Video & Transcript : 'Budget Committee' :
Page 61 of 500
PA
Transcript Highlights:
- But no budget ever is.
- Yet today we're being asked to vote for another structurally deficit budget, a budget that spends more
- Madam Speaker, I stand here today voting on my 10th budget, and I'm pleased to vote for this budget.
- This budget does that.
- Respectfully submitted, Tina Pickett, Chair, Committee on Committees. The House will be at ease.
Summary:
The House met in extended session with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, quorum call, and a series of journal, committee, and Senate bill reports. Members also received several referrals and Senate messages, and the Speaker signed multiple bills already prepared for the Governor. The chamber then took up a long slate of measures, largely budget-related and conference/concurrence items, with repeated roll-call votes and several brief floor remarks for and against the bills.
Among the major actions, the House passed or concurred in a number of Senate bills addressing fiscal code and budget implementation, abusive towing practices, telemarketing robocalls and caller ID spoofing, prostitution penalty changes, veteran notification procedures, the cosmetology licensure compact, solar decommissioning, Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, E85 flex fuel definitions, local road transfers, civil penalties for unlicensed commercial driving schools, and trailer sales. The House also adopted House Resolution 580 designating July 18, 2026, as Piping Plover Day. Most of these measures passed overwhelmingly, many by unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
The most significant debate centered on House Bill 2400, the General Appropriations budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, and House Bill 1505, the education-related budget implementation bill. Supporters described the budget as a bipartisan compromise that funds adequacy and tax equity for schools, public safety, mental health, roads and bridges, veterans, seniors, and workforce programs while avoiding broad-based tax increases. Opponents argued the budget used accounting maneuvers, deferred spending, and was structurally unbalanced. After extended debate, the House concurred in the Senate amendments to HB 2400 by a 167-35 vote and to HB 1505 by a 172-30 vote.
The House also considered House Bill 2559, which included Commonwealth property conveyances and a controversial provision affecting Penn State branch campus properties. A motion to recommit the bill failed, and the House ultimately concurred in the Senate amendments by a 105-97 vote after members debated property rights, labor effects, and the future use of the campuses. The session concluded with the Senate later concurring in several House amendments, the Speaker signing the final bills, and the House adjourning until September 9, 2026, unless recalled sooner.
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Mar 12th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The budget is before the committee. Are there any questions or motions? Mr. Chairman, for a motion?
- This is a revisited budget from last week, but just as a reminder to the committee, the Division of Welfare
- Chairman, the budget before the committee includes the three enhancements that we discussed last week
- The budget is before the committee, and I am happy to stand for questions. Thank you.
- The budget is before the committee. Thank you. Any questions for our analysts? Any motions?
Summary:
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee considered several Department of Health and Welfare budgets and related language items. For the Commission on Aging, the committee first rejected an ongoing $129,900 general fund restoration for senior nutrition, then approved the same amount as a one-time restoration for Meals on Wheels. The Division of Welfare budget was then approved with adjustments for the SNAP federal-state cost split, Medicaid expansion work requirements, and Medicaid eligibility system changes; members discussed the growing state share of federal program costs and the need to implement legislative eligibility requirements.
The committee also approved the Indirect Support Services budget, including a budget-neutral fund source change for the background check unit, replacement items, IT modernization and consolidation funding, and a reduction tied to Senate Bill 1314. It then approved a one-time $77,100 restoration for Mental Health Services, with supporters citing staffing needs for designated examiners and children’s mental health services. In addition, the committee adopted transfer-limitation exemption language for selected Health and Welfare divisions, after a substitute motion narrowed the exemption to Youth Safety and Permanency and Licensing and Certification.
For Independent Councils, the committee approved a $60,000 ongoing general fund restoration for the Domestic Violence Council. It also adopted revised Idaho Child Care Program Capacity Grant language for Early Learning and Development after discussion about clarifying terms such as “under investigation,” “out-of-school care,” and “qualifying providers,” and then withdrew the earlier version of that language. Finally, the committee approved the new Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination budget to consolidate the former species conservation and energy/mineral offices, including funding for nuclear coordination, fisheries projects, and energy resiliency grants. The meeting ended with adjournment to the call of the chair, and one House Appropriations item was announced for the following day.
PA
Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Jul 12 2026)
Pennsylvania Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- to try to get the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to start doing an investigation, but it's
- ...to try to get the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to start doing an investigation.
- This amendment narrows the focus of the proposed study by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
- The proposed study by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to matters more specifically current
- Madam President, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee does not need to look at outdated reports
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, communications, committee reports, and leaves of absence. The journal was approved 50-0. The chamber then took up House Bill 1505, which drew extended debate over school funding and adequacy/tax equity. Senators Coleman and Keefer argued the bill continued to pour money into districts like Allentown without accountability or improved results, while Senators Costa, Miller, Haywood, and Anthony Williams defended the funding as a response to historic underfunding and the Commonwealth Court decision. A motion allowing Senator Coleman a third speaking turn was adopted 27-23, and the bill ultimately passed 45-5.
The Senate then considered House Bill 2400, the General Appropriation Act. Supporters, including Senators Martin, Dush, Phillips-Hill, Costa, Ward, Street, Hughes, and Pittman, emphasized that the budget was balanced without using the rainy day fund or raising taxes, reduced the governor’s proposal, increased education and child care funding, supported nursing homes, rape crisis centers, infrastructure, and workforce programs, and shifted money from lapsed or unused accounts to current priorities. Opponents, including Senators Saval and Muth, said the budget failed to address structural deficits and omitted new revenue options, emergency services funding, and other major issues. The bill passed 44-6 with amendments and was returned to the House for concurrence.
The Senate also passed a series of other bills, including House Bills 2412, 2413, 96, 858, 1042, 1286, 1646, 1851, 1862, 2017, 2024, 2401, and 2559, with varying margins, and sent them to the House, some with amendments. House Bill 1042 drew a negative recommendation from Senator Costa over a late amendment involving second-degree murder/felony language, but after reconsideration and vote changes it passed 30-20 with amendments. House Bill 1862, creating an Ignition Interlock Driver’s License, passed 45-5 after support from Senator Judy Ward. House Bill 1248 passed 43-7 and designates Pennsylvania rye whiskey as the official state spirit, with Senators Bartolotta and Robinson speaking in support. The chamber also adopted Senate Resolution 216, after defeating Senator Haywood’s amendment to narrow the scope of a proposed Legislative Budget and Finance Committee study of managed care organizations; the resolution passed 31-19. Several other bills were held over in their order, and the Senate later moved toward a condolence resolution.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Now again, this is not the budget committee. This is not JFAC.
- Budget committee, this is not JFAC. So we're not having a debate or hearing on budgets.
- So I just want to show, even though we're not... ...into budget hearings right now here in this committee
- state budget.
- Budget and other concerns and other areas of our state budget.
Committee:
Senate Local Government and Taxation
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Public Safety May 18th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The Budget 25 Budget Act included estimating savings targets as a result of the anticipated contract
- They've been put into our budget and reduced from our budget.
- We urge this committee to take bold action to realign the state budget with the needs of Californians
- Chair and members of the committee.
- Good evening, committee members.
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session-Day 4, February 12, 2026-PM
Wyoming Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The committee members then marked up the budget bill before you today.
- The governor and the committee left the rest of your budget intact.
- in committee of the whole on budget bill Senate File 1. >> You have heard the motion.
- </c><03:28:54.399><c> bill</c> in committee of the whole on budget bill in committee of the whole on
- All right, let's read the committee of the whole report on the budget. Mr.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division III (02/18/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- For new members to this committee that have not been through this process with DHHS's budget, there's
- If you turn to the next page, what I've tried to do here is show the committee where the governor's budget
- where the governor's the committee where the governor's budget<01:13:28.880><c> stands</c><01:13:29.560
- Home budget, I was planning on addressing that at that point, if that works for the committee.
- </c><01:35:09.800><c> I</c> budget and the Glen Cliff home budget I budget and the Glen Cliff home budget
Summary:
The meeting began as a Division 3 work session on HB 71, but much of the early discussion focused on whether a previously discussed non-germane amendment could be considered or voted on that day. Members and the chair debated process and notice requirements, and the clerk’s guidance was that the amendment needed a separate public hearing before the full Finance Committee. The amendment was described as requiring DHHS contracts and addenda to include compliance with the Patient Bill of Rights, with a repeal date so the requirement would expire on November 30, 2026. The motion to move OTP on HB 71 with the amendment was withdrawn, and the committee agreed the amendment would be scheduled for a future full Finance hearing instead.
The committee then turned to HB 71 itself and heard testimony from DHHS representatives John Williams and Jenny O’Higgins on the fiscal note and policy implications. Members questioned the estimate that the bill could put $12 million to $18 million per year in federal funding at risk, including HUD and Office of Refugee Resettlement funds. DHHS explained that the estimate was based on a broad reading of the bill’s term “specified alien,” which they said was not clearly defined in the bill, so they analyzed it using the federal definition of “alien” and assumed the bill could affect lawfully present non-citizens as well as undocumented individuals. They said the figure represented a worst-case scenario and that they were not claiming the loss was certain.
Members also pressed DHHS on whether the bill could affect emergency sheltering in schools, public academies, or institutions of higher learning during disasters. DHHS said the language could create conflicts with federal funding conditions because emergency shelter programs generally cannot impose barriers on who may be sheltered, and they warned that excluding certain people could affect refugee-related and HUD funding. Questions were raised about whether the bill’s language would apply to private institutions as well as public ones, and whether the state could still use schools in short-term emergencies. DHHS said the language was broad, that they could not answer every legal question definitively, and that they would need input from public health and legal staff. No final vote on HB 71 was taken in the portion provided; the committee remained in discussion/work session mode after the amendment motion was withdrawn.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
March 25, 2025 - 09:00 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- So this morning, I'm pleased to present the budget proposal for the Aga Natural Resources Budget Committee
- We've heard Speaker Perez comment on having a fiscally conservative budget, and this budget is certainly
- The Speaker and Chair McClure asked that the budget subcommittee take a deep dive into the budget to
- In building this year's budget recommendations, we first reviewed the base budget and began looking at
- overall proposed budget total $6.4 billion, ...budget subcommittee overall proposed budget total $6.4
Summary:
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee met to consider three bills before moving to its budget presentation. HB 843, relating to Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trust funds, was explained as a set of clarifying changes to improve budget flexibility, including use of certain trust funds for law enforcement and other conservation-related purposes. After questions about whether the bill would shift resources away from conservation, an amendment removed the sections dealing with the Administrative Trust Fund and the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund. The amended bill received support in public testimony and was reported favorably.
The committee then heard HB 295, which directs the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan by 2026 based on prior recycling recommendations. Supporters, including students involved in an “Ought to Be a Law” program and representatives from the waste and recycling industry, said the bill would create a roadmap for improving recycling and waste diversion. An opponent argued the state should instead enact more direct statutory changes on issues such as food waste, yard waste, and manure handling rather than study them further. Members praised the student participation and the bill passed.
HB 339, creating a temporary alternative credentialing pathway for surveyors and mappers, was presented as a response to workforce shortages and an aging profession. The sponsor said the bill would help meet demand while preserving oversight, and an amendment added a four-year work requirement and adjusted renewal provisions. After brief supportive debate, the amended bill passed. The subcommittee then received its Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget proposal, which emphasized spending reductions, vacant-position cuts, and a smaller overall budget than the current year while still funding water resources, Everglades restoration, resiliency, land management, cleanup programs, agriculture facilities, and other projects. Members closed by thanking the chair for an inclusive budget process, and the meeting adjourned after a motion to rise.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Balancing the Budget / Sovereignty Day at the Capitol / Promoting Animal Welfare Mar 23rd, 2025
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The state budget could really be devastating while legislators still have time to balance the budget.
- Well, the good news is that the budget we have, including for the biennium we're setting the budget for
- </c> November shows that we have a budget November shows that we have a budget issue<00:03:05.640><c>
- </c><00:03:21.440><c> two</c> we when we put together a budget two we when we put together a budget two
- We kept a strong budget reserve. We kept a balanced budget.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 14th, 2025 at 02:00 pm
Appropriations - Human Resources Division
Transcript Highlights:
- Chair and committee, and probably Keith, so Section 16 has a matching clause in the OMB budget bill,
- Chair, members of the committee, so the number that we started with in the base budget was 2,483.83.
- The budget system. For once we budget, we're required to budget by individual position.
- The budget system for once we budget, we're required to budget by individual position.
- I will only defend the budget we pass. I mean, it's time to move it on to conference committee.
Bills:
SB2015
Summary:
The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division met with all members present and took up several bills, focusing most of the discussion on SB 1577 and SB 1619, along with a detailed review of the HHS budget bill draft. On SB 1577, Senator Magrum explained that the bill was being revised to focus on wastewater rather than raw water, possibly shifting the Washburn project to the Department of Water Resources so it could access matching funds, and potentially converting the bill into a line of credit if federal money is restored later. Members discussed whether to keep an emergency clause or instead use a date-based approach, and agreed the bill would likely be handled through the full committee and possibly reconsidered later. On SB 1619, Senator Davison said amendments were still being worked on, including changes requested by the Bank of North Dakota, and the committee planned to hold it for possible amendment before full committee consideration.
The bulk of the meeting was a section-by-section review of the HHS appropriations bill draft. Members discussed one-time funding items such as technology projects, child care programs, housing programs, behavioral health facility grants, infant and toddler care provider support, juvenile justice diversion, medical housing, and other public health and human services projects. Several adjustments were noted, including reductions or changes to IMD-related funding, incarcerated-person treatment funding, the child welfare technology project, and the provider rate increase. The committee also discussed the FTE block grant structure at length, with staff explaining that the apparent increase in positions reflected budgeting mechanics, zero-dollar “phantom” positions, and positions approved previously but not counted in the FTE total. Members raised concerns about transparency and whether the bill should list FTE numbers, but staff said the block grant was intended to give the department flexibility while quarterly reporting would provide oversight.
Other topics included Medicaid expansion funding and provider reimbursement rules, the move toward certifying human service centers as certified community behavioral health clinics, a moratorium on new ICF beds, and studies or reports on Medicaid, obesity, disability services, truancy, and behavioral health facility grants. The committee also discussed removing or revising broad intent language in Section 31 so the department would report findings rather than implement changes without further legislative action. No final votes were taken in the transcript; instead, members agreed to make a few technical adjustments, continue reviewing the bill, and likely revisit it the next day before moving it to conference committee.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Committee Budget Briefing (04/08/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- The budget is so big, so many pages that no one committee can go over every page.
- The budget is so big, so many pages that no one committee can go over every page.
- Representative Freeman, in the last budget, this finance committee gave $6 million to UNH for hockey
- Representative Freeman, in the last budget, this finance committee gave $6 million to UNH for hockey
- Budget, this finance committee gave $6 million to UNH for hockey arena renovations.
Summary:
The meeting was a House budget briefing focused on the overall state budget and the first of three divisions. The presenter reviewed the size and structure of the budget, noting that the state had eliminated the interest and dividends tax and still balanced the budget. He explained the major spending categories in the general fund and total budget, emphasizing that health and human services and education remain the largest areas, while transportation is largely self-funded. He also walked through the revenue picture, including business taxes, insurance taxes, court fees, communications taxes, and Medicaid recoveries, and said the remaining interest and dividends tax revenue reflected late payments from prior assessments.
Members asked about the size of the tax cut from eliminating the interest and dividends tax, federal funding stability, and why Medicaid was being reduced if federal support was expected to remain steady. The response was that the lost revenue would have been about $200 million absent repeal, and that the budget gap was addressed through many small cuts across departments. On federal funds, the presenter said most aid is tied to multi-year grants and that core programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were expected to remain relatively stable, though some federal reductions could occur. He also said some agency reductions came from eliminating long-vacant, funded positions and from expected lapses.
The discussion then moved into Division One, which covers smaller and miscellaneous agencies. The division made cuts to the governor’s office, eliminated a temporary position at the Governor’s Commission on Disability, reduced Department of Information Technology spending through a back-of-budget cut, and found savings in Administrative Services. It also delayed maintenance at the Sununu Youth Services Center, stopped advertising for paid family medical leave, changed retiree health insurance funding, and consolidated several personnel-related boards into one. The division eliminated the Commission on Aging and the Office of the Child Advocate, made a temporary special education advocate position permanent, reduced the Secretary of State’s budget, kept municipal rooms-and-meals distributions flat, and made changes to the retirement system, including $55 million to improve Group 2 retirement benefits and a new retirement structure for future state hires. The judicial branch was also asked to find savings and received two additional judges because of expected caseload increases from other eliminations.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to whom was referred Senate Bill 23 by Joint Budget, recommend due
- We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to whom was referred Senate Bill 24 by Joint Budget, recommend you
- We your committee on joint budget, to whom was referred Senate Bill 23 by joint budget, recommend due
- We your committee on joint budget to whom was referred Senate Bill 24 by joint budget recommend you.
- We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to whom was referred Senate Bill 76. Calendar.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- How many of those are budgeted or not budgeted? Those 12 are budgeted.
- How many of those are budgeted or not budgeted? Those 12 are budgeted.
- They are budgeted. Old, and of those six were budgeted. They are budgeted.
- The Joint Budget Committee will meet again on the afternoon of April 8th.
- The Joint Budget Committee will meet again on the afternoon of April 8th when we come back in for fiscal
Committee:
All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits Jun 3rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- , and the budget is subject to change every budget cycle and more frequently as needed.
- Is that what I’m hearing in terms of the report that there was a budget? There’s a budget.
- Report that there was a budget.
- half the state budget.
- We've got an approved budget.
Summary:
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on the accuracy and reliability of OSPI’s school apportionment system. Auditors said the system, which calculates and distributes K-12 funding using multiple feeder systems and a core apportionment engine, is outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of failure. They reported weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and staffing, and said OSPI relies heavily on manual workarounds, a few knowledgeable staff, and vendor support. In limited testing of three districts, the auditors found the system calculated funding correctly for the 2023-24 school year, but they identified nine small input discrepancies tied to differences between budget materials and state law, which they said could compound into larger dollar amounts. The auditors recommended replacing or modernizing the system and noted that delays in doing so prolong risk.
OSPI largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said it has been working toward a new system for years. Agency officials clarified that the Legislature requested a feasibility study in 2022, that the study found the system at risk of catastrophic failure, and that funding for a replacement is now in the state IT pool subject to OCIO/OFM gate reviews. OSPI disputed the audit’s characterization of the rounding and budget-law discrepancies, saying the issue was an agency rule and implementation choice, not an error that caused under- or over-allocation. Officials also said the current system is too old to easily absorb future formula changes, but that the planned replacement should be flexible enough to handle a new funding model if the Legislature adopts one.
Committee members asked about the amount and timing of the $16 million project funding, whether smaller districts face greater risk, how many times data is entered, and whether the funding formula should be simplified. Auditors and OSPI both emphasized that formula simplification is a policy question for the Legislature, not the audit. Public testimony came from one online witness, who urged full implementation of the audit recommendations and modernization of the system. The subcommittee took no formal vote and adjourned after the presentations and testimony.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- It's the budget. If the budget goes up, they're collecting more taxes, you're paying more.
- The value of that pot gets bigger when you divide it by that budget, even if the budget goes up.
- It's the budget. If the budget goes up, they're collecting more taxes, you're paying more.
- The value of that pot gets bigger when you divide it by that budget, even if the budget goes up.
- Chairman, members of the committee.
Committee:
House Revenue and Taxation
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits Jun 3rd, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- , and the budget is subject to change every budget cycle and more frequently as needed.
- There's a budget. ...report that there was a budget.
- There's a budget. ...report that there was a budget.
- half the state budget.
- budget, right, and a budget request for next year.
Summary:
The committee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on OSPI’s school apportionment system, which distributes K-12 funding to districts. Auditors said the system and its underlying 2008-era infrastructure are outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of errors or failure. They also found weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and monitoring, with heavy reliance on a small number of staff and vendor knowledge. In limited testing of three districts, the system calculated 2023–24 funding correctly, but auditors identified small discrepancies between state budget inputs and underlying statutory language and said broader system risks remain unresolved.
JLARC members asked about the scope of the district testing, whether smaller districts face greater risk, the meaning of the funding discrepancies, and whether the system could support a future change to a simpler per-student funding formula. Auditors said the discrepancies were small but could compound into millions statewide, and that the audit did not evaluate broader policy questions or alternative system owners. They recommended OSPI modernize or replace the system and address current control weaknesses while the new platform is developed.
OSPI officials largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said a feasibility study completed in 2024 found the system at catastrophic risk of failure. They clarified that the Legislature had approved up to $16 million in the state IT pool for the project, but that funding is released through gated oversight and not all of it had yet been appropriated for the current biennium. OSPI disputed the auditor’s characterization of some rounding and budget-law issues, saying the calculations were consistent with agency rules and legislative inputs, and explained that some manual workarounds are used to handle newer statutory requirements. One member of the public testified in support of modernizing the system and strengthening controls. The committee then adjourned.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Ways and Means Feb 11th, 2026
Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the joint budget hearing on Governor Healey's proposed FY27 budget.
- A budget proposed...
- state budgets work.
- HHS budget already represents 17% of our total budget.
- Thank you for the opportunity to appear before your committee today as we discuss the FY27 budget.
Committee:
Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Feb 25th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The committee is ready for business.
- The committee is ready for business. Good morning, committee.
- Chairman, members of the committee. My name is Janet Jessup. I'm a budget... Good morning, Mr.
- However, when this committee took action on maintenance budgets, our office was hit with a $1.6 million
- So I'm providing numbers because this is a budget committee and we have to talk about the big picture
Summary:
The committee heard budget presentations and questions for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Office of Species Conservation, and the Office of the Attorney General. Fish and Game’s budget was described as largely dedicated and federal funding with no general fund support, with discussion of ongoing and one-time enhancements for fisheries inflation, habitat projects, Good Neighbor Authority work, depredation claims, chronic wasting disease testing, and communications. Director Jim Fredericks also reviewed the new nonresident tag draw system, access challenges on private lands, and the department’s role in habitat work and species management. Members raised concerns about depredation claim shortfalls, survey and advisory committee processes, predator management, and the overlap between Fish and Game and the Office of Species Conservation on habitat and endangered species work.
The Office of Species Conservation presentation focused on its role coordinating state actions for threatened, endangered, and candidate species, mostly through federal and miscellaneous revenue funds. Administrator Mike Edmondson explained that the office often serves as the policy and administrative lead while Fish and Game carries out much of the field work, and he described metrics for sage grouse, salmon and steelhead, and grizzly bear-related efforts. He also said the office has been working with the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources on a possible merger, with some staff reductions under consideration, and answered questions about grizzly bear delisting, wolf litigation, and tribal consultation.
Attorney General Raul Labrador then argued that his office has produced significant results without asking for new money, but said the committee’s proposed reductions would force furloughs or position cuts and asked for $980,000 to be restored. He highlighted the ICAC unit’s elimination of a cyber-tip backlog, increased arrests, consumer protection recoveries, and expanded appellate and civil litigation work defending state laws. Members asked about the source of recovered funds, the office’s flexibility to absorb cuts, and whether the state could work on a framework to transfer incarcerated undocumented offenders to federal custody for deportation. The committee ended by noting upcoming budget-setting work and adjourned until the next morning.
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- on this budget. They denied uh $546,000 on this budget.
- </c> Practitioners, Standard Budget only. Practitioners, Standard Budget only.
- </c> Commission is standard budget only. Commission is standard budget only.
- budget? budget? >> Uh<02:11:09.040><c> Mr.
- </c> committee and that is a uh budget committee and that is a uh budget balancer<02:33:44.000><c> suggestion
Committee:
Joint Appropriations
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- First budget, his last budget of his tenure as well.
- First budget, his last budget of his tenure as well.
- Obviously a little higher than last year's budget, and I'm sure it will come to no surprise to this committee
- state budget.
- So the budget that you see here of $61.8 million is our recommended budget that includes maintaining
Bills:
S7010
Committee:
Senate Appropriations
Keywords:
Roth contributions, deferred compensation, retirement savings, Florida Statutes, tax benefits
Summary:
The committee first took up SB 7010, which would authorize post-tax Roth contributions in state and local deferred compensation plans, instead of limiting them to pre-tax contributions. After a brief presentation and one waived appearance in support, the bill was rolled and reported favorably. Later, members also recorded affirmative votes on SB 7010 before adjournment.
The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the Governor’s proposed “Floridians First” budget, presented by Lita Kelly of the Office of Policy and Budget. She outlined a $117.4 billion spending plan with $53.2 billion in general revenue, emphasizing reserves, debt reduction, trust fund sweeps, and targeted reductions in agency positions. Major priorities included K-12 and higher education funding, teacher salary support, school hardening, Everglades and water-quality projects, cancer and behavioral health initiatives, emergency preparedness, law enforcement, corrections staffing and facilities, cybersecurity, transportation, affordable housing, and economic development.
Members asked extensive questions about teacher pay, corrections staffing, emergency response reserves, the proposed federal reimbursement for the Everglades detention facility, the Second Amendment sales tax holiday, the animal abuse hotline, and the absence of a specific Hope Florida line item. A major portion of the discussion focused on the Department of Health’s planned changes to the ADAP HIV/AIDS drug assistance program, with public testimony warning that the changes could cut off access to medications for thousands of Floridians and alleging misuse of federal funds. Kelly said she would follow up on several details, including litigation costs, teacher pay comparisons, and ADAP funding questions.