Transcript Highlights:

• It's easy to ask a question of the counties; they have those types of data for us.
• A significant portion of it is from AI data centers and other super users.
• This is a very strong step in the right direction of regulating data centers.
• But we've had data centers here in the United States since the 1940s.
• And the data centers today will be much smaller tomorrow and much more powerful.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a little bit of a lag in tax data.
• So this was a chunk of historical data that we had, and the pretend forecast was actual data that we
• Historical data.
• Ag labor data.
• Data on.

Summary: The committee was convened to review Idaho’s economic outlook and general fund revenue projections for fiscal years 2025-2028, with members instructed to submit “homework” revenue estimates by noon the next day so staff could compile committee averages and medians for deliberations and a final recommendation to JFAC. Opening remarks emphasized the committee’s constitutional charge, the use of the binder materials and online packet, and that the committee would meet again the next day to discuss and vote on the revenue projection recommendation. Staff and agency presentations focused on the state’s budget and revenue picture. Legislative Services Office staff described structural imbalance concerns, noting that statutory spending changes and earmarked sales tax distributions have crowded out flexibility, while cash reserves remain substantial. The Division of Financial Management’s economist explained the official revenue forecast, including revised treatment of sales tax and tax relief fund accruals, and said the forecast largely held steady overall even as corporate and individual income tax categories shifted. She also discussed the impact of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act on SALT deductions and said recent corporate collections had rebounded sharply, suggesting timing and behavior changes rather than a broad economic downturn. Outside economists and labor experts painted a generally stable to positive economic picture. Zions Bank’s economist said the Federal Reserve is likely near the end of major rate cuts, long-term rates and mortgage rates remain elevated, tariffs have risen sharply, but inflation has not yet shown broad tariff-driven acceleration; he described the national labor market as slowing but not contracting and said 2026 could be a rebuilding year. The Idaho Department of Labor reported that Idaho’s unemployment remains historically low, job growth is steady, wage growth is moderating from overheated pandemic-era levels, and the state’s labor market remains healthier and more balanced than the national picture. The committee also heard from Idaho Power’s economist, who began a presentation on broader economic conditions and utility-related demand trends before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the legislature, and I know there's data the legislature, and I know there's data in<00:18:57.400
• There are data practice audits that are required and full compliance with Minnesota data laws.
• </c> audits upholding those data practices. audits upholding those data practices.
• Data Data Data that<00:32:15.040><c> can</c><00:32:15.200><c> be</c><00:32:15.320><c> collected</c><00
• </c> studying what's in the data. studying what's in the data.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> changed zoning rules to allow a data changed zoning rules to allow a data center<00:07:26.400><c
• I am Pine Island data center group.
• </c> on behalf of the Stop the Monosella data on behalf of the Stop the Monosella data centers<00:20:
• 00:21:13.120><c> center</c> have two hyperscale data center have two hyperscale data center proposals
• </c><00:45:59.680><c> The</c> like or don't like data centers. The like or don't like data centers.

Bills: HF4077 , HF3798 , HF3886

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• Those data are not even Maryland's data.
• Center, external data sharing and third-party data centers for multi-state reporting.
• Center, external data sharing and third-party data centers for multi-state reporting.
• </c> data centers for multi-state reporting. data centers for multi-state reporting.
• </c> 2021 data that includes the elderly. 2021 data that includes the elderly.

Transcript Highlights:

• My second question is about, you know, I've heard about the data says the data says, what's the data
• Is that what the data is?
• us, and that new data is...
• Is that part of that data? Is that part of that data?
• It's based on the data, but the data is just about women and women.

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee heard AB 106, an early-action budget bill providing $90 million one-time General Fund to support reproductive health providers affected by the federal H.R. 1 Medicaid funding prohibition. Department of Finance staff explained that the money would be administered as grants by the Department of Health Care Access and Information because affected providers can no longer bill Medi-Cal during the federal restriction, which runs through July 4, 2026. The Legislative Analyst’s Office had no additional comments. Members also discussed related budget context, including the broader estimated loss to California providers, the use of grant funding rather than loans, and provisions exempting some contract and records information from public disclosure. Committee debate focused on whether the funding was an appropriate priority amid other budget pressures. Supporters argued the bill is an emergency response to a targeted federal attack on Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers, emphasizing that the clinics provide broader primary care services such as cancer screenings, STI testing, contraception, and prenatal care, and that the funding is not for abortion services because federal Medicaid dollars cannot be used for abortion. Opponents questioned the size of the appropriation, the use of General Fund dollars, the transparency exemptions, and why similar aid was not being directed to rural hospitals, disability services, Proposition 36, or other budget needs. Public testimony was overwhelmingly in support from reproductive health, medical, and health equity organizations, with some unrelated comments urging funding for dental care, disability services, housing, and county health systems. After public comment, the committee voted on AB 106 and passed it on a 12-4 vote. The bill was reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• data primarily and institutions outcome data primarily and we<00:09:25.399><c> offer</c><00:09:26.079
• </c><00:11:54.800><c> collection</c> that research function data collection that research function data
• </c> aid programs and so um some of the data aid programs and so um some of the data that<00:29:19.720
• EELS is our Early Childhood Longitudinal Data System, and so that is where data collected by MDE, DHS
• > by</c> so that is where um data collected by so that is where um data collected by mde<00:42:28.400

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a regulated financial data environment.
• What is not transmitted is the sales tax amount, any invoice-level data, or any other enhanced data.
• Nobody wants more data than what's already transmitted because again we get into a whole other data privacy
• So it is a system that allows for input of data.
• privacy and data security as a part of this conversation.

Summary: The Special Legislative Commission on the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses held a public hearing focused on interchange fees, sales tax and tip processing, chargebacks, fraud, surcharging, and the broader future of payment systems. Chair Paul Feeney and co-chair Rep. Jamie Murphy opened by explaining the commission’s charge and inviting testimony from small businesses, industry groups, banks, and policy experts. Representative Sean Garballey testified first, arguing that Massachusetts tourism depends on universal card acceptance and stable interchange, and urging the commission not to disrupt the current system ahead of major events expected to bring millions of visitors to the Commonwealth. A large portion of the hearing featured independent restaurant owners and advocates describing thin margins and the burden of paying percentage-based processing fees on sales tax and tips that are not business revenue. Jen Ziskin, Kristen Canty, Nancy Cushman, Kerry Colzer, and others said restaurants often operate on very small profits and that processing fees on taxes and gratuities can amount to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Ryan Lotz also urged reforms to chargebacks, including refunding chargeback fees when merchants prevail, requiring consumers to contact businesses before disputing charges, and limiting repeat abuse. Commission members pressed witnesses on whether tax and tip amounts could be separated at the point of sale, and several witnesses said current consumer card systems do not transmit that level of detail. Testimony from credit union, banking, and payments representatives largely opposed state-level changes that would carve out taxes or tips from interchange, warning of compliance burdens, higher costs, reduced rewards, and possible effects on fraud protection and access to credit. Alex Verine of America’s Credit Unions and Deb Peters and Keely McEwen of the Electronic Payments Coalition said the payment system is complex, that interchange funds fraud prevention and network infrastructure, and that new state mandates could create operational and legal uncertainty. Dan Swanson argued states have authority to act and pointed to Illinois litigation and federal court rulings, while Julian Morris and Brad Popolado emphasized the benefits of card acceptance, the decline of cash, and the need to consider other payment methods and check fraud as well. Several witnesses discussed international payment systems, instant payments, and QR standards as possible future directions. The chairs and members engaged in extended back-and-forth with witnesses about whether Massachusetts could exempt sales tax from swipe fees, whether surcharging should be revisited, and whether vendor compensation or other targeted relief might be more workable than broad changes to interchange. No votes were taken. At the close of the hearing, the chairs said the commission would hold one additional public hearing date to be determined, after which members would begin developing next steps and a report.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill enacts data protections that prohibit employers from sharing worker data for purposes beyond
• interpreting the data.
• It also... transparency data, transparency and data protections.
• Also, again, you would have to make any third party you transfer this data to jointly liable for a data
• Also, again, you would have to make any third party you transfer this data to jointly liable for a data

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Summary: The committee heard several labor-related bills, with testimony largely focused on workforce development, worker privacy, wage theft, and workplace safety. AB 296 would require schools and districts to host apprenticeship fairs at least once per year; supporters said it would expose students to skilled-trades careers, while school administrators opposed the mandate as too broad, especially for elementary schools and districts without local apprenticeship programs. AB 1221 and AB 1331 both sought to curb invasive workplace surveillance, with labor groups arguing that AI, biometric, and algorithmic monitoring can be discriminatory and chill worker rights, while business and industry groups warned the bills were too broad and could interfere with security, cybersecurity, and ordinary workplace operations. AB 1181 would require firefighter turnout gear to be free of cancer-causing chemicals, and AB 1198 would require prevailing wage rates on public works to reflect the wage in effect when work is performed; both drew support from labor and construction witnesses, while local governments and other stakeholders raised cost and implementation concerns. AB 1251 would require private employers to disclose whether a job posting is for an actual vacancy, and AB 692 would prohibit employer debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave employment; both bills were supported by worker advocates and opposed by employer groups who said the measures were overly broad or unnecessary under existing law. The committee also heard AB 552, AB 1110, AB 1136, and AB 1234, which respectively would allow the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to locate its main office outside Sacramento, update Cal/OSHA poster information, expand high road training partnership eligibility, and strengthen the wage claim process by encouraging employer participation and allowing judgments when employers fail to respond. Several bills were voted out on due-pass motions, including AB 1198, AB 1251, AB 1221, AB 1331, AB 552, AB 1110, AB 1136, and AB 692; AB 1181 was approved by the committee but remained on call, and AB 296 was heard in subcommittee without a vote. AB 963 was pulled by the author.

Transcript Highlights:

• :30.360><c> was</c> Because the admissions data was Because the admissions data was inconsistent,<00:
• the data suggests, But if the data as the data suggests, most<00:35:18.600><c> denials</c><00:35:19.120
• I am just hoping that this<00:46:36.480><c> data</c> this data this data from<00:46:37.920><c> Western
• A lot of information, a lot of data. The work from this comes from data that you raised."
• Are we not collecting data? How do you get the data on how many veterans are really in that area?"

Committee: Joint Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• mandatorily disclose... ...the data.
• They don't want to skip that data.
• involved in the settlement but gets the raw data, kind of the generic data of how many settlements are
• Data collected through the Civil Rights Department's pay data reporting already reveals serious gaps.
• Some have asked for data, and we agree we'd like to see that data.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most drawing support after amendments or ongoing stakeholder negotiations. SB 29, by Senator Laird, would extend a sunset on the law allowing pain-and-suffering claims to survive a plaintiff’s death; supporters, including a family member describing a medical negligence case, labor groups, consumer advocates, and disability and elder organizations, argued it prevents defendants from running out the clock, while hospitals, medical groups, and business organizations warned of higher costs and added liability. After extensive debate about data collection, settlement reporting, and the impact on health care access, the bill passed to Appropriations on a divided vote. SB 294, by Senator Reyes and presented by Senator Laird, would require employers to notify a worker’s emergency contact if the worker is arrested or detained and would create a template to inform employees of state and federal labor rights. Labor and worker advocates said the bill would help workers understand and enforce their rights amid weakened federal enforcement; there was no opposition on file, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. SB 697 would modernize water-rights adjudication by allowing the State Water Board to use technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations; with no opposition, it also passed unanimously. The committee also advanced SB 37 on attorney advertising, SB 645 on peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 303 on bias-mitigation trainings in public workplaces, and SB 464 on expanding pay-data reporting for specified state workers. SB 37 drew support from consumer and legal groups but concerns from Walker Advertising about joint advertising; members said negotiations were ongoing, and the bill passed. SB 645 would extend anti-bias jury-selection rules to certain civil rights cases; criminal-defense and defense groups said they were close to agreement, and the bill passed. SB 303 and SB 464 were both amended to narrow scope and moved forward after several opponents shifted to neutral or removed opposition. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills, all sent to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• disclose the data.
• They don't want to skip that data.
• involved in the settlement but gets the raw data, kind of the generic data of how many settlements are
• Data collected through the Civil Rights Department's pay data reporting already reveals serious gaps.
• Some have asked for data, and we agree we'd like to see that data.

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 29, which would extend a sunset on California’s survival-action pain and suffering remedy and require additional reporting on settlements and cases. Senator Laird and supporters, including a family member describing a medical malpractice death and labor/building trades representatives, argued the bill protects victims whose claims would otherwise die with them and that there has been no demonstrated increase in malpractice rates. Opponents from the health care, hospital, and business sectors said the measure would increase costs, create a third category of damages, and could harm access to care, especially for clinics and rural providers. After extensive discussion about the sunset and data collection, the committee passed SB 29 to Appropriations on a divided vote. The committee then approved SB 294, which requires employers to notify workers about rights if they are arrested or detained and directs the Labor Commissioner to create an annual notice template. Supporters said the bill is needed because workers often do not know their rights amid weakened federal enforcement and workplace intimidation; there was no opposition on file after amendments removed prior concerns. SB 697, which updates stream adjudication procedures to allow the State Water Board to use modern technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations, also passed without opposition after stakeholders worked out concerns. Later, the committee took up SB 37 on attorney advertising, which would strengthen rules against misleading ads and allow consumer lawsuits. Consumer attorneys and supporters said the State Bar’s current enforcement is too weak, while joint-advertising businesses said they support the goal but want amendments to protect their model. The bill passed to Appropriations as negotiations continue. SB 645, dealing with peremptory challenges in civil cases and extending anti-bias procedures to certain discrimination-related matters, also advanced after supporters described it as a compromise and opponents said they were still working toward agreement. SB 303, narrowing protections for bias-mitigation trainings so good-faith admissions in those trainings are not treated as FEHA discrimination, passed after several groups moved to neutral. SB 464, requiring specified state workers to be included in annual pay-data reporting to better track racial pay gaps and promotion disparities, was presented as a reparations-related transparency measure and was heard with support from civil rights advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• anonymous data requests. And since I was anonymous data requests.
• My hope always is with data practices that when someone like Representative Green, who is green on data
• </c> public has every right to request data public has every right to request data from<00:14:48.160>
• </c><00:42:59.839><c> to</c> right now we do not have good data to right now we do not have good data
• often do with health-related data or other kinds of data.

Bills: HF2233 , HF1999 , HF1995 , HF1614 , HF2781 , HF1775 , HF1316 , HF2127 , HF2521 , HF689 , HF2380 , HF1273

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:29.360><c> And</c> data. So it only goes through 2022. And data.
• I love data. Love it.
• I love data. Love it.
• I love data because, you know, data doesn’t lie.
• But a negative thing about data is that data can be manipulated. All right.

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met without a quorum, so the minutes were not approved. The main presentation was from retired economics professors John Garren and Dr. Kums, who discussed their Bluegrass Institute research on teacher compensation in Kentucky since the Kentucky Education Reform Act era. They said teacher base salaries, adjusted for inflation, have declined over the last decade, while state-paid “on-behalf” benefits such as pension and health insurance contributions have risen sharply; they argued total teacher compensation has increased modestly overall, but less than per-pupil funding. They also presented broader context on staffing growth, declining average daily attendance, Kentucky’s low share of teachers among total school staff, and flat or weak NAEP and ACT performance trends, including widening white-Black score gaps on NAEP. Members questioned the methodology and interpretation of the compensation figures. Representative Bojanowski argued the on-behalf calculations may overstate teacher compensation because they include insurance and pension costs that also benefit classified employees and retirees, and he asked for clarification on the denominator used to derive the per-teacher amount. Representative Truit said the presentation could be misleading if it implies teachers earn $94,000 in salary, and he objected to framing pension stabilization payments as teacher pay. The presenters responded that they were using total compensation, not salary alone, said they had divided total personnel-related on-behalf payments by the relevant staff count, and promised to review and send a technical explanation. Representative Truit and Chairman Typton both emphasized that compensation should be viewed as salary plus benefits, not salary alone, and noted that pension contributions are part of the cost of employing teachers. The presenters said their intent was to show the full compensation package and its relevance to labor supply and teacher shortages, not to claim that individual teachers earn the total compensation figure as salary. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the decision to revisit the minutes at a later meeting due to the lack of quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's about 60%, based on the recent data that we've looked at.
• We'll see the numbers improve because there'll be better data tracking?
• We've got 2023-24; that's the most recent data that we have for residencies.
• When there is not full data, adjustments are premature.
• When there's not full data to justify it, and California would be an outlier.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals on dual enrollment, reading difficulty screeners, special education, school facilities, and Commission on Teacher Credentialing programs. On dual enrollment, the Department of Finance described a $100 million one-time Proposition 98 investment to expand the Dual Enrollment Opportunities Grant Program, along with changes to make regional occupational centers eligible, add funding for justice-involved youth, prioritize higher-need LEAs, support teacher professional development, and reduce daily instructional minute requirements for some dual enrollment students. The LAO recommended rejecting the new funding as not clearly addressing implementation barriers, while CDE supported the proposal and suggested reserving $10 million for technical assistance. Committee members and public commenters generally supported the expansion, with some asking for technical assistance and broader access, including adult dual enrollment. The committee also reviewed a $40 million one-time Proposition 98 proposal for reading difficulty screener implementation and related trailer bill language that would require screening after 91 school days for kindergarten and 46 school days for grades 1-2. Finance said the timing was intended to reduce over-identification and align with evidence from preliminary data; the LAO recommended rejecting the funding and redirecting it to a discretionary block grant. CDE supported the funding and the general approach but acknowledged the need for local support and training. Several committee members and public witnesses raised concerns that the proposed timing restrictions were too rigid and could delay early intervention, while others supported the delay as a way to improve accuracy and avoid misidentification. For special education, Finance proposed ongoing Proposition 98 increases to adjust for COLA and enrollment changes and to raise the statewide special education base rate to $99 per ADA, equalizing rates across SELPAs. The LAO said the proposal should be adopted but estimated it could be funded for less than the Governor’s figure. CDE and multiple local education representatives strongly supported the increase, citing rising special education enrollment, cost pressures, and large local funding gaps. The committee also heard a brief overview of the school facilities proposal, which continues $1.5 billion in Proposition 2 bond funding for the School Facility Program; OPSC reported significant remaining bond authority but also substantial pending demand, and explained that natural disaster school rebuilding draws from the broader new construction and modernization pools. Finally, the committee reviewed Commission on Teacher Credentialing proposals, including the already-funded $300 million Student Teacher Stipend Program, new state operations resources for misconduct investigations and grant administration, and a $250 million one-time continuation of the Teacher Residency Grant Program. CTC said its grants management system is ready and that it expects better data tracking; public testimony broadly supported the educator workforce investments and urged continued funding for the Golden State Teacher Grant Program and additional support for rural and leadership pipeline programs. No votes were taken, and the hearing adjourned after public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Did you know that, and this is NAIC data, this is not something I'm making up.
• We do not have the data that the courts have for every other state.
• Well, it would include last year's data. All right. So what is last year's data? I'm sorry.
• We do not have the data that the courts have for every other state.
• Well, it would include last year's data. All right. So what is last year's data? I'm sorry.

Committee: House Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• We have our own in-house data team, our Data Analytics Division, that monitors Medicaid billing data
• In addition, between the annual eligibility renewals, there is data matching with trusted data sources
• I want to share the data sources that we use.
• The data that we use includes data from the Social Security Administration to verify social security
• Like I said, we're doing our own data analytics.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, Senator Marty mentioned the social media tax on the data of social media.
• We also closed a tax exemption on electricity for data centers.
• </c> um extending um a tax preference to data um extending um a tax preference to data centers.<00:20
• </c> exemption on electricity for data exemption on electricity for data centers.<00:20:26.720><c> Um
• </c> that Senator Russ proposed on the data that Senator Russ proposed on the data that<00:20:32.559>

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> obtain the uh the data from. obtain the uh the data from.
• We struggled with the Minnesota data.
• </c> gathering disagregated data gathering disagregated data on On who seclusion is used.
• data uh and more needed better data uh and more information<01:38:04.560><c> as</c><01:38:04.800><c>
• I think one of my get more data.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:11.910><c> [cough]</c> to collect that data. [cough] to collect that data.
• </c> build or strengthen existing data build or strengthen existing data connections<00:11:31.839><c>
• So these data out to beneficiaries.
• KFF also has a state-specific breakdown of this data in states where they have verifiable data.
• And there was some data sharing.

Bills: HF3439 , HF3763

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy