Transcript Highlights:

• Neil Her, Finance.
• Neil Her, Finance.
• Neil Her, Finance.
• Neil Her, Finance.
• Neil Her, Finance.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on February 12 at 2 p.m. and heard several measures related to corrections, re-entry, law enforcement, retirement benefits, and gun violence prevention. On HB 10002, which would extend the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission coordinator’s term and clarify unannounced inspection authority, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it had no objection to the term length or to 24/7 unannounced access. The commission’s chair, Commissioner Mark Patterson, asked for a longer term, saying the commission needs more time and stability to manage reform efforts after years without staff during COVID. Community Alliance on Prisons and Carolyn Eaton also supported a longer term, with both suggesting six years would better insulate the position from politics. The chair noted he had asked Chair Bot for background on the prior committee’s changes and said that could be discussed during decision-making. The committee then heard HB 67, which would require DCR to help inmates obtain civil identification documents such as IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards as soon as practicable, including for people in furlough or community placement programs. DCR said it supported the bill and described ongoing work with the city and county on ID machines and with agencies on certificates and Social Security cards. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the Office of Public Defense all supported the measure, emphasizing that identification is essential for housing, employment, and successful re-entry and noting the disproportionate impact of incarceration on Native Hawaiians. On HB 1183, which would classify certain law enforcement administrators and Department of Law Enforcement employees as Class A members for retirement purposes, the Department of Human Resources Development, the Employees’ Retirement System, and the Department of Law Enforcement all supported the bill. DHRD said it would help recruitment and retention, ERS said it had technical amendments to suggest, and DLE said the change would help with succession planning and allow the governor to appoint the most qualified leader. The committee also heard HB 1045, an emergency appropriation bill to cover payroll fringe benefits for Department of Law Enforcement personnel after salary funding had been shifted to other departments; Budget and Finance and DLE explained the need for the supplemental funding, and no opposition was noted. Finally, the committee took up HB 664, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a grant program, a resource bank, and a special fund. The Attorney General recommended adding standards for grant awards and warned of overlap with the existing Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission, suggesting consolidation and repeal of the older commission to avoid duplication. Supporters included the Brady Campaign, Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action Hawaii, a physician, and an Army veteran, who argued the office would centralize data, coordinate prevention efforts, and help secure outside funding. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting 37 supporters, nine opponents, and three commenters, but no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We wanted to just make sure that we have correct And we also do need to secure Finance and Ways and Means
• And on this 1:31 p.m. and we also do need to secure finance and ways and means approval on this measure
• And we still need Finance and Ways and Means as well, so, Oh yeah, that's right.
• And on this one I believe we have agreement, and I believe we have Finance and Ways and Means release
• We have our CD 1, but we're still waiting for Finance and Ways and Means release. Thanks.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, the bill allows schools to count the new personal finance class as a math credit, as long as
• lot of school administrators that are having a hard time figuring out where to put that personal finance
• > as<00:04:00.200> a<00:04:00.400> math<00:04:00.680> credit personal finance
• class in their school personal finance class in their school schedule<00:04:13.079> it<00:04:
• I support this bill because I think, um, last session, or two years ago, we passed personal finance,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:14:20.480> are real financing gaps that are real financing gaps that are increasingly<
• affordable housing finance programs. affordable housing finance programs.
• . >> You'll be on finance.
• . >> You'll be on finance.
• . >> You'll be on finance.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you want to go to Finance on this, what happens? Can we protect it and keep it back here?
• Senator or Chair Hoffman, I make a motion that we move the bill to Finance.
• Senate File 260 is a motion to Senate Finance, recommended to pass and be re-referred to Finance.
• It's off to Finance. I love it.
• c> pass Senate to finance recommended to pass Senate to finance recommended to pass and<01:48:49.719

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:07.280> 2026<00:03:08.159> MDE education finance 2026 MDE education finance
• I work with school finance, agency finance, human resources, agency services, internal audit advisory
• I work with school finance,<00:43:10.160> agency<00:43:10.560> finance,<00:43:11.040>
• > human finance, agency finance, human finance, agency finance, human resources,<00:43:11.920>
• Um, under their finance division.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Education Finance Committee met on March 3, 2026, approved the minutes from February 26, and then held a lengthy informational hearing on the Minnesota Department of Education’s funding and internal allocation of resources. House fiscal staff walked members through several spreadsheets showing federal, non-general fund, and general fund administrative spending, noting the data was filtered from SWIFT and was not exact. The chair said the discussion was intended to help members understand how MDE is funded and how those funds are used internally, in advance of later budget decisions and a separate upcoming hearing on the Perpich Center. Commissioner Willie Jett opened by describing MDE’s mission, statewide reach, and FY 2026 budget of about $14.1 billion, most of which flows directly to districts and charter schools for instruction, special education, transportation, nutrition, and operations. He emphasized transparency, accountability, and the department’s role in implementing laws, distributing aid, and supporting schools and students across urban, suburban, and rural communities. He also noted the department serves more than 873,000 pre-K through 12 students in 2,264 schools. Deputy Commissioner Maren Holden outlined the Office of American Indian Education, the Office of General Counsel, and the Office of Inspector General, highlighting support for American Indian students, legal and rulemaking work, special education dispute resolution, fraud prevention, and student maltreatment investigations. Assistant Commissioner Dr. McCari Traum described the Office of Equity and Engagement, including equity and inclusion training, safe and supportive schools work, public engagement, family outreach, and fraud-prevention coordination. Assistant Commissioner Darren Cordy reviewed nutrition programs, special education services, and the charter center, including free school meals, commodity food distribution, IDEA compliance, and charter school support. Assistant Commissioner Bobby Bernham then described the Office of Teaching and Learning, including early education, academic standards, instruction and assessment, state library services, expanded learning, and literacy work. He highlighted early childhood alignment efforts, standards development across core subjects, professional learning, and library grants. No votes were taken beyond approval of the prior minutes, and the meeting remained informational, with members expected to ask questions after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I, for one, was rather surprised to see the variation in the way CCRCs are reporting their finances
• I was surprised to see the variation in the way CCRCs report their finances, in so much as is it just
• You don't see them being built anymore because the financing alone is so incredibly challenging.
• That financing has been put in place and that setup has been put in place for years.
• Well, I raised the question of finances. What if we had more staffing for age?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met to review its draft final report on continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), with most of the discussion focused on whether recommendations required unanimous consensus and how to handle disagreements in the report. Members agreed that consensus meant no stated opposition, and several participants argued that unresolved issues should still be described in the report rather than omitted. The chairs said the report would include agreed-upon recommendations, note areas without consensus, and preserve written comments or dissent letters submitted by members. The draft report’s findings and slides were reviewed charge by charge, including CCRC definitions, financial condition, entrance fee refunds, regulatory oversight, advertising practices, and closure/change-of-ownership procedures. Members suggested several factual and wording edits, including clarifying financial data sources, correcting a presenter’s name, refining language about entrance fee use and refund timing, and revising statements about Attorney General authority and CCRC advertising. There was also discussion about the need to distinguish nonprofit and for-profit CCRCs and to better explain how different care levels and licensing structures are described. On recommendations, the commission kept the proposal to advance the disclosure bill (S. 478) and update the consumer guide, but removed a recommendation for annual open board meetings after objections that it was inadequate. The group spent considerable time debating whether to recommend resident representation on CCRC boards, timely refund requirements for entrance fees, and possible state registration or definition changes for CCRCs, but no consensus was reached on those items. The chairs said the final report would be completed by the statutory August 1 deadline, with final written comments due before then and the report and meeting materials posted on the legislature website.

Transcript Highlights:

• I recognize the senator from Chittenden, Senator Chittenden, for the report of the Committee on Finance
• The Senate Finance Committee looked at this and recognized that there could be a revenue loss for these
• And so your Committee on Finance voted 7-0-0 in support of this bill and encourages the Senate to concur
• committed to Senate finance. committed to Senate finance.
• Senate Finance will meet at 1:30. Please be on time.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, all financing terms have to be disclosed before the sale of the animal.
• Third, if the consumer is financing the purchase, there's a three-day waiting period so the buyer can
• Fourth, if a veterinarian determines the animal was unfit for purchase, any financing arrangement is
• Pet stores and only those who sell unhealthy pets with deceptive financing, and that is the bill.
• These new requirements will help protect families from being misled into high-cost financing schemes,

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism considered a series of bills affecting tax policy, workforce development, business regulation, consumer protection, rural development, and artificial intelligence. SB 1076 would raise Florida’s research and development tax credit cap from $9 million to $50 million beginning with the 2027 allocation, and it was reported favorably. CS/SB 1266 would create a cybersecurity experiential internship and clearance-readiness program with the Department of Commerce and Cyber Florida; an amendment removed an appropriation from the bill, and the committee reported it favorably. SB 554, a broad update to Florida’s not-for-profit corporation law, was also reported favorably after supportive testimony from Florida Bar representatives. SB 1004, aimed at protecting buyers of dogs and cats from deceptive sales and predatory financing practices, received strong support from animal welfare advocates and was reported favorably. SB 1074, which provides rounding rules for cash transactions if pennies are unavailable, was likewise reported favorably. SB 214, expanding the rural community definition to include special districts in rural counties for economic development purposes, was reported favorably. SPB 7030, a public records exemption tied to Department of Legal Affairs investigations, was adopted as a committee bill and favorably reported. The committee also heard extensive discussion on SB 998, the Department of Commerce package. The bill would modernize the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, clarify rural community eligibility for certain unincorporated areas, exempt military entities from a reverter clause on land conveyances, and revise E-Verify enforcement procedures. Members questioned the E-Verify provisions, including penalties, protections for workers incorrectly flagged, and the treatment of gig workers. Senator Smith opposed the bill, arguing it creates unequal treatment between employers and immigrant workers, while Senator Wright supported the military-related provisions. Despite the debate, SB 998 was reported favorably, with Senators Bracy Davis, Smith, and Errington voting no. The committee also took up SB 482, an “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights” that would create consumer protections for companion chatbots, require parental consent and access for minors, mandate periodic disclosures that users are interacting with AI, restrict certain uses of personal data and likenesses, and give the Attorney General enforcement authority. The bill drew both support and criticism: supporters emphasized child safety, transparency, and consumer protection, while opponents raised concerns about privacy, broad definitions, lack of audit mechanisms, and the absence of a private right of action for adults. Senators Smith and Davis urged clearer definitions and stronger accountability, but both said the bill was a starting point. The committee reported SB 482 favorably. The meeting ended with recorded affirmative votes requested by Senators Yarbrough, Wright, and Davis on selected tabs, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• [Music] Good morning and welcome to the March 4th, 2025 meeting of the Minnesota House Commerce Finance
• alternative um at this point financing alternative um at this point to<00:04:49.520> just<00:
• mechanism uh to to fund for a financing mechanism uh to to fund the<00:05:32.880> reinsurance
• Chair's excellent explanation of the historic financing from the program, the legislature has always
• account from the general fund to finance account from the general fund to finance three<00:54:29.920

Bills: HF837

Keywords: health insurance, premium security plan, federal funding, state innovation waiver, Minnesota, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:38:36.960> committee will be going to the finance committee will be going to the finance
• The finance should it pass the House.
• . of its own finances.
• <01:57:09.119> and related to looking at the finances and related to looking at the finances
• there's something wrong with the finance there's something wrong with the finance and<02:00:59.040

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and reviewed several previously heard bills, but focused its discussion on SB 586 and SB 580. The chair explained that SB 586 would require school districts and school administrative units to publish audit reports after the fiscal year, and that an amendment, 1472H, had been prepared to replace the relevant audit/reporting section. The amendment would add SAUs to the reporting entities, expand the contents of audits to include items such as employee lists, pay, benefits, and pension liabilities, and change the timing so audits are submitted nine months after the fiscal year end, followed by a three-month Department of Education review and then a further correction period before any grant funding could be withheld. The amendment would also require the reports to be posted in searchable electronic form on the web. Committee members discussed whether the bill’s “non-compliance” language referred only to incomplete submissions or also to audit findings, and several members raised concerns about whether the Department of Education had the staff and authority to take on this role, whether the existing DOE25 process would be displaced, and whether the bill should instead remain with the Department of Revenue Administration. One member noted that the fiscal note anticipated the need for additional auditors and significant staffing costs. The committee also reviewed SB 580, described as a school cooperative purchasing program bill that also contains policy provisions for charter school trustees, school board members, and receivership-related language tied to Claremont. The chair said the committee had previously heard comments from Charlie Arlinghouse on the cooperative purchasing portion and would use a side-by-side comparison prepared by staff when it reached that bill. Other bills on the docket were briefly described but not taken up that day: SB 491, which has committee-requested amendments and a separate non-germane amendment related to curriculum frameworks and academic standards; SB 513, an owner’s project manager bill held as a possible vehicle for future non-germane language; and SB 531, concerning a cosmetology program in Coös County and a possible task force. The chair said the committee would not address 491, 513, or 531 that day and would return to 580 and 586.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have not in the finance committee?
• So it may go to finance. No, it wouldn't go to finance. Okay. But it has to just be presented.
• So it may go to finance. No, it wouldn't go to finance. Okay. But it has to just be presented.
• No, it wouldn't go it may go to finance. No, it wouldn't go to<01:45:15.920> finance.
• to finance. to finance.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on SB 63, a bill described by Senator Tim Lang and other supporters as a technical correction to the rooms and meals tax distribution formula. Lang said the bill would clarify that the Division of Travel and Tourism’s 3.15% promotional allocation is taken from gross rooms-and-meals revenue before the 30% municipal reimbursement fund is calculated, which he argued restores the intended 2009/2021 structure and avoids an unintended loss to tourism marketing. Committee members raised questions about whether the bill actually changes section one or instead addresses DRA’s interpretation, and whether the measure could be affected by the budget process or HB 2. Jessica Keeler of Ski New Hampshire testified in strong support, saying the bill would preserve the promotional budget formula that had been in place since 2009 and that the 2019 revision effectively reduced the promotional allocation by placing the municipal share first. She said tourism promotion has helped increase visitation, revenues, and jobs, and warned that without a fix, the joint promotional program and other tourism efforts could be cut in future budgets. She also said the bill would not change the current year’s tourism budget but would matter for future cycles. Mike Summers of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association also supported SB 63, calling it a correction to the 2021 changes and arguing that state tourism marketing is essential because small businesses cannot reach distant markets on their own. He said the industry has benefited from state promotion, especially after COVID, but is now facing softer occupancy rates, lower Canadian visitation, and financial strain from debt and operating costs. Summers said the industry cannot make up for major tourism budget cuts on its own and urged maintaining or increasing travel and tourism funding. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• [Music] I call this meeting of the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee to order.
• We know that financing sometimes just doesn't work.
• developers struggle to secure financing developers struggle to secure financing for<00:10:27.920
• loan and we've also um locked financing loan and we've also um locked in<00:51:34.559> a in a
• <01:05:26.559> the<01:05:26.680> workforce Minnesota Housing Finance the workforce

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Finance Committee is called to order. The secretary will note the attendance.
• This will be my ninth session, my seventh staffing the Finance Committee. Thank you.
• This will be my ninth session, my seventh staffing the Finance Committee. Thank you.
• They are trying to grieve and, at the same time, worried about finances.
• I have seen spouses distressed about finances, and this will help alleviate that.

Bills: SB1042, SB1043, SB1044, SB1135, SB1136, SB1142, SB1180, SB1221, SB1252, SB1254, SCR1003

Keywords: public funds, virtual currency, bitcoin, investment, Arizona Strategic Digital Asset Reserve Act, state treasurer, retirement system, state payments, cryptocurrency, Arizona law, payment methods, government transactions, property tax, tax exemption, Arizona Revised Statutes, digital currency, workers' compensation, death benefits, burial costs, spousal compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• So, Department of Finance, anything? Nothing further to add. Good. LAO?
• Brandon Merritt, Department of Finance. I'll kick this off.
• Brandon Merritt, Department of Finance.
• Brandon Merritt, Department of Finance. I think the only thing we can.
• Department of Finance, Brandon Merritt, $2.3 million, ongoing funding.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Subdivision 3 provides the city the authority to issue the bonds to finance the cost of the project.
• authority to issue the bonds to finance authority to issue the bonds to finance the<00:03:44.200
• <00:51:23.680> up administering the tax and to finance up administering the tax and to finance
• for the project and financing costs. for the project and financing costs.
• <01:10:00.200> up administering the tax and financing up administering the tax and financing

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 204, do pass, thence referred to the Finance Committee.
• Secondly, they've been to the New Mexico Finance Authority, and finally, to the New Mexico Board of Finance
• So the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority and New Mexico Board of Finance have already approved these
• and the New Mexico Finance Authority.
• But my question is about financing.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Education and Finance Committees, as well as the House Education and Finance Committees, will
• <00:26:27.039> and<00:26:27.360> student for HR, finance and student for HR, finance
• I would like to hear from our finance I would like to hear from our graduate<01:10:36.880> schools
• , finances, finances, an<01:11:00.800> understanding<01:11:01.520> of<01:11:01.840>
• <01:13:46.640> and and especially in school finance and and especially in school finance and

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met to review the annual report on collaboration between the University System of New Hampshire and the Community College System of New Hampshire, and the meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and a gubernatorial proclamation recognizing the community college system’s 80th anniversary. Both chancellors praised the proclamation and described the report as a statutory follow-up to the public higher education task force. They said the two systems have built a close working relationship and that the collaboration is intended to continue, though progress may be limited by resources and staffing changes. Much of the discussion focused on transfer pathways and new academic models. The chancellors said House Bill 1530 helped drive the creation of more than 100, and possibly about 130, “universal pathways” between the systems, with a reported 30% increase in community college associate-degree graduates transferring to the university system in the last academic year. They also discussed direct-admit outreach for community college graduates, early college and CTE-to-workforce pathways, and the development of three-year bachelor’s programs at Plymouth State and in some health-care fields. Members asked about nursing, allied dental health, and radiologic technology, and the chancellors said they are exploring whether some programs can be streamlined, while noting that nursing’s requirements may limit how short a pathway can be. Members also raised concerns about whether transfer pathways could affect university enrollment, but the university chancellor said declining enrollment is more likely due to a smaller pool of college-age students and broader competition, not the transfer programs. Another topic was the ERP/technology platform recommendation from the task force: the university system is moving to Workday, while the community college system is working to align business practices and move from an on-premises system to a cloud-based solution. Officials said a shared enterprise system could create efficiencies in the future, but it is not expected in the short term; student-facing tools like Canvas are already shared. The committee also discussed House Bill 112, which would require passing a civics test for graduation, and the chancellors said they support civic education but see implementation challenges. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• port workers and truckers, supply chain issues, and higher consumer prices and the Department of Finance
• present SB 769, which will establish the Golden State Infrastructure infrastructure fund to help finance
• SB 769 creates a flexible, revolving fund to support the financing of large infrastructure projects.
• Existing infrastructure finance tools are slow, over-restrictive, and unable to meet today's complex
• Also appreciate the bringing forward a flexible financing options for California especially as we enter

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and Senator, this bill is a work in motion, in progress, and we'll go to finance.
• It won't go to finance. Medical malpractice is a work in progress.
• It won't go to finance, I don't believe; it'll go to judiciary.
• And when it goes to finance, we will... I thank you for that.
• And when it goes to finance, we will be about opening that window.

Bills: SB20, SB111, SB211, SB218, SB14

Keywords: prior authorization, pharmacy benefits manager, PBM, health insurer, prescription drugs, step therapy, formulary, auto-adjudication, electronic portal, appeals, medical necessity, serious mental illness, mental health, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, cancer, autoimmune disorder