Transcript Highlights:

• It's not truly finance. It's more people. It's a people purpose.
• It's not truly finance. It's more people. It's a people purpose.
• It's not truly finance. It's more people. It's a people purpose.
• It's not truly finance. It's more people. It's a people purpose.
• It's not truly finance. It's more people. It's a people purpose.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Labor and Technology met on March 6, 2026, and considered four gubernatorial nominations. For GM 690, Jesse Kola Dean was nominated for reappointment to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Board. Testimony from the Retirement Savings Board and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations strongly supported Dean, citing his original membership on the board and his role in advancing implementation of the retirement savings program. Dean described his background and said the program was moving into implementation after the board approved the Connecticut consortium model; in response to questions, he said the main challenges had been finding an executive director and adapting the program from an original opt-in structure to the opt-out consortium model. The committee voted to recommend advise and consent. For GM 634, Darlene Blakey was nominated to the board of trustees of the Employees' Retirement System. ERS and several individuals submitted support. Blakey, an executive vice president and chief lending officer at First Hawaiian Bank, said her banking and finance background and personal experience with her mother’s retirement benefits motivated her service. She told senators she had attended ERS meetings and was focused on improving retirees’ access to information, education, and retirement planning, and said she would recuse herself from matters involving First Hawaiian Bank because of a potential conflict of interest. The committee again voted to advise and consent. The committee then considered GM 627 and GM 726, both nominations of Gina Anu Novo to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council for different terms. Written testimony from numerous supporters was read into the record. Novo, a longtime First Hawaiian Bank executive and current vice chair, described her experience building audit, compliance, human resources, and technology functions, and said she wanted to help strengthen workforce pathways, career development, retention, and outreach to youth and workers who do not pursue college. Senators asked about her plans to connect workforce development with education and financial literacy; she emphasized career pathing, training, and adapting to changing skills needs, including the role of technology and AI. The committee voted to recommend advise and consent on both nominations, and the meeting adjourned after all four nominations were approved by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today’s hearing is focused on campaign finance and a number of local bills.
• I am William Campbell, Director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
• FEC that the lens under which any campaign finance regulation must be viewed is whether it is crafted
• The Court has rejected all other legislative objectives when reviewing campaign finance laws, such as
• significant judicial, economic, and cultural shifts, and the campaign finance law has not kept pace.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House and Senate Election Laws committees held a hearing focused on campaign finance and several local election-related bills. Office of Campaign and Political Finance Director William Campbell testified in support of H. 848 and S. 515, saying the campaign finance law needs modernization and highlighting proposals for stronger Super PAC disclosure, more timely reporting, improved security for campaign participants, and other reforms. He said the bills would help update a 50-year-old system to reflect legal, economic, and cultural changes. A major portion of the hearing concerned H. 868/S. 507, which would require earlier and more frequent reporting by ballot question committees. Witnesses from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, and others argued that ballot campaigns now involve tens of millions of dollars, much of it raised during periods with no real-time disclosure, and that moving these committees into the depository system would improve transparency without burdening grassroots signature-gathering. The committee also heard support for H. 811 and H. 812, which would allow municipalities to create citizen-funded election programs and require identifying information on political text messages, as well as S. 525/H. 875, which would bar political spending by foreign-influenced corporations. The committee also heard testimony on S. 2605, a Canton home rule petition to move town elections from April to November. Canton residents, a select board member, and a poll worker said the change would increase turnout, better align local elections with the November voting cycle, and give newly elected officials more time to prepare for town meeting. Senator Rausch also testified in support of S. 530, requiring presidential primary candidates to disclose recent tax returns. The hearing ended with no votes taken and the committee adjourning, with a note that the next hearing was tentatively scheduled for January 13.

Transcript Highlights:

• Debt service was moved to finance.
• Debt service was moved to finance. Debt service was moved to finance.
• Debt service was moved to finance.
• Debt service was moved to finance.
• Debt service was moved to finance.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Free Conference Committee on the 2026 General Assembly budget met to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 500. Leaders opened by thanking the other chamber’s work, asking members to turn microphones on and off to avoid feedback, and stressing the need to clearly note decision points so both chambers record the same actions. Staff then walked through the bill page by page, explaining that the committee was comparing only House and Senate differences, not the governor’s proposed budget. The discussion covered a wide range of appropriations and language items, including next generation non-911 services, school safety reporting tools, restored funding for brain injury, epilepsy, veteran service, homeless veterans, and rocket docket programs, debt service changes, rural infrastructure, disaster aid caps, Attorney General and Medicaid fraud funding, agriculture and county fair grants, auditor and pension-related appropriations, school facilities and SEEK funding, and numerous education programs. Members also discussed charter-related funding such as Star Academy, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, school resource officers, school-based mental health providers, AP/IB exams, Governor’s Scholars and Entrepreneurs, and several pilot or initiative programs in economic development, energy, and labor. Several items were described as technical corrections or restorations of language and funding, while others reflected differences in amounts or how funds would be distributed. There were several questions and comments from members about wording such as “implement and carry out,” the absence of the governor’s budget from the comparison document, and whether SEEK funding should be tied to teacher raises. The chair and other members emphasized that the committee’s role was to reconcile the two chambers’ budgets, not to adopt the governor’s proposal. Members also raised concerns about opioid settlement funds and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library match rate, with one senator urging restoration of the House language. No final vote or formal action was taken in the portion provided; the meeting primarily consisted of explanation, questions, and discussion of proposed budget differences.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is referred to Finance.
• It is referred to Finance.
• It is referred to Finance. Commissioner referred to finance.
• It comes from the Committee on Finance.
• It comes from the Committee on Finance.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A quorum is present, and this is the Minnesota Senate Education Finance Committee.
• The plan is to pass this out of committee and send it on to our finance committee.
• . finance. finance.
• Final comment on an education finance bill, please. Well, we do have an hour, so, um...
• re-referred to the Committee on Finance re-referred to the Committee on Finance and<00:41:41.720

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• questions in education finance. questions in education finance.
• 3714 as amended to the Education Finance 3714 as amended to the Education Finance Committee.<00:
• And I education finance next week.
• So, I would just ask for you ed finance.
• <01:17:49.120> All the Education Finance Committee. All the Education Finance Committee.

Bills: HF3714, HF4399, HF4176, HF2544, HF60, HF4231, HF4232

Keywords: foster care, child welfare, enrollment priority, education programs, child care assistance, education, school board, elections, local governance, school district, site-governed schools, education reform, local control, autonomy, interchange, bond issuance, transportation, infrastructure funding, Sherburne County, student eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• Sigurdson and the Campaign Finance Board on the disclaimer language again.
• > and<00:31:55.000> uh of campaign finance and uh of campaign finance and uh administrative
• <00:35:33.520> Public Sigurson of the Campaign Finance Public Sigurson of the Campaign Finance
• [laughter] I don't know if there will be a finance bill.
• anticipating but again the the finance anticipating but again the the finance part<00:58:12.240>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• authority's ability to provide financing authority's ability to provide financing helping<00:26:
• <00:28:22.040> uh MnCIFA to expand its financing uh MnCIFA to expand its financing uh capacity
• Lastly, she said financing partners are asking for these tools.
• <00:31:00.840> partners And lastly, we have financing partners And lastly, we have financing
• financing tools. financing tools.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Alex and Ivelasquez with the Department of Finance.
• So Department of Finance will kick us off. Yes.
• Does the Department of Finance have anything to add?
• Finance. I'll also note the Department of Finance.
• Alex and I with the Department of Finance.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, chaired by Assemblymember Alvarez, held a hearing focused on University of California budget issues. The committee reviewed UC core operations funding, enrollment trends, federal funding threats, Title IX implementation, and basic needs support. Major themes included the end of the Governor’s multi-year UC compact, the state’s fiscal outlook, UC’s enrollment growth, and the potential impacts of federal policy changes on research, health care, and student aid. On core funding, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to continue compact-related support, defer some payments, and authorize a cash-flow loan. The LAO recommended a smaller or no base increase, earmarking some funds for capital renewal, retiring deferrals when possible, avoiding new compact commitments, and funding UC annually rather than through compacts. UC argued that the compact has supported enrollment growth, student services, and operating costs, but said campuses face rising expenses, structural deficits, and limited reserves. Members questioned the effects of deferrals on students and discussed the need to prioritize less harmful reductions if cuts become necessary. The enrollment panel focused on UC’s growth in California resident enrollment and the nonresident replacement plan at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The LAO recommended maintaining the current enrollment target, funding enrollment separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident replacement plan, and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. UC said it has already met compact enrollment goals, grown California undergraduate enrollment by about 18,800 students, and that further growth depends on ongoing state support. The committee also discussed the cost of enrollment growth, possible differential nonresident tuition, and a reporting request for UC to analyze the nonresident replacement approach; the motion to adopt supplemental reporting language passed. The hearing also covered federal funding risks, with the LAO and UC warning that federal changes could affect research grants, medical center reimbursement, and student financial aid. UC said research cancellations and suspensions are disrupting labs and graduate student support, while federal health policy changes could increase uncompensated care at UC hospitals. In the Title IX update, UC described its systemwide civil rights structure, annual student training, and campus support offices, and members praised the work while asking about ongoing concerns and intersegmental collaboration. The final basic-needs item began with Finance stating the Governor’s budget does not change ongoing support, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll call this meeting of the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee to order and note that a quorum
• Uh, we will now move on to our one bill for the day, which is our housing finance bill.
• <00:02:49.120> and<00:02:49.360> policy the housing finance and policy the housing
• infrastructure resources have financed infrastructure resources have financed more<00:14:09.600>
• <00:18:36.240> affordable use to create and finance affordable use to create and finance affordable

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I understand the complexity of school finance.
• The, the school finance, um, uh, the, the, the totality of school finance would, would allow you, would
• our school finance system is attendance-based.
• Yeah, it's a method of finance.
• That's the way the school finance system formulas work.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Division of Finance, House Bill 2423.
• The Department of Finance has worked with industry stakeholders to develop a new fee structure.
• deposits of the respective assessment fees and transfer funds to reimburse the finance funds for the
• Like I said, if not, I do have the Division of Finance here as well, and various different people who
• We work well with the Division of Finance, specifically the Consumer Protection Division.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve as the HR director for the Finance Administration Cabinet.
• I'm joined with my general counsel. >> Uh, Barbie Dickens, general counsel of the Finance Cabinet.
• Uh, the Finance Cabinet, our role with the PVA administrators is basically to administer their payroll
• cabinet, our role with uh the finance cabinet, our role with the<00:02:15.520> PVA<00:02:16.560
• > update<00:05:50.080> the<00:05:50.320> PVA the finance cabinet update the PVA

Keywords: Call to Order: 00:15 PVA Administration : 00:15 Adjournment: 10:17, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved prior meeting minutes, and then took up a single agenda item involving the Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) salary schedule and payroll administration. Finance Cabinet representatives Dale Clemens and general counsel Barbie Dickens testified that the cabinet’s role is to administer PVA payroll and that it needs clear statutory language to do so without interpretation. They said the salary schedule is set in statute, not regulation, and explained that the last update they were aware of was in 2020, with later changes tied to CPI and then updated in 2024 through House Bill 122. Members asked whether PVA salaries had effectively doubled under the 2024 update, how the schedule had been adjusted before 2024, and whether the cabinet could update the schedule administratively. The Finance Cabinet responded that the current language would apply the same increment given to other state employees rather than a CPI-based increase, and that the schedule itself remains in KRS 132.590. The chair and members discussed proposed budget language, including references to the Kentucky Association of PVAs and issues arising since the 2022 budget, with the goal of cleaning up the language so the cabinet could make necessary adjustments. The chair indicated the most recent language appeared to be in the newly dropped HB 500 budget bill and asked whether the PVA representatives could live with it; the PVAs appeared agreeable. No formal vote was taken on the substantive issue during the meeting, and after concluding there were no further questions, the chair adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:43:30.599> project-based HUD financed project-based HUD financed project-based um<00:43
• <01:08:11.480> shovel commitment closing on financing shovel commitment closing on financing
• <01:08:27.080> as close financing you draw on financing as close financing you draw on financing
• construction financing construction financing that<01:08:56.199> is<01:08:56.440> timed
• where we're involved in the financing where we're involved in the financing and<01:32:11.679>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We went through this in finance.
• There's just the finance committee report. Okay, then just the finance committee report.
• Back to the finance committee report. Any further discussion on the finance committee report?
• This bill will allow... ...allow a financing mechanism through Health Care Policy and Financing for helping
• In finance, we In finance, we made some adjustments to be sure that we were clear on the actual legal

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the rules, it is recommitted to the Committee on Finance.
• It comes from the Committee on Finance with committee amendments.
• It comes from the Committee on Finance with committee amendments.
• It comes from the Committee on Finance with committee amendments.
• It comes from the Committee on Finance with committee amendments.

Bills: SR134, SR135, SR136, SR137, SR140, SR141, SR142, SCR75, SCR77, SCR12, HB75, HB1199, HB221, HCR89, HCR96, HCR103, HCR108, HCR58, HB9, HB177, HB181, HB198, HB202, HB223, HB225, HB387, HB398, HB457, HB459, HB540, HB591, HB616, HB766, HB775, HB783, HB797, HB895, HB906, HB950, HB975, HB1028, HB1052, HB1057, HB1076, HB1100, HB1139, HB1155, HB1160, HB1182, HB1186, HB1220, HB1222, HB1223, HB1224, HB1228, HB1231, HB1245, HB1256, SCR3, SB393, SB401, SB415, SB426, SB435, SB487, SB488, SB523, SB56, SB163, SB341, SB504, SB322, SCR9, SCR58, SB35, SB65, SB215, SB246, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR27, HCR28, HCR66, HCR67, HCR72, HCR31, HCR47, HCR41, HB363, HB368, HB377, HB380, HB386, HB392, HB431, HB441, HB559, HB664, HB685, HB715, HB741, HB822, HB856, HB908, HB980, HB990, HB999, HB1010, HB1243, HB54, HB137, HB180, HB192, HB310, HB321, HB396, HB512, HB552, HB578, HB638, HB663, HB708, HB717, HB718, HB1009, HB1082, HB1104, HB1107, HB1198, HB1246, HB27, HB143, HB205, HB259, HB267, HB288, HB308, HB403, HB405, HB414, HB417, HB478, HB546, HB548, HB555, HB557, HB609, HB670, HB672, HB740, HB779, HB786, HB796, HB812, HB848, HB915, HB917, HB921, HB930, HB933, HB1095, HB1096, HB1103, HB1129, HB1154, HB1166, HB1187, HB1195, HB1230, HB316, HB511, HB799, HB1039, HB12, HB66, HB145, HB167, HB196, HB213, HB218, HB222, HB256, HB291, HB326, HB352, HB401, HB430, HB433, HB434, HB448, HB456, HB476, HB481, HB487, HB492, HB549, HB579, HB608, HB621, HB624, HB626, HB632, HB637, HB656, HB722, HB745, HB804, HB818, HB821, HB833, HB864, HB867, HB874, HB893, HB909, HB951, HB968, HB969, HB978, HB979, HB988, HB989, HB1001, HB1005, HB1007, HB1024, HB1032, HB1038, HB1050, HB1051, HB1056, HB1059, HB1077, HB1080, HB1081, HB1086, HB1108, HB1112, HB1153, HB1172, HB1173, HB1175, HB1192, HB1193, HB1204, HB1218, HB1242, HB1244, HB1249, HB1252, HB1254, HB17, HB36, HB41, HB47, HB73, HB126, HB133, HB140, HB159, HB166, HB211, HB226, HB271, HB324, HB337, HB351, HB399, HB571, HB712, HB723, HB726, HB750, HB759, HB844, HB966, HB1006, HB1018, HB1036, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB208, SB217, SB274, SB300, SB379, SB382, SB387, SB441, SB449, HB74, HB134, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB956, HB1117, SB149

Keywords: SR134, Senate Resolution 134, Isaac Herzenberg, Metairie Park Country Day School, Country Day, javelin, track and field, Class 2A, state championship, high school athletics, student athlete, Louisiana Senate commendation, honorary resolution, sports recognition, University of Nebraska, Baton Rouge, LSU Bernie Moore Track Stadium, sportsmanship, collegiate athletics, condolence resolution

Transcript Highlights:

• This is going to move to the finance committee.
• This is going to move to the finance committee.
• This is going to move to the finance committee.
• You're on your way to finance.
• All those in favor committee on finance.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:26:58.799> Administration, of Finance Administration, of Finance Administration, the<00
• committee on finance committee on finance >> thank<00:43:11.599> you<00:43:11.680><
• recommended by the committee on finance. recommended by the committee on finance.
• I thank the Chair of Finance.
• committee on finance. committee on finance.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Public financing programs put more power into the hands of everyday voters.
• Campaign Finance.
• what happens if the campaign finance what happens if the campaign finance office<01:21:31.920>
• only just from the campaign finance only just from the campaign finance software<01:23:58.040>
• The bill will go to Judiciary and Finance.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Henry Ng, Department of Finance. Good afternoon. Henry in the Department of Finance.
• Henry Ayn, Department of Finance.
• Department of Finance. Yeah, Phil Osborne, Department of Finance.
• You mentioned in the Department of Finance... Anthony Franzoid, Department of Finance.
• Department of Finance. Anthony Franzoid, Department of Finance.

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on Proposition 36 and its implementation, with judicial and budget officials describing it as a major shift from misdemeanor to felony processing for repeat drug possession and certain theft offenses. Witnesses explained that the law creates a treatment-mandated felony process that can lead to dismissal if a defendant completes treatment, but also requires evaluations, court monitoring, and potentially long, open-ended supervision. Judicial representatives said the new law is already generating large numbers of filings, creating workload, staffing, courtroom, and facility pressures, and that access to treatment beds, housing, and evaluation capacity is limiting participation. Several speakers emphasized that collaborative courts are effective but are not a perfect fit for Prop. 36 because those programs are typically probation-based and serve different risk/need populations. Court officials from San Bernardino and Orange counties said the impacts vary by county but are severe, with some counties seeing hundreds or more filings in a short period and others moving more slowly to build treatment infrastructure first. They argued that Prop. 36 is effectively an unfunded mandate unless the state provides more resources for judges, staff, facilities, treatment, housing, and supervision. The Legislative Analyst’s Office noted that Prop. 36 will reduce the Proposition 47 savings that fund mental health and substance use treatment grants, but said the near-term reduction is relatively modest and that the full effect will take time to appear because of the way those savings are calculated. Members of the committee repeatedly raised concerns that the state is underfunding the courts and counties needed to carry out the new law. The committee also reviewed the Governor’s proposed trial court operations budget, including a partial restoration of a prior $97 million cut and additional ongoing funding. Judicial branch officials said the restoration helped avoid furloughs, hiring freezes, and service reductions, and supported cybersecurity, technology, staffing, and records management. The LAO recommended that the Legislature seek more detail on how midyear restorations are handled and consider clarifying language for transferring unspent trial court trust fund monies to the General Fund. Finance said the flexibility in the ongoing funding was intentional and would be taken back for consideration. In a separate item, the committee heard testimony on a $6.3 million increase for Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal appointed counsel programs. Judicial officials and appellate project representatives said the system is facing a crisis because indigent appeals have risen sharply while the number of panel attorneys has fallen, leaving many cases waiting months for counsel. They argued the proposed increase would help but is still below what is needed to recruit and retain attorneys and prevent delays that affect criminal, juvenile, and child welfare cases. The committee also discussed the Tracy courthouse project in San Joaquin County, where local officials said reopening a courthouse closed since 2011 is necessary to serve a growing population and relieve overcrowding elsewhere. The LAO and Finance both noted the project is next in line under the facilities plan, though LAO suggested the Legislature could consider whether other facility priorities should come first.