Transcript Highlights:

• The DIAG grants? **Senator Hinojosa**: Thank you, Madam Chair.
• The DIAG grants, is that what you're talking about? **Speaker**: No, not the DIAG grant.
• Some of these projects are pursuing federal grants, and for some, federal grants have been given, and
• For some of them, federal grants have been given, and for some, they did not receive a federal grant.
• grant applications.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're getting grants, even grants, you're going to run out pretty soon.
• They will compete for enrollment allocation in either the Air Force or the Space Force.
• Last year, we had a $550,000 grant that we are currently utilizing.
• We do have a state grant appropriation. Of $175,000 to cover the other 18 counties.
• lands when they actually open the grant period.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thanks, Grant. Everyone had a chance to read the minutes.
• Questions for Grant? Anyone? Seeing none, thanks, Grant.
• So the TANF Block Grant does allow for our program to transition 30% of the TANF Block Grant to the Child
• So it's prior grant years that were unutilized.
• The Destination Development Grant Program was allocated $25 million by the 67th Legislative Assembly.

Summary: The committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with the statewide Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and OMB reported a clean, unmodified opinion for the state, with strong financial results including a $40.6 billion net position, $30.99 billion in assets, $1.81 billion in liabilities, and continued Legacy Fund growth. OMB also explained the new GASB 101 compensated-absences reporting change and discussed pension-liability fluctuations tied to discount-rate assumptions and investment performance. Members asked about how the state compares to others and about the effect of short-term commodity price swings, and OMB said the report reflects actual fiscal-year results rather than forecasts. The committee then heard the University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund revenue, insufficient monitoring of service organizations at CTS, NDSU, and UND, improper bank reconciliations at Dakota College of Bottineau, Dickinson State, and Williston State, and investment/cash reconciliation problems at Bismarck State College related to bond proceeds. University officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations. Members raised questions about NDSU’s use of certificates of deposit, and university staff explained that CDs are used to earn interest on funds being accumulated for future projects. Several other audits were presented, most with clean opinions and no findings, including the State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Notable exceptions included a State Fair Association audit with an adverse opinion on the foundation component unit because its financial statements were not available for audit, and a Securities Department performance audit finding that performance-based pay increases and bonuses were issued without required evaluations. The committee also discussed the State Auditor’s future needs, including more staff capacity, data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, possible subpoena authority, independent legal counsel, and whether some audits—such as the Ethics Commission and State Fair—should be handled by independent third parties or under different statutory arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're getting, basically, all a grant.
• They're getting, basically, all a grant.
• They're getting, basically, all a grant.
• They're getting, basically, all a grant.
• They're getting, basically, all a grant.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So about five minutes of testimony for your remarks, and then we're going to allocate about another five
• About five minutes of testimony for your remarks, and then we're going to allocate about another five
• Often, once a rental assistance award is granted, there remains a significant balance still owed to the
• The number of judges was adjusted in 2017, when we were granted statewide jurisdiction.
• The MassWorks program and the Housing Works grants are an essential part of helping to put shovels in

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held its second introductory hearing to frame the session’s housing agenda. Chairs Cyr and Haggerty described the hearing as a chance to hear a wide range of perspectives on Massachusetts’ housing crisis, including underbuilding, zoning and permitting barriers, rising costs, and the need for both state and local action. The committee heard from court, municipal, advocacy, and regional housing leaders, with recurring themes of increasing supply, preserving existing housing, preventing displacement, and expanding resources for renters and homeowners. Chief Justice Diana Horan of the Housing Court said the court is handling more than 40,000 new filings annually with only 15 judges, and estimated the court would need about 21 judges to meet demand. She described complications from RAFT-related stays, mental health and guardianship issues, aging housing stock, and the new eviction sealing law, which she said was being implemented smoothly but may require additional resources if filings continue to rise. The Massachusetts Municipal Association and MAPC emphasized that municipalities need flexibility, funding, and better tools such as MassWorks, Housing Works, H-DIP, 40R reforms, inclusionary zoning changes, and a local option transfer fee; they also said local control concerns and long permitting timelines remain major barriers. MAPC and others stressed that supply growth alone will not solve the crisis and urged continued support for subsidized housing, access to counsel, and modular/off-site construction. Advocates and housing providers focused on displacement, preservation, and tenant protections. Homes for All Massachusetts and Mass Law Reform Institute called for rent stabilization, stronger tenant protections, foreclosure prevention, elimination of junk fees, continued funding for RAFT and HomeBASE, and expanded access to counsel. Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants said the state needs far more extremely low-income housing, more operating subsidy, and major investment to repair public housing, while also supporting tenant technical assistance during redevelopment. Franklin County’s housing authority warned that rural communities are being left out of many state programs and asked for a rural LIHTC set-aside, a permanent rural credit boost, and a review of housing choice programs. A Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation researcher presented findings that communities that add housing generally see stronger municipal finances, and that housing growth can improve property tax and state aid outcomes. Seasonal community representatives from Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket described extreme affordability pressures and the need for tailored tools. Nantucket’s housing trust chair said the island has made progress through local funding, inclusionary zoning, and deed-restricted units, but still needs a real estate transfer fee and faster ways to preserve year-round housing. Across the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly returned to the need for a mix of production, preservation, tenant protections, and local flexibility, rather than relying on any single policy solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm going to select my PA grants field with an X and I'm going to enter in a grant amount of $207.
• So I'm going to select my PA grants field with an X and I'm going to enter in a grant amount of $207.
• So I'm going to select my PA grants field with an X and I mean, enter in it a grant amount of $207.
• We have allocated almost $4 million additionally for updates to PRISM.
• They have a high percentage of cases that are automatically granted after...

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe some of those allocations are still pending and they will be journal entries, and at the end
• So when the initial $20 million allocation was made in I believe 2020, it was available in 2023.
• We did not use it after that first allocation.
• We did not use this funding after that initial allocation.
• They received a grant from the federal government.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are asking for your support for an additional allocation of $4.3 million.
• This increased our grant and provided some good increases since 2009.
• One option is to allocate additional funding to expand these waiver programs. Bill Combest.
• We appreciate, **Senator Kolkhorst**, your support of the rural hospital stabilization grants.
• For services like the churches that can have dollars or grants, it's just more of a question.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That worked with the cities and the cities were allocated $10 whatever it was, I'm sure on the size and
• The remainder is allocated between general revenue and the TXDMV fund. Mr.
• The only costs that I can speak to, sir, are the 35 million that was allocated for implementation of
• The funding was promptly allocated to high priority projects.
• One of the great things this legislature has done over the last 10 years is the County Road grant program

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, it caps the state grant program.
• :04:30.560> tuition<00:04:31.280> tuition state grant to match tuition tuition state grant
• <00:08:51.040> So, into the state grant program. So, into the state grant program.
• for the fostering independence grants for the fostering independence grants and<00:15:07.240>
• <00:56:33.520> The allocated to what agency. The allocated to what agency.

Bills: HF2431, HF2438, HF2783, HF1943

Keywords: higher education, college affordability, student aid, state grants, North Star Promise, scholarships, financial aid, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, Office of Higher Education, tuition relief, work-study, child care grants, hunger-free campus, food insecurity, student parents, pregnant students, parenting students, sexual misconduct, Title IX

Transcript Highlights:

• Advanced digital construction grant, and we do have the railway crossing elimination grant in Gallup.
• For our federal discretionary grants, the upcoming grants we'll be looking at would be the Bridge Improvement
• Rural grants, which are part of the MPDG group of grants.
• How can I be able to allocate or advocate for allocating state funds if I get that information after
• need assistance with getting that grant written, then this is the shop that can help get that grant

Transcript Highlights:

• And then there's a third component in, you'll see that bubble on the right, cost allocation.
• And so HHS, we use a cost allocation system.
• It's called a PACCAP, a public assistance cost allocation plan.
• um<00:16:50.040> we we use a cost allocation system um we we use a cost allocation system
• or through our contracts or our grants or through our contracts or our grants to<00:44:36.599>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee convened an informational Division 3 Finance hearing focused on DHHS programmatic issues rather than budget line items. The chair emphasized that members should avoid questions requiring dollar figures and noted that the coming budget cycle would likely be difficult because revenues are expected to be tighter. Commissioner Lori Weaver said the department wanted to use the session to explain its functions at a high level, with more detailed presentations to follow, and to collect questions for later responses. Weaver outlined DHHS’s mission of supporting optimal health for state residents and described the department’s three main responsibilities: protection and prevention, client service delivery, and regulatory oversight. She said DHHS has eight divisions, a $3.6 billion total budget, about $1.217 billion in general funds, roughly a quarter of state positions, and personnel costs that are less than 11% of the budget. She also noted a recent hiring freeze, explained that the department did not request new positions except where required by law, and said vacancy rates had improved from 22% to 14% over the last two years but could rise again because of attrition and the hiring freeze. Weaver and CFO Nathan White then discussed why the DHHS budget is complex, explaining that it is built from multiple funding sources and is shaped by assumptions made months before the fiscal year begins, actual service demand, and cost allocation rules used to draw down federal funds. White highlighted maintenance-of-effort requirements, including TANF, where state spending is needed to secure federal matching funds and shortfalls can trigger penalties. At the committee’s request, DHHS agreed to provide a simplified historical accounting of TANF contributions to show how the match is assembled across positions, contracts, and other factors. The department also reviewed its roadmap, which Weaver described as a framework developed with staff and stakeholders around three themes: culture, community, and customer service. She highlighted priorities such as Mission Zero to end emergency department boarding, expanding access to community-based and residential behavioral health services, reducing reliance on institutional care, improving contract management with nonprofit and provider partners, using data dashboards to guide decisions, and investing in workforce stability and culture. No votes were taken; the main action was DHHS’s commitment to provide additional follow-up materials, including the TANF contribution breakdown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is Senate Bill 2232, relating to a tiny home grant pilot program.
• But what would be a benefit is granting us more autonomy over personnel matters.
• Um Um, first of all, who allocates these tax credits and what are the limitations on those allocations
• I think to me it's better than us giving them a grant, right?
• , it's better than us giving them a grant, it's better than us giving them a grant, right?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on five housing-related measures. SB 2232 would create a three-year tiny home grant pilot program within HHFDC, with annual reporting to HHFDC and the Legislature; testimony was mixed, and the bill was later recommended for passage with amendments, including a full-time housing development specialist, a residential-use-only restriction for the tiny homes, and a blanked appropriation. SB 2192 would bar county down-zoning that reduces housing capacity unless equivalent capacity is added elsewhere in the county; it drew support from housing advocates and comments from planning officials, and was also recommended for passage with amendments. SB 2378 would clarify insurance requirements for single- and multifamily projects seeking expedited county permitting; engineers and housing groups supported it, while one testifier opposed it, and it was recommended for passage with a technical amendment. SB 2524 would appropriate funds to the City and County of Honolulu for housing-related departments to comply with prior acts; the Honolulu department supported it, and members asked about prior spending and funding sources. SB 2398 would require residential housing utility availability maps; the Honolulu Board of Water Supply opposed the bill as written, citing infrastructure security, accuracy, liability, and administrative burden concerns, while supporters said it would improve transparency for developers. The chair proposed amendments to make the maps broad and geographic rather than parcel-specific, remove contested-case and reliance provisions, allow disclaimer language, and change the date; the bill was then recommended for passage with amendments, with one member noting reservations. All five measures were ultimately passed out of committee with amendments, with votes recorded and some members excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• meet the demand until the new grant meet the demand until the new grant kicks<00:25:09.320> in
• $60,000 grant that is really a grant to $60,000 grant that is really a grant to another<00:30:14.040
• The individual grants range from a high of $525,000 to a low of $20,000 per grant, with demand always
• Section 4 amends early education grants Section 4 amends early education grants to<01:53:09.760>
• rather than the agency shall allocate. rather than the agency shall allocate.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Housing goes along with the TANF allocations.
• Then you have the child care block grant, which is very important to districts.
• And then, to a lesser degree, is the Social Services Block Grant, which is about $93 million.
• So some states were granted a longer lead time to prepare.
• So some states were granted a longer lead time to prepare.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Social Services Committee met for its first meeting of the session, with Chair Senator Roxanne Persaud noting a quorum and reviewing the committee’s prior-year activity. She said the committee handled 87 referred bills in 2025, reported 31, passed 25 committee bills in the Senate, and saw five bills pass both houses, with two signed and three vetoed. She also highlighted stakeholder workshops and hearings on rental assistance, youth employment, and human trafficking in the transportation sector, and said the annual report would be posted soon. The committee then heard from Paul Brady of the New York Public Welfare Association and Dave Lucas of the New York State Association of Counties. They focused on federal and state budget pressures, including the HHS withholding letter, TANF, child care, Social Services Block Grant funding, and the implications of HR1 for SNAP and Medicaid work requirements. They warned about staffing shortages, county budget strain, and the need for more time, training, and technology to implement new requirements. Both also emphasized housing instability, supporting rental assistance and shelter-related programs, and Brady urged attention to shelter allowances and safety-net cost sharing. The committee reported several bills to Finance: S.180B to increase enhanced residential care eligibility amounts; S.182 to raise the federal poverty level threshold for a one-time income disregard after job entry; S.184 to establish a full-year youth and young adult employment immersion program, with members questioning how it would be funded; S.1465 to implement an electronic benefit transfer system, which members strongly supported as a fraud-prevention measure; S.3787 to eliminate rent for homeless shelters; and S.7730 to authorize reimbursement for shelters housing a single individual in a double-occupancy room. The committee also advanced S.8570, creating a Fiscal Cliff Task Force to study public assistance program funding shortfalls, despite discussion of prior gubernatorial vetoes of similar measures. All bills were reported, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have a lot of grants in our state, you know, across our agencies.
• grants are for.
• Just curious, we know several of these grant programs.
• There's also a new bill or a new program called a rural catalyst grant program.
• And they would have been granted $5 million, and then they would have used that state money to grant

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call showing 46 members present. It then took up multiple House messages and amendments, appointing conference committees on several measures, including SB 2007, SCR 4007, SB 2374, SB 233, and House bills 1029, 1218, and 1022. The chamber also considered a series of House bills on the sixth and 14th orders, often adopting committee amendments before final passage or, in some cases, rejecting the bill outright. Among the major policy items, the Senate passed HB 1524 on regional planning council grants, HB 1143 increasing a food bank appropriation to $10 million, HB 1126 modernizing cosmetology licensing and inspections, HB 1542 making student applications for admission exempt records, HB 1613 regulating law enforcement use of robots, HB 1582 directing a study on false reports and accusations, HB 1214 revising school transportation funding, HB 1448 creating a study on advanced technologies, HB 1280 on drainage project voting rules, HB 1499 protecting records related to federal judges, and several Senate bills returned from the House, including SB 2221, SB 2117, SB 2198, SB 2120, and SB 2214. The Senate also adopted amendments to HB 1541 on septic systems before rejecting it on final passage. Several high-profile bills failed after debate. HB 1566, dealing with kratom regulation, saw an amendment to convert it to a study fail on a 21-25 vote, after which the chamber laid the bill over for one legislative day rather than take final action. HB 1283, which would have eliminated cost-sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams in the state employee plan, was defeated 22-24 after extensive debate over cost, precedent, and insurance impacts. HB 1527, requiring Holocaust education in statute, also failed 22-24, with supporters emphasizing the importance of the subject and opponents arguing curriculum belongs in standards rather than statute. The Senate adjourned after announcements, scheduling its next meeting for Monday, April 14, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you going to choose how to allocate the funding, and to what locations?
• The funding will be allocated depending on the area and the population of the area.
• Permission granted.
• Permission granted.
• Permission granted. Why did you choose 10%?

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The meeting was an Arkansas Boy State House session that began with welcoming remarks, introductions of legislators and guests, a quorum call, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The chamber then considered several bills, with members using questions, pro and con speeches, and repeated motions for immediate consideration to end debate. The first House bill, on increasing funding for rural health care through a 10% tax on individuals earning at least $300,000, drew concerns about fairness, long-term funding, and whether it would improve quality of care; it failed 24-51. House Bill 1002, which would fund more teachers for rural schools and limit how many subjects they teach, also drew debate over funding sources and teacher burnout; it failed 38-36. House Bill 1003, creating the Arkansas Act of 26 to regulate AI data centers through local zoning and a 10% tax for conservation, passed after debate over local control, jobs, and federal versus state authority. House Bill 1004, which would reduce vehicle registration fees and shift transportation funding, failed 20-46 amid concerns about road funding and budget impacts. The chamber then moved to Senate bills. Senate Bill 1, aimed at fighting food insecurity by incentivizing healthier SNAP purchases through a Double Bucks-style program, passed 43-27. Senate Bill 2, requiring reading tests in earlier middle school grades and state tutoring for students who fail, passed overwhelmingly 67-6. Senate Bill 3, reducing the individual and corporate income tax rate from 3.7% to 3% to address cost of living and attract business, passed 53-15. Senate Bill 4, creating a mixed-use zoning grant program funded by a 1% hotel tourism tax to support affordable housing and downtown development, passed 51-7. The session ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, our Edwards Aquifer allocation, we store the excess of that for use in hot and dry periods
• Um, as much flexibility there with grant funds to reduce overall debt outlays, which gets at ratepayers
• There's the money request again, with through low-interest loans, grants, reduced costs of cities and
• The funding was promptly allocated to high priority projects.
• It's helpful to provide small utilities with low-interest loans and grants, but they also need to do

Transcript Highlights:

• . allocation. allocation.
• our asset allocation study. our asset allocation study.
• <00:24:11.720> I've uh to the asset allocation I've uh to the asset allocation I've described
• Representative Leduc. asset allocation. And the asset asset allocation.
• touching And granted, I'm not touching And granted, I'm not touching the<01:45:21.400> relief<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because when you're given these grants, these Continuum of Care (COC) grants, they come with strings.
• These COC grants, these Continuum of Care (COC) grants, came with strings.
• Then we'll grant you additional awards.
• We've had that grant for over eight years.
• That's what's been allocated.

Keywords: 1184, house, all