Transcript Highlights:

• continuing on to the next page, allows the Comptroller General to conduct performance and financial audits
• . ...and financial audits for any non-state agency that receives grant and aid funds, and also allows
• Section 9, on page 22, line 17, details the submission of audits or other financial statements with agency
• costs associated with each county's paramedic service program, and also states that funds are to be audited
• The report shall include corrective actions, any governance changes, personnel actions, and audit plans

Summary: The Joint Finance Committee met to review and vote on the fiscal year 2027 Grants and Aid Act, which was expected to be pre-filed as Senate Bill 337. Members first reviewed Section 1, covering county seat payments, paramedic operations, senior center allocations, senior center transportation, and Homeland Security grants. They approved Section 1 after discussion of how senior center transportation is being moved from DART to grant-in-aid and how some organizations can appear in both the senior center formula and the general aging category. The committee then worked through Section 2, which included one-time appropriations and the various grant categories for aging, arts/historical/recreation, economic housing or labor services, family and youth services, health or disability services, and neighborhood and community services. Members discussed several specific items, including New Castle County reassessment-related funding, Friends of Cooch’s Bridge, Slaughter Neck Community Action Organization, Plastic-Free Delaware, Love, Inc. of the Delmarva, and the Southern Delaware Horse Retirement Association. One aging line for Slaughter Neck was reduced back to flat funding after members questioned a large increase, and the revised category total was adjusted accordingly. Each of the Section 2 subcategories was then adopted. Section 3, covering fire companies and public service ambulance companies, was approved with increases across apparatus, ambulance, rescue truck, aerial truck, rescue boat, substation, and insurance rebate equalization funding. Section 4, for veterans organizations and youth programs such as Boys State, Girls State, and Trooper Youth Week, was also adopted. The committee then approved the epilogue sections, which included eligibility, audit, payment, and reporting rules; special provisions for the Wilmington Senior Center contingency; conditions tied to several one-time appropriations; withholding funding from Merri-Dell Volunteer Fire Company pending a corrective report; and reprogramming $1,485,000 from a prior SMART food program appropriation toward SNAP/WIC-related food access initiatives. The meeting ended with remarks thanking staff and noting that it was likely the last JFC meeting for two members, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• you have ever had a business where you've had the federal government come in and do a federal labor audit
• The other way is through the Department of Labor, whether they choose to do some sort of random audit
• or if they have had complaints against your business. ...some sort of random audit or if they have had
• complaints against your business, then they could come in and do an audit based on a complaint.
• It is not something that triggers additional inspections or audits or anything.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed House Bill 4245, the Department of Revenue rules bundle covering 27 rules from six agencies. Members withdrew the committee amendment, adopted a floor amendment making changes to two lottery rules and one tax rule related to pre-need cemetery companies, then passed the bill 30-1. The Senate also adopted a title amendment and made the bill effective from passage by a 31-0 vote. Later, when the House rejected the Senate’s amendments, the Senate receded from its amendments and again passed the bill, making it effective from passage. The chamber also adopted several concurrent resolutions from the Rules Committee, including studies on school finance transparency, divorce grounds, the Southern West Virginia water crisis, athletic trainer access in public secondary schools, the eastern gray fox population, upland game bird stamp purchases, and the Public Service Commission. Senate Concurrent Resolution 50, calling for a study of the PSC, was also adopted. In addition, the Senate passed House Bill 5381, which expands the Office of Energy’s role to develop a comprehensive energy policy and grid stabilization plan, and House Bill 5412, the Future Ready Education Act, after amending it to require annual vocational and agriculture offerings unless not viable and to set science-of-reading training requirements for K-5 literacy teachers by 2028-29. The Senate passed House Bill 845, a supplemental appropriation to the Governor’s Office Civil Contingent Fund, after concurring in a House amendment that reappropriated federal match grant funds and increased the civil contingency surplus fund from $15 million to $25 million; it was made effective from passage. The chamber also concurred in House amendments to House Bill 4106 on constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds, House Bill 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia training reimbursement program, House Bill 5453 revising the school aid funding formula for special education weighting, and other measures including House Bill 4009 on portable benefits, Senate Bill 164 on substitute teacher definitions, and House Bill 4606 on pretrial release for certain felonies. A lengthy debate centered on House Bill 4198, the E-Verify Safe Harbor Act. The Judiciary Committee amendment would have required public and certain private employers to use E-Verify, while a further amendment from the Senator from Randolph would have limited the mandate to public employers and made E-Verify optional for private employers with liability protections for good-faith use. After extensive discussion about small business impacts, federal-state conflicts, and enforcement, the Senate adopted the Randolph amendment and then passed the bill 31-3, with a title amendment also adopted. The Senate later refused to concur in House amendments to House Bill 4010, concurred in House amendments to House Bill 5438, receded from amendments to House Bill 4765, and adjourned sine die.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is David Osman, and in my role at Gibson Consulting Group, I lead assessment audits in districts
• Our audits consistently show that students experience a large number of assessments.
• These audits show that teachers have great concern about these locally created assessments often more
• In one district that we audited, middle school students participated in about 29 different benchmark
• In one audited district, we found an assessment where it only identified 50% of students who later failed

Bills: SB8, SB 8

Keywords: education, accountability, public school assessment, state law, transparency, intervention, performance ratings, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• BECAUSE IS NOT JUST ABOUT ENROLLMENTS OR COMPLETIONS BUT WE WANT EQUALITY THROUGH THE CTE QUALITY AUDIT
• ON THE POSTSECONDARY AUDIT METRICS THE FIRST IS ARE WE RETENTION RATE OR SUCCESS RATE?
• WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE AUDIT RESULTS BUT FOR THE IN DEMAND OCCUPATIONS WE USE AGAIN THE CRITERIA THAT
• TAKING ALL THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE WE RUN THOSE THROUGH THE CTE AUDIT METRICS WHERE WE LOOK AT THE RETENTION
• SO THE CHANCELLOR SPOKE ABOUT THE AUDIT PROCESS THAT HE DOES WITH HIS DEPARTMENT.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There needs to be an auditing system.
• Where is the audit of the true facts of the real and truth in return on investment?
• Well, I made a call a couple days ago to the state auditor's office, and I asked for this audit, and
• nobody knows of such an audit that we're getting the return on investment for any of these tax credits

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on House Bill 2998 and adopted a House committee substitute that narrowed the bill to a study of the Upper Mississippi River Basin and the Rural Development Office, with a new date of December 1, 2029. Members asked about the fiscal note and whether the proposal was simply a study rather than a broader project. The committee then voted the substitute do pass on a 21-0 roll call. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 913, which would extend several agricultural tax credits for five years and add/adjust provisions for short-line railroads, biodiesel, rolling stock, meat processing, specialty crops, and related programs. Senator Gregory and supporters said the bill would provide certainty for agricultural investment, rural development, ethanol and biodiesel production, meat processors, and short-line rail infrastructure, with several witnesses emphasizing return on investment, competitiveness, and the importance of keeping Missouri agriculture strong. Some members also discussed the rolling stock credit and local tax backfill, with supporters saying it simply makes local political subdivisions whole and does not create a double payment. Opponents, led by the State Public Advocate, argued Missouri’s tax credit system is too large, costly, and insufficiently audited, and said the state could not afford the projected fiscal impact. They criticized the credits as giveaways and questioned whether the programs would happen without incentives. Despite those objections, the hearing featured broad support from farm, rail, banking, agribusiness, chamber, and commodity groups, and no vote was taken on SB 913 before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This morning, one of the things we're going to do today is kind of look at the audit that the Alliance
• So if you guys can look in this report and the audit starting on page eight, I love when we're looking
• No, but we have just looked at, you know, if we look at the audit here, if you go through and see how
• and they are members of the Georgia Center for Opportunity team that assisted you and completed the audit

Summary: The committee met to review an audit and recommendations from the Alliance for Opportunity as part of a broader study of social service and workforce development reform under Act 145 of 2025. Members discussed creating a more integrated, regional, and “one door to work” system that would combine eligibility screening, service delivery, and workforce connections across DHS, workforce, and related programs. Much of the discussion focused on reducing administrative overhead, improving coordination, and using tools such as AI and centralized databases to help applicants learn about benefits, training, and job opportunities while still preserving case managers and in-person help for people without digital access. Members also emphasized targeting groups with low labor-force participation, including people in generational poverty, rural residents, individuals reentering from prison, and people involved in the court system who may be employable but are not currently connected to employers. Several members raised concerns about benefit cliffs, the burden of repeated paperwork across agencies, and whether the system should include performance measures tied to cost per person served and return on investment. The committee agreed that quantifiable savings and outcomes should be part of the study and future recommendations. The committee then considered and discussed a draft consultant services agreement with Work Ed Consulting LLC, represented by Mason Bishop, to assist with the study. Bureau of Legislative Research staff explained that the contract would run through June 30, 2027, with a maximum amount of $158,000, billed on actual hours and expenses, and could be expanded by up to 10% if needed. Bishop said he could provide ongoing ROI updates and technical assistance based on his experience in other states. After discussion, the committee voted to move forward with the contract, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• They audit us and go through and make sure all our processes and everything look right.
• Secretary of Education Hamlin and I discussed an audit he's doing.
• He's doing a quality audit.
• You know, something you could argue NCTQ is already doing, but he's doing an independent audit and really

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Joint audit and evaluation committee. Honorable Jared Solomon, House Chair, Honorable Steven J.
• committee following joint statutory committee appointments.<00:03:17.120> Joint<00:03:17.360> audit
• Joint audit and evaluation appointments.
• Joint audit and evaluation committee.<00:03:19.040> Honorable<00:03:19.680> Jared<00:03

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, January 22, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House met in session with 127 members initially present, opened with prayer and the journal reading, and then took up introductory business. House Bills 394 through 444 were read the first time and referred to the appropriate committees, and Introductory House Bond Initiatives Number Two was referred to Appropriations. The Speaker also announced and the House adopted appointments to the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics and the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee. Most of the meeting consisted of committee and delegation announcements. Appropriations, Environment and Transportation, Health, Judiciary, and Ways and Means all announced briefings later that day, while several other committees said they would not meet. Delegations from Frederick, Anne Arundel, the Eastern Shore, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Charles, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Southern Maryland announced upcoming meetings, many by Zoom. A Montgomery County delegate also announced a Public Safety and Administration Subcommittee briefing on the Department of Social and Economic Mobility. The floor included multiple guest and caucus recognitions. The Women’s Caucus promoted a service drive for hygiene, baby, and women’s products for the YMCA Druid Hill pantry, and the Legislative Black Caucus announced new leadership, with Chair N. Scott Phillips and Senate Vice Chair Shaneka Henson. The House welcomed visitors for Maryland Bankers Association Day, Transportation Association of Maryland advocacy day, the Maryland chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies, CPA Day, and sportsmen and sportswomen day, along with student visitors and a guest of a Prince George’s County delegate. No substantive debate or recorded votes occurred beyond the adoption of committee appointments, and the House adjourned until Friday, January 23 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• which requires the Office of Legislative Auditor to report to the legislature annually on whether an audited
• /c><00:01:27.040> an legislature annually on whether an legislature annually on whether an audited
• > has<00:01:28.400> imple<00:01:28.880> implemented<00:01:29.439> its audited
• entity has imple implemented its audited entity has imple implemented its recommendations.<00:01:30.479

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• machines at any single lottery location, and the State Auditor must conduct an annual comprehensive audit
• Each audit must specifically identify any lottery operations or activities that differ from previous
• audits.

Bills: HB668, HB677, HB766, HB3133, SB3070

Keywords: HB 668, Texas, handgun license, license to carry, LTC, concealed carry, open carry, firearm permit, gun license renewal, public safety, Department of Public Safety, DPS, Government Code Section 411.185, renewal fee, handgun permit, Second Amendment, carry permit, firearms regulation, HB 677, Texas Election Code

Transcript Highlights:

• At present, DOE only receives audits from districts but does not report to districts.
• If other legislation requires feedback on those audits from DRA, this assures that it is sent to all
• DRA has informed that their communication to districts in regards to timeliness of audit submission is
• At present, DOE only receives<01:23:16.159> audits<01:23:16.639> from<01:23:16.960>
• from DRRA, this assures that it audits from DRRA, this assures that it is<01:23:26.000> sent<

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're here to say that we understand. but also post election audits are but also post election audits
• Logging and auditing. All user and system actions are logged and auditable.
• Logging<01:26:46.800> and<01:26:47.360> auditing.
• All user and Logging and auditing.
• So whatever happens on that auditable.

Keywords: Discussion of BR 25 (2026 RS) 04:15 Presentation on voting systems by ES&S 48:14 Presentation on voting systems by Hart InterCivic and Harp Enterprises 01:13:07, 958, all

Summary: The committee met, approved the October 21 minutes, and then took up BR 25 for the 2026 regular session, a proposal to prohibit the use of tax dollars and public resources to advocate for or against ballot questions, including constitutional amendments. Senator Rawlings and the other presenters argued the current law already bars such advocacy but lacks meaningful enforcement, citing the 2024 school choice amendment campaign and other examples where public officials and school systems allegedly used taxpayer-funded resources to influence voters. They said the bill would add civil and criminal penalties, while preserving First Amendment rights for public employees acting in their personal capacities. Much of the discussion focused on whether the bill should be limited to school districts or broadened to cover other public entities, and on how to define terms such as “advocating in impartial terms.” Members raised concerns about possible effects on county and city lobbying through groups like KLC and KCO, on legitimate factual explanations by public officials, and on whether the bill could unintentionally restrict needed representation for local governments. The sponsors said the measure was intended to be narrow, would be vetted further, and would not bar individuals from speaking on their own behalf. Several members suggested revisions. Representative Lockett asked that schools and school employees be specifically named, and suggested separating the lobbying restrictions from the ballot-measure provisions into different bills. Representative Layman questioned the meaning of the bill’s language and whether it would cover factual testimony by officials. Representative Heen asked about a Jefferson County example involving legal fees used to challenge petition signatures; counsel said that situation would likely be allowable under the bill as drafted, though some members thought it should be covered. No final vote was taken on BR 25 during this discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• More concerning, however, is the requirement that these audits be made public.
• More concerning, however, is the requirement that these audits be made public.
• We strongly suggest removing the public posting requirements from these audits.
• It is related to the audits being... ...is a valid concern.
• It is related to the audits being twice a year and having the third-party requirement, an independent

Summary: The committee first heard AB 56, which would require social media platforms to display a warning label about potential mental health harms from prolonged use, with amendments shortening the initial warning and allowing immediate access to the platform. The author and supporters, including a parent who lost a daughter to suicide and a therapist, argued that social media contributes to teen anxiety, self-harm, and other harms and that families need clearer public health information. Opponents from tech and civil liberties groups argued the bill would be ineffective, burdensome, and likely unconstitutional, saying it would create warning fatigue and should be replaced by more targeted tools and digital literacy measures. Several members discussed emergency access concerns, language access, and whether the warning should be more actionable; the bill was moved on a 9-0 vote to the Judiciary Committee. The committee then took up AB 358, which would amend CalECPA to allow law enforcement, with the victim’s consent, to inspect certain abandoned tracking or surveillance devices found in a victim’s home, vehicle, or personal property without first obtaining a warrant. The author and a San Diego prosecutor said the bill is narrowly tailored to devices used solely for spying and is intended to help stalking and domestic violence survivors act quickly before evidence is lost. Opponents from EFF and the ACLU warned the bill would weaken warrant protections, create a loophole around CalECPA, and reduce transparency and accountability. Members debated Fourth Amendment issues, abandonment, and the practical need for rapid access; the bill passed the committee on a 9-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1137, which builds on last year’s CSAM reporting law by allowing any user to report child sexual abuse material, requiring clearer reporting mechanisms, adding human review in some cases, and mandating third-party audits and public reporting. Supporters, including survivor advocates and a parent of a child victim, said the bill would reduce the burden on survivors and improve removal of abusive content. Tech industry opponents said they support the goal but objected to the human-review mandate, public audit disclosures, and enforcement provisions, arguing they could create security risks and compliance burdens. Members generally supported the bill’s intent but raised questions about audit frequency and human review; the bill was moved on call with seven votes at the time of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• required quarterly and annual reporting for the program, in addition to regular state and federal audits
• We had a testifier who said that this report is an audit.
• I would like to see if there's actual evidence where you can show on that the audit may be an error that
• um have you seen this report an audit um have you seen this report and<00:46:53.119> can<00:46
• <00:47:51.240> may you can can show on that the audit may you can can show on that the audit

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe the monitoring and this auditing is extremely important if we're ever going to undo where
• I am not in any way objecting to the idea of collecting data and monitoring or auditing how we're using
• how we're using monitoring or auditing how we're using our<00:39:58.880> special<00:39:59.280
• You would need to make it so that, if you're going to audit it, there should be auditing in these things
• You would need to make it so that, if you're going to audit it, there should be auditing in these things

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Undertake any kind of an audit or investigation as a result of what he uncovered.
• Was that audit ever completed? No, sir. What is the status of that audit? It's... It's still open.
• Because it's an open audit and any information associated with that audit is considered working papers
• this audit that myself and many members of the legislature have requested of you.
• Again, because it's an open audit, I'm not allowed to comment publicly.

Keywords: budget, House Bill 1, public education, healthcare, border security, federal funding, spending limits

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on reviewing the proposed budget for the upcoming biennium, with substantial discussions around House Bill 1 and its implications for public education, healthcare, and border security. The Comptroller presented a revenue overview indicating a total of $194.6 billion available for general purpose spending, which reflects a slight decrease compared to previous years due to fluctuating economic conditions. Members raised questions regarding spending limits and the impact of federal funding on state programs, highlighting concerns about the sustainability of funding in light of potential changes at the federal level.

Transcript Highlights:

• on different size more small and audits on different size more small and mediumsiz<01:27:28.560>
• going to be uh relief of of audit going to be uh relief of of audit expense<01:27:50.480> uh<
• Um, we've heard that those audited financial statements are around $25,000 down to $7,500.
• <01:29:42.080> financial that move from an audited financial that move from an audited financial
• 29:45.280> financial heard that those audited financial heard that those audited financial statements

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by the University's Office of Internal Audit.
• by the University's periodic audits by the University's office<00:51:32.880> of<00:51:33.040>
• internal<00:51:33.480> audit<00:51:34.280> and<00:51:34.400> I'll office
• of internal audit and I'll office of internal audit and I'll address<00:51:35.000> the<00:51:
• Finally, at a deeper level, we have an office of internal audit that reports to our Board of Regents.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I need to keep her on for an additional six months for those audits and closeouts that need to happen
• What are your audit processes for making sure that the grants that you award are used appropriately.
• And would you be willing to make those audits available to this committee?

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> I DO NOT KNOW UNTIL WE SEE THE AUDIT. >> Rep. McClure: ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
• WE HAVE ACQUIRED IN PROVISO LANGUAGE ASTA STATION'S FROM EACH PROVIDER AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE AUDIT
• FIRM AND THEY HAVE CONDUCTED THESE AUDITS TO TRY TO BETTER ESTIMATE EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE UNCOMPENSATED

Keywords: 999, senate, all