Transcript Highlights:

• that, on behalf of Senator Lang, the bill's prime sponsor, the legislature sets the amount in the budget
• He also suggested taking a look in the larger budget at how much is allocated for special education going
• forward, noting that it is a priority in the governor's budget and will likely be a priority in the
• This bill really creates that stability.
• This bill really creates that stability.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > victim's<02:20:12.399> fund, bill stabilizes the crime victim's fund, bill stabilizes
• , direction and checking the Biden budget, direction and checking the Biden budget, chucking<02:26
• ,<05:00:04.958> fiscal focused on economic stability, fiscal focused on economic stability
• It was directed at the budget.
• It was directed at the budget. raises. It was directed at the budget.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• schedule as it depends on the number of bills and amendments referred to this subcommittee by the Joint Budget
• subcommittee will discuss the personnel sections, and the appropriations will be taken up in Joint Budget
• subcommittee will discuss the personnel sections, and the appropriations will be taken up in Joint Budget
• The committee will discuss the personnel sections, and the appropriations will be taken up in Joint Budget
• This amendment for the Environment and Quality Division hopes to stabilize funding for the used tire

Summary: The special language subcommittee met for its first meeting of the session and reviewed several governor’s letters containing special language for appropriations bills. Members were reminded that the subcommittee only handles special language, while personnel and appropriation items go to other budget committees. Most items were explained by DFA Secretary Jim Hudson and agency representatives, with no major opposition raised. The committee adopted amendments for the Department of Finance and Administration to require administrative costs for pregnancy help organization grants to stay under 25%; for the Department of Correction to remove conflicting language about county jail reimbursement funds and make a technical fund-name correction; and for the Department of Education to designate the Department of Agriculture as the child nutrition agency and to implement Act 909 of 2025 changes related to EBD employer contributions and phasing out teacher equalization funds. It also adopted language allowing the CFO to waive the 3% state central services fee for agricultural promotion boards, allowing Department of Public Safety revenues from Camp Robinson facilities to be used for maintenance, and authorizing shared administrative services billing under the Arkansas Ford Initiative while removing duplicative reporting language. Additional adopted amendments designated Arkansas Rehab Services as the state unit for the vocational rehabilitation grant and capped the reimbursement rate for the used tire program at $2.31 effective July 1, 2026, to stabilize funding. One item was skipped because a later governor’s letter superseded it. All amendments considered were adopted, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• schedule as it depends on the number of bills and amendments referred to this subcommittee by the Joint Budget
• Subcommittee will discuss the personnel sections, and the appropriations will be taken up in Joint Budget
• Subcommittee will discuss the personnel sections, and the appropriations will be taken up in Joint Budget
• Subcommittee will discuss the personnel sections, and the appropriations will be taken up in Joint Budget
• This amendment for the Environment and Quality Division hopes to stabilize funding for the used tire

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We could have done a zero-based budgeting.
• We eliminated the budget stabilization factor, and we updated the school funding formula for the first
• amount for the 2026 to 27 budget year at $8,9910.
• This body has a responsibility of a balanced budget.
• This body has a responsibility of a balanced budget.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So Chairman Walley, who chairs our budget subcommittee in the House, put a rider in our budget that requires
• to access, but we have the budget and we'll just give the water back.
• and 25% of the county's budget.
• It is a stabilizer.
• And so our budget is fully approved by the Public Utility Commission.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No moves are made to transfer monies into or out of the budget stabilization account, except for the
• There had been a 3% rate increase in the House budget and no rate increase in the Senate budget.
• The conference budget funds Phase 1A for fiscal year 26 only.
• or done work on the budget.
• That’s what a budget document is. It’s a list of your priorities.

Summary: The conference committee met on Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5167, the state operating budget, and received a detailed staff briefing on the proposed conference report. Staff explained how to read the comparison documents, the four-year balanced-budget outlook, and the main resource assumptions, including use of the March 2025 revenue forecast, exclusion of the statutory 4.5% growth assumption, revenue legislation totaling about $8.7 billion, numerous fund transfers, and reversion assumptions. They also noted the proposal does not include a temporary salary reduction or furloughs. The briefing highlighted major policy areas and their net five-year impacts, including increases for state and higher education employee compensation, K-12 education, long-term care and developmental disabilities, corrections, information technology, and other policy items. It also described net reductions in behavioral health, children/youth/families, higher education, natural resources, other human services, and health care/public health, with many of the changes tied to delayed programs, rate adjustments, fund shifts, and savings options from Governor Ferguson. The committee then heard member comments, with supporters emphasizing K-12 funding and fiscal responsibility, and Senator Gildon opposing the process and the closed-door nature of the budget development. A motion was made and seconded to recommend adoption of the conference report and pass the bill. The roll call showed one member voting do not recommend, one member excused, and the remaining members recommending adoption. By vote of the committee, the conference report was adopted, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it is one of the most significant expenses in our state budget.
• This year, the budget year, and I'm looking for the funding for this.
• Once they get into an acute setting, they try and stabilize them.
• And, you know, there's not right now in the budget any...
• That $1.5 million is being extended into FY27 already in the budget.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:06.320> and Americans retire with stability and Americans retire with stability and
• Ohio's budget grew by 36%. example, has a 78.6 billion budget. 78.6 example, has a 78.6 billion budget
• period, Florida's budget grew by 56%. period, Florida's budget grew by 56%.
• Ohio's budget grew by 36%. Ohio's budget grew by 36%.
• Well, Massachusetts's budget grew by 44%. New York's budget grew by 37%.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, January 15, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My Educators and neighbors contributed even more stability.
• provide orientation days with presentations from several district leaders and members, as well as budget
• So, over, you know, 12 or more years, it hasn't just been our operating budget, to be frank, and that
• Chelsea is currently facing a potential $6 million budget shortfall due to decreased enrollment on top
• Community schools are not a cost; they are a powerful investment in stability and results.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on several bills centered on school accountability, receivership, graduation requirements, charter school access, community schools, school libraries, and student voting rights. Much of the discussion focused on the Thrive Act, S. 374, which would end state receivership and change the state’s accountability approach. Supporters, including educators, parents, advocacy groups, and students, argued that receivership has not improved outcomes in districts such as Lawrence, Holyoke, Southbridge, Boston, and the Dever, and that local communities should have more control, with greater emphasis on community schools, wraparound services, and broader measures of school quality. They also supported related bills on community schools and school library standards, and several witnesses backed a bill to expand student representative voting rights on school committees. Opponents of S. 374, especially charter school leaders, parents, students, and some education advocates, focused on Section 4 of the bill, which would change the charter school net school spending cap in the lowest-performing districts. They argued that the provision would reduce access to charter seats in communities where families are seeking more options, and that schools such as Roxbury Prep, Excel Academy, Brook, Veritas Prep, and Libertas Academy have produced strong results for students, including students of color, low-income students, and students with special needs. Several witnesses said the section would force schools to shrink or close and would remove opportunities for families in districts with long waitlists. Committee members questioned witnesses on both the effectiveness of receivership and the charter school cap language. Chair Lewis and Chair Gordon emphasized the need for a better accountability system and noted concerns about whether current measures, including MCAS-based designations, accurately reflect school quality. Some witnesses said they had discussed the possibility of removing Section 4 from the Thrive Act and suggested it might be addressed in separate charter reform legislation. No votes were taken during the hearing; testimony was received and the committee later closed testimony on S. 374 and several related bills before moving on to the student voting rights bill, S. 367.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the budget analyst for the Railroad Commission.
• Today we're budgeted in today's budget with $22.75 million a year in OGRC funds to plug 1,000 wells in
• You all have that in our base budget at this point.
• Question on the budget real quick.
• This was a, a writer that was added to our budget.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present to hear Article VI Natural Resources agency budget recommendations, beginning with the Railroad Commission. LBB staff summarized the commission’s 2026-27 base recommendation at $458.7 million, down from the prior biennium, with an increased FTE cap. The presentation highlighted reduced federal IIJA funding, volatility in oil and gas regulation account 5155, continued support for IT modernization, and rider changes. The commission’s major exceptional items were then presented, including requests for produced water and injection data reporting, an authorized pit registration system, regulatory filing/permitting upgrades, an underground injection well investigation team, site remediation support, and especially $100 million for orphan well plugging. Members asked about biennium-to-biennium comparisons, salary biennialization, the scale of orphan well risks, federal funding delays, bonding, and whether the state should rely more on industry or general revenue for plugging costs. Commission leadership explained that orphan wells can threaten water and public safety, that plugging costs have risen sharply, and that current funding is insufficient to keep up with emergency wells and the backlog; they also said the agency is moving to cloud-based systems with cybersecurity protections and that the proposed performance measure may need adjustment if funding does not increase. The Railroad Commission testimony was followed by LBB and agency testimony for the Texas Animal Health Commission. LBB described a $42 million recommendation for 2026-27, an increase overall, but with a reduced FTE cap due to turnover and salary reallocation. The recommendation maintained funding for cattle fever tick work, chronic wasting disease, lab testing through an MOU with Texas A&M’s veterinary diagnostic lab, and a new $5 million spay-and-neuter pilot program, while deleting a capital budget rider and adjusting riders tied to entry point inspection stations and clinical trials. Agency leadership then outlined the commission’s mission to protect livestock health and the state’s $22 billion animal industry, and described major disease threats including highly pathogenic avian influenza, cattle fever ticks, New World screwworm, and chronic wasting disease. Their exceptional items focused on recruiting and retaining veterinarians, replacing fleet vehicles, creating an ectoparasite identification lab, adding field staff and IT support, improving records and epidemiology reporting, strengthening central administration, supporting secure food supply planning, expanding chronic wasting disease work, and staffing the new spay-and-neuter program. Members asked about field identification of ticks, the use of disinfectants and PPE, fleet management, the scale of cattle fever tick risk, and chronic wasting disease; the agency explained its current inspection and lab-confirmation process, its reliance on field disinfecting and biosecurity, and the need for more staff and better data systems to keep pace with growing workloads and disease threats.

Transcript Highlights:

• .. ...as we believe approved some funding for this, and of course there's still hope in the state budget
• and common areas, police and other emergency services, and community amenities that provide the stability
• and common areas, police and other emergency services, and community amenities that provide the stability
• Police and other emergency services, and community amenities that provide the stability and safety of
• In addition to creating financial stability, these communities allow homeowners to realize home equity

Bills: HB1532, HB2731, HB3483, HB4308, HB4580, HB4582, HB5509, HB5663

Keywords: Lake Houston, dredging, maintenance district, flood control, environment, public works, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code, unincorporated areas, right-of-way, public highway, parking lot, livestock sales, live animals, vendor regulation

Summary: The committee heard and discussed several local-government-related bills, mostly with committee substitutes. House Bill 2731 would let certain border counties regulate roadside vendors selling live animals in unincorporated areas and along public rights-of-way; the substitute narrowed the bill to live animal sales only and excluded livestock and other roadside commerce. House Bill 3483 would streamline TCEQ review of special utility district revenue bonds by removing tax-bond requirements that do not apply to SUDs. House Bill 4308 would create a county industrial development district framework, limited in the substitute to certain counties including Fort Bend County, to help finance industrial sites and related infrastructure. House Bill 5663 would create a Wood County Hospital District memory-care-focused district with no taxing power, intended to help pursue grants and other funding for a new facility. House Bill 4582 addressed attainable housing in Dallas and Tarrant counties, allowing local reimbursement tools for developers under a uniform, optional framework. House Bill 5509 would let municipalities suspend or revoke a hotel’s certificate of occupancy if law enforcement and a criminal court both find probable cause of human trafficking, with the substitute adding due-process protections. House Bill 1532 created a Lake Houston dredging and maintenance district funded by revenue from dredged material sales and revenue bonds, with no taxing authority or eminent domain. House Bill 23, heard as pending business, would revise the process for local governments to rescind development documents and adjust third-party reviewer liability and eligibility rules. House Bill 4580, concerning property tax exemptions for charitable organizations such as the Houston Rodeo, was amended to remove language about exempting revenue from property use and instead focus on land used for agricultural, youth, and educational support. Public testimony was generally supportive on the bills heard, with witnesses including county officials, utility and water association representatives, hotel industry representatives, and housing developers. Several speakers emphasized the need for faster financing or permitting tools, flood mitigation, housing affordability, anti-trafficking enforcement, or local economic development. Some members raised concerns about scope, precedent, consultation with affected senators, and due process, particularly on House Bill 4582 and House Bill 5509, but the committee largely accepted the committee substitutes as improvements. No public testimony was offered on several bills, and most measures were left pending before later being voted out. The committee took recorded votes on multiple pending bills and reported them favorably, often with committee substitutes adopted in lieu of the filed versions. House Bills 1532, 2731, 3483, 5509, 5663, and 4580 were reported out, with 1532 and 5663 passing unanimously and 3483, 2731, and 5509 also receiving favorable votes despite one present-not-voting on 3483. House Bill 23 and House Bill 4582 were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until adjournment or later.

Transcript Highlights:

• blood pressure. two weeks stays in the ICU just to stabilize blood pressure.
• We were medically stabilizing them and sending him back to the same situation.
• You get longer periods of stability, increased functioning.
• Wintergrad said, some budget.
• Wintergrad said, some budget.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Stabilization of these costs plays a significant role in reducing the overall gap between a ZEV and a
• Between stabilization of these, the stabilization of these costs plays a significant role in reducing
• So this is a way to stabilize gas prices as we make the transition to cleaner vehicles.
• funding is essential for state programs that leverage both budget funding and private dollars.
• And this is a really neat solution that doesn't come out of the budget.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Select Committee on Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure focused on California’s EV market, charging infrastructure, and the effects of recent federal actions. The chair opened by emphasizing California’s progress on EV adoption and charging reliability, but also noted ongoing challenges with affordability, access, interoperability, heavy-duty electrification, and federal headwinds. She highlighted interest in technologies such as inductive charging and thanked host organizations and staff before moving to the first panel. State agency witnesses from Go-Biz, CARB, and the California Energy Commission described current programs and priorities. Go-Biz outlined its role in coordinating agencies, supporting permitting, and advancing the state’s ZEV market development strategy and equity action plan. CARB discussed federal attacks on its clean vehicle regulations, litigation to defend waiver authority, and the importance of incentives and regulatory programs such as Advanced Clean Trucks, Advanced Clean Fleets, Clean Truck Check, HVIP, and Clean Cars for All. The CEC detailed its funding and regulatory work on charging and fueling infrastructure, charger reliability, payment methods, roaming, and statewide planning, while stressing the need for more charging in multifamily housing and more public DC fast charging. All three agencies said federal rollbacks and permitting delays are major obstacles, but that California remains committed to expanding ZEV adoption. The second panel featured advocates, local government, utility, and research perspectives. CalETC urged continuous state funding through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and emphasized the low-carbon fuel standard, multifamily charging, and managed charging. An EV advocacy group proposed a conquest-style state incentive for new and used EV buyers and argued that multifamily housing is a major untapped market, while also favoring Level 2 charging over Level 1 for most home and apartment settings. Los Angeles County and LADWP described large-scale local deployment of chargers, fleet electrification, workforce training, and the need for sustained funding, agency coordination, and streamlined permitting and grid interconnection. UCS recommended prioritizing replacement of older high-emitting vehicles, using fuel policy revenues to support cleaner cars, and expanding bidirectional charging. The chair closed by asking for more discussion on Level 1 versus Level 2 charging and noted the importance of education, affordability, and practical deployment strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call the budget section, I guess we're going to call the budget section.
• I mean, you've gotten, been on this budget a long time.
• budgeting services.
• more to the Commerce budget.
• The 2026 number is essentially what was budgeted.

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division budget section and first reviewed the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s budget and program update. Legislative Council outlined the agency’s base budget and historical funding, and Housing Finance staff reported on homeownership lending, housing incentive fund (HIF) awards, and homeless grant spending. Agency officials said the five new FTEs approved last session are mostly filled, with one homeless program manager still open. They described strong demand for HIF, noting that September 2025 multifamily requests exceeded $73 million while only $25 million was available, and that single-family and homeless programs are also heavily subscribed. Members discussed the agency’s local loan servicing workload, interest-rate benefits, down payment assistance, and the need to coordinate housing discussions with Commerce and site-preparation efforts. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased, and committee members emphasized accountability and statewide access for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing funds. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and agency initiatives. Staff reported that the department is on track financially, that most of the five new reclamation-related FTEs are hired, and that litigation costs tied to oil and gas matters are expected to continue appearing late in the biennium. The director reviewed ongoing modernization and organizational efforts, including the North Star IT project, succession planning, training, and rulemaking for oil and gas and critical minerals. Members asked about longer laterals, spacing, and production trends; the department said operators are increasingly drilling three-, four-, and even an initial five-mile lateral, which is helping keep North Dakota oil production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. The director also discussed oil price volatility tied to Middle East conflict, hedging practices among producers, gas capture remaining around 95%, and the likelihood that current production levels will stay near flat unless prices or geopolitical conditions change significantly. An update on the enhanced oil recovery grant program followed. The Industrial Commission’s grant administrator said the full $25 million appropriation was allocated in the fall to six projects, and because the oil and gas research fund also had carryover and biennial tax revenue, total awards reached about $45.1 million. The projects are expected to run two to four years, with meaningful results not likely until mid-2026 or later. Members questioned whether the public would have access to the research findings and how accountability would be maintained; staff said the grants are reimbursement-based, require regular status reports, and will culminate in public final reports. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, which updated members on natural gas transmission projects, especially WBI Energy’s proposed Bakken East pipeline. The authority said the project has advanced through a nonbinding and then binding open season, with WBI now securing survey permissions and moving through regulatory and landowner processes, while other related gas transmission projects near Minot and Epping are also in development.

Transcript Highlights:

• The forecasts are handled a little bit differently in each budget area.
• The forecasts are handled a little bit differently in each budget area.
• <00:04:31.560> So, differently in each budget area. So, differently in each budget area.
• So how do we handle that from a budget standpoint? Mr.
• <00:06:33.680> how Department of Management and Budget how Department of Management and Budget

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Give us the stability needed to provide stability for those we serve.
• Our food budget this past year use it.
• ><00:30:58.720> stability stability needed to provide stability stability needed to provide stability
• , groceries is impacting family budgets, groceries is impacting family budgets, the<01:18:53.679>
• And so this money would put budgets.

Bills: HF2078, HF777, HF841, HF1112, HF1098, HF1926

Keywords: child care, day care, child care center, licensing, license requirements, parent access, guardian access, custody order, court order, furnishings, equipment standards, learning materials, early childhood education, infant care, toddler care, preschool, school-age child care, play materials, sensory materials, gross motor equipment

Transcript Highlights:

• The Trump administration state budgets.
• execution and any on the the budget execution and any projected<02:57:08.399> budget<02:57:08.800
• It also projected budget shortfalls.
• AY's financial projections and budget AY's financial projections and budget management<02:59:54.880
• . budget. budget.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, July 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . in their budgets, they have certain costs that are hard to vary.
• If you are a non-recapture district, you reduce your budget and deal with it.
• Good afternoon, Maggie Epson with the Legislative Budget Board.
• Anything impacting local property taxes is a major budget driver for the state.
• And then in this budget as filed.

Keywords: infrastructure, water supply, flood mitigation, Texas Water Fund, community projects, funding allocations

Summary: During this committee meeting, the focus was on discussing critical infrastructure funding, especially related to water supply and flood mitigation projects. Chairwoman Stepney and the Water Development Board presented extensive details regarding the Texas Water Fund, which included $1 billion appropriated to assist various financial programs and tackle pressing water and wastewater issues. Additionally, funding allocations aimed at compromising the state's flood risk and improving water conservation were hotly debated, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and the necessity of addressing community needs in such projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call the budget section, I guess we're going to call the budget section, I guess we're
• I mean, you've gotten, been on this budget a long time.
• Financial assistance such as rental application fees, and then housing search and stabilization budgeting
• more to the Commerce budget.
• The 2026 number is essentially what was budgeted.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division of the budget section and received updates on several Industrial Commission-related agencies and programs. Legislative Council first reviewed base budget materials, then the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported on its current appropriation and staffing, noting that its new FTEs were being filled gradually and that it remained largely funded through special and federal funds. Agency leaders described homeownership lending, loan servicing, and housing incentive fund activity, including below-market mortgage rates, down payment assistance, and a growing servicing portfolio that has increased workload but not yet required additional FTEs. Housing Finance also detailed use of the Housing Incentive Fund and homeless grant dollars. Officials said the multifamily HIF round drew more than $73 million in requests and awarded $25 million, while the single-family program supported rural development and community land trusts. Homeless grant funding was split between emergency shelter, prevention, and rapid rehousing, with performance-based scoring used to renew or reallocate awards. Members discussed housing affordability, aging households, rental assistance, and the need to coordinate housing and site-preparation messaging with Commerce. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased in the next session. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and operations update. Staff said the agency was on track financially, had filled most of its new reclamation FTEs, and was not expecting major litigation costs beyond normal late-biennium invoices. The director reviewed agency initiatives including Project North Star IT modernization, organizational restructuring, succession planning, rulemaking, and implementation of the development incentive well tax program and critical minerals rules. He also discussed oil and gas activity, explaining that longer laterals, especially three- and four-mile wells and the first five-mile spacing case, are helping keep production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. Members asked about gas capture, hedging, break-even prices, and the effects of Iran and Venezuela on oil markets. The committee also heard about enhanced oil recovery grants and the Pipeline Authority. The EOR program’s $25 million appropriation was fully allocated to six projects, with total awards reaching about $45.1 million when other fund balances were included, subject to a possible 5% reduction if federal DOE money does not materialize. Officials said the projects are public, reimbursement-based, and will produce results over the next several years. Finally, the Pipeline Authority outlined natural gas transmission projects, including the imminent Bakken Express line and the proposed Bakken East project, which WBI was selected to advance after an Industrial Commission RFI process. The project is moving through open season, survey permission, and regulatory work, with in-service dates projected for 2029 and 2030.