why not just take the food formulary and make it healthy food? We do this for WIC.
• How food as medicine might be intertwined in your vision.

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Keywords: NIH funding, healthcare research, chronic diseases, scientific integrity, public trust, pandemic response

Summary: The meeting of the committee focused on various healthcare and scientific issues, with significant discussions surrounding the impact of recent administrative actions on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its research agenda. Senators expressed concerns over funding cuts and personnel reductions, particularly the reported termination of over 1,200 NIH staff members, which could jeopardize ongoing and future research projects. The session included testimonies on the importance of supporting early-stage researchers and restoring public trust in scientific institutions following pandemic-related controversies. Additionally, the potential for future healthcare management based on diverse scientific ideas was emphasized as crucial to tackle chronic diseases effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• She also serves as the Director of the Food and Nutrition Education Program, a community program led
• by New York State's expanded food safety through Cornell Cooperative Extension.
• People talk about food, Mr. President. There are Starbucks in Manhattan.
• We can take you to areas where you can eat Jamaican food. You can eat Arabic food.
• AND HE WAS SO HELPFUL TO ME IN MY EFFORTS WHEN I STARTED THE NEW YORK CITY FOOD BANK BACK THEN.

Summary: The Senate met on March 9, 2026, approved the prior journal, and took up several procedural items, including substituting identical Senate Bill 6734A for Assembly Bill 4382A and adopting a resolution calendar with exceptions for Resolutions 1718 and 1723. The chamber also received amendments on another bill and heard multiple guest introductions, including students from Ahavas Bas Yaakov of Monsey and Dr. Angela Odoms-Young, who was recognized for her work on food and nutrition policy and health equity. A major portion of the session was devoted to Resolution 1680 commemorating Bronx Day. Senators Fernandez, Bailey, Myrie, Serrano, Sepúlveda, Krueger, and others spoke in praise of the Bronx’s history, diversity, culture, resilience, and contributions to music, fashion, sports, and civic life. The Senate also adopted Resolution 1718 recognizing Harriet Tubman Day, with remarks highlighting Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad, her Civil War service, and her later life in Auburn, and adopted Resolution 1723 marking the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday and emphasizing the continuing importance of voting rights protections. The Senate then passed a series of bills from the calendar. These included measures on general municipal law, public health, executive law, education, vehicle and traffic law, criminal procedure, labor law, and legislative law. Several members explained their votes on health-related bills: Senator Cleare spoke about period poverty and access to free menstrual products in educational institutions; Senator Webb supported a bill requiring hospital governing boards to include a registered professional nurse; and Senator Murray, joined by Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, described personal experiences with blood clots and pulmonary embolism in support of a bill creating a working group on the issue. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable negative votes, and the Senate adjourned until Wednesday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the SNAP program, formerly food stamps, is fiscally out of control in this state.
• And this is happening even as need has surged at food banks and the cost of food and groceries remains
• The bill is about limiting access to food and grocery help for able-bodied adults without dependents,
• There are 300,000 people who lost their food benefits over the last calendar year.
• So there are 300,000 Arizonans, your constituents, who are now without food benefits.

Committee: Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met and first recognized Physical Therapy Day at the Capitol, welcoming Arizona physical therapy leaders and students. The committee then took up several bills related to SNAP, health care regulation, child welfare, dementia services, and safe haven newborn surrender. SB 1334 would bar DES from seeking or renewing SNAP work-requirement waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents unless required by federal or state law; supporters said it would curb administrative expansion and opponents argued it would reduce flexibility during high unemployment and harm food-insecure Arizonans. The bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 4-1 vote. SB 1333 would require DES to reduce the SNAP payment error rate to 3% by 2030, with annual reporting, corrective action plans, Auditor General oversight, and possible funding penalties if targets are missed. After adopting a committee amendment changing reporting to quarterly updates and replacing a forensic audit with a special audit, the committee approved the bill as amended on a 4-1 vote. SB 1331 would require able-bodied adults under 60 receiving SNAP to participate in mandatory employment and training unless exempt; proponents said it would strengthen work expectations, while opponents and DES raised concerns about administrative burden and food bank impacts. The bill passed 4-2, with members explaining no votes due to child care, rural access, and food insecurity concerns. The committee also advanced SB 1162, which clarifies DHS’s role in licensing and monitoring health care institutions and, as amended, requires DHS and AHCCCS/Access to coordinate to reduce duplicative oversight and report periodically to the legislature; it passed 6-0. SB 1017, requiring additional signatures and witness verification on emergency informed consent forms for surgical procedures, passed 4-2. SB 1149, which adds reporting and procedural requirements for DCS periodic review hearings, passed as amended 5-1. SB 1249, designating DHS as the lead agency on Alzheimer’s and dementia and creating a state plan and services program funded through lottery monies rather than the general fund after amendment, passed 6-0. Finally, SB 1253 clarified that a parent may surrender a newborn at the hospital of birth without leaving and returning, and requires updated safe-haven reporting; it passed 5-0, after testimony from hospital and safe-haven advocates in support. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gas prices, rent prices, food prices up radically.
• Is it beautiful to cut off food about.
• </c><02:32:36.640><c> These</c> taking away their food stamps. These taking away their food stamps.
• Stealing food away from any healthier.
• </c> their health care and their food their health care and their food benefits.<03:46:16.319><c> That

Transcript Highlights:

• food sales in our communities.
• What food does not have a temperature or time stamp on it? I mean, notice there.
• I'm just trying to figure what food that is. Yeah, thank you for the question.
• , and so there's food safety limitations already in the bill that I'm not changing.
• From a food-safety perspective, and they can financially absorb the cost more easily.

Committee: House A&B Natural Resources Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• food sales in our communities.
• What food does not have a temperature or time stamp on it? I mean, notice there.
• I'm just trying to figure what food that is. Yeah, thank you for the question.
• So can you talk about, I mean, $300,000 business out of your home for food is quite a bit.
• From a food safety perspective, and they can financially absorb the cost more easily.

Summary: The committee opened with prayer and then took up a series of House bills, most of them on natural resources, agriculture, energy, and economic development topics. House Bill 2988, dealing with efforts to address woody invasive species through a state income tax credit subject to appropriation, was explained as a response to underfunding concerns and was reported do pass unanimously. House Bill 4344 would exempt sales tax on frackwater sales; the author said it was a constituent request tied to oil and gas activity in western Oklahoma, staff indicated a minimal fiscal impact, and the bill passed 9-2. The committee then approved House Bill 3280, which raises the Homemade Food Freedom Act revenue cap from $75,000 to $300,000 to let home-based food businesses grow before facing more burdensome licensing and inspection requirements. Members asked about the fiscal impact and food-safety distinctions between perishable and nonperishable foods; the author said there would be no state fiscal impact and that existing safety limits would remain unchanged. House Bill 3917, imposing a surcharge on large-load data centers during peak demand periods and directing the revenue to a grid modernization fund, was presented as a way to protect ratepayers and passed unanimously. House Bill 4413, as amended by PCS, would require any Oklahoma facility incinerating regulated medical waste to follow EPA guidelines; the author said the measure was prompted by a Tulsa facility seeking a permit variance and argued the bill was needed to protect public health and safety. After extensive questioning about DEQ authority, EPA standards, and health risks from incineration emissions, the PCS passed 8-1. House Bill 3402 created a revolving fund for DEQ biosolids land-application research and passed 7-2, and House Bill 4476 created a community music infrastructure and events development revolving fund to support rural music festivals and local matching participation, passing 5-4. Finally, House Bill 4155, as amended by PCS, established a new economic development structure for events in Oklahoma and passed 6-3. The committee repeatedly reminded authors to provide detailed forms and Senate authors before full A&B consideration, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also fought for the initial seed funding for F3 Farm Food Future.
• Too often we're faced with housing insecurity or food insecurity.
• Too often we're faced with housing insecurity or food insecurity.
• So our long-term vision is that we want a food truck.
• It stands for Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also the past chairman of the Idaho Association of Nutrition and Food Service Professionals.
• Whereas food is a substance by which life is sustained, and the type, quality, and amount of food that
• through home health programs, and programs to help those who are less fortunate to provide nutritious food
• the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the dietitians, my group, the Association of Nutrition and Food
• Luke's Pediatric Dietitians, Shamrock Foods, and S&S Nutrition.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• I’ve worked with food people in New Hampshire for the past several years.
• I manage the Newmarket food pantry, and I’ve also been a volunteer with the New Hampshire Food Bank when
• </c><00:12:36.960><c> Bank</c> Hampshire Food Bank Hampshire Food Bank when<00:12:38.880><c> we're</c
• </c><00:14:00.520><c> Um</c> to end food insecurity in the state.
• Um to end food insecurity in the state.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• San Francisco Marin Food Bank.
• data on the impacts of food access during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Its most recent data shows that food insecurity is reaching record highs nationally.
• Its most recent data shows that food insecurity is reaching record highs nationally.
• Retaining existing food insecurity measurement is really critical.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> reference food and resilience hubs. reference food and resilience hubs.
• It was to grow food.
• </c> food. It was to double food production. food. It was to double food production. &gt;&gt; Yep.
• </c> doubling of food in that sector. doubling of food in that sector.
• . food. food.

Bills: SB874 , SB2097 , SB2098 , SB2126 , SB2154 , SB2153 , SB2160 , SB2123 , SB2110

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee heard several agriculture-related bills. SB 874 on veterinary medicine would require veterinarians, upon a client’s request, to provide a written prescription for an animal patient in an existing veterinary client-patient relationship, allow Hawaii-licensed pharmacies to dispense those prescriptions, and authorize the Veterinary Medicine Board to set penalties. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with supporters citing lower costs and consumer choice; the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association said veterinarians already should be doing this and supported the bill if amended. One testifier in opposition argued the bill needed a conspicuous notice requirement so pet owners know they can request prescriptions. Committee members and the Department of Agriculture said they were not aware of widespread problems, and discussion focused on whether the measure was already consistent with current practice and whether amendments would address remaining concerns. The committee also heard SB 2097, which would create a climate-resilient food systems grant program in the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and appropriate funds. The department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and others supported the bill, saying it could help farmers and ranchers invest in resilience, infrastructure, and technology. Several testifiers asked for clearer definitions, especially for terms like “food hubs” and “resilience hubs,” and suggested adding technical assistance and clearer eligibility criteria. The department explained the program was intended for shovel-ready projects in the middle of the supply chain, with a focus on farmers in a certain revenue range, and said it was modeled on a USDA program. SB 2098 would establish a clean plant program to produce and distribute disease-free plant material to growers, nurseries, and other producers. Testimony was supportive, emphasizing biosecurity, nursery industry needs, and preventing invasive species and crop disease. The department described the program as using tested clean stock, tissue culture facilities, and data collection to support future planting decisions, and estimated a two-year ramp-up. Members questioned whether the program duplicated existing work at CTR/other partners and whether data collection should be centralized, but the department said the effort would build on existing varieties and partnerships rather than overlap them. Finally, SB 2126 would create a conventional farming grant program for small and midsize conventional farmers. Supporters from the department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council said conventional agriculture deserves support and that the bill would help increase food production. Opposition and comments focused on the bill’s exclusion of organic farmers; one farmer said the measure was unfair unless amended to include organic producers, while a Farmers Union witness said the bill was too vague about the grant’s purpose and should be clearer about its goals. In response to questions, the department said the exclusion of organic farming was not intentional and that the bill was meant to support all agriculture, though no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt provided.