Transcript Highlights:

• Notable developments include the construction of our second fire station within the community, a new
• OVG is the contract company managing the event center. The income budget was $309,502.
• Financial obligations incurred for the construction of a qualified hotel project.
• We currently have a convention center that has already been constructed in the City of Harlingen.
• Initially constructed, they went out for certificates of obligation. It was a prior administration.

Bills: HB 1039, HB2289, HB2370, HB2404, HB3066, HB3076, HB3117, HB3118, HB3169, HB3178, HB3179, HB3182, HB3196, HB3241, HB3377, HB3500, HB3567, HB3715, HB3954, HB4098, HB4109, HB4222, HB4226, HB4412, HB4659, HB4682, HB4683, HB4755, HB4926, HB5165, HB5562, HB5596

Keywords: hotel occupancy tax, municipal revenue, tax authority, border counties, tax legislation, municipalities, hotel tax revenue, convention centers, economic development, local government authority, HB 2370, HOT tax, venue projects, convention center, municipal finance, local government code, Section 334.0082, tourism tax, debt financing, bond repayment

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, to award a contract, um, we're anticipating that that contract will be awarded, uh, sometime this
• to honor the bargained contract.
• I mean, when you layer the construction that is happening, huge amount of construction just in this vicinity
• We were out of a contract for four years with no raises.
• We have already negotiated a contract.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by the Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Innovation, House Bill 2457 allows the utility to construct
• Madam Whip, members, House Bill 2496 requires any construction contract that a revitalization district
• Madam Wippon members, Household 2496 requires any construction contract that a revitalization district
• enters into to include provisions relating to allowing this. contract that a revitalization district
• Seeing none, no bills contracting sales tax. Haven't answered any questions. Questions for staff?

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting was a rapid review of a very large bill package, with the chair repeatedly asking staff to keep descriptions high level and many bills placed on third-read consent or consent calendars. A major theme was artificial intelligence: bills would require minors to be told when they are interacting with AI, allow AI-assisted divorce arbitration by consent, create an AI education program, privilege certain AI communications, and require K-12 instruction on ethical and practical AI use. Other education measures addressed school district superintendents, health instruction, anti-Semitism prohibitions, fetal development standards, and school safety, including a bill allowing concealed firearms on school grounds under specified conditions. Several health and public safety bills were also discussed. These included funding and oversight measures for childhood cancer research, nursing care complaint timelines, firefighter cancer data collection, limits on pharmacy penalties, and a bill making it a felony to administer abortion-inducing drugs without consent. Members also heard bills on overtime wage enforcement, domestic violence evidence standards in parenting cases, probation limits for dangerous crimes against children, and a measure expanding manslaughter liability to online encouragement of teen suicide. One sponsor strongly opposed a provisional medical licensing bill for foreign-trained applicants, while other sponsors emphasized rural health access, nurse anesthetist reimbursement parity, and the need for a dental board member who is an oral surgeon. A large portion of the meeting focused on water, land, energy, and state agency oversight. Bills would streamline or change rules for small modular reactors, new power plants, water supply determinations, groundwater transportation fees, water hauling, and state land disposition. Members also considered measures affecting the State Land Department, including audits, oversight boards, continuation, land-use maps for data centers and energy projects, and rules for mineral leases and solar or wind siting. Other topics included wildlife and ranching, Mexican wolf policy, annexation, housing and development incentives, transportation and towing rules, digital driver licenses, and a proposed four-year moratorium on municipal and county fee, tax, and utility-rate increases, which drew questions about stakeholder input and the impact on enterprise funds and local utilities. No recorded roll-call votes were taken in the transcript; most items were simply presented, briefly discussed, and left on consent or calendar status, with one bill noted as held in rules and another pulled for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1585 by Hughes, relating to prohibition on governmental contracts with companies of foreign
• Senate Bill 1589 by Hancock, relating to the contract requirements for a contract between a single source
• Senate Bill 1612 by Johnson, relating to construction contract trust funds to business and commerce.
• Senate Bill 1614 by Johnson, relating to the payment of funds under construction contracts to business
• Senate Bill 1615 by Johnson, relating to the application of funds under construction contracts to business

Summary: The Senate convened, adopted a motion by Senator Zaffirini to suspend Senate Rule 11.13 so committees could meet during the reading and referral of bills, and then proceeded to first reading and committee referral of a large number of measures. The bills covered a wide range of topics, including judicial qualifications, alcohol sales at racing facilities, health care provider participation programs, abandoned land receiverships, local mental health authority governance, school trustee employment eligibility, DFPS review procedures, groundwater district management plans, early voting by mail, contracts with companies from foreign adversaries, wastewater permitting, nondisclosure provisions involving child sexual abuse, child abuse reporting, veterans’ claims assistance, hotel occupancy tax collection by accommodations intermediaries, apprenticeship grants, Sunset Commission renaming, health care entity ownership reporting, firearms and school trespass offenses, water trust and water bank issues, construction contract trust funds and payments, Medicaid recoupment, colonia real estate contracts, epinephrine use in schools, forensic analyst apprenticeship training, online ticket sales disclosures, and public water system security incident reporting. The chamber also received and read several resolutions, including SCR 27 authorizing burial of Guy Herman in the State Cemetery, SCR 28 urging Congress to propose a constitutional amendment on regulating money in campaigns and ballot measures, SCR 29 designating El Paso as the official boot capital of Texas, and multiple joint resolutions. Those included proposals on county tax exemptions for rainwater harvesting and graywater systems, creation of a Texas Health Care Workforce Education Fund, authorization of sports wagering, dedication of state tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund, a statewide referendum on standard time versus daylight saving time, and clarification of impeachment-trial and removal provisions for public officers. After the readings and referrals, the Senate adjourned until 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 11.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if it's moving, if it's new construction, I'm happy with that.
• The way I look at it, that's already a contract that's already done. This would be moving forward.
• So, the question is, can someone go in and have a section of land lock up a $10,000 per year contract
• They're gonna go buy all of that land, and in that Anticipation lock up that contract and then leave
• The cost of construction has exploded over the last five years.

Bills: SB1246, SB1510, SB1979, SB1929, SB1930, SB1976

Keywords: environmental permitting, Oklahoma, Department of Environmental Quality, public participation, regulatory framework, administered applications, energy, wind energy, financial assurance, property restoration, environmental regulation, mining, blasting, residential protection, buffer zone, Department of Mines, public utilities, electric transmission lines, landowner rights, payment regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• And the construction of a visitor center on the site to provide educational resources, exhibitions, and
• Uh, this committee substitute for House Bill 3556 requires any person who seeks to construct a structure
• Such notice must include sufficient detail about the construction to allow the department to evaluate
• The only change in the substitute as compared to the introduced is to exempt structures constructed for
• for contracts in excess of $100,000.

Transcript Highlights:

• So construction or building expansion, purchasing or significant retrofitting of buildings, cosmetic
• CMS won't allow us in order to execute that contract. We can't obligate that funding.
• CMS won't allow us in order to execute that contract.
• We could use a full-time FTE or we could contract through— They could be temp employees.
• We could use a full-time FTE or we could contract through them.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Appropriations Division met in a work session on the draft Rural Health Transformation appropriations bill, 25.1392.01000, with no public testimony taken. Legislative Council and the Department of Health and Human Services walked through the bill, which would appropriate about $397.8 million in federal grant funds over two federal fiscal years, provide transfer authority, allow certain federal funds to be used for salaries and wages without counting against existing transfer limits, and authorize OMB to adjust other agencies’ spending authority if they receive grant awards through HHS. The bill also includes several temporary statutory exemptions to help implement the program, plus recipient acknowledgement/reporting requirements, periodic reports to Legislative Management, and an immediate effective date upon filing. Committee discussion focused heavily on how the federal rural health transformation money can be used and administered. Department officials explained that CMS will review projects for allowability and sustainability, that the state has flexibility to move funds among categories, and that the grant is limited to 10% administrative costs. Members asked about whether the funding could support renovations, equipment, ambulances, bulk purchasing, food distribution, and other rural health ideas, and were told many details will depend on CMS approval and the eventual applications. Questions also addressed cash flow, timing of obligations and reimbursements, FTE funding, and whether grant recipients should be told the program will not continue beyond the federal period; officials said the language is meant to prevent expectations of automatic continuation, not to bar future legislative action. The committee also discussed the bill’s use of a two-year appropriation amount, with staff explaining that the state must appropriate enough authority to cover the federal grant cycle and that unused authority would lapse if the full amount is not received or spent. Members raised concerns about whether the bill’s language could limit creativity or future program design, but department officials and several members emphasized the need for flexibility because CMS may reject overly specific directives. After discussion, the committee voted to recommend the bill draft to the full committee; the motion carried on a roll call vote, and the chair said the full Joint Appropriations Committee would take up the bill at the special session next week.

Transcript Highlights:

• is language from House File 3900 and the A6 amendment, and what this does is it is for the tribal contract
• schools, of which there are four in Minnesota, and it provides for those tribal contract schools an
• of in total to each of the four to each of in total to each of the four tribal<00:06:49.560> contract
• fund to the operating construction fund to the operating capital<00:08:11.920> account.
• transfer from the building construction transfer from the building construction fund,<00:08:21.680

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The conference committee on Senate File 4282 met with a quorum present and heard a walkthrough of the bill, which contains forecast adjustments for several agencies. Senate staff explained that Article 1 makes education forecast adjustments for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, Article 2 adjusts appropriations for the Department of Human Services, Article 3 does the same for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, and Article 4 increases special transportation services funding for Metropolitan Council programs including Metro Mobility and Metro Move by $8.9 million in FY 2026 and $10.9 million in FY 2027 to match the February forecast. House staff noted that the House language matched Article 1 but did not include Articles 2 through 4. Representative Youakim presented amendment A26-0180, describing six sections that add provisions on paraprofessional qualifications, aid for tribal contract schools tied to revised permanent school fund distributions, expanded allowable uses of school operating capital revenue to include certain utility costs, an extension of an existing appropriation for gender-neutral single-use restrooms, and two school district fund transfer provisions for West St. Paul/Mendota Heights/Eagan and Maple Lake. Members discussed that several items were no-cost and that some fund transfer language had been previously discussed in committee. The amendment was adopted on an 8-0 roll call vote. After adopting the amendment, the committee voted on the bill as amended. The conference committee agreement for Senate File 4282 passed on an 8-0 vote, and the meeting was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are a flood protection authority that is well versed in open meetings, public works contracting, and
• That contract was egregious in nature. It included up to 12 years of a term at one point.
• Vicari's admission that he signed a contract written by his own employee is grounds for him to not be
• And so first of that is construction.
• and the work that we do to support the construction industry across the department and the processes

Summary: The committee first adopted Amendment Set 527 without objection, then adopted Amendment Set 5327, which adds a compliance officer requirement and related qualifications for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority. Supporters of Senate Bill 56 argued that the Lafitte levee district lacks sufficient recurring revenue to maintain its system and that the West Bank flood authority could provide professional management, coordination, and financial support. Testimony also raised concerns about governance problems at SLFPA East and about unresolved landowner damage claims tied to prior levee work. The committee reported SB 56 favorably with amendments. The Department of Transportation and Development secretary then gave an update on the agency’s transformation initiatives, including outsourcing, construction process improvements, faster contractor payments, quicker change-order approvals, and higher project delivery rates. The committee next reported Senate Bill 171 favorably, which cleans up language for the recreation, economy, navigation, and transportation authority board, and Senate Bill 252 favorably, which allows driver’s license records to reflect both acceptance and refusal of anatomical gift authorization. Senate Bill 72, dealing with electronic vehicle titles and registration, was amended extensively to modernize OMV processes, require electronic lien and title functions for certain users, and set implementation timelines; it was then reported with amendments. House Bill 939, which would create a Louisiana Vehicle Commission by consolidating the motor vehicle commissions, was amended with a substitute but then voluntarily deferred to allow more stakeholder work. Senate Bill 129, creating a Master Combat Infantry Specialty license plate and adding a special plate provision for designated state officials tied to Supreme Court parking/security concerns, was reported with amendments. Finally, House Resolution 243, urging safety warning signage on the Tickfaw River after a fatal boating accident, was amended to shift responsibility to parish governing authorities and was reported with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:27.840> facil sign um uh memo use and contracts facil sign um uh memo use and contracts
• Uh, it is 10% complete construction.
• Uh foundation work has construction.
• And that's the end of our capital construction update.
• If you'all have any construction update.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary met without a quorum and heard an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on the judicial branch budget. AOC Director Zach Ramsey and budget director Carol Henderson outlined the branch’s current funding structure, noting that fiscal year 2026 general fund support is about 2.77% of the state general fund, below the National Center for State Courts’ typical 2% to 4% range. They emphasized Kentucky’s unusual responsibility for courthouse facilities, with the judicial branch directly involved in construction, maintenance, and operations across 229 facilities in all 120 counties. AOC said nearly 91% of its general fund is spent on personnel and other non-discretionary costs, and that the branch has long relied on agency revenue, restricted fund carryforwards, and vacancy credits to balance court operations. Members were told that Senate Bill 25 required a $34.5 million transfer into a reserve account, part of which was used to purchase the Chamberlain Avenue building in Frankfort. AOC reported that only $11.9 million remains in restricted funds, while it projects needing about $13.5 million to cover fiscal year 2026 obligations, not including roughly $9 million in flood-related remediation costs for Hardin and Franklin counties, much of which it expects to recover through insurance and FEMA. Looking ahead to the next biennium, AOC said it will seek full funding of court operations at $341 million annually, a $13.5 million increase to bring current services into the base appropriation rather than relying on reserves. It also previewed additional requests, including a 15% across-the-board pay parity plan for Kentucky Court of Justice personnel, replacement of declining master commissioner fee revenue tied to 141 deputy circuit court clerk positions, funding for technology subscription and case management system costs, JAV audiovisual system upgrades, AEDs and medical kits for courthouses, and other staffing and operational needs. Senator Funky Frommeyer asked whether the 15% salary proposal was included in the $13.5 million increase; AOC said it was not, and that it would be an additional request. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when design is awarded now about 2 years down the road, we add the construction to that future bond
• Our current vendor is Trinity Unity Construct, I think we all know it formally as eBuilder.
• Whatever stage of construction or design that they may be now.
• Tracking of their progress and then as we move into construction.
• within the construction program.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first few months would be for bids and contracts, and then construction would hopefully start.
• The first few months would be for bids and contracts, and then construction would hopefully start in
• The state laboratory was constructed. Since that 2020 plan, the State Laboratory was constructed.
• Each year, about 100 buildings are being constructed or modified.
• So when construction occurs, the building code must apply.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there a skilled construction workforce? Minnesota has that.
• We haven't signed any contracts at this point.
• We haven't signed any contracts at this point.
• the preparation and the actual construction.
• decades my so the after it's constructed decades my so the after it's constructed so<00:59:47.520

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It was providing pathways, if you will, for ease of contracting with utilities.
• We have 673 active construction projects right now. That's just construction.
• And then once the right-of-way is done, we fund construction.
• Traditionally, to get from a conceived idea to construction, it takes 15 to 20 years.
• is building the initial construction of I-4, adding new lanes... ...week is building the initial construction

Summary: The committee heard introductory remarks from Chair LaMarca and members, then received presentations on electric utility planning, transportation infrastructure, and broadband deployment. Public Service Commission staff explained how Florida’s utilities plan for reliability and cost through 10-year site plans, demand forecasting, and economic dispatch. The presentation emphasized Florida’s residential-heavy load, growing EV demand, expanding solar and battery storage, continued reliance on natural gas combined-cycle plants, and the role of nuclear power. Members asked about energy efficiency, rates, renewable options beyond solar, cybersecurity, grid resilience, data centers, and small modular nuclear reactors; the witness said efficiency programs are reviewed every five years, utilities must balance reliability and affordability, and large new loads like data centers generally must pay for their own infrastructure needs. Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue described FDOT’s five-year work program, decentralized district structure, and funding mix, noting that the agency is predominantly state-funded and prioritizes maintenance and preservation before expansion. He highlighted record investment levels, major congestion-relief projects, toll-road revenues, seaport and airport partnerships, spaceport investments, workforce and equipment needs, and emerging technology such as advanced air mobility. Members asked about project timing, MPO planning, rail and ferry funding, airport governance, winter storm preparedness, and flooding/sea-level rise; Perdue said faster delivery depends on resources, local governments lead transit operations with FDOT as a capital partner, and coastal and drainage projects are designed around storm surge and resiliency. The Office of Broadband reported on six grant programs supporting infrastructure, community facilities, digital connectivity, and future digital capacity and broadband expansion. Director Leo Garcia said the office has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars across most counties, leveraged significant private investment, and focused heavily on rural areas. He noted that broadband efforts are intended to support telehealth, education, workforce development, and economic growth, and said the state has reduced the number of unserved locations from more than 400,000 to a projected 170,000 after current awards are completed. He also said the office needs additional budget authority for the upcoming digital capacity program and that the larger federal/state broadband deployment program will be used to reach remaining unserved and underserved areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, the city of Stockton recently canceled its contracts with artists selected for murals.
• What we created wasn't construction; it was culture.
• of them—even a million dollars involving a lot of work that was construction work.
• It's all construction work, and it needs to be, how do you say, overseen.
• State building and construction trades, and also asked to speak on behalf of the painters.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an interesting contract.
• We're averaging 145 million roughly per year. contract. Uh it's I think the only one contract.
• Uh I second provider for this contract.
• were provided uh with the contract were provided uh with the contract provided<00:08:03.520>
• Descertifying construction can begin.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:00 Approve Minutes from November 13, 2025- 00:00:55 RiverLink Tolling Operations for Louisville Bridges-Quarterhill Testimony- 00:01:48 Staff Report on Veterans’ Centers- 00:26:45 Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Response to Staff Report- 0:58:53 Adjournment- 1:18:00, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the November 13, 2025 meeting and then heard testimony from Quarter Hill, the tolling subcontractor for RiverLink on the Indiana-Kentucky bridge system. Quarter Hill described its role in back-office support and call center operations for the Lincoln, Kennedy, and Lewis and Clark bridges, and said the contract began in 2021 with go-live in September 2023. The company reported that revenue has increased since it took over, customer service response times have improved, and it has been operating at a loss because the contract was based on outdated transaction estimates and did not account for higher-than-expected volume and added support costs. Members questioned Quarter Hill about the role of consultants, the low reported collection rate, and why the company was leaving the contract. Quarter Hill said a single large consulting engineering firm had been hired to help shape the RFP and contract, but argued that consultants and overly detailed requirements can create disputes and hinder efficient service. On collection rates, the company said the reported 85% rate reflects the absence of registration holds and other enforcement tools, and that the remaining unpaid tolls are the hardest to collect. The company also said it had lost significant money on the contract and had reached a change order and termination agreement, while emphasizing that the system itself was functioning well. The committee then received a staff report on Kentucky veterans centers. Staff said quality of care is generally high and staffing has improved, but reported occupancy figures are misleading because they are based on certified beds rather than functional capacity after conversions to single-occupancy rooms and capital projects. The report said actual occupancy is closer to 85% than the commonly reported 56%, and that increasing occupancy would not necessarily increase revenue because the state’s cost of care exceeds reimbursement and private-pay revenue. Recommendations included adopting functional occupancy reporting, continuing the move to single-occupancy rooms, reviewing modernization needs at Thompson Hood, including Eastern Kentucky in planning, and referring the Radcliffe HVAC procurement and installation to the Auditor of Public Accounts and Attorney General for review.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd have to look back on the specifics of the contract, but the way the contract is structured, from
• Those contracts expire in 2026, but we're talking about extending those contracts.
• Contracts expire in 2026, but we're talking about extending those contracts.
• about extending those contracts.
• public contract code, and the contracting requirements of Article 4—you're asking for exemptions for

Summary: The hearing was an informational budget session on energy agency proposals, with no votes taken. Early discussion focused on Proposition 4 climate bond implementation, including funding for demand-side grid support, offshore wind development, and transmission financing. The Department of Finance said the budget includes allocations for demand-side grid support and offshore wind, but not yet for the $325 million transmission financing piece pending a required study. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the Legislature to consider whether to wait on offshore wind funding, whether to keep shifting funds into demand-side grid support, and how to direct future transmission financing. Members also raised concerns about local technical assistance for offshore wind, Salton Sea priorities, and the need for more information before final decisions. The California Energy Commission and CPUC then reviewed the broader energy package. The CEC highlighted the demand-side grid support program’s growth, distributed energy backup assets, long-duration storage, hydrogen grants, and the SIRP clean energy reliability program. CPUC testimony emphasized affordability, wildfire mitigation costs, rooftop solar cost shifts, and efforts to reduce rates while maintaining reliability and clean energy goals. Members questioned CPUC staffing, delays in proceedings, coordination with the CEC and CAISO, and the impact of rate increases on customers. The agencies also discussed the AB 3264 transmission financing study, with CPUC saying work on the study had already begun and was on track for the July 1 deadline. Several trailer bill and implementation items were also discussed. The committee reviewed a proposal to extend the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program surcharge, with members split over whether it should be handled in budget trailer bill language or policy legislation; the administration said the surcharge supports a critical program serving about three-quarters of a million Californians. The committee also heard a CPUC data-sharing proposal to allow nondisclosure agreements for transmission and reliability data, which members generally supported as a technical fix. DWR explained a proposal to clarify language for the Electricity Supply Strategic Reliability Reserve so it can potentially sell three gas-fired units it owns, and the CEC presented a federal transmission grant proposal tied to grid-enhancing technologies and ratepayer cost recovery. Finally, the committee discussed California Lifeline and possible broadband pilot reforms in light of uncertainty around federal Universal Service Fund support, with CPUC saying it is exploring a statewide standalone broadband option for eligible customers.

Transcript Highlights:

• So their contract would continue as their contract is. [00:15:25.000] Their contract is with the school
• So their contract would continue as their contract is between the teachers through their union with the
• construction payment process by... ...to simply simplify the construction payment process by mandating
• I’m a 33-year construction lawyer in the first class of board-certified construction lawyers back in
• It’s not objectionable to me as a construction lawyer.

Summary: The committee heard and acted on a long agenda of local, housing, education, construction, and claims bills. It first took up SB 1730 on affordable housing/Live Local changes, adopting an amendment that narrowed and clarified several provisions, including density, height, parking, attorney fees, and exclusions for certain protected areas, then reported the bill favorably. It also approved SB 1674, which clarifies that local investment restrictions cannot block Israel bonds, after a clarifying amendment. SB 140 on charter schools was reported favorably after significant debate over school conversion, teacher contracts, local control, and the use of surplus school property for housing or other public purposes; several speakers opposed it as harmful to public schools, while the sponsor said it preserved district authority and added options for municipalities and job creation. The committee also passed SB 96 and SB 4, two local claims bills, and SB 1714, which allows SHIP funds to help mobile home owners with lot rent and requires local housing plans to address mobile home park closures.

Transcript Highlights:

• contracts and the increasing cost of project inputs.
• Is the risk factor adding contracting cost?
• The construction should be completed later this summer.
• Construction should be complete sometime this summer.
• During that time, there was record construction inflation.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those contracts expire in 2026, but we're talking about extending those contracts.
• We're talking about extending those contracts.
• I'm not aware of discussions to extend those contracts.
• The three of the four exemptions that you're looking for—the state contracting manual, the public contract
• I mean, especially the contract exemptions.

Keywords: 988, house, all