Transcript Highlights:

• to the Legislative Budget Board.
• I believe that our legislative appropriations ask for the 26-27 biennium advance as our mission. to manage
• I will turn the presentation over to our legislative appropriation request for Mr.
• To the TWF in the supplemental appropriations bill contingent on enactment of legislation.
• We would like to recognize the legislative appropriations request for this session.

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:

• Quick introductions of the legislators who are here.
• LFC included about half of that appropriation at 15.7 million.
• LFC included about half of that appropriation at 15.7 million.
• Your current appropriation for out of school...
• You've already appropriated that money.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Andrew Overmyer, Legislative Budget Board.
• We can move on to the next General Appropriations Items.
• My name is **Collin Brock** with the Legislative Budget Board.
• Recommendations maintain 24-25 general revenue appropriations, where the total appropriated amount for
• It's a line item strategy appropriate.

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:

• Good legislation takes time, especially Good legislation takes time, especially legislation involving
• Legislative declaration. Repeal.
• Legislative declaration.
• of The impacts of poor legislation, malevolent, malicious legislation.
• A bad to go after bad legislation is just more bad legislation to follow.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 2022 incident involving a legislator. 2022 incident involving a legislator.
• a simple one legislative day deferral. a simple one legislative day deferral.
• appropriately appropriately with<00:30:16.720> consideration, with consideration, with consideration
• <00:30:38.360> day mere legislative day mere legislative day to<00:30:39.960> really
• <00:32:26.880> who into the conduct of the legislator who into the conduct of the legislator

Bills: HB389, HB469, HB1510, HB1573, HB1705, HB1858, HB1875, HB1946, HB1961, HB1962, HB2001, HB2093, HB2096, HB2097

Keywords: HB389, uncrewed aircraft, drone, drones, UAS, unmanned aerial vehicle, misuse of uncrewed aircraft, criminal offense, felony enhancement, drone crime, public safety, police, deputy sheriff, fire department, intoxicated operation, registration number tampering, property damage, bodily injury, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package, Hawaii Revised Statutes

Transcript Highlights:

• Be directed in the budget or other legislation.
• So reversions are the estimated appropriations that will be unspent and revert to the state for re-appropriation
• fund appropriations for fiscal 27, 28.
• And for the legislative budgets...
• Those are netted against appropriations to get to a revised total appropriation figure.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting, with co-chairs and members introducing themselves and staff outlining the committee’s statutory mandate under the 2025-27 supplemental operating budget. Staff explained that the Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency and Fiscal Sustainability will receive technical assistance from a nonpartisan organization, with work split into two phases: first on revenue growth, spending assumptions, and cost drivers in the four-year outlook, and later on staffing, overhead, performance management, and public reporting. Members broadly said they hoped the committee would build a shared factual understanding of the state’s fiscal situation, structural deficits, and budget processes, and identify a sustainable path forward for the operating budget. Staff then gave a detailed presentation on operating budget basics. They reviewed the size and composition of the operating budget, noting that most spending is concentrated in grants/client services and salaries/benefits, with K-12, DSHS, HCA, DCYF, DOC, and higher education making up most NGFO spending. They explained the distinction between constitutional, federal, statutory, and discretionary spending, using examples such as K-12, Medicaid, collective bargaining agreements, court-driven obligations like McCleary and Trueblood, and one-time appropriations. They also walked through how the state uses incremental budgeting, carry-forward and maintenance-level calculations, caseload and per-capita forecasting, and the four-year balanced budget outlook, including reserve calculations and the budget stabilization account. Members asked extensive questions about what is and is not included in the outlook, especially future collective bargaining agreements, health care and compensation growth, tort and other liabilities, and whether the state could better distinguish mandatory from discretionary spending. Staff explained that current CBAs and other already-enacted obligations are included, but future CBAs are not; some liabilities are reflected as expenditures when appropriated, while broader long-term liabilities are not fully captured in the outlook because they depend on future policy choices. Staff also noted that the legislature and ERFC can adopt assumptions such as reversions and growth factors, and that an outlook accuracy report is produced every five years to compare projected and actual maintenance-level spending. The committee agreed to follow up on some of the more complex liability and assumption questions. After a short break, Josh Goodman of the Pew Charitable Trusts began a presentation on Pew’s role and approach to state fiscal sustainability. He described Pew as a nonpartisan organization with long-standing state fiscal research, emphasizing its 50-state comparative data, interviews with state officials and experts, and focus on long-term sustainability, reserve policies, and recession preparedness. The presentation was ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, carrying an appropriation, the bill was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, which
• <00:06:52.320> The the Committee on Appropriations. The the Committee on Appropriations.
• General and Housing Affairs, the Legislative Council, the office of Legislative Council, and a senior
• Section one is the legislative intent. Section one is the legislative intent.
• legislation, the wording therein. legislation, the wording therein.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House first took up S. 298, the Vermont Voting Rights Act. Members explained the Senate’s further proposal of amendment, including changes to language about how the State Ethics Commission may respond to ethics inquiries, a directive for the Secretary of State and Ethics Commission to work out a shared process for the candidate financial disclosure form by January 30, and a technical PAC-related wording change. The committee reported an 11-0-0 vote in favor, and the House concurred in the Senate proposal of amendment. The chamber then suspended rules to take up S. 328, the omnibus housing bill, and heard detailed committee reports from General and Housing, Ways and Means, and Appropriations. The bill addresses common interest community resources, a service-supported housing advisory council, expansion of the 10% for Vermont program to 12.5%, an off-site construction accelerator pilot, VHFA’s rental housing revolving loan program, special assessment districts, municipal housing planning requirements, and several reports on housing-related issues. Ways and Means described revenue impacts from the cash-balance expansion and revised the off-site construction pilot and loan program language; Appropriations removed a section already included in the budget and adjusted advisory council per diem funding. The House adopted the amendments, ordered third reading, suspended rules to place the bill in all remaining stages, passed it in concurrence with proposal of amendment, and messaged the action to the Senate forthwith. The House then suspended rules to take up S. 197, relating to payment reform for primary care. The House Health Care Committee recommended a strike-all amendment, saying the health care system is in crisis, premiums are rising, access to primary care is limited, and clinicians are burdened by documentation and administrative work. The committee vote on its amendment was 10-0-1, and the bill was also referred to Ways and Means and Appropriations because of fiscal implications. The transcript cuts off as the House was beginning consideration of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• who will talk about this legislation more.
• We don't care about age appropriateness, you know?
• U.S. state legislators can help by passing freedom to read legislation here in Massachusetts.
• What's appropriate for an eighth grader is not necessarily appropriate for a kindergartner.
• What's appropriate for an eighth grader is not necessarily appropriate for a kindergartner.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several bills related to access to library materials, including measures addressing book bans and censorship in public and school libraries, as well as legislation on digital library collections and e-book licensing. Committee leaders said testimony would be limited to three minutes and encouraged written submissions. Early testimony from Chair Brian Murray highlighted H. 3595, which would address challenges facing public libraries and digital resource collections by limiting restrictive publisher-library contract terms, protecting patron confidentiality, and creating a special legislative commission to study the issue. A large number of legislators, librarians, authors, students, publishers, and advocacy groups testified in support of the free expression bills, including H. 3594 and S. 2328, arguing that book challenges in Massachusetts disproportionately target LGBTQ+ and BIPOC titles and that librarians and educators need protection from retaliation and harassment. Witnesses described local incidents of book removals, threats, and pressure campaigns, and several said the bills would create transparent challenge procedures, keep materials available during reviews, and ensure decisions are made by trained professionals rather than political actors. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s office also submitted support, and multiple speakers cited national trends and Massachusetts-specific censorship attempts. Testimony on the digital access bills emphasized that e-books and audiobooks are essential for readers with disabilities, homebound patrons, students, and others who rely on accessible formats, but that current licensing terms are far more expensive and restrictive than print purchasing. Library representatives said libraries spend millions on digital content, face long wait times for popular titles, and often must repeatedly re-rent the same materials. Legal and library experts supported the proposed commission as a practical step toward fairer licensing and stronger bargaining power for libraries. The hearing ended after extensive testimony; no votes or final committee action were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, carrying an appropriation, the bill was then referred to the Committee on Appropriations, which
• ,<00:02:27.959> the And then carrying an appropriation, the And then carrying an appropriation
• appropriation made in fiscal year 2027. appropriation made in fiscal year 2027.
• council from the Office of Legislative Council, another legislative council from the Office of Legislative
• , legislative council, legislative council, another<00:58:33.920> legislative<00:58:34.320

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House took up Senate Bill 323, suspending the rules to consider it immediately. The bill was described as a broad agricultural measure with committee amendments and fiscal implications, and it was reported favorably by the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry Committee, Ways and Means, and Appropriations. Members outlined sections dealing with milk market corrections, farm-to-school language, repeal of the obsolete pest control compact, pesticide applicator licensing changes, seed law updates, the Vermont Agricultural Credit Program, hemp regulation, and CAFO-related provisions. The Agriculture committee reported the bill out 7-0-1, and the effective date was described as July 1, 2026, except for the hemp provisions, which would take effect upon passage. Much of the discussion focused on the hemp sections. Supporters said the bill updates Vermont law to reflect federal changes and shifts hemp oversight from the Agency of Agriculture to the Cannabis Control Board. The hemp provisions would create registration and licensing requirements for hemp producers, processors, and certain hemp products; set fees; authorize testing, inspections, stop-sale orders, and administrative penalties; and allow rulemaking on product standards, labeling, insurance, additives, and age restrictions. Speakers said the changes were intended to help Vermont’s hemp industry maintain access to banking, insurance, and interstate commerce while improving consumer safety and regulatory clarity. Other agricultural provisions were also explained in detail. The bill would clarify milk producer hearing rights, update farm-to-school grant/contract language, remove outdated pest-control compact language, and adjust pesticide applicator exam and fee rules, including removing the limit on retakes and eliminating certain government applicator fees. It would also modernize seed labeling and definitions, transfer the Vermont Agricultural Credit Program into a new statutory structure under VEDA, and make conforming cross-reference changes in tax and cannabis fund statutes. The final sections would add a CAFO permit working group and require consultant training for state agencies on CAFO inspections, with those provisions contingent on future funding. Ways and Means noted the bill’s fee changes could affect state revenues, including an estimated hemp-related impact of roughly $10,000 to $90,000, though the exact effect was uncertain.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:14.560> that reduction um to an appropriation that reduction um to an appropriation
• office, and section five just clarifies when the legislature appropriates money for joint legislative
• office, and section five just clarifies when the legislature appropriates money for joint legislative
• office, and section five just clarifies when the legislature appropriates money for joint legislative
• money for joint legislature appropriates money for joint legislative<00:21:02.720> studies<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That funding was appropriated in Senate Bill 3 of the 88th fourth called. and was appropriated for transfer
• So during the last legislative session We could we you appropriated essentially that amount and instead
• The file bill maintains funding appropriated from the prior legislative session but as we've gone through
• Page 6 is just a summary of our legislative appropriations request, including base and exceptional items
• Appropriation Bill coming up.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we appreciate the opportunity to speak to you about the agency and our legislative appropriations
• These are requests 123, and 5 in our legislative appropriations request.
• These are requests 78, and 9 in our legislative appropriations request.
• Our legislative appropriations request also includes a rider that would allow us to expend all fund 5105
• You've got a rather significant, um, legislative appropriations request in front of this committee right

Transcript Highlights:

• There are three appropriations bills put here to jump-start our appropriations process.
• And it was tucked into this legislation.
• That is what this legislation does.
• THAT IS WHAT THIS LEGISLATION DOES.
• I rise today in support of the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you'll be looking at and making a decision on the appropriations for treasury, cash, and other appropriations
• It shows the page the appropriation appears on in the manuals, and then the authorized appropriations
• in the appropriation.
• And when you look at our budget manual, the appropriation... ...the appropriation for 2025-26 was $6,399,670.1
• But none of that is new appropriations.

Summary: The committee first adopted revised JBC rules, which staff said were updated to reflect legislation passed in the 2025 session. It then heard a presentation from DFA Secretary Jim Hudson on the governor’s proposed balanced budget for FY27, with no action taken. Hudson said the budget reflects three priorities: limiting state-government growth, continuing investments in education, and advancing income-tax cuts. He highlighted increases for education funding through EFAs, pay-plan costs for Corrections, DPS, and the Attorney General, higher education productivity funding, drug task forces, a Corrections medical contract, the governor’s 1033 initiative, SNAP error-rate reduction efforts, and an additional $100 million set aside for Medicaid sustainability. Committee members questioned the size of the tax cuts, the balance requirement, public education funding, Medicaid trust-fund levels, EFA funding, and the expected impact of new SNAP cost-sharing rules. The Division of Higher Education then presented its productivity-based funding recommendations. Officials said institutions were 2.61% more productive overall, with funding changes driven by a statutory formula that rewards degree production, underserved populations, and high-demand fields. Members asked about declines at UA Little Rock, the formula’s multipliers, the role of the Arkansas Access Act and a new return-on-investment metric, and how two-year colleges are adjusted for size. The committee also reviewed special items and approved two letters: one authorizing 17 net personnel changes across nine institutions, and another adding special language for North Arkansas College’s entry into the University of Arkansas system. The committee then adopted the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recommendations for all institutions. A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on the University of Arkansas system, especially Fayetteville’s athletics funding and the broader impact of the House/NIL settlement. Chancellor Charles Robinson and system officials explained that the board had waived a longstanding campus transfer and directed the university to provide an additional $6 million to athletics, with some costs likely to be passed through to students but partially offset by existing budget growth. Members debated whether the university should prioritize academics or athletics, how the transfer originated, and whether the athletic changes would affect affordability. The committee also discussed the 1890 extension program at UAPB and the Division of Agriculture’s land-grant funding. UAPB officials said the state match is intended to be one-to-one, that the current recommendation aligns appropriation with actual spending, and that a $2 million set-aside remains available if needed. The Division of Agriculture later clarified that its Smith-Lever extension and Hatch research funds are part of the UA system’s separate budget and that the state matched about $6.2 million in federal extension funding last year. The committee then moved to the Department of Corrections. It approved G1, transferring 51 positions to the secretary’s office to activate a recidivism program, with an estimated cost of about $4 million. Staff then began walking through the department’s FY27 budget, noting an increase of about $8 million for administration and shared services, including a $170,000 sex-offender assessment appropriation moved under Act 723 of 2025 and roughly $6 million more for medical contracts. Questions on the Corrections budget had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• It truly is a privilege to be a legislator.
• Today we begin a new legislative session.
• House Bill 1097, appropriation, named claimants. Appropriations, Transportation, and Technology.
• Appropriations, Education and Appropriations, Transportation and Technology.
• Appropriations, Transportation and Technology.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This was a new program introduced with this legislation.
• The implementation of the interstate medical legislation applications.
• This legislation ratifies and creates this program in statute and provides an appropriation of $500,000
• And going to dollars, because having been Appropriations Chair, you know, when we appropriate dollars
• If it's not, we'll make the appropriate referral.

Summary: The Senate Health Policy Committee received updates from the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department of Health on implementation of 2024 health care laws. AHCA reviewed progress on workforce and reimbursement measures in Senate Bill 7016 and related bills, including FRAME and TEACH funding, graduate medical education reporting, behavioral health teaching hospitals, acute hospital care at home, advanced birth centers, non-emergent care access plans, and rural emergency hospitals. Agency officials said several programs are already operational or have begun payments, while others are still in rulemaking, federal approval, or report-preparation stages. Senators asked about timing, funding reversion concerns, and whether appropriated dollars would be spent on schedule, especially for behavioral health teaching hospitals and the new birth center category. The Department of Health then reported on practitioner licensure and public health programs. MQA described implementation of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, the Mobile Act licensure pathway, massage therapy enforcement changes, background screening expansion, liposuction safety requirements, pharmacist HIV post-exposure prophylaxis authority, and chiropractic dry needling. Public health staff updated the committee on FRAME and dental loan repayment, the Sinati screening grant program, the cancer research and innovation changes, the health care innovation council and loan program, the pediatric rare disease grant program, telehealth maternity care expansion, newborn screening for congenital CMV, the sickle cell registry and grants, and the swimming lesson voucher program. Members focused questions on how practitioners were being recruited to underserved areas, the pace of licensure approvals, and whether new programs were on track to use appropriated funds. The committee also heard a lengthy update from the Office of Medical Marijuana Use. The director reported more than 900,000 qualified patients, real-time seed-to-sale tracking now integrated across most dispensaries and labs, and ongoing compliance work on product testing, advertising, diversion, and patient safety. Senators questioned the decline in qualified physicians, how THC potency is labeled and verified, and what the agency can do about diversion to non-patients. The director said the office relies on complaints, inspections, lab audits, and coordination with law enforcement, and that patients can be suspended if violations are confirmed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Appropriation only.
• it is appropriation only.
• funding for this piece of legislation, would—” “But if we were to appropriate funding for this piece
• This is appropriation only. This is appropriation only.
• If I'm the legislator, I would rewrite your appropriation bill.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate this, and I just also, to the question of sort of shifting from legislatively appropriated
• I appreciate this, and I just also, to the question of sort of shifting from legislatively appropriated
• I appreciate this, and I just also, to the question of sort of shifting from legislatively appropriated
• There have been a lot of legislatively appropriated grants proposed by both sides of the aisle, but we
• was in the legislatively or what was in the legislatively directed<00:53:05.880> appropriation

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Appropriations; item number 17, AB 1988 by Pellerin, with a motion of due pass to Appropriations; item
• of due pass as amended to Appropriations; item 28, AB 2527 by Hoover, with a motion of due pass to Appropriations
• a motion of due pass as amended to Appropriations.
• cases, and when it's appropriate to consult.
• cycle, you have a ...and know that even in this legislative cycle, you have a package of legislation

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, with most items presented for later vote once quorum was reached. Early in the hearing, the committee adopted a consent calendar of multiple bills with motions for due pass to Appropriations, and it noted that AB 2029 had been pulled from the agenda. The committee also took up AB 1973, a bill by Aguiar-Curry to expand who may provide procedural abortion care. Supporters, including physicians and certified nurse midwives, argued the bill would align law with current training and improve access, while opponents said later-term abortion procedures require physician-level surgical training and raised safety concerns. The author emphasized hands-on training, consultation, and transfer protocols, and the bill was held pending quorum with a motion and second recorded. The committee then heard AB 1558 by Arambula, which would adopt the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act to speed the use of out-of-state licensed volunteers during declared disasters. Supporters from the Uniform Law Commission and the Red Cross said the bill would reduce delays and clarify legal authority for volunteer health workers; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2282 by Alanis, a temporary rural emergency stabilization center for Patterson while a permanent hospital is built, drew support from local emergency responders and a late opposition from the California chapter of ACEP. The chair praised the bill as a creative local solution and agreed to coauthor it; a motion and second were recorded, with the vote to occur later. Several public health access bills followed. AB 1843 by El-Hawari would limit prior authorization and align hepatitis C treatment coverage with medical guidelines; supporters said it would remove barriers to a curable disease, while health plans opposed it as a mandate, citing premium impacts and the recent SB 306 prior-authorization process. AB 2247 by El-Hawari would create the THRIVE program for mental health services for youth affected by gun violence; Youth Alive and other supporters described trauma-informed, community-based care, and the chair and another member asked to be added as coauthors. AB 2138 by Krell would expand access to certified peer support specialists in enhanced care management and remove automatic disqualifications based solely on criminal history; supporters said peers are essential to engagement and recovery, and the bill was held with a motion and second. Later, AB 1682 by Hart would require coverage of scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients, with emotional testimony from cancer survivors and clinicians; insurers opposed it as another mandate, but the author stressed the modest per-member cost and the bill was moved with a motion and second. AB 1879 by Dixon would standardize data reporting for alcohol and drug treatment facilities, including private providers, to improve statewide information on outcomes and access; the bill drew broad support from recovery organizations and the prior opposition was withdrawn after amendments. AB 1906 by Aguiar-Curry would require coverage of at-home cervical cancer screening kits without cost sharing; supporters cited improved access for rural and working Californians, insurers opposed it on affordability grounds, and the bill passed on a recorded roll call after quorum was established. Finally, AB 1556 by Haney would clarify and support drug-free recovery housing and return-to-use policies; supporters said it would expand sober housing options, while opponents warned it could allow evictions after relapse and conflict with Housing First principles. The hearing ended with the bill still under discussion and opposition-unless-amended concerns noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a legislative blind spot.
• But that is also true in the appropriations process.
• process to produce a final General Appropriations Act.
• The Legislature has the power to reinstate an appropriation.
• That process can be a part of our regular legislative work.

Keywords: 998, house, all