Transcript Highlights:

• It's cash and treasury, so it looks like it's donations and interest in parking meters... need if we
• It is supported with just the funds outlined here, some donations and things of that nature.
• With just the funds outlined here, some donations and things of that nature.
• And if people want to donate to something like that, let’s be specific that this is a fund specifically
• I myself may want to donate to it, but I wouldn’t know what it’s actually going for.

Summary: The committee heard a series of Arkansas Department of Human Services budget presentations and questions, beginning with the Secretary’s Office and then the Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services. Staff described the divisions’ appropriations, funding sources, and major programs, including senior centers, Meals on Wheels, mental health grants, substance abuse treatment, community alcohol safety, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, and crisis stabilization units. Members raised concerns about flat or limited funding for senior services, the use and tracing of federal block grants, the lack of a funding source for the veterans’ mental health grant, and the mechanics of the community alcohol safety and treatment programs. The committee also discussed patient benefits funds at state facilities, transportation for senior center clients, and whether some special-language appropriations or fund balances should be revisited. Executive recommendations were adopted for the divisions considered. The committee then reviewed the Division of Children and Family Services and the Division of County Operations. Questions focused on foster care growth, adoption subsidies, professional fees tied to staff training and onboarding, vacancies, the Children’s Trust Fund, and TANF subgrants. Members asked about the reduction or elimination of TANF funding to child advocacy centers and other subgrantees, and DHS explained that prior reserves had been spent down and that the department was now trying to live within the annual TANF block grant and rebuild reserves. County operations questions also covered summer EBT, SNAP employment and training, the farmers’ market program, and the expected impact of a federal SNAP administrative match change, which DHS estimated would increase state costs by about $24 million annually, with roughly $18 million affecting the current year because the change begins October 1. Executive recommendations were again adopted. Finally, the committee heard from the Division of Developmental Disability Services and the Division of Medical Services. DDS testimony covered vacancies, staffing shortages, human development center construction and repairs, the reopening of the Boonville work training program, and funding for infant infirmary and child/family life programs. Medical Services testimony covered the Medicaid program, the current FMAP rate, the Our Kids B CHIP program, Medicaid payments to schools, nursing home distress funding, and large appropriation lines used to provide flexibility for claims and potential facility closures. Members asked for more detail on school Medicaid payments, reserve balances, and why some appropriations were much larger than actual spending. In each division, the committee moved and adopted Executive REC after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is supported with just the funds outlined here, some donations and things of that nature.
• With just the funds outlined here, some donations and things of that nature.
• And if people want to donate to something like that, let’s be specific that this is a fund specifically
• I myself may want to donate to it, but I wouldn’t know what it’s actually going for.
• So if we can be more clearly defined in it, maybe people will continue to donate to it, because that’

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and took executive recommendations on several Department of Human Services divisions, including Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services; Children and Family Services; County Operations; Developmental Disability Services; and Medical Services, with most divisions showing little or no significant change in total appropriations. Staff and agency witnesses repeatedly explained that many large appropriations are maintained for flexibility, federal matching requirements, or contingency needs, even when actual spending is much lower than the authorized amount. Members also raised concerns about staffing vacancies, long-vacant budgeted positions, and the use of excess appropriation authority across DHS. In Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health, members questioned federal funding levels for mental health and substance abuse grants, the status of senior centers and Meals on Wheels, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, community alcohol safety grants, and the veterans mental health grant. Agency officials said federal block grants are largely committed, that senior center funding had been delayed by shutdown timing but was now back on track, that the tobacco settlement program had been moved internally within DHS, and that the veterans mental health appropriation remains unfunded. Senators also criticized the adequacy of support for seniors and asked for more detail on how transportation, meal services, and local contributions are funded. In Children and Family Services, members asked about rising appropriation levels, foster care and adoption subsidies, professional fees, the number of children in foster care, and the Children’s Trust Fund. DHS said increases reflect added flexibility for residential treatment, adoption subsidies, and prevention services, while the foster care population has remained fairly steady at about 3,400 children. The Children’s Trust Fund was described as supporting primary prevention programs such as Baby and Me and community schools, and members asked whether it could be administratively combined with other efforts. Questions also covered TANF subgrants, with DHS explaining that it had reduced outside subgrants after discovering over-obligation and was rebuilding reserves. In County Operations, members focused on the summer EBT program, SNAP employment and training, the farmer’s market program, and the state’s TANF reserve position. DHS said summer EBT is still being funded through temporary appropriations because it is a newer program, SNAP employment and training is largely federally funded and may expand under a pending policy change, and TANF reserves were drawn down after prior over-obligation but are now being stabilized. In Developmental Disability Services, members asked about vacancies, human development center staffing, facility construction funds, and the Booneville work program, and DHS said the program has reopened and staffing recruitment continues. In Medical Services, members asked about FMAP, the Our Kids B CHIP program, school-based Medicaid reimbursements, nursing home distress funds, and several large appropriation lines that far exceed actual spending; DHS said these are maintained for claims payment, nursing home receivership contingencies, and other flexibility needs. Each division reviewed was adopted by executive recommendation after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had an entire pallet of chainsaws that were donated, disappear. overnight.
• We also accept at least 80 tons of donations from the community support.
• management, and financial donations.
• Donations management is always a challenge in disasters. and the right items are donated in the appropriate
• I want to thank the many first responders, volunteers, and those who donated.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Murphy might remember that I used to work for a House Speaker who didn't exactly always, I'll say charitably
• exactly always Speaker who um didn't exactly always I'll<02:21:16.640> say<02:21:16.760> charitably
• didn't<02:21:17.439> always<02:21:18.359> uh<02:21:18.600> see I'll say charitably
• didn't always uh see I'll say charitably didn't always uh see eye<02:21:19.080> to<02:21:19.240

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's like the charitable and religious use, where we have A-12s and A-9 forms, where yearly, around April
• <01:39:03.679> the usual in our state it's like the usual in our state it's like the charitable
• 39:05.080> use<01:39:05.360> where<01:39:05.599> we<01:39:05.920> uh charitable
• the religious use where we uh charitable the religious use where we uh there<01:39:06.599> are

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• thought under the Minnesota Commander task force legislative priorities I might see something about charitable
• might see legislative priorities I might see something<01:44:35.520> about<01:44:35.719> charitable
• <01:44:36.199> gambling<01:44:37.040> uh something about charitable gambling uh something
• about charitable gambling uh just<01:44:37.360> curious<01:44:37.679> to<01:44:37.920>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee held its first hearing of the session and began with introductions from members and staff, many of whom shared personal or family connections to military service. The chair emphasized that the committee would work respectfully and invited members to raise concerns directly. No votes or formal actions were taken during the opening portion of the meeting. The main substantive item was an overview presentation from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. Commissioner Brad Lindsay described the agency’s mission, statewide footprint, and strategic goals, noting Minnesota has more than 286,000 veterans and that MDVA serves veterans in all 87 counties. He outlined the department’s structure, including eight veterans homes, four state veterans cemeteries, tribal and campus outreach, and the agency’s focus on seamless support, awareness of programs, stewardship of resources, and workforce retention. Deputy Commissioner Ben Johnson then detailed the Programs and Services Division, including federal VA claims assistance, veterans employment and education support, state veterans cemeteries and memorial affairs, the State Soldiers Assistance Program, homelessness prevention, tribal veteran service officers, women veterans services, the Minnesota GI Bill, licensing and certification assistance, the state approving agency, veterans preference, emergency assistance, the LinkVet line, and the Minnesota Service Core partnership with Lutheran Social Services. He also noted the agency’s work on food insecurity and burial services. The presentation was informational only, with no committee action reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 549 would allow school districts to acquire these devices, either through donated or appropriated
• funds, or direct donation of the devices themselves.
• This legislation lets retiring teachers donate unused sick leave to a campus sick leave pool, but only

Bills: HB123, HB5606, HB549, HB2757, HB4359, HB5381, HB1939, HB123

Keywords: HB 123, kindergarten readiness, early literacy, early numeracy, reading screening, math screening, foundational literacy, foundational numeracy, dyslexia screening, reading intervention, math intervention, teacher academy, literacy academy, mathematics academy, interventionist academy, K-3 assessments, school readiness, prekindergarten, tutoring grant, parent-directed tutoring

Transcript Highlights:

• We're populating that board and hope to get those folks up and running and start getting some donations
• We're populating that board and hope to get those folks up and running and start getting some donations
• So that will be the landing spot for some of those funds from the donations from the foundation or any
• And that was a piece on the 3078 by Leader West, donations to the revolving fund, so as we talked About
• opportunity on Essentially, any website in the state has a checkbox that says, 'Would you like to donate

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a resource guide, adopting families in the area, and also on the workforce side, collecting and donating
• We shared opportunities with our community to provide donations. Donations.
• The regional centers in L.A. each have a non-profit arm to receive donations specific to events.
• That ended up just being donations for. or other items that aren't typically provided.
• Those donations and that focus continue, and we continue to fill that role, most recently with a couple

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A former colleague of ours gave a donation to somebody else's campaign over the threshold, and that person
• Uh former colleague of ours gave<00:31:44.640> a<00:31:44.799> donation<00:31:45.120>
• > to<00:31:45.360> somebody<00:31:45.600> else's gave a donation to somebody else's
• gave a donation to somebody else's campaign<00:31:46.480> over<00:31:46.720> the<00:31
• But if one did receive a lot of donations from outside of the state, that could be a reasonable campaign

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under federal law, non- citizens are banned from donating to candidates, campaigns, and PACs.
• The federal statute explicitly bans non-citizens from donating to any federal, state, or local There
• Foreign nationals are already prohibited from donating to candidates.
• That's a pretty big donation for many, many elections. Why so high?
• So donations could be made up to $100,000.

Bills: SB16, SB76, SB310, SB311, SB396, SB505, SB827, SB964, SB1209, SB1210, SB1386, SB1470, SB2035, SJR37, SB 16

Keywords: voter registration, proof of citizenship, Election Code, criminal offenses, limited federal ballot, transportation, infrastructure, funding, public safety, state regulation, election, polling places, voter access, state oversight, electronic voting, voting, polling place, elections, countywide program, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• This program is supporting the relocation, rehab, and resale of a donated house to serve a household
• A local church donated that home to Habitat for Humanity of Martin Farbo counties and... committee uh
• home in Truman rehabilitating a donated home in Truman this<01:28:05.520> program<01:28:06.040
• relocation rehab and resale of a donated relocation rehab and resale of a donated house<01:28:09.920
• that home to Habitat for donated that home to Habitat for Humanity<01:28:16.760> of<01:28:16.920

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:25:07.480> from very large donations from very large donations from individuals<01:25:
• That in itself is likely exponentially larger than the big-dollar donation that we talk about, those
• hard cash dollar donations.
• than kind of the big dollar donation than kind of the big dollar donation right<01:32:36.320>
• when you look at cash dollar donations when you look at big<01:32:40.639> Tech<01:32:41.320><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• choose to take families to court that are clearly in financial difficulties rather than accept a donation
• Let's say, like, the police department, a fire department gets a donation.
• So every year I like to donate the exact amount that would cost to buy one uniform in case there's a
• <00:43:43.240> the<00:43:43.359> exact so every year I like to donate the exact so
• <01:34:24.840> for uh up to 50% of the donation for uh up to 50% of the donation for employee

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, this year, I of donated food.
• pounds of donated food into Community<00:48:31.200> Pathways.
• , to experience, a decline in donations, to experience, a decline in donations, coupled<02:08:22.159
• our best, but we're relying on donated our best, but we're relying on donated and<02:16:54.559><
• then donate it to communities<02:27:49.040> in<02:27:49.280> need.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill allows applicants to donate $5 to multiple different causes when electronically renewing a
• This bill allows applicants to donate $5 to multiple different causes when electronically renewing a
• I rise today to ask for support of my amendment, which would add additional options to donate to fire
• These additional donation options would help address the serious funding challenges facing emergency

Summary: The House began with ceremonial recognitions, including guests of Representatives Benham and Warren and a farewell acknowledgment for longtime floor staffer Michelle Martin, who is leaving House service for a role in the Senate. The chamber then took up caucus and committee announcements, recessed several times, and later returned to consider a series of committee reports and bills. House and Senate bills were reported from Rules, Appropriations, and Judiciary, including referrals of several measures to committees. The House adopted House Resolution 515 unanimously, urging Congress to review Major Richard D. Winner’s actions for possible Medal of Honor recognition. It also adopted House Resolution 208, directing a performance audit of services, wait times, and processes in the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services; supporters said it would help improve services for Pennsylvanians with vision impairment, while the vote was 201-1. The chamber then passed several bills with amendments, including measures on foster care youth benefits, AI companion safeguards, prison industry enhancement program administration, memorial bridge designations, firefighter and EMS donation options through PennDOT renewals, horse-racing background checks, and fertility preservation coverage. Several bills reached final passage. House Bill 1239, limiting homeowners associations from restricting rooftop solar installations, passed 109-93. House Bill 2146, amending the Sunshine Act to tighten the 24-hour agenda notice rule while preserving limited exceptions, passed 193-9 after debate over transparency and local-government flexibility. House Bill 2558, banning non-compete agreements for broadcast workers, passed narrowly 103-99 amid objections from Republicans and concerns about impacts on local broadcasters and contract rights. Senate Bills 971 and 972 also passed finally, dealing with township audit deadlines and municipal memorials for first responders. The House also approved House Bill 2412, funding state-related universities for fiscal year 2026-27, by 155-47 after debate over Penn State’s campus closures, accountability, and per-student funding differences; House Bill 2413, appropriating funds to the University of Pennsylvania, passed 195-7. The chamber then moved several bills back to Appropriations, signed Senate Bills 971 and 972, and adjourned until the next scheduled session.

Transcript Highlights:

• points of clarity that I think Debbie didn't get in was the reason that we are exempted from the anti-donation
• That is one of the reasons, and the primary reason, that we are exempt from that anti-donation clause
• So how is that going to be addressed, the anti-donation clause for this?
• Representative Zamora, because it's for contamination, we don't have to worry about anti-donation, because

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 26:51.120> Authority, He and his wife were also generous supporters of the Rocket Center, donating
• /c> generous supporters of the rocket generous supporters of the rocket center,<00:28:48.000> donating
• <00:28:48.640> scholarships<00:28:49.279> for center, donating scholarships for center
• , donating scholarships for teachers<00:28:50.320> to<00:28:50.559> attend<00:28:51.039

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, if we have an animal, animals can be donated to us, too.
• So, I mean, we don't get any fish donated, so I'm not up to speed on those, but I...
• Um, and I don't think that we can donate it anywhere else.
• They could make a donation, but at that point I don't think you're going to convince parents to make
• a donation for a daily lunch.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of feed and hay that came in donations of feed and hay that came in from<01:04:14.079> across
• distribution centers and also donation distribution centers and also to<01:04:47.119> house<01
• They collected and distributed donations of cleaning supplies.
• <01:05:43.680> They donations of cleaning supplies. They donations of cleaning supplies.
• They came in and led some workshops for us on damage assessment, donations management, animal care and

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response. Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19. The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.