Transcript Highlights:

• Current budget year or the budget we're considering this year, but it's important to remember a couple
• in the 2025 Budget Act.
• The budget reflects them?
• As mentioned before, the governor's budget maintains mostly a workload budget.
• And, LA, I don't know if you had any thoughts on policy oversight or implementation oversight.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to the legislature and the oversight to the legislature and the oversight commission.<00:22:18.480
• </c> facility modifications in its budget facility modifications in its budget bill<00:32:26.559><c>
• </c> this working group and the oversight this working group and the oversight commission<00:40:54.960
• </c> increasing their their budget. increasing their their budget.
• </c><01:22:32.639><c> uh</c> time, we're also facing a budget uh time, we're also facing a budget uh

Summary: The working group convened with all members present, approved the minutes from its October 16, 2025 meeting and its October 28, 2025 Halawa Correctional Facility site visit by unanimous consent, and received no public testimony on the agenda or minutes. The chair then reviewed the statutory timeline under Act 292/SB 104, noting the group continues until January 8, 2027, and discussed required reporting dates and the need to develop a work plan for the remaining meetings. The chair also said the October 16 DCR presentation would be treated as satisfying the group’s interim-report purpose, though the legal reporting obligations to the Legislature and oversight commission still needed to be sorted out. The main discussion focused on DCR’s proposed amendments to Act 292 and the department’s interim report. Director Johnson said the department’s October 16 presentation included recommended statutory amendments because the law, as written, could not be fully complied with; the proposals were described as section-by-section changes intended to address implementation problems. Members discussed several specific issues, including transfer language for higher levels of care, the 2010 MOA with the Department of Health, and replacing “physician” with “clinician” to reflect staffing realities. DCR explained that the change would allow licensed clinicians, including APRNs and doctors of osteopathy, to make decisions when physicians are not on duty, and that the MOA is being updated so transfers can occur from any DCR facility to the state hospital. An OHA staff member gave a detailed critique of the proposed amendments, saying they would weaken Act 292’s intent by reducing procedural protections, expanding exceptions, and relying on aspirational language such as “strive” and “if practicable.” OHA also raised concerns about the lack of baseline data on restrictive housing use and said the department’s report showed serious operational problems, including overcrowded and outdated facilities, limited space for private medical or mental health exams, and the use of suicide/safety cells for people who may not need mental health treatment. DCR responded that it had requested 35 new medical positions in the budget, supported by the governor, and said those positions are needed to meet basic care obligations for people in custody. The group did not take a vote on the proposed amendments. Instead, members agreed to continue the discussion, with the chair saying the reports, settlement tracker, 2010 MOA, and comparison guidelines would be distributed and used as the basis for future work. In the final discussion on work-plan priorities, members identified staffing shortages, physical plant limitations, and the need to examine humane alternatives and implementation challenges as key topics for upcoming meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> least to the extent they have oversight least to the extent they have oversight um<01:05:42.000>
• Not just oversight or as well?
• </c> editum budget presentation before us. editum budget presentation before us.
• We have 10 minutes for budget bill.
• </c> um as we go through a budget um as we go through a budget process. process. process.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> year sitting on the joint budget year sitting on the joint budget committee,<01:04:11.200><c> I<
• One is we are constitutionally mandated to come up with a budget, pass a budget on K-12 education and
• </c> judicial oversight. judicial oversight.
• It creates guard rails oversight.
• :41:37.760><c> President,</c> budget committee or Madame President, budget committee or Madame President

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> capital budget in the last two budgets capital budget in the last two budgets have<00:04:45.759>
• </c> banual budget appropriations for that. banual budget appropriations for that.
• That the the multiple budgets, right?
• Uh, and thank you for oversight.
• Uh, and thank you for oversight.

Summary: The committee opened with roll call, welcomed a new member, approved the July meeting minutes, and then took up testimony on the statewide emergency responder voice system, also described as the state police radio system replacement project. John Hicks, secretary of the governor’s executive cabinet and state budget director, testified that the project is unusually complex because it combines multiple IT replacements, land acquisition, and tower construction. He said the existing system dates to the early 1970s and that the administration is treating the project as a priority, with work proceeding in phases and weekly coordination among the Justice Cabinet, Kentucky State Police, and Finance and Administration Cabinet. Hicks said the project has already spent about $110 million, with nearly 1,900 portable radios acquired, microwave replacement completed at 56 sites and underway at 76 more, and routers, switches, and network upgrades addressed. He explained that because the State Police are not set up to handle real property work, the administration brought in outside real property consulting vendors through an RFP, and three vendors are now qualified to help identify and negotiate sites. He said the goal is to speed up land acquisition and tower construction while the State Police continue the technology work, and he emphasized that the project is intended to close coverage gaps for state police first and later benefit local governments and other first responders. Members of the committee expressed concern about the project’s cost and pace. Representative Petri noted that about $218.8 million has been authorized since 2018 and questioned whether the project could stretch into 2030 or later, asking what more the General Assembly could do to help. Representative Blandon also raised concerns about the long timeline and the risk of the project becoming another costly, delayed infrastructure effort, while asking when the vendor RFP was completed and whether any sites had been acquired since then. Representative Sharp asked whether there was a detailed plan and timeline, and Hicks responded that the technology side is well defined but the property acquisition side must proceed site by site because each location depends on ownership, access, power, and other factors. Hicks said the west-to-east phasing has been a smart approach and that the executive branch should improve performance to beat the current timeline expectations.

Transcript Highlights:

• My mother, Diana Axon... ...any involvement or oversight from other family members.
• A budget was proposed for the conservatorship of roughly $137,000 for nine months.
• The budget... I don't know how, but okay. I don't know how, but okay.
• The budget—how much more do you have, Susan? Just okay, please go ahead.
• The budget proposed for the conservatorship was roughly $137,000 for nine months.

Committee: Senate Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse

Transcript Highlights:

• as introduced, for a couple of years, and with the committee amendment it's only for this upcoming budget
• as introduced, for a couple of years, and with the committee amendment it's only for this upcoming budget
• Yes, Budget Travelers. Thank you. Just a very quick question.
• Madam Chair members, HB 2344, local government investment pool treasurer, gives the treasurer oversight
• Yes, budget travelers. Thank you. Just very quick question.

Summary: The meeting was a caucus review of a long list of bills on Minority Caucus Calendars 8 and 9, with members briefly noting whether measures were unanimous, on consent, or had split votes. Topics included appropriations for homeless veteran shelter services (HB 2620), the Veterans Court Program grant fund (HB 2960), municipal improvement districts (HB 4064), a memorial measure (HB 2079), child care grants (HB 2239), midwife medication administration and advisory committee changes (HB 2251), home and community-based service provider funding (HB 2403), EMS reciprocity (HB 2437), prescription monitoring (HB 2434), electronic monitoring in health care facilities (HB 2914), pregnancy resource center funding and restrictions (HB 2229), limits on police transport of mental health patients (HB 2404), Access coverage for mild obstructive sleep apnea treatment (HB 2726), school district spending and teacher pay requirements referred to the ballot (HCR 2007), mobile home park operator training (HB 2199), local government investment pool oversight (HB 2344), task order contract website posting (HB 2445), tourism improvement areas (HB 2950), ambulance certificate reporting (HB 2402), short-term rental occupancy rules (HB 2429), ASRS retirement rules for elected officials (HB 2505), trespass penalties after eviction (HB 2047), post-nuptial agreement enforcement (HB 2861), civil rights board continuation (HB 2931), and utility replacement plant siting (HB 2389). Members also discussed child welfare and family law bills on Calendar 9, including kinship foster placement (HB 2035), neglect standards based on financial resources (HB 2041), family court evidence (HB 2968), DCS response to abuse reports (HB 4004), prostate cancer insurance cost-sharing (HB 2617), mental health hearing technology (SB 1242), optometrist prescriptions (SB 1023), behavior analyst regulation (SB 1145), assisted living occupants (SB 1247), manufactured home installer licensing and fingerprinting (HB 2868), supervised parenting time (HB 2615), unlawful entry involving vulnerable adults (HB 4136), uranium contamination monitoring funding (HB 2889), a gas and petroleum refinery study committee (HB 4025), and veteran state park fee exemptions (HB 2165). Several members raised policy concerns on bills involving privacy, rural transportation capacity, environmental review, pregnancy centers, and funding priorities, while others noted support or that amendments had addressed earlier issues. No formal roll-call votes were taken in the transcript itself; the chair mainly recorded whether bills were unanimous, consent, or split and whether any should be taken off consent or discussed further. The meeting ended with announcements about an upcoming CAP breakfast, a Latino Caucus meeting, and an Affordability Award presented to Representative Volk before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• year</c><00:02:23.360><c> and</c><00:02:23.920><c> we've</c><00:02:24.160><c> heard</c> This is a budget
• year, and we've heard both sides on the issue of the budget regarding fraud, waste, and abuse, that
• countering that can help balance our budget, and others saying it's just such a small drop in the bucket
• I might have it here somewhere, but they're looking at a fraud oversight committee, and this is being
• committee and this is fraud oversight committee and this is being<00:03:58.560><c> chaired</c><00:03

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, we don't have the money in the budget for an additional government program yet this establishes
• Since you brought that first bill forward, I noticed when we were in budget, we are already budgeting
• You know, one of the companies that testified in favor of your bill has money in the budget in EcoDevo
• I think that's just our oversight process. And then, so the fiscal note, 270,000, 294, and 299.
• Budget. They're going to have to be creative on their side, too.

Committee: House Higher Education and Workforce Development

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2510, sponsored by Rep. Steinmeier, which would create a coordinated state framework for critical minerals involving the Departments of Natural Resources, Economic Development, and Higher Education and Workforce Development. The sponsor said Missouri is well positioned because it contains 36 of 60 minerals deemed critical to national security and manufacturing, and argued the bill would help Missouri pursue federal funding, build a workforce pipeline, and support advanced manufacturing with a five-year sunset. Committee members questioned the need for a new state structure and fund, the cost to Missouri, the role of universities, and whether the task force was too narrowly written around the University of Missouri system and mistakenly included DESE instead of higher education. A Missouri Chamber witness supported the bill for its economic and national security benefits, while an environmental witness urged adding an environmental professional to the task force and a mining permitting framework, citing health and water concerns and suggesting a separate mining-regulation bill as an amendment. The committee then took up House Bill 2585, sponsored by Rep. Castile, which updates Missouri workforce development statutes to align with federal law and implement the new Workforce Pell Grant program. The sponsor said the bill would allow short-term, high-value training programs in fields like welding, public safety academies, health technology, and trucking to qualify for Pell support, while preserving oversight and tying eligibility to outcomes such as completion, job placement, and earnings. Members asked about the number and makeup of the workforce board, whether the bill’s staffing references still pointed to the wrong department, how the 150% poverty-level threshold and reporting metrics would work, and whether the board could move quickly enough to meet federal timelines. A Missouri Community College Association witness said all 12 community colleges have programs likely to qualify and explained the federal eligibility standards, including a 70% completion rate, 70% job placement rate, and three-year rolling data review; a FGA Action witness and the Missouri Chamber also supported the bill as a way to expand access to skills training and draw down federal funds. After the bill hearings, the committee received an informational presentation from the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. The presenter described the compact’s regional cost-saving work, including reciprocity for distance education, technology contracts, grants, and efforts on dual credit and FAFSA support. She also shared Missouri-specific data on educational attainment, enrollment trends, student migration, and net price, noting that Missouri lags slightly behind the U.S. in attainment, has projected declines in high school graduates, retains most in-state students, and has higher net prices for low-income students than the Midwest average. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Senate Bill 1060 on Medicaid Oversight.
• This is a This bill creates a joint oversight committee.
• I think it's really probably just to align with our annual budgeting process.
• And it should be in time for us to do our budget for the following year.
• Senator Brodeur, I believe that every committee ought to be an oversight committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, is it in the budget?
• in their budget for operating.
• in their budget for operating.
• in their budget for operating.
• Madam Chair and Representative, it was an oversight to not include that.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this going to be budget neutral?
• Is this going to be budget neutral?
• But it will be... ...budget neutral.
• So we're not—this is not a budget buster.
• We'll be voting on the budget, and as chair of the education budget subcommittee in the Senate, one of

Summary: The committee heard several higher education bills. It first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 67 and SB 619. The main discussion centered on SB 437, which would direct the CSU system to develop a fair, evidence-based process for verifying whether someone is a descendant of a person enslaved in the United States, as part of the state’s reparations work. Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by the Reparations Task Force and would create a transparent, credible lineage-verification process; opponents argued genealogy methods already exist, the bill would waste money and delay action, and some raised constitutional concerns. The committee took a vote on SB 437, but the roll was left open after the initial tally showed three ayes and three noes. The committee then heard SB 790, which would allow California to join the interstate reciprocity agreement for online postsecondary education. The author and supporters said the bill would improve consumer protections for California students taking out-of-state online courses and help California institutions compete more effectively by reducing the burden of seeking separate state approvals. Opponents, including University of Phoenix and other groups, argued the bill conflicted with the existing reciprocity framework, could exclude some institutions, and might not actually secure California’s entry into the agreement. The committee voted 3-1 to pass SB 790 as amended to the Business and Professions Committee, with the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 391, which would authorize the Community College Chancellor’s Office to charge fees for research partners seeking access to data. Supporters said the office is absorbing significant unfunded workload from data requests and that fees would help recover costs; opponents, including the California Teachers Association community college association, warned the fees could create barriers for faculty and smaller researchers. Members discussed possible exemptions and implementation details. The committee voted 5-1 to pass SB 391 as amended to the Appropriations Committee, with the roll left open. Finally, the committee heard SB 685, a pilot program to provide cost-of-attendance assistance at four CSU campuses for students who experienced homelessness in high school. Supporters said it would help students cover housing, food, and transportation costs and reduce dropout risk; members asked about eligibility and implementation, and the author explained the bill would use McKinney-Vento homelessness designations and target students at risk of “summer melt” and college homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• much more difficult. state's budget and to family budgets state's budget and to family budgets across
• We're able to balance this budget.
• We're able to balance this budget.
• </c> and putting together their own budgets and putting together their own budgets based<00:21:23.400
• </c> have already heard the governor's budget have already heard the governor's budget they're<00:21:

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee 4 will come to order.
• So we believe what we have in this budget achieves a balanced budget while also preserving the core elements
• The budget change proposal And funding for local schools.
• So I just want to be, you know, said that very clearly because it's the kind of oversight that this budget
• And the Senate budget... Yeah, go ahead.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. ...oversight and public access to these meetings. Thank you. Hang on a second.
• This is an appropriation bill for that, not an oversight or a re-core hearing.
• Fish and Wildlife Service and a $250,000 appropriation in last year's budget.
• Aye. about reforming boards and having oversight with transparency.
• We have a current budget of $1.9 million.

Committee: Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from February 27 and March 3, 2026, then heard House Bill 2013, which would require ADEQ to submit an exceptional event demonstration to EPA when a wildfire on federally managed land affects Arizona air quality. The sponsor said the bill would help Arizona’s ozone/nonattainment situation by ensuring wildfire-related exceedances are excluded from official counts. Sierra Club opposed the mandate as duplicative and costly, and ADEQ said it was neutral but concerned about requiring submissions that may not meet EPA’s regulatory-significance standard and could take about 200 staff hours each. HB 2013 received a do-pass recommendation by a 5-3 vote. The committee also approved House Bill 2156, appropriating $250,000 to the Livestock Compensation Fund, after testimony from opponents raising transparency, conflict-of-interest, and funding concerns; supporters argued ranchers need help with depredation losses. HB 2156 passed 5-3. House Bill 2113, which would require RUCO to intervene in utility rate cases when a proposed residential rate increase is 100% or more, drew testimony from the sponsor about rural customers facing large increases and from RUCO saying it lacked the staff and budget to take on the added workload. The chair and sponsor discussed adding an appropriation or lowering the threshold, but no amendment was ready. Opponents argued the bill would divert RUCO from larger cases, while supporters emphasized protecting rural ratepayers. The committee gave HB 2113 a do-pass recommendation, 6-2. House Concurrent Memorial 2011, urging Congress to delist the Mexican gray wolf and return management to states and local authorities, was supported by the sponsor and ranching-focused testimony citing livestock losses, while opponents said the species remains endangered and recovery should stay science-based. HCM 2011 passed 5-3. The committee then considered House Bill 2026, which would let ADWR evaluate water availability for certain developments by looking only at the proposed source or sources, even if water is commingled in a delivery system. ADWR was neutral but warned that commingled systems make it difficult to track actual water use and could weaken groundwater safeguards; opponents said the bill could enable double counting or more pumping. HB 2026 received a do-pass recommendation, 5-3. House Bill 2056, which appropriates $100,000 for a feasibility study of brackish groundwater desalination sites, was supported by the sponsor as a way to explore additional water supplies; ADWR was neutral but said the study would be new for the agency and that brackish water is still regulated as groundwater. HB 2056 passed 5-3. House Bill 2098, modernizing Pinal County Water Augmentation Authority bonding and financing authority, drew support from Pinal County representatives and passed unanimously, 8-0. Finally, House Concurrent Resolution 2057, supporting a geothermal permitting roadmap and coordination among agencies, was backed by industry advocates as a way to unlock Arizona’s geothermal potential and also passed unanimously, 8-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• So It was an oversight uh at the time.
• There's five budget was 204 million.
• I sit on the oversight successful.
• c> oversight commission for children oversight commission for children services,<01:45:59.679><c> we<
• </c> force that come in for the oversight force that come in for the oversight commission.<01:47:27.520

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Through about 2016, IT projects were about 10% of the state's budget.
• For explaining how these projects change over time, from an oversight perspective.
• So basically, $24 million was how much money was budgeted towards the project.
• Discussion about the budget we were closing in on about 14 million in terms of our operations budget.
• Part of our budget actually goes to payments to them to.

Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• The budgets, for example, that justices of the peace have all flow through the county.
• The counties do the budgeting process the way they do: they ask the courts for their budget.
• It's a line item... ...in the court budget. It's passed through to the counties.
• The counties have their budgeting process.
• And that way is to cut the court's budget until they do what we want.

Bills: HB2226 , HB2406 , HB2663 , HB2695 , HB2805 , HB2976

Committees: House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections , House House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee of Reference

Keywords: veteran status, veterans court, treatment court, diversion program, initial appearance, arrestee processing, criminal procedure, DD-214, Department of Veterans' Services, prosecuting agency, court notification, military service, armed forces, veterans benefits, reentry, mental health court, drug court, specialty court, Arizona criminal law, pretrial hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm from 37A, and I'm also the chair of the House Fraud and State Agency Oversight Committee.
• </c><00:04:20.880><c> And</c><00:04:21.040><c> as</c> oversight within state agencies.
• And as oversight within state agencies.
• But I wonder, you know, you mentioned fewer earmarks this session, but you also had a smaller budget
• But I wonder, you know, you mentioned fewer earmarks this session, but you also had a smaller budget

Summary: House Fraud and State Agency Oversight Chair Kristen Robbins and Vice Chair Patti Anderson reviewed the committee’s first session, saying its work focused on exposing fraud, identifying gaps in statute and agency tools, and creating a public whistleblower portal (mnfraud.com). Robbins said the committee helped drive bipartisan opposition to legislatively named grants/earmarks, and that committee testimony from agencies, the Office of Legislative Auditor, and the Office of Grants Management led to late-session committee bills on issues such as a state kickback statute and required grants-management training. She also said the portal received 530 submissions in its first week, which the committee will review over the interim. Members emphasized the need for stronger statewide oversight of grants and fraud prevention. Anderson said existing agency inspector general structures have not worked well and described a bipartisan effort to create a statewide Office of Inspector General with full investigatory authority. Robbins said the Senate version was moving through finance and expected on the floor soon, with the governor indicating he would sign it. Walter Hudson argued that hearings showed agencies often focus on paperwork and compliance checkboxes rather than actually preventing fraud, citing conflict-of-interest attestations and the Feeding Our Future-related testimony as examples. Jim Nash said the state government finance bill includes funding for anti-fraud efforts through the Office of the Auditor and related provisions. In response to questions, Robbins said the committee tried to remain bipartisan despite a 5-3 Republican majority, and that members had handed significant allegations to law enforcement when appropriate. She said the committee did not need subpoena power this session because it is an oversight body, not a law-enforcement body. On legislatively named grants, Robbins said the goal is to change legislative culture rather than impose a formal ban, and she expects future policy to require front-end risk review, 990 review, and capacity checks before such grants are approved. Anderson added that the House and Senate versions of the inspector general bill differ on branch placement and law-enforcement authority, and that the House will decide whether to accept the Senate version once it comes back from finance and the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> budget sponsor management council. budget sponsor management council.
• Senate file 7, theft amendments, budget.
• Senate file two, legislative budget, be Senate file two, legislative budget, be assigned<00:36:14.720
• </c> Senate Wyoming State Legislature budget Senate Wyoming State Legislature budget session<02:06:38.800
• </c><02:07:29.440><c> session</c> committees for the 2026 budget session committees for the 2026 budget