Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate will be in order.
• In a bipartisan manner in the wake of the horrific Parkland school shooting.
• We may not hold the majority, but we have something just as powerful: a vision rooted in fairness, justice
• Third part of it is there's some seat mitigation fees in here for schools.
• up in prison.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including remarks from Senator Berman outlining Democratic priorities such as education, health care, environmental protection, and opposition to rollbacks on child labor, book access, and gun safety. The chamber also recognized military guests and an intern before moving to the special order calendar. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, Medicaid oversight at one point in the flow, and mammogram coverage, though the Medicaid oversight bill was later taken up and passed. The Senate passed a series of bills, often after substituting House companions and adopting technical amendments. Among the major measures approved were the dangerous dogs bill (the Pam Rock Act), which tightened penalties and procedures after fatal attacks; a local government land regulation bill that streamlined comp plan review and defined impact-fee circumstances, though members raised concerns about quasi-judicial hearing limits and local costs; a vessel-related bill combining boating safety and voter-freedom provisions; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act; fleeing and eluding penalties; concealed carry and firearm possession rules for certain officers and service members; timeshare management reforms; and public education on background screening requirements. The chamber also approved bills on disability history and awareness instruction, manufacturing and a related fee bill, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds. The disability instruction bill drew extended debate about the use of the term “disability,” inclusion, and whether the measure was consistent with broader DEI debates; it passed unanimously after emotional testimony from the sponsor and families. The manufacturing and utility bills focused on statewide economic policy and preemption of local restrictions, while the military children bill was presented as a student-driven proposal. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to 33-3 on the firearm bill and 26-8 on the land regulation bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it's a lot, and we also want to make sure that we're doing it in a way that's fair and considerate
• to see that in in complete<00:46:52.400><c> form</c><00:46:53.119><c> in</c><00:46:53.359><c> in</c>
• Could a complete form in in theory.
• Um, there's a real difference in hiring in 23, 24, and 25 than in 2020.
• > difference in in hiring in 23, 24, and difference in in hiring in 23, 24, and 25<00:52:40.640><c> than

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 History of SEEK 00:02:15 Summary of On-Behalf Payments 00:12:40 Discussion on Collection of University Debt Department of Revenue 00:32:40 Northern Kentucky University 00:57:10, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the September 17 meeting, and heard a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education staff on SEEK school funding and KDE on-behalf payments. KDE explained recent SEEK changes, including the guaranteed base per-pupil amount, attendance-based calculations, second-month and January growth, the 2022 change funding kindergarten at 100% instead of 50%, and the existing add-ons for at-risk students, exceptional children, limited English learners, home/hospital instruction, and transportation. Staff also reviewed tier one funding, noting the 2024 increase from 15% to 17.5% and explaining that eligibility depends on local tax effort and property wealth. They also described Senate Bill 6 from the 2025 session as a reporting proposal to include on-behalf costs in education spending totals. KDE staff then outlined on-behalf payments made for districts, including roughly $458 million for Teachers Retirement System contributions, $942 million for health insurance, about $12 million for technology costs, and additional SFCC debt service outside KDE’s appropriation, for a total of about $1.5 billion. Members asked how a future Senate Bill 6 would affect local contributions and whether folding on-behalf payments into SEEK would shift costs among districts. KDE and Senator Gibbons clarified that the bill was intended only as a reporting mechanism and would not change local contribution or district payments; it would simply present a broader total of state education investment. The discussion also noted that Kentucky’s reported SEEK amount alone does not capture all state education spending. Members raised questions about home and hospital instruction data, saying local concerns suggest growth in some communities even if statewide numbers appear stable. KDE said the statewide figure has been relatively consistent but offered to provide district-level trend data. Co-Chair Petrie also asked about the accuracy of SEEK projections and on-behalf calculations, referencing prior concerns from the Office of Education Accountability. KDE responded that it works with the state budget director’s office in a consensus forecasting process and has been reviewing demographic and property-assessment data, including exceptional child counts, to improve forecast accuracy.

Transcript Highlights:

• No witnesses in support? Any persons in the hearing room in support? Seeing none.
• Committee in 2023, vetoed in 2022.
• in the past are not sufficient, and it's actually put us in some of the risks that we're in in this
• It's a fair assumption to say that this comes from bad actors and the production of, in the case of RVs
• It's a fair assumption to say that this comes from bad actors and the production of, in the case of RVs

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of natural resources and related bills, with several measures taken up as the committee reached quorum and many others moving on consent or with due-pass recommendations. Early items included AB 80 on carpet recycling, AB 452 creating a local process for state surf reserves, and AB 823 restricting microplastics in personal care and cleaning products. AB 80 drew broad support from recycling, labor, and environmental groups and was described as a follow-up to earlier carpet recycling reforms. AB 452 was backed by surf, tourism, environmental, and local government interests as a voluntary, community-driven way to recognize and protect surf breaks. AB 823 generated the most extensive debate, with supporters citing public health and environmental harms from microplastics and opponents warning the bill’s language could sweep in products such as sunscreens, cosmetics, and fragrance-encapsulation materials; the committee discussed possible ambiguity and EU comparisons before voting the bill out on a due-pass-as-amended basis to Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. The committee also advanced AB 1046, which would create a narrow exemption from SB 1383 organic-waste requirements for certain crop preparers and tree nut processors that do not send organic waste to landfills. Agricultural witnesses said the bill would clarify that their operations already reuse byproducts and should not face duplicative reporting, and the measure passed with support from agricultural and rural county representatives. AB 252, the “Stop Laying Off Firefighters Act,” proposed year-round Cal Fire staffing; the author and Cal Fire supporters argued that wildfire conditions are now year-round and that maintaining trained crews would improve response and prevention, and the bill was sent to Appropriations. AB 571, a targeted CEQA exemption for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery in Anaheim, drew strong bipartisan and veterans’ support and also passed out. Later, the committee approved AB 1455, which would authorize emergency rulemaking and streamline future updates for ember-resistant building regulations after recent wildfire emergencies, and AB 687, which would let public agencies use forest-practice rules and timber-harvest plans for certain publicly funded fuel-reduction projects; AB 687 drew some opposition over scope and enforceability concerns but was still advanced. The committee also moved AB 652, allowing alternate members on the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District board to prevent quorum problems, and AB 317, a first-time homebuyer housing bill that would exempt certain small, lower-cost homes from CEQA and defer some property taxes; AB 317 prompted discussion about guardrails to avoid unintended use on larger subdivisions. Finally, AB 900, requiring the Natural Resources Agency to develop a stewardship plan for 30-by-30 lands, was heard with broad support from land trusts and conservation groups and advanced on a due-pass recommendation, and AB 738, a wildfire-rebuild bill easing solar requirements for certain disaster survivors, was introduced and discussed with questions about its narrow scope and the number of homes affected.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in real time, I might get in trouble for this, but in real time, we'll be able to provide reports
• I do appreciate and agree with the chair's priority for in-community mitigation because I think we can
• April, we're really focused on what additional mitigations can we drive in the state within communities
• In terms of complications that that might present in this budget and in future years?
• So could you fill me in in terms of impacts, please?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we saw in the data, as shown in the month or two after the fire, we saw a precipitous drop in
• We lived down in LaVorna Drive in Marquez-Nolls.
• For these reasons, policies in this area should align with existing GSE and private investor loss mitigation
• I'll share some of the details in the step-by-step support system provided by loss mitigation specialists
• We lost our home in Jane's Village in Altadena.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee held an outcomes review of AB 238, the wildfire mortgage forbearance law, focused on how the law has worked for survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Chair Valencia and Assemblymember Harabedian said the hearing was intended to hear directly from survivors, assess whether the law is being implemented as intended, and identify fixes. Several survivors described losing homes, facing long rebuild timelines, and struggling with insurers, housing costs, and mortgage servicers. Many said they encountered confusion, inconsistent information, requests for financial documentation, lump-sum repayment demands, credit reporting problems, or loan modifications that they viewed as undermining the law’s purpose. Some urged clearer consumer education, a consumer bill of rights, and an extension of forbearance relief; one witness specifically advocated for AB 1847 to extend forbearance to 36 months. DFPI Chief Deputy Commissioner Suzanne Martindale said the department had received about 300 wildfire-related consumer complaints, mostly about mortgage forbearance, and that more than 91% had been resolved in the consumer’s favor. She said the department works with both state-licensed and federally regulated institutions, but its authority is limited when national banks are involved, so it often uses outreach and direct contact with lenders and federal partners to resolve complaints. She also described recurring complaint themes such as difficulty obtaining forbearance, customer-service breakdowns, withholding of insurance funds, and non-interest-bearing impound accounts. Committee members pressed DFPI on which institutions were noncompliant, what enforcement tools were available, and how much data the state could collect and make public. Representatives of the California Bankers Association and California Mortgage Bankers Association said lenders had provided early disaster relief and were working to comply with AB 238, but emphasized that mortgage servicing is constrained by federal law, investor requirements, and secondary-market guidelines. They argued that forbearance is temporary relief, not forgiveness, and warned that extending it without a clear repayment path can create future payment shock or larger debt burdens. They also said many servicers use disaster protocols tied to federal declarations and that clearer communication is needed. In response to committee concerns, the mortgage bankers said they would continue working with the Legislature and federal agencies, but could not promise changes beyond investor and agency rules. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The commission has an important role in mitigating increases in rates, and through rate cases we can
• The commission has an important role in mitigating increases in rates, and through rate cases we can
• The commission has an important role in mitigating increases in rates, and through rate cases we can
• The commission has an important role in mitigating increases in rates, and through rate cases we can
• The commission has an important role in mitigating increases in rates, and through rate cases we can

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Can it go in the box, or do you have to go in?
• Question Three passed in 2022, but failed in 2024.
• We'll go to those in support here in Carson City.
• for Medicaid in FY26 and $240,000 in FY27.
• We’ll go to those in neutral in Carson City, in Las Vegas, and on the phone lines, please.”

Bills: AB49, AB169, AB188, AB284, AB296, AB306, AB356, AB366, AB467, AB499, AB515, AB540, AB542, AB595

Keywords: educational personnel, teacher licensing, reciprocal licensure, provisional teaching, school counselors, school nurses, school social workers, state education standards, health insurance, speech-language pathology, stuttering, rehabilitative services, habilitative services, coverage requirements, health plans, retired public employees, subsidy, Medicare, health reimbursement arrangement, Public Employees' Benefits Program

Transcript Highlights:

• AN INVESTIGATION IN THE HOSPITAL HAD VIOLATED LAWS IN PLACE TO JOJO IN IMMINENT JEOPARDY WHICH IS THEIR
• IN JUSTICE.
• IN AUGUST 2023 MY ACT OF 70 -YEAR-OLD MOTHER WAS FOUND DEAD IN HER HOSPITAL BED COVERED IN BLOOD, DAYS
• JUSTICE CAN ONLY BE APPLIED IN A FAIR WAY IF THE LAW IS FAIR AND I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS BILL. >> Chair
• I HAVE BEEN IN A POSITION IN FLORIDA FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In 1994, after a decade-long battle in the courts, the Texas Supreme Court... ruled in favor of homeschooling
• Legal compensation and we haven't seen a reduction in that I think that's fair to say, but I don't have
• in proximity to them, like in their backpacks?
• case, in trouble.
• schools in Texas.

Bills: HB322, HB126, HB3062, HB1481, HB2310, HB2674, HB121, HB2243, HB3627, HB1178, HB367, HB5515, HB126, HB121

Keywords: JET Grant Program, career education, technical education, community colleges, technology solutions, high demand jobs, student athletes, name image likeness, compensation, intercollegiate athletics, representation, fentanyl prevention, drug poisoning awareness, higher education, mental health resources, substance abuse education, student policy, communication devices, school regulations, disciplinary measures

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is fundamentally sound and fundamentally fair in that it asks the richest 5% of Minnesotans
• This bill is fundamentally sound and fundamentally fair in that it asks the richest 5% of Minnesotans
• We need to explore ways to mitigate the impending deficit we face in 2028 and beyond and not just accept
• We need to explore ways to mitigate the impending deficit we face in 2028 and beyond and not just accept
• We need to explore ways to mitigate the impending deficit we face in 2028 and beyond and not just accept

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The wealthiest people in this state, my wife and me among them, are not paying our fair share.
• If we believe in opportunity, fairness, and in the future of our children, then it's time for those of
• It is time for fairness, passing the millionaire tax and investing in child care.
• It is time for fairness, passing the millionaire tax and investing in child care.
• Please pass the millionaire's tax and ask the individuals with the most in our state to pay their fair

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in 2027.
• Clarifying these exemptions strengthens market fairness, reduces the risk of prolonging investment in
• The second main thing being done in the bill is to establish a 6PPD mitigation fee starting in the year
• Second, it gives us the temporary means to invest directly in additional 6PPD monitoring and mitigation
• Second, it gives us the temporary means to invest directly in additional six PPD monitoring and mitigation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three main bills. House Bill 2284 on reducing litter would remove a scheduled increase in plastic bag thickness, preserve the existing penalty on thicker bags, and create a litter solutions task force to use existing data and recommend further actions. Supporters from business, retail, agriculture, food industry, and the Department of Ecology said the bill takes a data-driven approach and could help reduce litter without imposing a full bag ban, while Ecology noted it already has a statewide litter study underway and raised cost and membership concerns. Opponents and other commenters generally favored the bill’s direction but emphasized the need for more study and careful implementation. No vote was taken. House Bill 1652 would require certain ocean-going vessels in Washington waters to use fuel with no more than 0.1% sulfur, with recordkeeping, Ecology oversight, penalties, and a substitute clarifying vessel coverage and exemptions. The prime sponsor and environmental and public health advocates said the bill would reduce air and water pollution from scrubbers and protect the Salish Sea, orcas, salmon, and nearby communities. Ports, shipping interests, and industry groups raised concerns that the bill could effectively discourage scrubbers, create burdens for irregular callers and cargo traffic, and affect port competitiveness, while some said the bill should be narrowed or further stakeholdered. The hearing also included discussion of a proposed substitute and possible impacts on vessels and port operations. House Bill 2367 would end special coal-related exemptions by limiting the cap-and-invest exemption to pre-2026 emissions, removing limits on additional greenhouse gas regulation for the coal plant, and repealing coal sales and use tax exemptions. Supporters said the bill would align state law with the planned closure of the Centralia coal plant, reinforce Washington’s climate policies, and remove outdated carve-outs. Business and petroleum representatives warned that if the plant were brought back into the cap-and-invest program, the allowance market could be affected and Ecology might need flexibility to adjust the program. The committee heard extensive testimony on all three bills but took no recorded votes or final action in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• the line of duty while serving in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
• in the portability.
• All in favor say, yes. I'm in favor say, yes.
• In addition, we hear a lot about data centers and the increase in population in the state of Florida.
• So the funding allocated for two in Miami and then one in Broward and one in Palm Beach, those judges

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for two fallen service members, the Pledge of Allegiance, quorum call, and several recognitions, including law enforcement officers and visiting students and advocates. Members then adopted the special order report and moved into the special-order calendar. The first major item was HB 7031, the annual tax package, which was explained as a broad measure covering sales tax holidays, property tax changes, tax credits, pari-mutuel tax reductions, vacation-rental tax collection, and decoupling from federal tax changes. Members asked about the fiscal impact of decoupling and the firearm-accessories holiday; supporters emphasized fiscal caution and the package’s mix of consumer and housing provisions, while opponents objected to the gun-related tax holiday. The bill passed 105-2. The House then passed CS/CS/CS HB 1177 on Space Florida and spaceport operations 107-0, with supporters saying it would strengthen Florida’s competitiveness in commercial aerospace. CS for SB 246 on specialty license plates also passed unanimously after a strike-all amendment that added several new plates, revised the Fraternal Order of Police plate, and tightened specialty-plate financial and nonprofit requirements. CS HB 697 on drug prices and coverage passed 100-0 after supporters said it built on prior PBM reforms by requiring fairer pharmacy reimbursement and limiting forced losses on drugs. CS/CS HB 1263 on the Office of Insurance Regulation passed 109-0 after an amendment clarifying fingerprinting requirements, and CS/CS HB 527 on insurance claim denials passed 100-0 with a requirement for human review before claims are denied or reduced solely by AI. The House also passed CS HB 1449 on the statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program 100-0 after narrowing the bill to out-of-network emergency services and claims at or below $50,000. CS HB 93 on protection from surgical smoke passed 178-0 after extensive emotional debate, with supporters describing it as a long-sought patient and worker safety measure requiring smoke evacuation systems in hospitals and surgical centers. Later, CS HB 1217 on prohibited governmental greenhouse-gas policies passed 29-0 after questions clarified that it would bar net-zero policies and related funding arrangements but not general energy efficiency or incidental emissions reductions; opponents argued it would preempt local climate and resilience efforts, while supporters said it protected energy reliability and affordability. The House then began debate on CS/CS HB 1461 on advanced nuclear reactors, with sponsors describing a framework for licensing and oversight of small modular and microreactors and supporters arguing it would help meet future energy demand and improve reliability.

Transcript Highlights:

• I rise to speak in opposition to HB 1300 and to offer some fair warning to my colleagues on this bill
• and to speak in opposition to HB1300 and to offer<08:59:54.478><c> some</c><08:59:54.718><c> fair</c
• Are there other programs you're aware of from your long career in housing that help landlords mitigate
• "There are programs in regions of the state that do help those landlords mitigate, particularly in the
• SE</c><10:50:56.560><c> coast</c> mitigate particularly in the SE coast mitigate particularly in the

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no increases in them.
• In all fairness, we need both chambers working on it. That's what it needs to be.
• But it also has the bank, all the bank changes in there.
• So there's lots of flexibility in the state procurement process and also in the NDIT law.
• You know, and how would we mitigate those concerns?

Bills: HB1540

Keywords: education savings account, ESA, school choice, private school vouchers, nonpublic school, tuition assistance, education tax credit, homeschool exclusion, Bank of North Dakota, Department of Public Instruction, public funding for private education, voucher program, student scholarships, special education, parental choice, curriculum funding, tutoring, online learning, state per-pupil payment, income-based eligibility

Summary: The committee first took up amended bill 10-13, a school funding and education appropriations measure. Senator Schaible walked through the final version, which included changes to foundation aid, transportation grants, free and reduced-price meals funding, paraprofessional and teacher support programs, Native American education items, library and school facility projects, and several one-time grants. Members discussed removing the science center grant funding, and Senator Meyer objected to that removal, arguing that Grand Forks had raised matching private and local funds and that other cities had received similar state support. The committee also agreed to adjust regional education association funding to reflect six centers rather than seven, reducing that line to $600,000. The committee then adopted the amendment to 10-13 unanimously and passed the bill as further amended on a unanimous roll call, with Senator Shively designated as carrier. After a brief recess, the committee turned to bill 1540, but no formal action was taken. Bank of North Dakota and OMB representatives raised concerns that the draft included policy changes and procurement/IT exemptions that needed further discussion. Members agreed the bill would be delayed until Monday so the Bank, OMB, and NDIT could confer and work through the mechanics and policy issues before the committee moved it forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• order to respond effectively and implement federal changes in a way that mitigates the damage as much
• Is it fair to say that the administration's ultimate goal of a permanent wealth redistribution in this
• Thank you, that's exactly what I was looking for, just creativity in that. space to try and mitigate
• In fact, we are doing so right now. this session and into the next sessions to strategize and mitigate
• We think there's some really creative solutions and we can work together to find them in order to mitigate

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Phelps County Fair Royalty, and then we have, guess where they're from, the largest county in
• I have, in the amendments and things in the committee substitute.
• It was just a few years ago in Kirkwood and Webster and Olivet in St.
• Disaster mitigation.
• In this, I am not.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior day’s journal by a 117-0 vote, and a long series of guest introductions, including 911 officials, school groups, students shadowing legislators, international visitors from Quebec, family members, and various community advocates. The chamber then moved into floor debate on several measures, beginning with House Joint Resolution 115, which would extend personal property tax and homestead tax exemptions to 100% service-connected disabled veterans and surviving spouses. Members from both parties praised the sponsor’s eight-year effort, emphasized the financial burden on disabled veterans living on fixed incomes, and noted the measure’s broad support; the House adopted the committee substitute and ordered it perfected and printed. The House next took up House Bill 2151, a Fast Track workforce training program fix that raises household income eligibility thresholds from $40,000 to $50,000 for single filers and from $80,000 to $100,000 for joint filers without increasing the program’s overall funding cap. Supporters said the change reflects inflation and will help more adults and families access training for career changes and upskilling. The chamber then approved House Substitute for House Bill 2576, a naming bill that included several commemorative designations. Members adopted amendments designating January as Blood Donor Awareness Month, June 28 as Elliott and Muriel Battle Day, and March 26 as PANS Awareness Day; a proposed Josephine Baker Day amendment was withdrawn after concerns it could complicate the broader bill. The bill also included other memorial and honorary designations, including a highway naming for a Vietnam veteran and recognition of a former Pagedale mayor. The House also approved an amendment designating April 22 as Missouri Black Bear Awareness Day, with supporters saying it would promote public safety and education as bear populations increase. Another amendment added infertility awareness language, with members describing the issue as a disease that affects families in silence. The chamber then approved House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3175, known as Mason’s Law, which creates a system to flag certain driver records for law enforcement when a person has a condition affecting communication; an amendment expanded the notice to include driver’s licenses. Members said the bill would help officers safely interact with people who may have difficulty communicating during traffic stops. Finally, the House took up House Bill 1736, which allows local governments to use certain park-related sales tax revenues for natural disaster mitigation, including stormwater management and the purchase of repetitive-loss properties. Supporters said it would help communities address flooding without turning parks into hard infrastructure sites. The chamber then began debate on House Bill 1887 and related AI and digital-image protection provisions, including measures aimed at preventing nonconsensual deepfakes, protecting minors, and giving victims civil remedies and takedown processes. Members from both parties supported the goal of curbing AI abuse, though some raised technical drafting questions and one member suggested the legislature may eventually need a broader AI task force or sunset review. No final vote on HB 1887 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• bills, but not in mine.
• in fence.
• my county, in Macon County, in Randolph County, in Audrain County.
• that area in dry season.
• I live out in the country in a place where there's no county zoning.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1737, Lackey, probation, held in committee.
• AB 1557, Papin, e-bikes, held in committee.
• AB 2357, Pellerin, juries, held in committee.
• AB 2683, Ransom, crimes, held in committee.
• AB 1739, Ward, clergy, held in committee.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We lead in venture investment in life sciences.
• in AI and medicine and health, AI in education, AI in robotics, AI in urban functions, smart cities,
• Also, the MTA members who work tirelessly to win passage of the Fair Share Amendment in 2022.
• We need to use the fair share funds to support the public colleges in this moment.
• In my opinion, I've brought in more than $6 million in grants.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development held a hearing on the DRIVE Act, a proposal to invest $400 million in Massachusetts research and innovation without new taxes. Governor Healey and administration officials said the bill would direct $200 million to public higher education research and regional partnerships and $200 million to a research funding pool for hospitals, universities, and other institutions, with the goal of retaining talent, leveraging private and philanthropic dollars, and offsetting major federal R&D cuts. They argued that research is a core economic engine for the state, supporting jobs across labs, construction, services, and surrounding businesses, and said the bill would help protect the Commonwealth’s tax base and competitiveness during a period of federal uncertainty and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether Fair Share surtax dollars should instead be used for K-12 and other community needs, whether the proposal is enough given the scale of lost federal grants, and how the money would be allocated. The governor responded that the funds are one-time surplus dollars, that most surtax revenue already supports education, and that the bill is meant as a bridge to stabilize public higher education and research. She also said the legislation includes a review board and could support a revolving or matched-fund approach in some cases. Several members pressed for more detail on selection criteria, future funding, and whether private companies and large endowments should contribute more. University of Massachusetts leaders and researchers testified that federal grant cancellations and delays are already causing layoffs, furloughs, rescinded admissions, and lost research capacity. UMass officials said the bill would help preserve faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research programs in medicine, climate science, marine science, Braille instruction, and AI decision-making. They emphasized that the funding should be merit-based and that the state needs to act quickly to prevent talent from leaving Massachusetts. Business, labor, and industry groups, including MassBio, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, AIM, the AFL-CIO, and Building Trades, supported the bill, saying it would protect jobs, sustain the innovation ecosystem, and reinforce Massachusetts’ national leadership in research and life sciences. No vote was taken in the hearing.