Video & Transcript Research : 'fee update'
Page 77 of 500
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration May 20th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I want to thank you for being here to update us.
- But I appreciate some update and clarity here.
- So thank you for this update, for the information.
- I'll cover the BCP on the generation and handling fee.
- The prior fee structure was a flat fee of either $75,000 or $100,000 based on two tiers of total tonnage
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee 1/16/25
Higher Education Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:46:20.240>
pretty need some updating pretty need some updating pretty soon<00:46:22.119 - Note that this is just tuition and fees, not the full cost of attendance.
- cover the remaining tuition and fees cover the remaining tuition and fees that<01:03:41.400>
- The tuition and fees do vary somewhat institution to institution.
- <01:24:33.760>
for instate full-time tuition and fees for instate full-time tuition and fees
Summary:
The Higher Ed Finance and Policy Committee met to begin a budget overview for higher education. The chair noted quorum, committee member introductions, and that Democratic members were absent. The chair also said the Office of Higher Education would not be appearing for the planned budget deep dive, so nonpartisan fiscal staff would present instead. Ken Savory, the committee’s nonpartisan fiscal analyst, introduced a presentation on the higher education finance structure and timeline.
Savory explained the state budget cycle, the difference between direct appropriations, statutory appropriations, open appropriations, base funding, tails, and one-time appropriations, and how those concepts apply to higher education. He described the committee’s usual budget areas: the Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State, the University of Minnesota, and the Mayo Foundation. He also reviewed historical spending charts showing higher education’s share of the general fund over time, the 2/3-1/3 funding policy in statute, and how tuition and general fund support have shifted. He noted that the FY 26-27 base for the Office of Higher Education area is about $725 million, including roughly $450 million for the State Grant program and about $99 million for North Star Promise.
Members asked about comparing the current budget to earlier biennia, and staff responded that they would need to calculate the percentage difference. The chair then summarized prior budget growth, saying the previous budget was about $650 million over base and the current budget/tail was about $450 million over base. Staff also reviewed the 2024 omnibus higher education bill, including a roughly $5 million reduction to North Star Promise that was redirected to the Fostering Independence Grant program and a $500,000 appropriation for Minnesota State’s Kids on Campus program. The committee did not take any formal votes or actions during this portion of the meeting.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on State and Local Government - 03/11/25
State and Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- There is still a mistake in section four that needs to be updated so that it's taxable years beginning
- There is still a mistake in section four that needs to be updated so that it's taxable years beginning
- Right now, our electronic waste recycling has not really been updated in about 20 years.
- <01:05:36.279>
to cover Through County costs and fees to cover Through County costs and fees - Chair and committee members, the bill does not have an upfront fee.
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- The bill further updates Vermont criminal record clearance law by providing for the automatic sealing
- Section one updates the framework by replacing expungement with sealing throughout the statute.
- Section<00:21:15.440>
one <00:21:16.000>updates <00:21:16.480>the <00:21:16.720>< - c> framework<00:21:17.280>
by Section one updates the framework by Section one updates the - Thank you, Madam Speaker. have been charged a fee of up to $300, have been charged a fee of up to $300
Summary:
The House opened with a devotional led by Rep. Bram Kleppner, who spoke about ethics, the virtues of kindness, wisdom, and courage, and offered an atheist’s prayer focused on those themes for legislative work. After the devotional, the chamber handled first readings of four bills: H.913 on prohibiting certain prediction markets securities, H.914 on compensating the city of Barre for an education property tax overpayment, H.915 on an extended producer responsibility program for beverage containers, and H.916 on education fund expenditures review. H.913 was referred to Government Operations and Military Affairs, H.914 to Ways and Means, H.915 to Ways and Means under House Rule 35A because it affects state revenue, and H.916 to Education.
Members also made several announcements recognizing outside groups and events, including a Universal Health Care Caucus meeting, the organization Lond, visiting Vermont NEA educators for “Stand Up for Students Day,” a Federation of Sportsmen mixer, a Vermont State Employees Association reception and dinner, a Council of State Governments East reception, a mental health first aid class reminder, and State House apparel sales. The House then took up orders of the day, first postponing action on H.205, an act relating to agreements not to compete, for one legislative day.
The chamber passed H.639 on genetic data privacy, H.694 on amendments to the Bennington town charter concerning the town manager, and H.907 on legislative review of reporting requirements. It then considered H.566 on sealing postcharge court diversion records upon successful completion. The Judiciary Committee explained the bill would replace expungement with sealing for juvenile and adult diversion records, add a limited Burlington Community Justice Center pilot for certain municipal ordinance violations, and align the law with prior record-clearance reforms; Judiciary reported it favorably 10-1. Ways and Means said removal of a proposed fee eliminated any fiscal impact and reported the bill ought to pass 11-0. The House agreed to the Judiciary amendment and ordered third reading. Finally, the House postponed H.635, which would eliminate Department of Correction supervisory fees, for one legislative day, heard additional announcements, and adjourned until Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 3:30 p.m.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - 04/13/26
Judiciary and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- reason that you didn't update that? reason that you didn't update that? So<00:43:14.120>
Mr. - , significant attorneys' fees that they've had to incur.
- , reasonable attorney fees, reasonable attorney fees, uh<01:27:10.360>
can <01:27:10.600> reasonable attorney fees. reasonable attorney fees.- which or a price fee which or a price penalty?
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
Administration of Criminal Justice May 12th, 2026
Administration of Criminal Justice
Transcript Highlights:
- So only 10% of e-filings are assessed this fee.
- This fee being assessed.
- , this would result in additional fees being assessed.
- , continue to be assessed this fee.
- Additional fees, well, defendants are not paying this fee directly in most cases.
Bills:
HB75, SB134, SB201, SB258, SB288, SB313, SB320, SB321, SB325, SB339, SB345, SB393, SB422, SB440, SB470, SB487, SB523
Keywords:
HB75, Act 963, gaming, casino gaming, promotional play, promotional wagers, slot machine proceeds, net gaming proceeds, gross revenue, taxable revenue, gaming operators, gaming tax, Louisiana gaming, gaming revenue deduction, casino tax, gaming promotion, revenue cap, pilot program, child sexual abuse materials, sexting
Summary:
The Criminal Justice Committee heard and advanced a series of bills, mostly on juvenile justice, gaming background checks, corrections, and criminal procedure. Early in the meeting, the committee reported favorably SB 258 on juvenile traffic violations, SB 321 on electronic bonds, SB 134 on child sexual abuse material/sexting-related offenses involving juveniles, and HB 75 on promotional play for racetracks after adopting an amendment narrowing the bill’s application. The committee also reported favorably SB 422 on unsupervised probation for certain fourth-offense OWI cases, SB 440 on the Renaissance District board membership, SB 393 on explosives regulation after correcting a bill-number mix-up, SB 339 on gaming-industry background checks, SB 325 on excluding certain persons from sports wagering, and SB 288 on criminal history background checks. Most of these measures were described as technical cleanups or modernization efforts and drew support from law enforcement, district attorneys, or industry groups, with little or no opposition.
The most substantial debate centered on SB 201, which would change how Louisiana handles juvenile homicide sentencing, including first- and second-degree murder cases and review of old death sentences converted to life terms. Supporters from the Attorney General’s office said the bill would align sentencing procedures with existing Supreme Court law and give courts a more neutral framework. Opponents from the SPLC and the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights argued it would weaken the safeguard that life without parole for children should be reserved for the rarest cases, expand exposure to juvenile life-without-parole sentences, and raise constitutional concerns. After an amendment was adopted, the committee voted 7-3 to report SB 201 favorably as amended.
The committee also heard SB 523 on clemency and sentencing considerations for defendants who are victims of domestic abuse, human trafficking, or sexual assault. Supporters said it would create a path to pardon or commutation and allow victimization to be considered at sentencing, while several survivor-advocacy groups opposed the bill’s pre-sentence investigation requirement, warning it could introduce biased or harmful information and that the bill did not go far enough to fix sentencing problems. After testimony from the Board of Pardons and Parole and the Sheriff’s Association, the committee reported SB 523 favorably as amended. It also reported SB 320 on DNA detection and rape-kit data reporting, SB 470 on pregnant women in custody and shackling during delivery, and SB 345 requiring annual OJJ reporting, with members noting confidentiality concerns that may need amendment later. The final bill taken up in the excerpt was SB 313, which would bar clerks and vendors from charging additional electronic filing fees in criminal and traffic cases, but the transcript cuts off before action on that measure.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:04:56.080>
you <00:04:56.160>over <00:04:56.440>the <00:04:56.560>updated - amendments and send you over the updated amendments and send you over the updated CD,<00:04:57.440
- This would allow DLNR and state parks to expand user fee monies that they collect on certain projects
- state parks to would allow DLNR and state parks to expand<00:11:18.600>
user <00:11:19.360>fee - monies that they collect expand user fee monies that they collect on<00:11:21.240>
certain <00
Keywords:
immigration enforcement, sanctuary policy, detainer, ICE, federal immigration authorities, 8 U.S.C. 1357(g), 8 U.S.C. 1373, 8 U.S.C. 1644, deportation, undocumented immigrants, noncitizen, migrant rights, local police cooperation, law enforcement cooperation, hold request, judicial warrant, probable cause, civil immigration enforcement, county police, state police
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Senate Legislative Session May 14th, 2026 at 08:00 am
Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Updated, what would be the military installation we've added the training zones.
- They are to update all of their collection technology.
- per-page fee from 67 cents to 70 cents.
- The House took the fees, raising the fees from 1 to 2 cents. Hicksory, recognized for a follow-up.
- that without the fee...
Bills:
HJR1088, HJR1090, HJR1091, HB1370, SB2154, HJR1092, HJR1093, HJR1095, HJR1099, HJR1100, HB3021, SB893, SB206, SB248, SB259, SB423, SB563, SB604, SB633, HJR1077, SB667, SB1224, SB1257, SB1264, SB1319, SB1360, SB1437, SB1531, SB1543, SB1806, HB3004, SB1572, HB4342, SB1618, SB2, SB237, SB1632, SB1687, SB1726, SB1859, SB1894, SB1461, HB4432, SB1948, SB1589, SJR52, SR46, HCR1030, SB2071, SB2182, SB1451, HJR1088, HJR1090, HJR1091, HJR1092, HJR1093, HJR1095, HJR1096, HJR1099, HJR1100, SB2185, SB893, HB3021, SR46, SB206, SB237, SB248, SB259, SB423, SB563, SB604, SB625, SB633, SB667, SB1224, SB1257, SB1264, SB1319, SB1360, SB1378, SB1437, SB1531, SB1543, SB1572, SB1618, SB1632, SB1687, SB1726, SB1806, SB1859, SB1894, SB1948, SB2071, SJR52, HB1370, HJR1077, SB2, SB1451, SB2182, HCR1030
Keywords:
education rules, administrative rules, joint resolution, Oklahoma State Department of Education, higher education, State Regents for Higher Education, Teachers' Retirement System, charter schools, Statewide Charter School Board, career and technology education, CTE, OEQA, rule approval, legislative oversight, permanent rules, school governance, teacher retirement, education agencies, Oklahoma Register, Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Education Committee Apr 30th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- evidence that current fees are insufficient or that fee revenue is even used appropriately for oversight
- Increasing these fees will only exacerbate that problem.
- Increasing administrative fees without accountability or data is not a solution.
- Increasing these fees will only exacerbate that problem.
- about half a million dollars more in authorization oversight fees.
Summary:
The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes.
The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously.
Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Local Government Dec 4th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Without burdensome fees and redundancy.
- Impact fees, I think we've heard some of these on this list already today, but impact fees.
- Impact fees, especially those around traffic impact fees specifically, can make costs rise dramatically
- Impact fee waivers: I mentioned already waiving impact fees in Mountlake Terrace for child care facilities
- And those who develop now pay a late-comer fee for those improvements.
Summary:
The committee held a work session on form-based codes, child care facility siting, and street standards/frontage improvements. On form-based codes, Commerce’s Dave Anderson explained that these codes emphasize building form, orientation, and the public realm more than traditional use and density tables, and that they are typically applied in specific districts rather than citywide or statewide. Lacey’s Vanessa Dolby described the city’s Woodland District code, developed through community charrettes, fiscal and market analysis, and subdistrict-specific standards to create a walkable downtown. She said the approach has helped produce a more desirable built environment and more flexibility in permitted uses, but also noted it can be less user-friendly for applicants and still requires some use restrictions; both presenters said a hybrid approach is often best.
The committee then heard from DCYF and multiple providers about barriers to opening child care facilities. DCYF officials said Washington has more than 6,500 licensed providers and that a new pre-licensing support team is helping applicants navigate licensing, but local zoning, building, fire, parking, utility, and occupancy requirements still create delays and confusion. Testifiers described long permitting timelines, inconsistent local interpretations, costly upgrades, and utility hookup delays; one Yakima provider said county requirements, a floodplain-related elevation certificate, and a private well issue stopped her in-home child care proposal, while others described traffic impact fees, parking mandates, and zoning barriers that made projects infeasible. Enterprise Community Partners highlighted examples of successful local reforms, including fee waivers, expedited permitting, and zoning changes in several cities, and DCYF said it is working toward a 2026 action plan and a resource guide for providers.
In the final section, planners and developers discussed how street standards and frontage improvement requirements can undermine infill and middle housing. Poulsbo’s planning manager said current standards were designed for greenfield subdivisions and often force costly curb, gutter, sidewalk, stormwater, and utility upgrades on small infill sites, sometimes adding tens of thousands of dollars and causing projects to be abandoned. A Seattle-based developer made similar points about small middle-housing projects being burdened by frontage work, curb ramps, buried standards, and EV-ready parking requirements that can trigger expensive undergrounding. Committee members asked about possible state-level changes, including whether child care should be treated as an essential public facility and whether parking requirements had already been reduced; one senator noted that minimum parking requirements for child care facilities were eliminated in prior legislation, with implementation phased in over the next few years.
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Mar 12th, 2026
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Transcript Highlights:
- . $7,260 for meals for employees and guests, $2,958 for door prizes, and $450 for facility rental fees
- And then the facility fees is exactly what it is, just some off-site facility that they rented for the
- other items. $10,596 for catering and supplies, which included the food, the servers, and the setup fees
- $4,235 for entertainment, which included a DJ and live performances, and $1,215 for the facility rental fee
- $4,235 for entertainment, which included a DJ and live performances, and $1,215 for the facility rental fee
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Appraisal district can now update and the and the life exemptions as needed.
- Have, have the fee been established? Is it a nominal fee?
- The uh the fee is subject to payment by the taxpayers.
- To offset, but you think it's a nominal fee though?
- So you still have the payment right now that you can do by regular check, uh, with, with no fee.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V Feb 27th, 2025
Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V
Transcript Highlights:
- GRD 5173 is funded by, by revenues generated from forensic analyst licensing and testing fees, which
- The commission has also indicated the need for additional funding to meet updated federal requirements
- generated through the collection of registration of test fees and test fees.
- The agency had indicated that they would consider raising these fees, but wanted to be careful not to
- We're also asking for an increase in court reporter fees.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
- So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
- So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
- So, the associated fees to replace a plate are roughly $30.
- So, we're working with charging fees.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Legislative Session Day 50 (3-19-26)
Kentucky House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Gaming Modernization Task Force to study, review, and report on updates to Kentucky's charitable gaming
- Amendment 1, the title amendment, Senator Howell, an act relating to deferred deposit transaction fees
- The bill also would update the tote machine system at our horse tracks to make sure it is more updated
- to make sure it is more updated to make sure it is more updated concerns<00:51:15.560>
with - before an access fee is landowners before an access fee is permit<01:34:49.840>
is <01:34:50.000
VT
Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Caucus of the Whole - 2026-05-29 - 11:15AM
Vermont House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh, so, we will start this Caucus of the Whole uh with an update on the budget, ...with an update on
- In conference, we made a few changes that were sort of updates and technical changes and then a few more
- There was language around fish and wildlife fees that, as the bill left the House,... ...we essentially
- had, in previous legislation many years ago, delegated our fee authority from the legislature to the
- We were able to actually add the fee schedule from rules into statute, close a loophole, and so we made
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- During the interim, we updated our strategic plan.
- For them to update. Yes, sir.
- Page 7 lists some minor changes and updates to riders.
- All other fees remain unchanged. From 2.95% to 2.75%.
- There may also be fees collected for certain licensing and things like that, and those fees are processed
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee began with Article I budget items for the Secretary of State. LBB staff outlined recommendations that would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million, including changes to HAVA funding, removal of one-time business system replacement money, and a rider directing the agency to use Fund 5095 first. Secretary Jane Nelson and staff then defended several exceptional items, especially additional staffing for elections and business filings, a new website, digitization of records, cybersecurity tools, and renovation of the James Earl Rudder Building. Members focused heavily on election administration, cross-checking voter rolls, Harris County complaints, call-center response times, and whether online voter registration should be expanded. No votes were taken; the discussion was informational and budget-focused.
The committee then heard the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB presented a recommended $2.4 million decrease for the governor’s office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs driven by one-time funding and unexpended balances, while still preserving major border security funding and victim assistance funding. Governor’s staff emphasized Texas’ economic growth, the importance of border security, and efforts to seek federal reimbursement for the roughly $11 billion Texas has spent on border operations. Members discussed whether shifting National Guard deployment to federal control could reduce state costs, and they also reviewed the music incubator program, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and the semiconductor innovation consortium. Staff highlighted a $5 million late-added request for grants to protect nonprofits from violence and terrorism. Again, the exchange was largely explanatory, with no formal action.
Finally, the committee took up the Texas Facilities Commission and lease payments for revenue bonds. LBB recommended major reductions overall, including removal of border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, but added money for higher utility costs, renovation of the Rudder Building, and additional facilities staff. George Purcell also noted stable maintenance-and-renewal funding and new riders related to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building, tenant communications, and space utilization. For lease payments, LBB recommended a smaller appropriation tied to revenue-bond costs allocated across agencies. The discussion was informational, with members asking about the Rudder Building renovation, border wall progress, and capital complex construction timelines; no votes were recorded.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Transcript Highlights:
- We have defense counsel incurring tens of thousands of legal fees fighting this.
- And lastly, I think it's important what we're requesting here in terms of the fees.
- network companies like Uber and Lyft from a low flat fee to a percentage-based fee.
- Last year in August, MAPC released an updated policy brief about the TNC fees, particularly evaluating
- states have now implemented fees, and our 20-cent fee per ride assessment is much lower than other cities
Summary:
The Financial Services Committee heard testimony on several insurance, transportation, and labor-related bills. Senator Edwards supported bills addressing app-based delivery workers, arguing that food-delivery drivers should be treated as employees with protections and mileage reimbursement, and that a small surcharge on app-based deliveries could raise revenue for the Commonwealth and localities. Kevin Brousseau of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO also backed the delivery-worker bill, saying it would preserve employee status, add data transparency, and create a process for challenging deactivations. MAPC supported a bill to change transportation network company fees from a flat per-ride charge to a percentage-based assessment, saying the current fee is outdated and that a higher fee could raise more transportation revenue and help address congestion and emissions.
A large portion of the hearing focused on auto insurance and collision repair issues. Insurance industry witnesses supported a bill to limit attorney’s fees in PIP cases by giving insurers 30 days after a complaint is served to pay amounts due without fee exposure, arguing that PIP litigation has surged, is clogging courts, and is being driven by out-of-state firms. They also opposed auto body labor-rate bills, saying the market is already adjusting and that a statutory floor is unnecessary. In contrast, auto body shop representatives and the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts urged favorable action on bills to raise and regularly update collision repair labor rates, saying current reimbursement levels are far below market, have not kept pace with inflation or vehicle technology, and are making it hard to retain workers and keep small shops open. One witness also supported a bill to limit insurance surcharge points for low-damage accidents or minor moving violations.
Committee members asked questions about deactivation rights for delivery workers, the mechanics of the PIP litigation issue, and the gap between body-shop and mechanical labor rates. Testimony emphasized that current auto body reimbursement rates are around the mid-$40s per hour, while mechanical work can be reimbursed at much higher rates, and that advisory-board discussions have produced only limited progress. At the end of the hearing, the chairs asked if anyone else wished to testify, then moved to close the hearing; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
01/20/2026 - Senate Natural Resources and House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee of Reference
Transcript Highlights:
- appraisal in 2015 to update agricultural rental rates.
- appraisal in 2015 to update agricultural rental rates.
- The last time those market rental rates were updated was 2006, and they needed to be updated again approximately
- We updated, so that is our goal. We did. Chair, Madam Chair, we updated, so that is our goal.
- A land sale fee, Madam Chair, Mr.
Summary:
The Joint Natural Resources and House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committees of Reference heard the Arizona Auditor General’s sunset review of the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. The audit found the board generally met some licensing requirements, but it did not timely investigate and resolve 49 of 159 complaints in fiscal year 2024, and it did not fully comply with conflict-of-interest disclosure and filing requirements. The Auditor General also identified weaknesses in continuing-education verification and other sunset-factor areas, and the board agreed to implement all 21 recommendations. Board staff said complaint volume has risen sharply since the pandemic, that the board’s process is slower because every case goes through an investigative committee and then the full board, and that it has already corrected some conflict-of-interest issues and is adding tools to improve continuing-education audits.
The committee then heard testimony from the board’s executive director and from the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association. The executive director emphasized the board’s public-protection mission, described the shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians, and said the board is working to improve efficiency through a new e-licensing system and staff training. Members asked about the shortage of large-animal veterinarians, complaint backlogs, and whether the board could do more to recruit rural practitioners; the board said it lacks direct recruiting authority but supports multiple licensure pathways and loan-assistance efforts. The veterinary association supported the board’s oversight and said it is also working on rural and large-animal workforce issues through partnerships and advocacy. The committee then voted to recommend continuing the board for eight years, until July 1, 2034.
The committee next took up the Arizona State Land Department, beginning with the Auditor General’s presentation on the department’s sunset review and prior special audit. The audit found the department had not updated its required five-year disposition plan since 2011, had sold more than 48,000 acres without an active plan, had allowed agricultural rental rates to go unchanged since 2006 despite market increases, and had not consistently inspected mineral-related leases or properly managed reclamation bonds. The Auditor General said these issues created risks of lost revenue, reduced transparency, and public-safety hazards, and recommended 18 corrective actions in the main review plus 34 additional recommendations on other issues; the department agreed to most recommendations but declined to adopt a written policy for commissioner-initiated land sales.
Commissioner Robin Sahid said the department is working through audit recommendations, has created a rules team, improved its customer portal, and is pursuing new policies on water use, transportation-basin leases, and disposition planning. Members questioned the department about agricultural leases, groundwater valuation, the Fondomonte leases and reimbursement for improvements, the canceled Coyotes land auction, backlog and processing times, and the use of consultants and administrative funds. The commissioner said the department had over 2,000 applications in queue when she arrived, that it has made progress reducing the backlog, and that it is conducting stakeholder outreach on water-efficiency standards and lease addenda. No final vote on the land department continuation was taken in the portion provided.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Feb 4th, 2025
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- Not all of them need to be updated right away.
- That's what circuit needs to be updated.
- But it says that this appropriation is contingent upon charging fees.
- But we will get clarification for you and update you. Thank you.
- My fee goes up 8%—yeah, 9% now. And so, Mr. Chairman and presenters.