Transcript Highlights:

• And the software this bill would help create could generate and track credits that could be traded worldwide
• If we're going to help to fund the development of the software, Minnesota companies who utilize the system
• state House File 2103 is a prudent and one-time appropriation to Emergy for development of the software
• supports Senator Anderson's bill, House File 2301, appropriating funds that we will use to hire software

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The grant established under Proposition 1 is not a replacement for this Mental Health Wellness Act funding
• They just can't be replaced with another $20 million that is for something completely different.
• The department also proposes to implement prior authorization and utilization management software for
• I had a question about the coalinga hydroponic loop replacement program appropriating 34.35 one-time
• The May Revision proposes replacing the current PBM registration requirement with a licensure mandate

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health held an informational hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, focusing first on the Commission on Behavioral Health, then EMSA, and then the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The Department of Finance said the state faces a third consecutive deficit and that the May Revision includes difficult trade-offs, including proposed eliminations or reversions of some behavioral health and public health funds. The LAO echoed concern about the structural deficit and said it was still awaiting some budget details before offering a full analysis. For the Commission on Behavioral Health, Finance proposed eliminating $20 million in Mental Health Wellness Act funds, arguing the money would help offset General Fund costs and noting future Proposition 1 innovation funding. The commission strongly opposed the cut, saying it would eliminate or delay launch-ready grants for early childhood supports, full-service partnerships, and peer respite, and would eventually end ongoing grant programming. Several advocates and commissioners testified that the funds support underserved communities and that Proposition 1 is not a substitute for the existing programs. The chair asked Finance to look for alternatives, but no vote was taken. EMSA presented mostly technical budget adjustments: increased authority for the California Poison Control System, a correction to EMSIS funding, and a reappropriation for enterprise services and data management. CDPH then reviewed a broader set of May Revision proposals, including reversions from the California Reducing Disparities Project, workforce development, STD prevention, hepatitis C prevention, hospice, and extreme heat funding, as well as a new generative AI pilot for health facility survey reporting. Members raised concerns about cuts to CRDP and gender health equity programs, especially because many grants are mid-contract and serve underserved communities; CDPH said the reversions were part of solving the deficit and that CRDP had been successful, while also clarifying that abortion.ca.gov would not be eliminated. Public comment was overwhelmingly opposed to the CRDP and related cuts, with many speakers describing the programs as life-saving and cost-effective. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that they'd no longer have to go through, you know, a corporate kind of tax preparation software that
• taxes can be filed for free, and that people in the middle-income range still have to use filing software
• They said people in that middle-income range still have to use filing software to file federal taxes,
• /c><01:08:23.520> filing<01:08:24.400> uh<01:08:25.199> uh<01:08:26.000> software
• <01:08:26.560> to um you know filing uh uh software to um you know filing uh uh software to

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• proposals already contain more workable transparency language that could be refined rather than replaced
• 30:47.280> refined<01:30:47.840> rather<01:30:48.159> than<01:30:48.480> replaced
• could be refined rather than replaced. could be refined rather than replaced.
• <04:43:23.760> our<04:43:24.000> heat, while we're trying to replace our heat, while
• we're trying to replace our heat, while<04:43:25.120> we<04:43:25.360> pray<04:43:25.600

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• artificial intelligence, requires health care professionals to disclose to the patient the use of such software
• necessity, delineates coverage standards encompassing multiple devices, materials, components, repair, replacement
• definition of artificial intelligence is specific in statute: an artificial system developed in computer software
• It deletes that and replaces it with language allowing a landowner to remove branches or roots extending
• It deletes that and replaces it with language stating that nothing in this article shall preclude a landowner

Bills: HR115, HR116, HR117, HR118, HR112, HR113, HR114, HCR51, HCR52, SCR18, SCR20, SB14, SB76, SB118, SB142, SB156, SB170, SB197, SB234, SB258, SB287, SB288, SB313, SB315, SB393, SB396, SB426, SB427, HCR7, HB76, HB84, HB132, HB181, HB210, HB250, HB265, HB275, HB291, HB322, HB342, HB457, HB475, HB477, HB486, HB616, HB635, HB639, HB690, HB740, HB757, HB761, HB766, HB774, HB808, HB855, HB866, HB872, HB883, HB886, HB903, HB949, HB962, HB996, HB1003, HB1036, HB1054, HB1071, HB1076, HB1078, HB1113, HB1132, HB1146, HB1232, HB1233, HR15, HR20, HCR14, HCR6, HCR19, HCR10, HR74, HCR26, HCR35, HB98, HB108, HB131, HB151, HB161, HB288, HB294, HB305, HB310, HB320, HB336, HB380, HB392, HB403, HB420, HB459, HB476, HB540, HB615, HB631, HB637, HB648, HB665, HB682, HB789, HB813, HB815, HB835, HB870, HB905, HB915, HB933, HB938, HB987, HB1040, HB51, HB82, HB143, HB145, HB160, HB180, HB192, HB393, HB430, HB445, HB506, HB515, HB521, HB565, HB590, HB614, HB638, HB670, HB672, HB685, HB692, HB752, HB773, HB781, HB799, HB860, HB874, HB887, HB917, HB937, HB956, HB965, HB972, HB977, HB982, HB1006, HB1010, HB1044, HB1072, HB1088, HB1179, HB1200, HB81, HB400, HB154, HB410, HB463, HB827, HB868, HB952, HB953, HB140, HB750, HB911, HB52, HB961, HB399, HB401, HB901, HB9, HB58, HB193, HB284, HB570, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB733

Keywords: Kappa Alpha Psi, fraternity, Louisiana, commemoration, community engagement, recognition, state championship, basketball, sports achievement, school commendation, commendation, athletics, team sports, youth, community recognition, water utility, tax credit, excessive rates, residential service, subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:45:57.839> vendors,<00:45:58.880> the accounting software vendors, the accounting
• software vendors, the Department<00:45:59.680> of<00:45:59.920> Education<00:46:01.040
• The other body's amendment replaces the bill language and title with the language of Senate Bill 45,
• 54.639> other<02:17:54.960> body's<02:17:55.359> amendment<02:17:56.160> replaces
• <02:17:57.280> the The other body's amendment replaces the The other body's amendment replaces

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The place that the hemp industry has filled has not replaced nor competed with T-Cup.
• One of my companies, Artis IQ, has spent millions creating compliance-first software programs for the
• One of my companies, Artis IQ, has spent millions creating compliance-first software programs for the
• Safe, tested products replaced by black market alternatives.
• My name is Ethan Yost, and I'm the founder of Euphoric, a hyperlocal delivery software company based

Bills: SB 3, HB28, SB3

Keywords: flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program, backup power, weather siren, emergency management, flood-prone area, warning system, hemp regulation, consumable products

Transcript Highlights:

• So we, ideally, a replacement plan for a State Police vehicle, we'd want to be looking at right around
• plan for um a state police replacement plan for um a state police vehicle<00:51:44.280> we'd<
• Then the expenses associated with our new software system, it's about an increase of about $5 million
• > uh<03:38:42.199> it's<03:38:42.399> about<03:38:42.720> an our new software
• system uh it's about an our new software system uh it's about an increase<03:38:43.239> of<03

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Safety presented an overview of highway fund and unrestricted revenue collections, focusing on the Division of Administration, the Road Toll Bureau, and the Division of Motor Vehicles. Amy Newbery explained that the main unrestricted funding sources are highway funds and general funds, with highway fund revenue of about $263 million in FY 2024 and a FY 2025 projection of $261.2 million. She said revenue growth has been modest and has not kept pace with costs, creating structural deficits that required general fund transfers of $50 million in FY 2022-23 and another $10 million in FY 2024-25 to balance the fund. Jennifer Hall described Road Toll operations, including motor fuel tax collection at the distributor level, compliance enforcement, and licensing for fuel distributors, transporters, IFTA carriers, and oil discharge/pollution control. Members asked about IFTA, dyed-fuel enforcement, the possibility of using the state forensic lab for dyed-fuel testing, and whether audit positions had been filled; the department said it recently hired a part-time fuel enforcement officer, still uses IRS testing, could explore lab testing, and had no audit vacancies. Hall also discussed factors affecting fuel-tax revenue, including gas prices, crude oil forecasts, weather, tourism, GDP, and inflation, and said FY 2024 road toll revenue was $127.5 million, above plan, with FY 2025 projected at $127.71 million. The committee then turned to DMV-related revenues. Newbery said motor vehicle registration revenue was $93.1 million in FY 2024 and is projected at $90.4 million in FY 2025, with the state share going directly to the highway fund. Members asked about the state/town fee split, the five-year registration cycle dip, the distribution of registration revenue by vehicle weight category, and the impact of electric-vehicle surcharges; the department said the five-year dip is still occurring and will fade over time, and it would follow up on the weight-category breakdown. The presentation also noted that driver-license revenues have stabilized, inspection revenues remain steady, plea-by-mail revenue was added to the highway fund in FY 2024, and general fund revenues tied to the department are relatively small and have declined as some functions moved to OPLC. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Item number one is $48,000 for a customer relationship software. There's no need to include that.
• <03:41:42.720> There's customer relationship software.
• There's customer relationship software.
• :41:47.600> has<03:41:48.080> has relationship software number one has has relationship
• it so they can replace the signs. it so they can replace the signs.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their collection software vendor disconnected from the county.
• companies. that sell sales tax compliance software suites and solutions to the the variety of small
• You're either going to have to go buy software, which could be prohibitively expensive, or invest in
• When I was with PricewaterhouseCoopers, I implemented software for sales and use tax.
• Cheap software implementation, if you're gonna use that.

Bills: HB134, HB135, HB 1109, HB 1243, HB1392, HB1399, HJR99, HB134, HB135

Keywords: sales tax, use tax, local tax, municipal tax, county tax, tax sourcing, place of business, principal business location, small business, retailer, marketplace seller, economic development agreement, Chapter 321, Chapter 323, Tax Code, Texas Comptroller, local sales and use tax, tax jurisdiction, order consummation, ship-to location

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have in place a lot of, you know, our Fast or our GenTax, which is our software that generates
• We also have in place a lot of, you know, our Fast or our GenTax, which is our software that generates
• <01:07:03.040> called actually developed the software called actually developed the software
• We also have our FAST, which is our software, and there's a system called FIVES.
• , and there's a which is our software, and there's a system<01:11:05.240> called<01:11:05.640>

Bills: HF1338

Keywords: Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, state oversight, government accountability, fraud, waste, abuse, audit, investigation, subpoena, whistleblower, public integrity, transparency, state agencies, executive branch, public funds, taxpayer funds, law enforcement oversight, public safety programs, advisory council

Transcript Highlights:

• Technicians today have to be as much capable of software-type technicians as auto technicians.
• today have to be as much of uh<00:15:55.840> capable<00:15:56.320> of<00:15:56.560> software
• <00:15:57.200> type<00:15:57.680> technicians uh capable of software type technicians
• uh capable of software type technicians as<00:15:58.480> well<00:15:58.680> as<00:15:59.160

Keywords: 00:36 Roll Call 02:26 SB 291 07:42 SB 291 Vote 10:39 SB 94 19:53 SB 94 Vote, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met with a quorum and began by noting several personal matters, including prayers for Senator Higdon’s family emergency and for Senator Smith’s daughter. The committee then heard Senate Bill 291, sponsored by Senator Storm, which would expand efforts to combat copper theft and related disruptions to broadband and telecommunications infrastructure. Storm said the bill builds on prior legislation by creating a statewide licensing and oversight system for recyclers, requiring licensing through the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Commission, and using the LeadsOnline database to connect law enforcement statewide. Testimony from representatives of River Metals Recycling and Charter Communications supported the bill as a public safety measure, while acknowledging added operational costs and compliance changes for recyclers. Members discussed the impact of copper theft on service outages, including a local example where theft disrupted internet service and affected homes, businesses, schools, and first responders. Senator Wheeler explained his vote by emphasizing the harm to children and businesses and the seriousness of the problem. The committee voted favorably on SB 291, with eight ayes, and reported it with the recommendation that it pass. The committee then took up Senate Bill 94, sponsored by Senator Wilson, with a committee substitute. The bill amends Kentucky’s motor vehicle franchise law to revise compensation for dealers’ warranty and qualifying repair work, establish more objective standards for reimbursement, and create a uniform process for labor-time disputes. Wilson and witnesses from the Kentucky Auto Dealers Association and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation described the measure as the product of extensive negotiation among dealers, manufacturers, and suppliers, aimed at updating compensation rules for increasingly complex vehicles and helping retain technicians. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted unanimously to report SB 94 favorably with the committee substitute attached.

Transcript Highlights:

• This permanently exempts the software developer supervisor in the Department of Taxation and the data
• 02.720> permanently<00:09:03.279> exempts<00:09:03.680> the<00:09:04.000> software
• This permanently exempts the software This permanently exempts the software developer<00:09:05.680

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Labor and Technology Committee heard testimony on several bills, mostly related to workers’ compensation, labor relations, retirement, and employment exemptions. HB 423 would clarify selection of certified rehabilitation providers and require automatic approval of vocational rehabilitation services when likely needed for suitable gainful employment; the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations supported the bill but requested timeline amendments, including advancing the plan within 90 days of the initial evaluation and filing it with the employer, employee, and director within two days. HB 480 would let an attending physician request a functional capacity exam without employer permission and deem licensed occupational and physical therapists qualified to perform such exams; it drew support from the department, the Hawaii Insurance Council, and the Hawaii Medical Association. HB 162 would expand the pool of interest arbitrators for collective bargaining disputes by allowing the HLRB to request a list from FMCS as well as the ABA, and testimony from labor groups supported that change. HB 164 concerned indebtedness to the state and wage deductions; HGA supported it with comments, while the Department of Accounting and General Services raised concerns about the percentage structure but said it could implement the requested changes. The committee also heard HB 1152, which would permanently exempt three specialized Department of Taxation positions from civil service; the department supported the measure and said the positions are not currently civil service positions. HB 214 would allow certain retirees to work in school resource officer or investigator roles without losing retirement benefits, subject to conditions; ERS expressed concerns about shortening the required separation period from 12 months to 6 months and about uniform administration and cost implications, while the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Education supported the bill, and the Department of Law Enforcement asked to include its investigators as well. HB 874 would amend the Uniform Custodial Trust Act for child performers, requiring trust accounts for minors meeting certain earnings thresholds and making misuse of funds a fiduciary breach; SAG-AFTRA Hawaii, HGEA, the Hawaii State AFL-CIO, and the Hawaii Nurses Association supported it, and members discussed that enforcement would likely need further research, possibly through labor or the film office. HB 159 would cap the civil service exemption for personal service contracts with qualified community rehabilitation programs at $850,000 in the aggregate per private person or entity; United Public Workers, HGEA, and the Hawaii State AFL-CIO supported it. No final votes were taken because the committee lacked quorum. After recessing and reconvening, the chair announced that decision-making on the agenda would be deferred to Wednesday, March 12 at 3:01 p.m. in Room 224.

Transcript Highlights:

• That meant that our public service hours were not there. software, there are processing times for filing
• We cannot attract enough attorneys to replace those who are leaving, and this results in our existing
• To replace 17 firearm and ammunition systems and databases.
• offices, so we're losing people too. those jobs and at the same time we're not getting new blood to replace

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, there are companies that do offer, you know, like the disaster cycle case management software or
• :51.839> management the disaster cycle case management the disaster cycle case management software
• software or preparedness type things. software or preparedness type things.
• the ones being treated as temporary are the ones being treated as temporary and<01:30:54.320> replaceable
• and replaceable. and replaceable.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met with a quorum, approved the August meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Dr. Jerry Brosky of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center. He described the Mesonet’s statewide weather network, now with 84 stations in 78 counties, real-time data used by the National Weather Service, mobile apps, and more than a billion observations. He said recent legislative funding has allowed upgrades such as soil temperature and moisture sensors, cameras at every site, and improved communications and power systems, and has enabled expansion into new counties. He also highlighted products used for flooding, drought, and heat safety, including a wet bulb globe temperature tool being developed with the Department of Public Health. In response to questions, he said counties interested in a station should contact his center, that a station typically costs about $50,000, and that the program is already considering a second Pike County site. The committee then heard from Ryan Drain of Blue Skies and Chris McGee of the American Red Cross on long-term disaster recovery and a software platform called Darcy, short for Disaster Aware and Ready Communities Initiative. McGee explained the Red Cross’s long-term recovery work, including support for recovery groups, direct financial assistance, grantmaking, and coordination with local and federal partners. He emphasized that disasters are occurring more frequently and with repeated impacts, and shared examples from Kentucky and other states showing the need for organized recovery and storm shelter support. Drain said Darcy was developed after the 2021 Mayfield-Graves tornado recovery to replace fragmented spreadsheets and PDFs with a centralized, survivor-led system for preparedness, response, and recovery, designed to improve coordination, reduce duplication, and shorten recovery time. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adoption of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• conversation about AI, which is that it is now at the point where for a lot of IT companies there's AI software
• conversation about AI, which is that it is now at the point where for a lot of IT companies there's AI software
• conversation about AI, which is that it is now at the point where for a lot of IT companies there's AI software
• conversation about AI, which is that it is now at the point where for a lot of IT companies there's AI software
• conversation about AI, which is that it is now at the point where for a lot of IT companies there's AI software

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met without a quorum, so the minutes were not approved. The main presentation was from retired economics professors John Garren and Dr. Kums, who discussed their Bluegrass Institute research on teacher compensation in Kentucky since the Kentucky Education Reform Act era. They said teacher base salaries, adjusted for inflation, have declined over the last decade, while state-paid “on-behalf” benefits such as pension and health insurance contributions have risen sharply; they argued total teacher compensation has increased modestly overall, but less than per-pupil funding. They also presented broader context on staffing growth, declining average daily attendance, Kentucky’s low share of teachers among total school staff, and flat or weak NAEP and ACT performance trends, including widening white-Black score gaps on NAEP. Members questioned the methodology and interpretation of the compensation figures. Representative Bojanowski argued the on-behalf calculations may overstate teacher compensation because they include insurance and pension costs that also benefit classified employees and retirees, and he asked for clarification on the denominator used to derive the per-teacher amount. Representative Truit said the presentation could be misleading if it implies teachers earn $94,000 in salary, and he objected to framing pension stabilization payments as teacher pay. The presenters responded that they were using total compensation, not salary alone, said they had divided total personnel-related on-behalf payments by the relevant staff count, and promised to review and send a technical explanation. Representative Truit and Chairman Typton both emphasized that compensation should be viewed as salary plus benefits, not salary alone, and noted that pension contributions are part of the cost of employing teachers. The presenters said their intent was to show the full compensation package and its relevance to labor supply and teacher shortages, not to claim that individual teachers earn the total compensation figure as salary. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the decision to revisit the minutes at a later meeting due to the lack of quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um there's software, you know, we've had a lot of litigation about the software and how these records
• Um there's software,<02:30:43.120> you<02:30:43.200> know,<02:30:43.280> we've<02
• :30:43.520> had<02:30:43.680> a<02:30:43.840> lot<02:30:43.920> of software
• <02:30:44.800> the<02:30:44.960> software<02:30:45.280> and<02:30:45.439>
• how litigation about the software and how litigation about the software and how these<02:30:45.840

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation by Rabbi Ari Goldstein, whose remarks were journalized at the request of the senator from District 33. The chamber then recognized the doctor of the day, Dr. Maryann Lamont, for her 50 years in medicine and her work in neurology and stroke care, and also thanked a legislative aide, Samantha Briggs, who is leaving for law school. The presiding officer noted a quorum was present and moved into the day’s floor work. The Senate handled several messages and committee reports, including a conference committee appointment on Senate Bill 18, which concerns provisional social work licensure. In Finance, the chamber advanced Senate Bill 246 on Health Services Cost Review Commission member terms, Senate Bill 370 on acupuncture board revisions, Senate Bill 564 creating a Division of Data Protection in the Attorney General’s office and a related work group, Senate Bill 782 on telecommunications infrastructure protections, Senate Bill 808 on health insurance provider panel requirements, Senate Bill 849 on agricultural equipment warranties, Senate Bill 867 on the Maryland Aerospace and Technology Commission, and Senate Bill 982 on mutual insurance holding companies converting back to mutual insurers. Most of these bills were reported favorably with technical or conforming amendments, which were adopted without objection, and each was ordered printed for third reading. The committee also considered several House bills with Senate cross-files or identical measures. These included House Bill 118 on money transmitter licensing, House Bills 339 and 512 on Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners compensation, House Bill 1100 on telecommunications infrastructure protections, House Bill 1395 on agricultural equipment warranties, House Bill 1473 creating Maryland’s Future Board, House Bill 226 on Department of Disabilities housing programs, House Bill 278 codifying the Longevity Ready Maryland plan, and House Bill 746 on collaborative care model coverage and cost-sharing limits. In each case, the committee reports were adopted, amendments were approved where offered, and the bills were advanced to third reading or passed for third reading, with no recorded opposition on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• President Biden replaced that executive order.
• and international standards<03:56:32.920> each<03:56:33.199> year<03:56:34.000> software
• <03:56:34.560> developers standards each year software developers standards each year software
• security vulnerabilities<03:56:41.040> in<03:56:41.279> computer<03:56:41.720> software
• <03:56:42.159> and vulnerabilities in computer software and vulnerabilities in computer software

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 3, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in taxpayer dollars just to be able to implement what the state is now requiring, that the state software
• in taxpayer dollars just to be able to implement what the state is now requiring, that the state software
• in taxpayer dollars just to be able to implement what the state is now requiring, that the state software
• /c><00:36:57.839> State requiring that that the uh State requiring that that the uh State software
• cannot do um and then also has software cannot do um and then also has to<00:37:01.280> do<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee met to hear a presentation from the Commissioner of Revenue on Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan’s tax proposal, with members told no public testimony would be taken because bill language was not yet available. The commissioner said the proposal would lower the statewide sales tax rate by 0.75 percentage points while expanding sales tax to selected professional services such as legal, brokerage, banking, and accounting, with several carve-outs. He emphasized that the plan would not add business-to-business sales taxes, arguing that taxing business inputs leads to tax pyramiding and higher hidden consumer costs. The commissioner said the rate cut would be the first sales tax rate cut in state history and estimated it at about $95 million annually, while the service expansions would raise about $203 million to $205 million annually, for a net increase of roughly $110 million per year. He said the proposal is part of the governor’s broader budget, which he described as addressing long-term structural deficits and funding other priorities such as an R&D credit, an expanded sustainable aviation fuel credit, fraud prevention, and service-member retention bonuses. He also said the carve-outs and exemptions would be reflected in the revenue estimate. Members questioned whether the proposal was truly a tax cut or instead a tax increase, and several asked for a revenue-neutral rate if all or more services were taxed. One member raised concerns about how pro bono legal work with a fee would be treated, and another asked about possible streamlining issues and whether fees are treated as taxes in statute. The commissioner said a fee would be taxable depending on the arrangement and that the department would review the language carefully once drafted. He also said the department would provide more detailed estimates later, including what the rate would be if the tax were made revenue neutral. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing that we'd be dealing with is the software manufacturers. I know...
• The Association of Counties certainly provided us with letters from the major software providers for
• We have a lot of costs associated with software updating and the amount of labor that would go into making

Bills: SB2397

Keywords: oil and gas, tax exemption, development incentive wells, gross production tax, flaring, 908, all

Summary: The Senate Finance and Tax Committee met and first took up House Bill 1382, the gas tax bill. Members explained an amendment to ensure that the proposed three-cent gas tax distribution would include all counties and townships in oil-producing counties, rather than excluding non-oil-producing counties as in the original draft. The committee adopted the amendment unanimously, but then held the bill for the time being because of related work on the Department of Transportation budget in the House. The committee then turned to House Bill 1168, a large hoghouse amendment that combined the bill with the contents of House Bill 1176 and added technical corrections. The proposal would raise the primary residence property tax credit maximum from $1,250 to $1,650, keep the 75% cap with a $500 floor, and extend the credit to voter-approved levies while excluding special assessments. Other changes discussed included aligning the disabled veterans property tax credit with the $200,000 exemption level, adjusting budget and distribution dates so taxing districts are made whole sooner, exempting townships from a general-election vote requirement for levy increases, and modifying school funding formulas so schools are not shortchanged if mill levies are reduced under the cap. Testimony from the Association of Counties and the State Supervisor of Assessments was generally supportive of the technical cleanup and implementation changes, but they raised concerns about the June 1 distribution date, application timing, and the practicality of some programming and administrative changes. Committee members also discussed the policy and messaging implications of the 75%/floor structure and the difficulty of applying the credit to certain voter-approved levies. No final action was taken on House Bill 1168; the committee agreed to continue working on amendments and recessed until later in the day.