Transcript Highlights:

• Restoring explicit statutory authority does not expand levy authority or weaken oversight.
• :21:40.559> about<00:21:40.880> $7 received bonding dollars of about $7 received bonding
• <00:21:49.280> state conversation that if if bond state conversation that if if bond state
• Representative Centimera for authoring Representative Centimera for authoring the<01:01:20.880><
• , very good reasons uh for this authority, very good reasons uh for this authority, the<01:34:27.600

Bills: HF3790, HF3654, HF3371, HF3470, HF1099

Keywords: education finance, lease levy authority, graduation ceremonies, school districts, Minnesota Statutes, local revenue, funding increase, education, state appropriation, local control, HF3371, local optional revenue, school finance, general education aid, school district funding, referendum revenue, referendum market value, equalization aid, state aid, property tax levy

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:21.799> this Senator Weber for um authoring this Senator Weber for um authoring this
• Senator Weber, I'm not aware of legislative authorization.
• <00:35:14.520> by changes uh that uh are not authorized by changes uh that uh are not authorized
• Our original bond was $3,480,000.
• <00:46:08.640> was<00:46:09.800> $3,480 original Bond was $3,480 original Bond was

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a qualifying condition such as to bond a qualifying condition such as to bond with<00:32:32.240>

• There's bonding leave, which is leave to bond with an individual's child during the first 12

• There's bonding leave, which is leave to bond with an individual's child during the first 12

• draft of the of the paid leave bonding draft of the of the paid leave bonding application<00:51:
• I think we all understand that and—
  assurances uh uh bonding type of things assurances uh uh bonding

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll go on to issue four, High-Speed Rail Authority.
• The project update report is the authority conducting that.
• The authority would perhaps... I'm going to interrupt.
• And I think perhaps the authority can speak in more detail.
• I think perhaps the authority can speak in more detail.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on transportation agency budget proposals and did not take any votes. The first major discussion focused on the Motor Vehicle Account shortfall and a proposed one-time $166 million transfer from the Air Pollution Control Fund and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to offset California Air Resources Board mobile source costs. Department of Finance and the LAO described the account’s long-running structural deficit, driven largely by employee compensation growth and REAL ID-related workload, while members criticized the use of Proposition 4, GGRF, and other one-time or redirected funds as backfills and urged a longer-term solution that addresses both revenues and expenditures. The committee then heard Caltrans’ request for $25 million in General Fund support to create a Clean California Community Cleanup and Employment Pathway Grant Program. Caltrans said the program would build on the prior Clean California effort by funding local litter and graffiti cleanup, community engagement, and workforce pathways for vulnerable populations. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing that local litter abatement is not a core state responsibility and that one-time funding is unlikely to solve persistent local cleanup needs. Several members echoed those concerns, while public commenters split between support for the cleanup/employment model and calls to instead restore funding to the Active Transportation Program and transit operations. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency requested that California administratively recognize Tahoe’s federally designated population figure for state formula-based transportation funding, which would raise the population count used in formulas from 40,000 to 145,000. The agency said the change would not request new money but would better align state formulas with federal law and support a shared regional funding framework; members appeared generally supportive, though they noted the need to phase in the change to reduce impacts on other regions. The final presentation was on High-Speed Rail. The LAO reviewed the authority’s project update report, noting that it did not fully meet statutory requirements and that key details are still pending in a supplemental report expected later in the summer. The LAO said the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment still shows an estimated roughly $7 billion funding gap, with no specific plan to close it, and highlighted risks from federal review, inflation, and uncertain GGRF revenues. High-Speed Rail Authority staff said they are conducting a bottom-up review of scope, schedule, ridership, and costs, expect to provide updated information by late summer, and are exploring public-private partnerships and other financing strategies. Members stressed that no further funding commitments should be made until the updated analysis is available.

Transcript Highlights:

• as Representative Tepper and co-author Mr.
• Factors on public works projects must take out certain surety bonds, including payment bonds, for contracts
• The one thing we agree on is bonding. Bonding and payouts are the two biggest issues.
• So really, our authority comes from those two places.
• Yeah, acting outside of our authority.

Bills: HB149, HB252, HB643, HB1442, HB1500, HB1672, HB1851, HB1893, HB2028, HB2768, HB2818, HB149, HB252

Keywords: artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance, employment compensation, state agencies, salary payments, general appropriations, government efficiency, public works, contractors, payment bonds, government contracts, construction law, transparency, open meetings, government accountability, public access

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we do a bond, bill for them or vote on a bond. How do we determine who gets to vote for this?
• So who's paying for these bonds?
• Misrepresentative, if I was to author a bill next year to change the way public schools' bond process
• You have to have 60% of the voters to pass a bond.
• How did we get to the $250 million bond cap?

Bills: HB2997, HB2021, HB3041, HB1823, HB3372, HB1427, HB3127, HB3128, HCR1020, HB4198, HB3000, HB3001, HB3002, HB3003, HB3004, HB3005, HB3006, HB3007, HB3008, SB392, HB3320

Keywords: motor vehicles, administrative fines, license regulation, state agencies, employment levels, after-school programs, grant funding, community organizations, child care, Oklahoma Department of Human Services, credit card transactions, payment methods, service charge, consumer rights, financial regulation, housing finance, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, publication requirements, housing policy, state regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the Sabine River Authority, the SRA, provides raw water for the community.
• Authority sunset review date 12 years to the year 2037.
• dollars of bonds it within those two bond issuances.
• That's the only thing that we have authority relative.
• I want to note that this is an optional authority.

Bills: HB1520, HB1525, HB1530, HB1535, HB2068, HB2091, HB2347, HB2372, HB2805, HB2815, HB2867, HB3154, HB3482, HB3483, HB3663, HB3781, HB3901, HB3915, HB4135, HB4153, HB4158, HB4329, HB4331

Keywords: Angelina and Neches River Authority, river authority, Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Sunset Act, Special District Local Laws Code, local government, natural resources, board of directors, director training, board governance, public testimony, open meetings, public information, conflict of interest, ethics, complaint system, general manager, board president, staggered terms, removal of director

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 369 would allow a potential charter school board to apply to the charter school authorizer
• And they would prefer to be able to choose out of all of the approved authorizers that we have in the
• Whenever we have a long list of potential authorizers that they're that they could be authorized through
• They're going to a private bond. They're borrowing money from a private lender.
• You don't have a district that Would you vote like a bond issue? So, it's only five board members.

Bills: HB3674, HB4326, HB4331, HB3029, HB2963, HB3551, HB2973, HB3019, HB3461, HB2961, HB3261, HB3759, HB3429, HB3069, HB3372, HB3705

Keywords: school resource officer, sexual assault training, law enforcement training, CLEET, school safety, mental health, continuing education, HB4326, Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, Oklahoma's Promise, scholarship, tuition assistance, higher education, State Regents for Higher Education, eligibility expansion, adopted students, foster care, DHS custody, child-placing agency, tribal custody

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll have bonding authority up to a half a billion dollars.
• I've got an economist and A bond attorney who wants to do it.
• And, of course, you know, we can also start bonding authority.
• It has several tax bonding amendments, rulemaking, and then there's a sunset.
• Lucas with the Healthcare Authority. So go ahead, Miranda. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• Act as the 9-1-1 Bond Act.
• dollars. dollars in transportation bonds.
• Speaker, gentlelady, so this bond, these bonds would specifically be spent on projects identified on
• Speaker and gentlelady, that we're going to go for bonds.
• But I think this bonding issue might smooth out some of the bumps.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 3000 relating to insurance authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action in the name of
• It authorizes the Department of Health to establish, by administrative rule, a syndromic surveillance
• 49.080> to Authorizes Department of Health to Authorizes Department of Health to establish<00:
• political subdivisions, such as the counties, to issue housing infrastructure growth bonds.
• bond counsel prior to defeasance. bond counsel prior to defeasance.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees met in decision-making sessions and considered a long list of Senate bills, with no oral testimony taken. Several measures were advanced unamended, including SB 2178 on industrial hemp, SB 2277 on hospital price transparency, SB 2387 on digital financial asset transaction kiosks, SB 2688 on compassionate release, SB 3132 on syndromic surveillance data reporting, SB 3219 on housing infrastructure growth bonds, and others. Many bills were also advanced with technical or substantive amendments, including SB 2114 on collective bargaining grievance rights, SB 2601 on procurement penalties, SB 2698 on cruise ships/transportation, SB 2757 on digital asset charters, SB 2948 on insurance fraud, SB 2002 on water governance, SB 2022 on state water code penalties, SB 2190 on inclusionary zoning, SB 3294 on wrongful imprisonment compensation, and SB 17, SB 2407, SB 2811, SB 2907, SB 2930, SB 3084, SB 3103, and SB 2808 in the later agenda segment. The committee also discussed SB 2080, relating to the psychology interjurisdictional compact, where one senator objected to interstate compacts as opening local jobs to out-of-state professionals; despite that objection, the measure was adopted. SB 3133 on preventive medicine drew amendment discussion to remove unnecessary language about committee members not being state employees and to delete an immunity subsection, while preserving ethics-code coverage and provider immunity. SB 3000 on insurance was amended to remove a savings clause, and SB 2921 on fund transfers received extensive amendments removing or revising numerous special funds and revolving accounts across agencies. Most votes were unanimous or near-unanimous, often with members present voting aye or with reservations. A few measures drew recorded no votes or reservations, including SB 2080, SB 3133, SB 2921, and SB 2401, where one member voted with reservations and the committee report was to reflect the Attorney General’s comments. In each case, the committee adopted the recommendation and moved the bills forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, I'd like to highlight our regulatory authority over insurance companies, and I'd like to start
• TDI has limited authority over surplus lines and risk retention groups, and we do not regulate interlocal
• So, um, a very short answer is TDI does not have a regulatory authority over the reinsurers.
• public securities or bonds.
• The 1st $500 million of public securities are backed by TWEA policyholder premiums and the authority

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, sir, I'm authoring that bill again.
• or have bonding authorization.
• Not whether or not they want to do a bond or have bonding authorization, and they understand exactly
• or have bonding authorization and they understand exactly what they're voting for is that correct I
• Moving to item two, UB authority, recommendations continue UB authority for all Article 4 agencies and

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing of the 89th regular session, adopted nearly identical committee rules from the previous legislature by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the budget framework, emphasizing conservative spending, a $332.9 billion all-funds budget, and major priorities including property tax relief, public education, border security, health and human services, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. She also introduced committee and leadership staff and described the hearing schedule and public testimony procedures. Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending, including a $23.8 billion ending balance, but warned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid using temporary spikes for ongoing commitments. Senators questioned him extensively about the Economic Stabilization Fund cap, sales tax trends, inflation, and whether the state should consider raising the cap or using severance-tax revenues differently. Hager said the Rainy Day Fund is expected to hit its cap, which would leave more severance-tax revenue in general revenue, and he stressed that infrastructure needs remain significant. The Legislative Budget Board then gave a detailed overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major components. LBB staff explained that the bill includes continued funding for the Foundation School Program, $850 million for the Texas State Technical College endowment, $1.3 billion for the Texas University Fund, $6.5 billion for border security, salary increases for correctional officers and state troopers, $3 billion for dementia research, higher community attendant wages, expanded community-based care, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, and funding to clear volunteer fire department grant backlogs. They also outlined supplemental priorities such as water infrastructure, retirement legacy payments, rail grade separations, wildfire aircraft, and emergency facilities, and said the current controlling budget limit is the tax spending limit. A major portion of the hearing focused on property tax relief. LBB explained that prior-session relief grew from an expected $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher-than-anticipated property values and interactions among hold-harmless provisions, and that SB 1 continues and expands relief with $51 billion in total property tax relief, including $3 billion more for compression, $3 billion to raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and a $500 million placeholder for business tax relief. Senators discussed the automatic nature of some of these costs, the effect of the non-homestead circuit breaker, the role of federal COVID funds, and the need to maintain school finance commitments if the state continues to compress school tax rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will read the bond initiatives and the committee assignment.
• The clerk will read the bond initiatives and the committee assignment.
• This Pulitzer Prize-winning author made Baltimore her home and her inspiration.
• This Pulitzer Prize-winning author made Baltimore her home and her inspiration.
• 15:31.560> made This Pulitzer Prize-winning author made This Pulitzer Prize-winning author made

Keywords: House streaming session for Monday, March 9, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, established a quorum, and approved the previous day’s journal. The main formal action was the reading and adoption of a House resolution honoring the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion for their World War II service, with remarks emphasizing their role in clearing a massive mail backlog, supporting troop morale, and breaking barriers for African American women in the military. The resolution was read in full and presented on March 9, 2026. The chamber then handled introductory legislation and Senate messages on consent calendars. House Bills 1632 through 1642 were read the first time and referred to the appropriate committees, and Introductory House Bond Initiatives 62 through 65 were referred to Appropriations. Senate Bill 439 was introduced in the House and referred to Economic Matters, and Senate Bill 69 was introduced and referred to Government, Labor, and Elections. No objections or recorded votes were noted on these referrals. The remainder of the meeting consisted largely of caucus and guest announcements. Members announced upcoming caucus meetings, a high school shadow day, an Iftar dinner hosted by the Muslim and Women’s Caucuses, a Women’s Caucus election with in-person and remote voting times, and other constituent and guest recognitions, including District nights and visits from AFSCME Maryland Council 3, the Junior League of Annapolis, foster youth participants, and student pages. The House then adjourned on motion of the Majority Leader until Tuesday, March 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to have with me Aaron Bond and Gabriel Suazo. Media guy, why don't you work for us?
• I drove this the other day to a New Mexico Border Authority concert.
• So if we don't address it now, the Colonials Board will be reporting to us, the Border Authority will
• I mean, the bore authority has been instrumental. You know, they had money for it.
• a revolving series of general obligation bonds. for street repairs.

Transcript Highlights:

• for a long time, and I've been happy to co-author with him on a priority for us this year.
• , general obligation bond was approved.
• Because the bond itself did spell out certain areas that are competitive.
• The former President Biden did authorize 100% federal reimbursement for the first 180 days, and we're
• And then the climate bond had a total of $1.5 billion for wildfire-related activities.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The only offense for which a bond could be denied by the court was capital murder.
• Subjected to a no bond.
• This amendment would allow for that to be an Aniah's Law bond hearing where the judge...
• Aniah's Law bond hearing where the judge, given the fact pattern, would not have to grant a bond.
• Would it change the availability of bond if we're both charged? No. Okay.

Bills: SB76, SB35, SB116, SB119, SB118, SB129, SB32, SB31, SB115, SB75, HB27, HB40

Keywords: jury duty, nursing mothers, exemption, legal rights, parental responsibilities, sexual extortion, criminal law, felony, threat, blackmail, SB116, machine gun conversion devices, switches, pistol conversion device, auto sear, firearm accessories, machine gun, automatic weapon, semiautomatic pistol, gun control

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:32.000> Bill think it was in the in the bonding Bill think it was in the in the bonding
• <00:08:11.440> Bill berries was included in the bonding Bill berries was included in the bonding
• <00:20:02.600> bill why are we depending on a bonding bill why are we depending on a bonding
• over the last couple years that bonding over the last couple years that bonding bills<00:20:06.760
• people's lives by waiting for a bonding people's lives by waiting for a bonding bill<00:26:53.840

Bills: HF192, HF268, HF1214, HF494

Keywords: Minnesota income tax, dependent exemption, personal income tax, tax relief, family tax relief, children, dependents, tax deduction, tax exemption, state revenue, inflation indexing, tax year 2025, taxable income, household tax policy, family tax credit, HF268, Joshua Schmidt Memorial Highway, memorial highway, highway naming, road designation

Transcript Highlights:

• if issued through the severance tax bond process.
• piece of legislation passes, it will be non-recurring, and it will not be in capital outlay from a bond
• And I can go talk to the River Valley Authority. River Valley Authority.
• Whatever from the current water authority is done in writing, correct? Yes, it's the—yeah.
• It's not a water authority, but as the authority of the water delivery system, they would have the ability

Transcript Highlights:

• So Cindy has significant authority within this company to make the decisions that she needs to make that
• So Cindy has significant authority within this company to make the decisions that she needs to make that
• When the bonds are issued, yes. All right.
• <00:57:38.360> calculation and institute a new bond calculation and institute a new bond calculation
• <01:03:49.080> to Environmental Cabinet the authority to Environmental Cabinet the authority

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:28 Introduction of Guests 00:02:08 American Electric Power and Kentucky Power Presentation 00:03:31 SB 89 Discussion 00:53:55 SB 89 Roll Call Vote 01:07:46, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for an initial natural resources hearing with a quorum present and introductory housekeeping, including prayer, roll call, and recognition of guests. Chair Smith outlined ground rules for questions and then invited Kentucky Power and American Electric Power representatives to the table to discuss a proposed plan involving the Mitchell Power Plant and future generation needs in Eastern Kentucky. Witnesses Cindy Wiseman, Alex Vaughn, and AEP CEO Bill Fehrman said the company’s goals are to stabilize and lower rates, reduce rate volatility, and expand generation in the Commonwealth. They explained that Kentucky Power seeks legislative authority to securitize its 50% interest in the Mitchell coal plant, describing securitization as a refinancing mechanism that would lower annual plant costs by about $34 million and help offset roughly one-third of the expected cost of adding new generation in Kentucky. They emphasized that the proposal is not intended to close Mitchell, and said Kentucky Power currently has no plan to divest its interest; the company still needs the plant to serve customers while it pursues additional dispatchable generation in Kentucky. Members pressed the witnesses on the plant’s book value versus fair market value, whether the Mitchell interest had ever been assigned a nominal value, how any divestiture proceeds would be handled, whether Kentucky Power owns Wheeling Power, and how long Mitchell can continue operating. The company said it values Mitchell at net book value for accounting purposes, not fair market value, and explained that Wheeling Power is a separate AEP affiliate and that West Virginia affiliates have already proposed securitization of their share. Witnesses said Kentucky Power’s interest cannot technically operate past 2028 without additional environmental control investment, while the West Virginia side is depreciating through 2040. They also described the financing timeline, saying securitization would require enactment of legislation, a PSC financing order, bond issuance, and then parallel work to acquire or build new generation, with any reinvestment terms to be addressed through the regulatory process.