Transcript Highlights:

• do have... the wherewithal sometimes to do great big things that impact everybody and And of the surplus

Bills: SJR3, SB5, SB21, SB72, SB703, SB764, SB790, SJR36, SJR3, SJR34, SJR18, SCR9, SB616, SB565, SB384, SB5, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB372, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB764, SB842, SB971, SB790, SB767, SB480, SB1066, SB929, SB765, SB523, SB62, SB19, SB18, SB666, SB688, SB707, SB888, SB687, SB706, SB847, SB869, SB890, SB992, SB1145, SB494, SB290, SB766, SB11, SB10, SB13, SB263, SJR3, SB5, SR172, SR176, SR177, SR190, SR193, SR194, SR202, SR203, SR208

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, research institute, funding, grants, state health initiatives, cryptocurrency, bitcoin, investment reserve, economic resilience, financial security, vehicle rental, damage waiver

Transcript Highlights:

• We had an $18 billion surplus.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Mississippi tax structure and overlaid it into Alabama, we would have an additional $1.1 billion surplus

Bills: HB188, HB52

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical treatment, access, affordability, income tax, CHOOSE Act, education funding, ABLE account, tax credits, poverty threshold, legislative funding, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that participate in the FRS; the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind; the Local Government Surplus

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to receive annual overviews of its oversight responsibilities and the work of the Auditor General and OPAGA. Committee staff reviewed the committee’s authority over state and local governments, enforcement of audit-report filing requirements, repeated audit findings, Transparency Florida reporting, and lobbying compensation audits. Auditor General Cheryl Norman described her office’s independence, audit standards, quality control, and major audit areas, including the state’s annual financial and single audits, school district and university audits, operational and performance audits, and attestation work. She also noted staffing shortages, recruitment efforts, and a request for carry-forward funds to study salaries. Members asked about whether audits can quantify recoverable dollars, how school district spending comparisons are handled, and how to raise concerns about DCF-related audits or a local city audit that has been pending for years. Norman said her office can quantify findings when possible, sometimes compares costs across districts in operational audits, and that members can bring specific concerns to the appropriate deputy auditor general or the committee. She also explained that citizen or local-government audit requests may require payment of audit costs. OPAGA Coordinator Kara Collins-Gomez outlined OPAGA’s role as a legislative research unit that conducts studies directed by law, the presiding officers, or the committee, and described its policy areas, methodologies, contract monitoring, and recurring statutory reports. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy explained how to read operational audit reports, including findings, criteria, condition, cause, effect, recommendations, and management responses. Deputy Auditor General Greg Senators explained financial audit reports, including audit opinions, required supplementary information, internal control and compliance findings, federal program compliance, and management letters. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and a motion to adjourn, which passed without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• 42.480> budget<00:14:43.680> and<00:14:43.920> they<00:14:44.160> are surplus
• And the part two is that that funding be available, uh, assuming there are surplus funds available to
• 00:27:43.840> assuming<00:27:44.960> there<00:27:45.279> are<00:27:46.000> surplus
• <00:27:46.559> funds uh assuming there are surplus funds uh assuming there are surplus funds

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session opened with routine announcements, including new and absent members, a tribute to former chair Rep. Jess Edwards, and an explanation that Division 3 is advisory and will make recommendations to full Finance. Chair Mooney also distributed a self-created index to the budget binder and reviewed the committee’s options under House Rule 45. Members discussed scheduling a future visit to the Veterans Home in Tilton, with several October dates unavailable, and the chair said she would circulate possible dates. The committee also reviewed the second-year budget context and sources of funding, including surplus monies, existing and new revenue streams, grants, reappropriations, and the rainy day fund. The committee then took up several retained bills and repeatedly heard that their substance had already been addressed in the budget. House Bill 519, funding the Waypoint Youth and Young Adult Shelter, was moved ITL and passed 10-0. House Bill 547, county reimbursement funds, was also moved ITL and passed 10-0 after members noted the reimbursement had been included in HB 2. House Bill 570, repealing the prescription drug affordability board, was moved ITL and passed 10-0, with minority members saying they still believed the board had value but acknowledging the repeal had already occurred in HB 2. House Bill 704, concerning caregiver respite and senior volunteer programs, received the most discussion. Mr. Ripple explained that most items were already funded or suspended in the budget, leaving only the senior volunteer grant program unfunded. Chair Mooney offered amendment 2963H to fund the RSVP program at $180,000 for one year, contingent on surplus funds, and DHHS witnesses explained that RSVP is a federally funded AmeriCorps program that would be added to existing state licensing structures. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was reported ought to pass as amended on a 10-0 vote. The committee then heard House Bill 751, which would require licensure of outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities and create an ombudsman-related complaint process. DHHS witnesses said the bill had been narrowed substantially from an earlier certification model with multiple positions and IT costs to a licensing model using existing department infrastructure, reducing the fiscal note to $211,000 for one position. They also said the ombudsman section was no longer needed because licensed facilities would fall under existing oversight. Members questioned how many facilities exist and whether licensing fees would cover costs; DHHS said it did not know the full provider landscape and that licensing revenue across the board does not cover the department’s costs. Rep. Daniels then proposed amendment 2964H to form a study committee because of the remaining questions and lack of a clear revenue stream, and the committee was still discussing that amendment when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I say that this can't fall in the counties because of the $18.5 billion surplus, we saved 2.8 billion
• And I say that this can't fall in the counties because of the $18.5 billion surplus, we saved 2.8 billion
• the counties because of the $18.5 the counties because of the $18.5 billion<02:05:19.280> surplus
• billion surplus, we saved 2.8 billion. billion surplus, we saved 2.8 billion.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And when we did have a surplus, I also said that if you went out and looked into Minnesota in my district
• clear to people that what we heard just now is what we should be doing, because we had a big budget surplus
• should be doing because we had a big should be doing because we had a big budget<02:28:01.600> surplus
• last<02:28:02.800> two<02:28:03.040> years<02:28:03.200> that budget surplus
• the last two years that budget surplus the last two years that was<02:28:03.600> largely<02:28

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• they would prefer to potentially see lower rates with potentially more fluctuations in returns of surplus
• fluctuations<03:30:39.640> in<03:30:39.760> returns<03:30:40.200> of<03:30:40.320> surplus
• <03:30:40.920> or fluctuations in returns of surplus or fluctuations in returns of surplus

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• all the way down to 200 and excludes districts that have closed over 50 schools since 2010 and made surplus
• /c><00:10:13.600> 2010<00:10:14.320> and<00:10:14.560> made<00:10:14.720> surplus
• 50 schools since 2010 and made surplus 50 schools since 2010 and made surplus facilities<00:10:15.519

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, March 20, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House met in Annapolis with 107 members present and proceeded through the journal and a series of Appropriations Committee reports. Several bills were advanced on favorable reports without amendment, including measures on constitutional officers’ salaries, correctional officer retirement systems for Dorchester and Allegany counties, Carroll and Calvert County public facilities bonds, higher education financial assistance for incarcerated individuals, and a bill on community college promise scholarship eligibility for Delmar High School graduates. Other bills received amendments before being ordered for third reading, including measures on community college trustee membership, Frederick Community College board meeting and training requirements, Howard County school funding disclosures, courts administrative judges’ stipends, correctional officers retirement membership clarifications, the Children’s Cabinet Fund, and a law enforcement pension bill limiting military service credit eligibility to helicopter pilots in state aviation units. The chamber also considered HB 1581 on horse racing facility ownership, development, licensing, and operations. Amendments expanded the bill to include additional economic development provisions for the Prince George’s County Blue Line corridor, Pimlico-related funding and community input requirements, a larger lottery-fund distribution for the racing community development financing fund, and changes to the bus rapid transit grant program. The bill’s favorable report as amended was adopted, and it was ordered for third reading. During debate on a separate amendment to HB 894, the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act, members argued over project labor agreements: opponents said PLA requirements raise costs and limit competition, while supporters said the provision was optional, supported stability and predictability, and was part of a broader compromise. The amendment was rejected after discussion, and the bill remained amended. The House also took up HB 1430 on charter school facilities funding, adopting amendments that reduced the per-pupil amount and narrowed eligibility for certain districts, then advancing the bill as amended. In addition, HB 1248 was amended to convert a part-time state employment pilot program into a work group, and HB 680 was amended to adjust future appropriations for local management boards. Across the session, most actions were routine committee report adoptions and amendment votes, with no recorded roll-call counts in the excerpt except the initial quorum call.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had $18 billion surplus and we couldn't address this. I mean, what is DHS doing?
• We had $18 billion<00:26:20.640> surplus<00:26:21.120> and<00:26:21.360> we<00:26
• :21.520> couldn't<00:26:21.760> address billion surplus and we couldn't address billion
• surplus and we couldn't address this.<00:26:23.120> I<00:26:23.440> mean,<00:26:23.760

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 10 allows a school district to dispose of surplus school books by donating them to a family of
• /c><00:53:50.559> to<00:53:50.720> dispose<00:53:51.119> of<00:53:51.280> surplus
• school district to dispose of surplus school district to dispose of surplus school<00:53:52.240>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so how did your first round, did you find that you ended up with a surplus of money and you had no
• Um, so how did your first round, did you find that you ended up with a surplus of money and you had no
• Um, so how did your first round, did you find that you ended up with a surplus of money and you had no
• Um, so how did your first round, did you find that you ended up with a surplus of money and you had no

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Arbra, um, ARBA, the surplus, but it's been pretty much expanded. I think it's down to 200,000.
• Arbra<00:03:31.440> um<00:03:31.519> ARBA<00:03:32.080> the<00:03:32.920> surplus
• Arbra um ARBA the surplus, but sources.
• Arbra um ARBA the surplus, but it's<00:03:34.640> been<00:03:34.959> pretty<00:03:35.200

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that, you know, we went through our own $18 billion surplus here, and now we're looking at a $6
• 05.040> billion we went through our own uh 18 billion we went through our own uh 18 billion Surplus
• 06.760> we're<00:45:06.920> looking<00:45:07.119> at<00:45:07.240> $6 Surplus
• here and now we're looking at $6 Surplus here and now we're looking at $6 billion<00:45:08.520> deficit

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've also seen high revenues that made it easy to engage in surplus spending in new areas.
• <00:17:54.520> to<00:17:54.760> engage<00:17:55.440> in<00:17:55.600> Surplus
• that made it easy to engage in Surplus that made it easy to engage in Surplus spending<00:17:57.200

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, gosh, it’d be nice if we had a surplus or something we could just pay for that.
• Um, gosh, it’d be nice if we had a surplus or something we could just pay for that.
• here, but when the Senate and the House authorized a billion dollars in cash out of that $8 billion surplus
• When the Senate and the House authorized a billion dollars in cash out of that $8 billion surplus to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate File 285, a bill to shift MnDOT highway project cost participation away from local governments and onto MnDOT. The bill’s author and several city representatives said current cost-share policies force cities to spend local aid, property taxes, or debt on state highway projects they do not control, leaving less money for local streets and maintenance. Testifiers from Richfield, Elk River, Faribault, Minneapolis, and the Minnesota Association of Small Cities all supported the bill, describing the policy as one-size-fits-all, financially burdensome, and especially harmful to smaller cities and cities with major state highways running through them. Witnesses gave examples of large and sometimes changing local cost-share obligations, including Richfield’s spending of most of its MSA funds on projects it does not own and a small-city project where the estimated local share rose from about $2.3 million to over $3 million. Several testifiers said cities often have little practical ability to refuse MnDOT projects because the projects are valuable and MnDOT can move on if a city declines. One witness also raised concerns about money being paid upfront and held in an account during construction, causing cities to lose interest earnings while funds sit unused. Members asked whether cities truly have a say in these projects and whether there are limits on how much the local share can increase. Testifiers said MnDOT does engage cities, but the cost participation policy largely dictates the outcome, and they described the municipal consent statute as too narrow in practice. Senators expressed concern about fairness and the burden on local budgets, while one member noted the bill may not fully address the broader consent issue. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• He said the other thing he just heard is that it is possible this trail may cross some state-owned surplus
• :07.798> cross<04:42:08.600> some<04:42:09.000> state-owned<04:42:09.840> Surplus
• Trail may cross some state-owned Surplus Trail may cross some state-owned Surplus land land land

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 332, a bill to add protection and remediation of surface waters as a new authorized purpose for New Hampshire village districts. Prime sponsor Rep. Rosemary Rung said the bill is intended to give local voters in lake communities a voluntary tool to address cyanobacteria blooms and other water-quality problems through village districts, including the ability to raise revenue, adopt ordinances, and pursue treatments or watershed management measures. She emphasized that the proposal is meant to complement, not replace, state law and that any district action would still need to comply with existing permitting and environmental requirements. Supporters, including Andrea Laro of New Hampshire Lakes and Elizabeth Harper of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association, said the bill would help municipalities collaborate on lake protection when state resources are limited. They argued that local districts could bring subject-matter expertise, access grants and technical assistance, and respond more quickly to problems such as septic impacts, runoff, culvert repairs, and in-lake treatments. They also suggested clarifying the bill’s wording around “protection and remediation” to better define the scope of authorized activities. Opponents, including Steve Wolf and Chris Norwood of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, argued that village districts can already be overly broad and sometimes expand beyond their original purposes. Wolf said existing town and state agencies already handle shoreline protection and warned that village districts can impose ongoing taxes and create governance problems. Norwood urged a study bill instead, citing concerns about the scope of village districts and examples where some districts have taken on planning and zoning powers beyond their original mission. No vote or final action on HB 332 was taken in the excerpt.

Bills: HR195, HR196, HR197, HR198, HR199, HR200, HR201, HR202, HR203, HR204, HR205, HR206, HR207, HR208, HR209, HCR87, HCR88, HCR89, HCR90, HR192, HR193, HR194, HCR80, HCR81, HCR82, HCR83, HCR84, HCR85, SB235, SB416, SB425, SB435, SB439, HCR15, HCR41, HCR76, HCR77, SCR3, HB91, HB167, HB227, HB243, HB264, HB321, HB335, HB398, HB492, HB623, HB624, HB660, HB689, HB708, HB719, HB802, HB804, HB884, HB906, HB926, HB934, HB940, HB955, HB968, HB969, HB978, HB985, HB1005, HB1022, HB1028, HB1029, HB1069, HB1077, HB1095, HB1104, HB1107, HB1185, HB1187, HB1199, HB1201, HB1203, HB1217, HB1220, SB66, SB68, SB76, SB139, SB336, SB475, HR1, HR17, HCR5, HCR4, HCR47, HCR32, HR38, HR96, HR160, HCR31, HCR61, SCR19, HB64, HB68, HB92, HB12, HB42, HB205, HB222, HB267, HB324, HB325, HB350, HB478, HB610, HB617, HB745, HB749, HB752, HB797, HB807, HB821, HB896, HB979, HB992, HB1000, HB1024, HB1050, HB1166, HB1172, HB1173, HB1207, HB1218, HB1223, HB316, HB549, HB578, HB748, HB798, HB824, HB988, HB989, HB1001, HB1032, HB1081, HB1108, HB1129, HB1140, HB1157, HB1192, HB1195, HB1198, HB1244, SB73, SB89, SB128, SB149, SB191, SB196, SB238, SB318, SB340, HB306, HB366, HB911, HB1161, HB1230, HB59, HB481, HB772, HB897, HB1003, HB1008, HB1112, HB1180, HB1189, HB525, HB1058, HB181, HB1118, HB1082, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB225, HB284, HB393, HB458, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB773, HB864, HB996, HB1035, HB1113, HB1234, HB1240

Keywords: Louisiana Young Heroes Day, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, LPB, house resolution, ceremonial resolution, special observance, youth recognition, student achievement, community service, public service, high school students, youth leadership, disability advocacy, autism, diabetes, epilepsy, foster care, STEM, robotics, literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• something resets so that you're<00:19:59.480> back<00:19:59.679> to<00:19:59.880> Surplus
• in<00:20:00.760> 2027<00:20:01.720> what<00:20:01.840> is you're back to Surplus
• in 2027 what is you're back to Surplus in 2027 what is that<00:20:02.280> thing<00:20:02.520>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We also strategically held back on spending all of the surplus, which...
• We also strategically held back on spending all of the surplus, which leaves us with another sizable
• There is the legislature increased juror pay last session, and really leading up to this point, those surplus

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee convened for its first hearing of the 89th regular session, confirmed a quorum, adopted committee rules by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the committee’s organization, introduced staff, and described the budget as conservative and focused on one-time investments. She highlighted major SB 1 priorities including property tax relief, full funding for public education formulas, teacher pay, school safety, border security, Medicaid growth, dementia research, energy and water infrastructure, transportation, wildfire suppression, and other capital and public safety needs. Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending in 2026-27, with a projected $23.8 billion ending balance from the current biennium. He cautioned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid committing short-term surpluses to ongoing expenses. He also explained that the Economic Stabilization Fund is projected to hit its constitutional cap, meaning an estimated $5.6 billion in severance tax and related revenue would remain in general revenue in the upcoming biennium rather than flow into the fund. Senators discussed whether to raise or rename the fund and the implications of keeping more severance-tax revenue in general revenue. The Legislative Budget Board then gave an overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major funding changes. LBB staff explained that the bill is essentially flat at $332.9 billion in all funds, but includes large method-of-finance shifts and major property tax relief. They detailed how prior property tax relief enacted in the 88th Legislature grew from an estimated $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher property values and hold-harmless provisions, and said SB 1 continues that relief with a total of $51 billion in ongoing and new property tax support. Members asked extensive questions about the automatic growth in school tax compression, the constitutional homestead exemption, COVID-era federal funding, Medicaid assumptions, and the sunset of the non-homestead circuit breaker. No additional votes or final budget actions were taken beyond adoption of the committee rules.