Transcript Highlights:

• I think those are prospective projects.
• I think those are prospective projects.
• or region and, as a within the project or region.
• You know, every year that we approve more projects, that means we have an additional 273... ...more projects
• that means we have an additional 275 to 300 projects that our compliance team have to manage and ensure

Summary: The Assembly Subcommittee on State Administration held a budget hearing focused heavily on housing, homelessness, and related administrative proposals. HCD reported that California housing production has increased, with 2023 completions up 13% from 2022 and entitlement and construction timelines improving, while members and advocates criticized the Governor’s January budget for zeroing out or sharply reducing several housing programs. Public testimony urged funding for affordable housing production, preservation, youth housing, CalHome, LIHTC, HAP, and related programs, and several speakers argued the state should not pull back after recent progress. A major policy item was trailer bill language to allow HCD to access “excess equity” in existing affordable housing projects and recycle those funds into new or preserved housing. HCD and the LAO said the proposal could unlock tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, but members wanted guardrails and clearer statutory direction to ensure the funds stay within the intended housing purposes. The committee also discussed encampment resolution funding; HCD said the proposal would shift expenditure deadlines to the date of award rather than appropriation, while the LAO raised concerns about limited outcome data and urged the Legislature to use upcoming reporting before deciding on future funding. The hearing also covered HCD trailer bills to consolidate default reserve funds into a centralized continuously appropriated account and to clarify reporting requirements for early rounds of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program. HCD requested funding to implement chaptered legislation, including a new tribal housing program and reporting-related bills, and also sought extensions for certain reappropriations, including Homekey and REAP 2 deadlines. Public commenters and regional agencies supported flexibility for REAP 2 timing and other housing-related adjustments. Finally, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency presented the Governor’s reorganization proposal to split the current agency into a Housing and Homelessness Agency and a Consumer Protection Agency. The administration said the change would improve focus, efficiency, and coordination, but the LAO and several members questioned whether it would truly save money or improve accountability, especially given the need for new leadership, possible staffing changes, and the fact that the plan had not yet been formally submitted for review. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been through our capital projects fund audit just this last year.
• F4 is a letter from Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management.
• This is Public Safety, Emergency Management with the Department of Health.
• This is Public Safety, Emergency Management with Department of Health.
• Number 20 is Henderson State University with EMTC Engineering Management.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee considered and approved several temporary appropriation requests in Section B, including spending authority for the Court of Appeals to pay appointed counsel in criminal appeals, Commerce/Aeronautics airport and aviation grants, and Insurance Department items for workers’ compensation benefits and premium tax refunds. It also approved ARPA-related requests in Section C to return unused federal funds from DHS aging, mental health, substance abuse, and Older Americans Act grants. In Section D, the committee reviewed and approved Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requests, including Agriculture grants for wildfire preparedness and forestry capacity, a large Commerce broadband BEAD request, environmental recycling-related reallocations, and Oil and Gas Commission grants for facility repairs and sample preservation. Members questioned the broadband program’s audit process and performance safeguards; the State Broadband Director said the funds are federal, subject to audits, and payments are released only after engineering certification of completed work. The committee also approved DHS reallocations in Section E, including major transfers within Medical Services from hospital medical appropriations to private and public nursing home lines, as well as transfers for children and family services, developmental disabilities, and youth services. The committee then reviewed cash fund requests, miscellaneous federal grants, pay plan and performance fund transfers, methods of finance, and a large set of contracts. A Northwest Arkansas Community College official explained storm-damage repairs and insurance settlement issues, and DHS explained its hospital medical transfer was moving excess appropriation rather than cash. Members also questioned several UAPB tobacco prevention subgrants, especially arts-based outreach, and asked for more data on effectiveness; the committee later voted to expunge and re-refer the J-2 item for further review at a later ALC meeting. Additional discussion covered a DEQ grant to Free Geek of Arkansas for e-waste recycling, a UAPB tobacco program, and various contracts for universities, DHS services, corrections, and public safety. The meeting ended with reports filed for information and a brief member comment thanking others for concern after a tornado in Stone County; no one was injured.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> we've also updated our uh Managed Care we've also updated our uh Managed Care rates<00:09:16.279
• </c><00:10:11.360><c> um</c><00:10:11.640><c> we're</c><00:10:12.399><c> projecting</c> previously projected
• um we're projecting previously projected um we're projecting about about about 13.9%<00:10:14.920><c
• </c> families um as they work on that project families um as they work on that project I<00:37:07.319
• </c> one-time you know uptick and and manag one-time you know uptick and and manag Care<01:21:28.719>

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I should say Project Omega, not just Omega—Project Omega on the bottom right.
• I should say Project Omega, not just Omega—Project Omega on the bottom right there.
• That project is in progress. Hopefully I'll get to that project to show you.
• That project is in progress. Hopefully I'll get to that project to show you.
• , if you're technical, how to manage frequency, how to manage power factor.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in this forecast, we're projecting about 1% higher than previously projected for those adjustments
• </c> forecast we've had to update our Managed forecast we've had to update our Managed Care<00:10:28.600
• </c> enroll Madam chair Senator Mr managers enroll Madam chair Senator Mr managers mam<00:28:16.279><
• </c><00:37:51.000><c> to</c> general fund spending is projected to general fund spending is projected
• </c> offset by a slight increase in projected offset by a slight increase in projected kidship<00:38:

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Kohhale project? Kohhale project?
• </c> Odapani, uh, who's our fiscal manager. Odapani, uh, who's our fiscal manager.
• </c><00:59:31.839><c> She's</c> manager. We do have Trisha Tana. She's manager.
• </c> manage commercial fishing licenses. manage commercial fishing licenses.
• </c> of land division lease projects? of land division lease projects?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand it's a member project.
• I understand it's a member project.
• million in PICO projects.
• Do you know whether those projects were submitted as member projects?
• And I know that there were a number of non-water projects as well as water projects that were funded

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We maintain and manage 16 emergency access airports.
• But that same project can be funded through a grant from Commerce, and that's one of those other projects
• I'm the Washington Airport Management Association president.
• Okay, how's that, Manager? That's wonderful. Great.
• Data center projects support high-skilled electrical work.

Bills: SB5989 , SB5898 , SB6240 , SB6244 , SB6231 , SB6228 , SB6220

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue, aeronautics, taxation, aircraft fuel, state funding, aviation fuel, hazardous substance tax, air quality, noise mitigation, environmental impact, tax exemption, agriculture, hazardous substances, crop protection, warehousing, data center

Transcript Highlights:

• The Cumberland Forest Project, which the Nature Conservancy is a managing partner on, one of the revenue
• The Cumberland Forest Project, which the Nature Conservancy is a managing partner on, one of the revenue
• The Cumberland Forest Project, which the Nature Conservancy is a managing partner on, one of the revenue
• The Cumberland Forest Project, which the Nature Conservancy is a managing partner on, one of the revenue
• The Cumberland Forest Project, which the Nature Conservancy is a managing partner on, one of the revenue

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:26 Approval of Minutes 00:02:27 LIHEAP Presentation and Public Hearing 00:02:42 Conservation Opportunities in Kentucky 00:29:52, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up a public hearing and presentation on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Shannon Hall of the Department for Community Based Services and Rick Baker of Community Action Kentucky explained that LIHEAP is a 100% federally funded block grant that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, avoid utility disconnects, and support weatherization. They outlined the program’s components, eligibility limits, seasonal application periods, and recent participation figures, including tens of thousands of households served through the summer cooling, fall subsidy, winter crisis, and spring subsidy components. They also described weatherization priorities, the partnership with Kentucky Housing Corporation, and the role of Community Action agencies in administering the program statewide. Members asked about Assurance 16, the balance between need and available funding, summer cooling assistance, weatherization measurement, renter versus homeowner participation, and whether federal changes could affect LIHEAP. Hall and Baker said Assurance 16 supports energy-burden reduction through education, case management, and conservation strategies; that funding has generally been sufficient in recent years but crisis funds have sometimes been exhausted quickly in the past; and that summer assistance is primarily electric utility support. They also said weatherization uses return-on-investment testing and that Kentucky still has a large backlog of homes needing service. On federal funding, they said the recently passed federal bill did not directly cut LIHEAP, but future appropriations could still affect it, and any major reduction could leave a gap the state might need to consider filling. The committee approved the minutes and later approved the LIHEAP finding of fact; no members of the public signed up to testify. After concluding LIHEAP, the committee heard a presentation from Heather Jeff of The Nature Conservancy on conservation opportunities in Kentucky. She described the organization’s voluntary land-protection work and highlighted the Cumberland Forest project, a conservation easement on about 55,000 acres in Bell, Knox, and Leslie counties supported in part by a $3.875 million state appropriation. She also reported on mine-land reforestation, elk habitat work, and the rapid allocation of a $2 million appropriation for the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. Jeff emphasized the economic value of conservation for tourism, hunting and fishing, agriculture, forestry, bourbon, and flood protection, and said the group is finalizing a Kentucky conservation needs assessment and related feasibility research.

Transcript Highlights:

• projects.
• local and community project list to the 2027 revitalized local and community project list, and it renames
• I'm the Covington City Manager.
• The project analysis must area. The local government must conduct a project analysis.
• The problem is not a lack of projects.

Bills: HB1069 , HB2091 , SB6355 , HB2104 , SB6003 , HB2441 , HB2124 , HB2610 , HB2338

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: collective bargaining, retirement benefits, employee rights, public sector, supplemental benefits, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation, electric transmission, energy policies, infrastructure, regulatory framework, transmission systems, aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response

Transcript Highlights:

• It just includes those projects.
• It just includes those projects.
• It just includes those projects.
• It's a wide variety of projects.
• It's a wide variety of projects.

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• process and technical management.
• For example, agencies that manage construction and infrastructure projects experience spending patterns
• We case manage them into some type of career.
• They use past history and then project it forward.
• We need a full-time person to do that, to manage the social media, to manage getting documents out to

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the previous minutes, and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has been reviewing statewide cash, liquidity, and investment practices, finding that the state generally manages money well but could improve forecasting, automation, and coordination across agencies. He highlighted that the state has about $35 billion in liquid assets and investments, with most in longer-term investments, and described a change already underway replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work. Members also discussed the impact of House Bill 1176 on Legacy Fund earnings and the possibility of future legislation to avoid losing investment returns when large transfers are made all at once. The board also noted that some agencies still hold funds outside the Bank of North Dakota system, and that this is being reviewed. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the Task Force on Government Efficiency, saying the group has focused on how to measure whether programs are actually working. He said the task force has not yet proposed legislation, but the administration has agreed that new and expanding programs should answer five questions, including who is affected, what outcome is expected, whether there is another way to do it, and how success will be measured. Members discussed the need for dashboards, program evaluators, better data collection, and possible use of artificial intelligence to identify duplicate or outdated programs. Toman said the task force will continue reviewing agency workflows, with upcoming presentations from courts, the university system, the auditor, and other agencies, and that future legislation or rule changes may be needed to require performance metrics. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota presented labor market and program updates. He reported that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5%, labor force participation is about 68.7%, and the state continues to rank near the top nationally. He reviewed job openings, in-demand occupations, and several workforce programs, including H-2A agricultural worker inspections, the Job Placement Partnership Program with DOCR, and virtual and in-person job fairs. Davis said the DOCR partnership has shown strong results, with lower recidivism and higher earnings for participants, and he emphasized that Job Service tracks outcomes and reports them to federal and state partners. Members asked about child care subsidies, workforce participation, agency coordination, and whether more staff are needed for H-2A inspections. Finally, Allen Knutson presented the updated S&P Global revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the last update, making the revenue outlook more favorable but still volatile. S&P’s baseline forecast showed the current biennium’s four major tax collections about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and a much larger increase for the next biennium, though he cautioned that federal tax changes and oil market uncertainty could alter the numbers. In an alternate scenario using higher near-term oil prices, he estimated about $242 million more in oil and gas tax collections and roughly $120 million more for the Strategic Investment Fund. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about changes in tribal oil production assumptions.

Transcript Highlights:

• is currently managed.
• Over the last six years under Governor Andy Beshear, the... project is currently managed. project is
• currently managed.
• . project. project.
• </c> and overseeing this project. and overseeing this project.

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 05:04 Orders of the Day 06:01 HB 143 06:11 HB 164 08:07 HB 314 11:07 HB 398 21:17 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 29:02 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 34:01 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 35:40 ConC/Rules Report 40:15 Floor Amendments 41:15 Adjournment 41:26, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They do manage all CO2 injection wells in the state.
• That's clear from existing projects, projects in the pipeline, and other announcements.
• There will be CO2 pipelines as part of the sequestration projects.
• With the University of Texas and those that are managing the PUF.
• Requiring permit fees is a sensible way to manage the costs.

Bills: HB1647 , HB2612 , HB3125 , HB3158 , HB3240 , HB3506 , HB3516 , HB3707

Committee: House Energy Resources

Keywords: carbon sequestration, environmental policy, Texas, energy, climate change, regulatory council, geothermal energy, workforce development, education and training, energy industry, apprenticeship, energy production, energy policy, renewable energy, state council, administrative law, public information, transparency, government accountability, judicial process

Transcript Highlights:

• We'd like to build this case management system using that platform that we, OK, um, it states, um.
• Um, how many projects, uh, have you subsidized with my constituents' money under this program?
• Um The total amount of projects under due diligence is 5.3 billion, so divided by 18.
• So this, these are tax dollars subsidizing private projects. Is that right?
• So that might be one consideration for continuing the projects.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Transcript Highlights:

• This is something that will be sort of a normal-sized project.
• This is something that will be sort of a normal-sized project.
• Langrell, so you said the boards of guardians was kind of a smaller project.
• I worked on this project with Casey Petty and Rebecca Hoskins.
• With this kind of staffing challenge, how are they managing to take calls?

Summary: The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee approved minutes from September 25 and December 2, 2025, then heard seven topic requests for Office of Performance Evaluations (OPE) studies. Presentations covered the impacts of growth on agriculture and infrastructure, Doppel fund balance management, Medicaid hospital billing, Your Health Idaho plan selection, boards of community guardians, sexual assault in women’s prisons, and drivers of prison population growth. OPE staff said all of the topics were feasible, with some categorized as small, medium, or large projects. After a private ballot, the committee’s top-ranked topics were boards of community guardians and drivers of prison population growth, followed by impacts of growth on agriculture and infrastructure and sexual assault in women’s correctional facilities. The committee then voted to assign those four studies to OPE. The committee also approved follow-up work on the Idaho Home Learning Academy and the direct care workforce reports, with OPE suggesting a December follow-up for Home Learning Academy and a June target for direct care workforce, with possible extension if needed. The committee then released the report on challenges facing Idaho’s 911 system and heard a detailed presentation on funding, staffing, system efficiency, consolidation barriers, and governance. OPE recommended that the Legislature consider evolving the Idaho Public Safety Communications Commission into a statewide program with stronger authority, standardized reporting, and clearer cost responsibilities. Testimony from the IPSCC chair and the Idaho Military Division generally agreed with the report’s direction, emphasized aging infrastructure and funding gaps, and said more data and legislative action would be needed for long-term sustainability. Committee members asked about the $1-per-line 911 fee, staffing shortages, consolidation authority, and whether 911 should be treated as an essential service. OPE and witnesses noted that local control remains central, but the state lacks consistent data and a statewide decision-maker. The committee then approved a motion for OPE to do a feasibility review of additional cost analysis for the 911 system before deciding whether to launch a deeper follow-up study. The meeting ended with OPE updates on a state administrative office space review, an upcoming career technical education report, and a reminder that legislators can request background research from OPE.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes $500 million for bridge and pavement lifecycle asset management.
• So those are the kinds of projects we want to do with that.
• So our intent with these funds is that these are all other projects.
• managers, etc.
• much-needed projects.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Bonding, State Assets, and Capital Expenditures held its first public hearing on House Bill 4257, a transportation bonding bill. The administration testified in support, describing the bill as a $1.185 billion authorization: $300 million for Chapter 90 municipal road funding and $885 million for statewide transportation capital programs. Officials said the bill would increase municipal aid by 50%, with $200 million distributed under the traditional Chapter 90 formula and $100 million based solely on road mileage to better help rural communities. They also highlighted $500 million for bridge and pavement lifecycle asset management, $200 million for culverts and small bridges, and $185 million for congestion, safety, ADA, sidewalk, and multimodal improvements. Committee members asked about how municipalities would apply, how the road-mile formula would affect rural towns, and how the bill would interact with federal funding uncertainty and debt financing. Administration witnesses explained that projects would be administered through MassDOT district offices and Grant Central, that the bill would not backfill rescinded federal funds, and that the proposal would likely use special obligation bonds backed by Fair Share revenues to reduce pressure on the Commonwealth’s general obligation debt limit. Members also pressed the administration on the shift from general obligation to special obligation financing and on whether the Chapter 90 increase keeps pace with inflation. Administration officials said the special obligation structure would be credit-rated separately and was intended to expand available capital without affecting the GO bond cap, while acknowledging that the Commonwealth’s debt portfolio would grow. They said the Chapter 90 increase would roughly restore purchasing power lost since 2012, though construction inflation has outpaced general inflation. Several members and witnesses emphasized the importance of the road-mile formula for rural communities and the need for technical assistance for small towns. The Massachusetts Municipal Association testified in strong support of the bill, calling Chapter 90 and the new infrastructure authorizations critical for cities and towns facing federal uncertainty and rising costs. The Massachusetts Aggregate and Asphalt Pavement Association also supported the bill, citing the importance of the funding for road and bridge work, the construction season, and the industry’s economic impact. A committee member asked about asphalt price inflation, and the witness said liquid asphalt costs rose sharply after COVID, including increases of around 20% in some years. At the end of the hearing, the chair said members would receive a poll by email to move the bill out quickly, and the committee then voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't care how small the project is or how large the project is. That's our prerogative.
• for two positions at the project management office.
• Innovation and project development fund provides support for statewide project governance, shared tools
• , portfolio management, and centralized change management, consolidating IT tools and assessing executive
• We don't have an actual number projected.

Committee: All ALC-PEER

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the projects that have been approved...
• In all, TFC is managing $4.5 billion in taxpayer funds, with projects and facilities in 240 Texas counties
• There are five projects continued using unexpended balance authority, three projects that have been removed
• We can do facilities capital improvement projects and facility improvement projects on all of those properties
• Office of Risk Management.

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

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

Summary: The committee first heard the Legislative Budget Board and Secretary of State Jane Nelson on the Secretary of State budget. LBB said the recommendation would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million overall, with major changes including removing federal HAVA funding and one-time business system replacement money, adjusting the agency’s base request, deleting an outdated Interstate Crosscheck rider, and directing HAVA funds to be drawn down first. Secretary Nelson and staff defended the agency’s needs, emphasizing election security, business filings, international protocol, and the Texas Register, and requested additional staff, a new website, digitization of records, IT and cybersecurity upgrades, and renovation of the Rudder Building. Senators discussed voter-roll maintenance, cross-checking data, call-center response times, and the need for online voter registration and more efficient election administration. No votes were taken. The committee then took up the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB outlined a $2.4 million decrease for the office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs, driven by unexpended balances and the removal of one-time federal and border-security items, while noting continued funding for disaster response, victim assistance, and $2.9 billion for border security at roughly the prior level. Governor’s staff said Texas remains focused on border security, economic development, and public safety, and discussed efforts to seek federal reimbursement for prior border spending. Members asked about the National Guard’s status, possible federal assumption of border costs, the music incubator program, the Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, defense economic adjustment grants, and a new $5 million nonprofit security grant proposal. Staff said the semiconductor program has 12 approved projects totaling about 948 jobs and $17 billion in capital investment, and that the nonprofit security request was added late to address threats to houses of worship and other nonprofits. No formal action was taken. Finally, the committee heard the Texas Facilities Commission and lease-payment recommendations. LBB said the Facilities Commission recommendation would reduce appropriations by about $2.0 billion, mainly by removing border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, while adding money for higher utility costs, Rudder Building refurbishment, and additional staff. The lease-payment recommendation would decrease general revenue by $9.3 million. LBB also noted new riders related to completing the State Library and Archives building, tenant communication during disruptions, and a space-utilization report. In agency testimony, members asked about border wall maintenance responsibility, total facilities-related debt, and the status of capital complex construction. The Rudder Building renovation and related security needs were repeatedly discussed as important one-time infrastructure investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is for statewide project management.
• The proposed positions will replace contracted project managers and transition the contract expenditures
• So we funded over 130 projects, and these projects can have multiple.
• Can they get the project done on time?
• Our budget projections include...

Keywords: 988, house, all