Transcript Highlights:

• I think we should be making statewide budgetary decisions based on systems that are based on our values
• I think we should be making statewide budgetary decisions based on systems that are based on our values
• I think we should be making statewide budgetary decisions based on systems that are based on our values
• I think we should be making statewide budgetary decisions based on systems that are based on our values
• I think we should be making statewide budgetary decisions based on systems that are based on our values

Bills: HF2438

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill could also assist in alleviating the budgetary hardships of our professional partners.
• So one of the questions that I am thinking of here is jurisdiction, including budgetary jurisdiction,
• some other budget, maybe a budget for Direct Care and Treatment, which is going to have its own budgetary
• 38.679><c> was</c> So one of the questions that I am thinking of here is jurisdiction, including budgetary
• some other budget, maybe a budget for Direct Care and Treatment, which is going to have its own budgetary

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Originally we were here just to talk about some of the logistical, operational, and budgetary challenges
• logistical, about some of the logistical, operational,<03:45:54.640><c> and</c><03:45:54.880><c> budgetary
• </c><03:45:55.439><c> challenges</c><03:45:55.920><c> of</c> operational, and budgetary challenges of
• operational, and budgetary challenges of the<03:45:56.319><c> original</c><03:45:56.720><c> legislation
• 47.279><c> occupancy,</c><04:01:48.239><c> can</c><04:01:48.399><c> burden</c> While statewide zoning reform

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• All the bills you're going to hear today are about reforming our judiciary.
• </c> today are about reforming our judiciary. today are about reforming our judiciary.
• So it's all about reform. The penalties are very, very high.
• The deal is reform.
• You should have as many bites at the apple because it's good for reform.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me bring up another area of the reform that happened in 2013.
• Let me bring up another area of the reform that happened in 2013.
• Let me bring up another area of the reform that happened in 2013.
• Let me bring up another area of the reform that happened in 2013.
• Let me bring up another area of the reform that happened in 2013.

Summary: The committee held a hearing on HB 366, which would increase school building aid for eligible projects. Representative Cahill, the prime sponsor, said the bill would raise the annual minimum from $50 million to $60 million and help address a long backlog of school construction and renovation needs after years of a moratorium on applications. He argued that districts forced to build during the moratorium were left to shoulder costs through local property taxes, and he cited examples such as Londonderry, Claremont, and other communities with aging or inadequate facilities. He also said the current aid structure, including paying 80% upfront and 20% at completion, concentrates too much spending at once and limits how many projects can be funded. Several committee members asked about the fairness and structure of the program. Representative Maguire questioned whether aid should be distributed more broadly to all districts rather than only a few selected projects, and Representative Luneau noted that the committee would also be considering related bills on catastrophic aid, special education aid, and the school foundation formula. Cahill responded that building aid has historically been targeted to property-poor communities and that the state should be a reliable partner in school construction. He also said the bill includes a small retroactive component for communities that built during the moratorium, which he described as a compromise. Testimony in support came from Representative Cluder, who described Claremont’s Stevens High School project as a case where a bond issue narrowly failed and the city later had to fund renovations without state aid, contributing to high property taxes. He said the bill would help property-poor communities and urged passage. Tony Weinstein of New Market also supported the bill, saying his community had serious facility and safety needs, had moved forward with scaled-back renovations during the moratorium, and still faced debt-service burdens without state participation. Robert Thompson, superintendent in Hampstead, testified that his district needs an addition for overcrowding, safety, and special education space, and said building aid would help reduce out-of-district placements and transportation costs. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh, we are, we know already from going through the budgetary process that we are not supporting security
• So, uh, we are, we know already from going through the budgetary process that we are not supporting security
• 01:00:02.559><c> going</c><01:00:02.880><c> through</c><01:00:03.119><c> the</c><01:00:03.440><c> budgetary
• </c><01:00:04.240><c> process</c> from going through the budgetary process from going through the budgetary
• we heard from the director that they have one position open and are not able to recruit due to a budgetary-driven

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Its duties really are to govern the programmatic and budgetary priorities for both of those agencies,
• You know, I think we're going to have to get into a longer conversation on that, especially on the budgetary

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And there is a budgetary component of it. Correct.
• And so we have a budgetary shortfall.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there is a budgetary component of it. Correct.
• And so we have a budgetary shortfall.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 129-0 vote. Members then used points of personal privilege to recognize Law Enforcement Week, discuss personal health and family matters, and honor colleagues, spouses, interns, and guests in the gallery, including students, community members, and a visiting governor from Uzbekistan. The chamber also received Senate messages on House Bill 1871 and House Bill 2818, and fiscal review committee reports recommending passage of several deferred bills, including Senate Bills 953, 1470, and 1871, and House Bill 1940. The House agreed to conference requests on Senate Bills 835 and 1111 and on Senate Bill 1020, the latter a Department of Revenue bill focused on customer service and inspection language. Senate Bill 977 and 1011, dealing with limits on international organizations and foreign law, drew extended debate. Supporters argued the bill would protect Missouri from foreign or international mandates and foreign laws that conflict with constitutional rights, while opponents said such bodies already lack authority in Missouri and warned the bill was unnecessary, politically motivated, and could create problems for forum non conveniens and private arbitration. The bill ultimately passed 99-45. House Bill 1470, revising legislative research and statutory publication procedures, was amended on the floor to remove privacy-sensitive provisions and change a state auditor duty from mandatory to permissive; a later amendment to alter committee composition was defeated 50-94. The bill then passed 148-1. House Bill 1940, the newspaper/public notice bill, was adopted and finally passed 142-1 with two present. House Bill 1871, an elections administration bill, was also taken up with debate over added Senate language, including campaign finance and election testing provisions; discussion continued near the end of the transcript, with no final vote shown before the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• On this first slide, you see our budgetary consolidation of IT began in fiscal year 2007.
• So on this first slide, you see our budgetary consolidation of IT began in fiscal year 2007. consolidation

Committee: House Subcommittee on Appropriations - General Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• We had the police chief here that already had discussions about budgetary issues, the direction that
• We had the police chief here that already had discussions about budgetary issues, the direction that

Bills: SB298 , SB91 , SB298 , SB91

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: Florence, Lauderdale County, municipal boundaries, corporate limits, land annexation, military installations, tall structures, local government, construction approval, wind energy facilities, aeronautics, Department of Defense, law enforcement, staffing requirements, municipalities, state oversight, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• the families and children with developmental disabilities, and especially during this challenging budgetary
• Investment in the ninth grade success initiative in the proposed budget amidst a very difficult budgetary

Bills: HB2289

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Transcript Highlights:

• of all the families and children with developmental disabilities in this especially challenging budgetary
• investment in the ninth grade success initiative in the proposed budget amidst a very difficult budgetary

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on proposed substitute House Bill 2289, the House operating budget. Budget staff Mary Monroe gave a detailed overview of the proposal’s near general fund outlook, reserve levels, major revenue assumptions, and major spending and savings items. She highlighted assumed revenue from capital gains and a proposed “millionaires tax,” a transfer from the budget stabilization account, administrative reductions across agencies, and several major policy shifts, including changes affecting Working Connections Child Care, K-12 education, higher education, long-term care, behavioral health, wildfire response, and state employee compensation. Members then asked questions, including about the higher education building account/operating fee swap and its interaction with the capital budget and Climate Commitment Act funds. The committee also announced amendment deadlines for the budget process. The bulk of the meeting was public testimony, with many speakers generally supporting or opposing specific parts of the budget. Supportive testimony praised funding for wildfire prevention, public health, reproductive health, civil legal aid, the Poison Center, some higher education institutions, and certain disability and child welfare services. Many speakers urged restoration or protection of funding for K-12 education, especially transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, bus depreciation, and Running Start; others opposed cuts to child care, early learning, public defense, long-term care, adult day and home care services, occupational/physical/speech therapy for Medicaid patients, and community and technical colleges. Several local government, health, and nonprofit representatives also asked the committee to preserve public works, homelessness, energy assistance, environmental justice, and recovery/diversion programs, while some business and public safety groups sought continued funding for organized retail crime prevention and related initiatives. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee recessed briefly and later resumed with virtual testimony, where additional witnesses repeated concerns about education cuts, long-term care, health care access, disability services, dispute resolution, early childhood programs, and the need for ongoing or increased funding in those areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• We were hearing that in the field that charter schools will often say because of budgetary constraints
• We were hearing that in the field that charter schools will often say because of budgetary constraints

Bills: SB2567 , SB2448 , SB3046 , SB2231 , SB2526

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: harassment, restraining order, temporary restraining order, injunction, protective order, public employer, public servant, public employee, government employee, state employee, legislator, judge, judicial branch, executive branch, local government, political subdivision, workplace violence, threats, stalking, employee safety

Transcript Highlights:

• So we do lose a lot of that budgetary control when we get into that subscription model.
• So we do lose a lot of that budgetary control when we get into that subscription model.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• students was negotiated between education, management, and labor as part of the Hughes-Hart Education Reform
• It is an appropriate acknowledgement of the operational, personnel, and budgetary circumstances that

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard several education bills, with AB 887 by Assemblymember Berman proposing that every school district and charter school adopt a plan so all high schools offer at least one computer science course by 2029-30. Supporters, including a teacher and student, argued California is falling behind other states and that computer science is essential for student opportunity and workforce readiness. ACSA opposed the bill, citing the shortage of qualified computer science teachers and administrative burden. The bill passed the committee on a 6-0 vote and was sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1390 by Assemblymember Solache, which would allow local and county school boards to raise trustee compensation above long-standing statutory minimums that have not changed in decades. Supporters said the current stipends are too low to make board service accessible to working families and younger community members. There was no opposition testimony, and the bill passed with five votes, with the roll left open for additional members. AB 865 by Assemblymember Gonzalez would create a $5 million, three-year grant program for dual-language immersion instructional materials, split between high-demand languages and other languages. Supporters said districts often lack standards-aligned materials in languages beyond Spanish, forcing teachers to create their own. The bill passed 7-0 to Appropriations. AB 857 by Assemblymember Gibson, requiring annual cultural competency training for K-12 staff, also passed 5-1 after supporters linked it to the state reparations task force report and argued it would improve trust and student outcomes. The committee additionally approved AB 677 by Assemblymember Bryan, which would make it easier for unhoused students to access school-based vision and dental screenings by allowing directory information to be used for that purpose with an opt-out process; it passed 8-0. AB 903 by Assemblymember Avila Farias, directing the Department of Education to develop best practices on education technology and digital equity, passed after amendments and with some opponents indicating they would remove opposition once the amendments were in print. Finally, AB 917 by Assemblymember Avila Farias, extending permanent-status protections to certain educators in small districts and county programs, drew significant opposition from small districts and regional occupational programs over flexibility and funding concerns; the bill still passed 5-2 with the roll held open for additional votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker and kind gentlemen, this had nothing to do with budgetary items.
• Uh, with a session that's been focused around, uh, reform at CYFD, obviously, uh, a lot of work within

Transcript Highlights:

• They just can't cut enough teaching positions quick enough to meet the budgetary goals.
• They just can't cut enough teaching positions quick enough to meet the budgetary goals.
• What it does reform restore risk exists.
• This is not a sweeping reform. It's not a civil liberties issue.
• This is not a sweeping reform. systems. This is not a sweeping reform.

Transcript Highlights:

• would, a lot of us tend to focus on the growth rates, but the actual numbers are more important for budgetary
• would, a lot of us tend to focus on the growth rates, but the actual numbers are more important for budgetary
• The actual numbers are more important for budgetary staff like you guys, right? Exactly.

Summary: The Committee on Finance held informational briefings first with the Department of Defense on its FY 2026 budget request, then with the Hawaii School Facilities Authority. Major General Steve Logan outlined the Department of Defense request for $40.5 million in state funds, which he said would leverage about $74 million in federal matching funds and support 411 open projects that could attract up to $2.3 billion in additional federal grant money. He said the budget focuses on sustainment, safety, and reorganization in light of lessons from the Maui wildfires. Key requests included $1.3 million to sustain IT systems, $2.7 million for 32 HEMA emergency management positions, three new Hawaii Army National Guard positions plus four upgrades, and $1.9 million for the Youth Challenge Program to cover state-mandated fringe costs and staffing needs. He also reviewed capital improvement projects, including Youth Challenge facility upgrades, siren modernization, ADA improvements, building retrofits for disaster resilience, Army facility upgrades, a third state veterans home on Maui, HEMA EOC improvements, and a maintenance/fuel building at Diamond Head. Members asked about the siren modernization timeline, and HEMA said roughly 26 to 31 sirens would be modernized this year, with 15 on Maui, eight on Oahu, and eight on the Big Island. Questions also focused on Youth Challenge and Job Challenge enrollment and vacancies, with the department saying the Hilo Job Challenge Academy is growing and that combining Youth Challenge recruiting statewide into one Kilauea program has helped enrollment. Logan also answered questions about the New Year’s Eve medical transport mission, explaining the Hawaii Air National Guard’s relationship with active-duty Air Force assets and saying the flight cost is about $20,000 per flight hour, though the final bill had not yet been determined. On the Maui veterans home, staff said the University of Hawaii site was no longer viable after faculty senate opposition, so the department is now focused on a 10-acre Puna District site; the project remains tied to a certified $35 million state match and August 2025 and August 2026 federal suspense dates. Logan said the veterans home remains one of the department’s highest priorities, but it could not be moved higher in the submitted CIP ranking. The department also discussed a Governor’s add-on for a fire marshal/Office of Recovery and Resiliency proposal. Logan said the fire marshal position was reestablished last session but has not yet been filled, and that if the function is transferred to the Department of Defense, the department wants funding ready to move quickly. Staff later said the request would include about $1.1 million for seven positions and about $2.2 million for operating costs, though details were still preliminary. The committee then reconvened for the School Facilities Authority briefing, where Executive Director Ricky Fujitani described the agency as a startup created in 2020 to improve school and workforce housing development through standardized designs, prefabrication, best-value procurement, and public-private partnerships. He said Hawaii’s single school district still functions like 15 different districts because of its 264 schools across 15 complex areas, and that the authority’s goal is to create more efficient, maintainable, and cost-effective facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I've been speaking a lot with other caucus members and budgetary professionals.