Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this has to do with saving lives and construction. construction zones on the highway.
• Construction work zone safety is a growing issue in Texas.
• Another 26,000 crashes and 192 fatalities in construction work. Zones the year before.
• These fatalities include both drivers and construction workers.
• They make good conversations, good on financing.

Bills: SJR 12, SCR 39, SB 7, SB 8, SB 27, SB 29, SB 125, SB 241, SB 371, SB 396, SB 406, SB 464, SB 568, SB 578, SB 608, SB 617, SB 660, SB 689, SB 693, SB 707, SB 731, SB 732, SB 763, SB 779, SB 836, SB 854, SB 857, SB 875, SB 878, SB 879, SB 906, SB 920, SB 921, SB 922, SB 942, SB 965, SB 985, SB 996, SB 1029, SB 1035, SB 1036, SB 1059, SB 1084, SB 1098, SB 1101, SB 1185, SB 1188, SB 1321, SB 1332, SB 1366, SB 1388, SB 1396, SB 1453, SB 1484, SB 1494, SB 1536, SB 1563, SB 1596, SB 1610, SB 1619, SB 1737, SB 1738, SB 1741, SB 1816, SB 1822, SB 1841, SB 1939, SB 2155, SB 2188, SB 2230

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: In this meeting, significant discussions revolved around the passage and modification of various Senate Bills, including SB1388, which pertains to family support services under the Health and Human Services Commission. Senator Kolkhorst advocated for the bill, emphasizing its focus on pro-life, family-centered care. The committee passed the bill after thorough examination, showcasing a collaborative effort among the members to ensure its alignment with successful past initiatives. In another session, Senator Hughes presented SB942, aimed at retroactive child support linked to prenatal care, which sparked a constructive dialogue reflecting bipartisan support for maternal and child welfare.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our staff oversees the construction projects based on a number of factors, including the pay requests
• And 433 of those miles will be newly constructed fiber.
• The percent of the project construction completed is 33.27%.
• Um, actually those routes are not physically being constructed.
• I'm sorry, the... mean, do you know the cost per mile to construct? It really would depend.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• J2 is Department of Finance Administration Racing Commission's $15,000.
• These are methods of finance. There are 17 items.
• Number one is a new method of finance valued at $743,000 using university reserves for First National
• These are construction contracts. They begin on page six, with M-2 in the top right-hand corner.
• Chair, those were all of M-2 construction contracts. Any questions on M-2 from anybody?

Summary: The PEER Review Subcommittee met to consider a large agenda of appropriation, transfer, contract, and other review items. Members approved temporary appropriation requests in Sections B through F, including funding for prosecuting attorneys, education-related adjustments, school operating needs, labor licensing divisions, ARPA fund returns from Workforce Services, IIJA grants for state police CDL implementation and a forestry-related county grant, reserve fund transfers for teacher scholarships, school facilities, and economic development, and a Commerce reallocation tied to organizational realignment. Cash fund requests in Section G and budget classification transfers in Section H were also reviewed, along with pay plan requests in Section I, overtime requests in Section J, and multiple methods of finance in Section K. The committee also reviewed discretionary grants in Section L, including agriculture promotion board grants and DHS aging/adult behavioral health grants, plus RFQs, construction contracts, intergovernmental contracts, and out-of-state contracts in Sections M1 through M5. Several items drew questions from members. Workforce Services explained that $225,000 in TANF-related funds would be returned to the federal government because the two-year hold period for uncashed or moved checks had expired. Commerce officials described the $25 million site infrastructure grant program, saying it supports site development, due diligence, and infrastructure build-out at eligible sites of 30 acres or more, including rural communities, with grant agreements and matching requirements providing accountability. DHS and Education officials answered questions about the Care Solace mental health referral contract, saying it is a statewide concierge/referral service that helps schools connect students to Arkansas providers and follow up so students do not fall through the cracks; members asked for more information on provider selection, school-day scheduling, and Arkansas vendor participation. The committee held one item over: the DHS discretionary grant item for the RSVP retired senior volunteer program in L2, after concerns were raised about whether state general revenue was being used effectively and how much administrative overhead the providers retain. Members also questioned several contracts, including a DHS sole-source contract with EMSLink for document management software and a DHS bridge contract with Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care for Medicaid inspections of care reviews; in both cases, agency staff explained the need to avoid service disruption and said follow-up information would be provided. A Department of Corrections reentry center contract was discussed for its recidivism results, and ARDOT retirement-system investment contracts were briefly explained. The meeting ended after a lengthy discussion of the Medicaid Trust Fund balance, with DFA and DHS officials saying the state is expected to finish the fiscal year without exhausting the fund, that a restricted reserve of $100 million is available as a backstop, and that the larger question is what minimum balance should be maintained going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• to forecast the The value of these models comes from the fact that they use data on past construction
• These factors include market factors like housing prices and construction costs.
• to construction.
• The $20,000-plus difference is exactly what is killing their financing.
• Financing is already one of the biggest challenges in the space.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard several housing-related bills, with most of the discussion focused on streamlining housing production, preserving affordable housing, and reducing barriers to ADUs and EV charging in HOAs. SB 457 would direct HCD to develop statistical formulas based on historical development data to help cities complete housing element site inventories; supporters said it would replace costly parcel-by-parcel analysis with a more realistic, data-driven approach, while the California Building Industry Association raised concerns. SB 1091 would create a Community Anti-Displacement and Preservation Program to help acquire and preserve unsubsidized affordable rental housing; it drew broad support from housing nonprofits, local governments, and committee members who emphasized prevention and preservation, and it was advanced with a motion and second. SB 1117 would clarify that ADU impact fees above 750 square feet are charged only on the portion above that threshold; supporters said current practice creates a fee cliff that discourages ADUs, while cities, counties, special districts, and fire groups opposed it over infrastructure and service funding concerns. The committee members were split, but the bill ultimately advanced on a 10-0 vote with two not voting. The committee also considered SB 904, which would codify and expand reporting and coordination practices used after wildfire disasters to speed rebuilding and identify permitting or code barriers. The author and supporters argued that future wildfire recoveries should not depend on ad hoc executive orders, while some members questioned whether the bill was duplicative of existing streamlining laws; it passed on a roll call after discussion. SB 1267 would require EV charger installers in HOAs to indemnify associations during installation and make homeowners liable for costs arising from use of a privately owned charger; HOA representatives and EV advocates supported it, the California Association of Realtors said it would remove opposition once amendments were in print, and the bill advanced unanimously. SB 1361 would prevent local governments from taking actions to avoid SB 79 transit-oriented housing requirements at existing or planned transit stops; L.A. Metro, labor groups, and housing advocates supported it as protecting transit investments and jobs, while the City of Burbank opposed it, and it was approved on a 9-0 vote. The committee also took up consent items SB 722 and SB 1426, which were approved without controversy.

Transcript Highlights:

• have formed two PACs with her husband and failed to appoint campaign treasurers or file campaign finance
• Uh, original penalty was $3100 filing a semiannual campaign finance report following an election.
• Uh, at issue is an 8-day pre-election, uh, campaign finance report.
• Um, at issue is a semiannual campaign finance report, the first one after an election.
• Uh, at issue is a semiannual campaign finance report, $500 flat fine.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:45:29.280> we to give you a sense of the financing we to give you a sense of the financing
• Those historic structures take some specialized care, both on the design side and on the construction
• They have reviews of the historic work, and we put them out with design bidding and construction, so
• We're on our way to construction, so we're on our way to doing those projects from 2023.
• It's kind of remarkable when you think about the History Center being constructed almost 32 years ago

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They can't get or can't get the financing to make the modifications. So, and I'll first.
• financing financing to<00:11:33.400> make<00:11:33.560> the<00:11:33.640> modifications
• Obviously, in new construction<00:12:47.880> because<00:12:48.080> you<00:12:48.160>
• can<00:12:48.320> design<00:12:48.720> it construction because you can design it construction
• and Development Corporation to Finance and Development Corporation to create<00:13:22.800> a<

Bills: SCR63, SCR8, SCR160, SCR90, SCR93

Keywords: disability, accessibility, healthcare communication, sign language interpreters, deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, auxiliary aids, building permits, seniors, health care, safety modifications, county regulations, expedited processing, housing ladder, move-up housing, subsidized housing, public housing, affordable housing, housing mobility

Summary: The House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness heard several resolutions focused on disability access, housing, and support for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. SCR 63 SD1 would have the Disability and Communication Access Board study communication needs in health care settings for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind and revise provider guidance; testimony was strongly supportive, including from the board, a physician, and a family member who described harmful delays in care, and the committee later recommended passage as is. SCR 8 would require counties to act within 45 days on completed permit applications for home modifications needed for an older adult or person with a disability; testimony noted delays in permitting and financing, and the committee recommended passage as is. The committee also heard SCR 160, which urges state housing agencies to create a “housing ladder” program to help individuals and families move from subsidized to unsubsidized housing. Hawaii Public Housing Authority and other agencies supported the concept, and DHS described its family self-sufficiency program and said prior federal resident-services funding had declined over the past 20 years. The committee acknowledged the program may already exist in some form but still recommended adoption of the resolution as is. SCR 90 would ask county planning departments to establish kupuna-friendly building permit requirements for parking accessibility in private businesses. The committee moved it forward with an HD1 for technical amendments; a member raised concern that the measure did not specify the age threshold for “kupuna,” and said they would vote with reservations. Finally, SCR 93 would direct DHHL and the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions to develop a coordinated support and stabilization pathway for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries experiencing homelessness or very low income. DHHL said it is already operating a transitional housing effort called Ka Leo Opu Mama for about 18 beneficiaries using more than $6 million in federal Nah Ho Sa funds, with no dedicated state funding, and the committee recommended passage as is. The meeting ended with the chair thanking testifiers and members and adjourning the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:48:30.320> to president the committee on finance to president the committee on finance
• district website the Senate finance district website the Senate finance committee<01:49:33.880><
• madam president the committee on finance madam president the committee on finance to<02:21:49.800
• <02:28:04.120> committee of the fund the Senate finance committee of the fund the Senate finance
• <02:29:36.000> committee 2026 the Senate finance committee 2026 the Senate finance committee

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These responsibilities cover three main buckets: science, planning, and finance.
• Just to note, tomorrow we will be presenting again at Senate Finance.
• We are at Senate Finance tomorrow.
• So, finance tomorrow. Yeah, finance tomorrow. But I just want to make...
• That you will have that tomorrow at Senate Finance.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• strong rule of statutory construction. strong rule of statutory construction.
• Does rules of statutory construction.
• <00:04:22.160> um another rule statutory construction um another rule statutory construction
• ><00:19:52.400> not<00:19:52.640> the is the financing mechanism, not the is the financing
• the Utah state legislature has financed the Utah state legislature has financed has<01:22:02.719

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Construction activity remained very strong; that reflected with the payroll jobs in the construction
• <01:11:41.159> and contribution to the economy finance and contribution to the economy finance
• The construction costs and labor costs also affect what is going to happen with Maui's construction for
• The construction costs and labor costs also affect what is going to happen with Maui's construction for
• The construction costs and labor cost also affect what is going to happen with Maui's construction for

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas the construction of the Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS Arizona, SSN-803, in Groton
• We know construction costs are high.
• We know infrastructure costs are high, and we also know financing costs are high.
• This bill allows only for the finance of the initial cost that the initial landowners have agreed to
• districts Contractor protections and benefits than any other public financing districts in Arizona.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, guest introductions, and a proclamation honoring the future USS Arizona, SSN-803, and the USS Arizona Legacy Foundation. Members also announced committee assignments and several bills were read for first and second reading. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider HB 4034, HB 2444, HB 2992, and HB 4027, with amendments adopted on each measure. HB 4034 drew comments about career and technical education funding and district disputes; HB 2992 prompted debate over a pilot sexual abuse prevention program, with supporters calling it a resource for students and opponents criticizing it as an opt-out pilot and a burden on classrooms; HB 4027 generated discussion about a highway naming amendment involving Charlie Kirk and Ed Pastor. All three bills were reported out as amended and sent to engrossing and third reading. On third reading, the House passed HB 293, HB 2502, HB 2750, HB 2999, and H.C.M. 2009. HB 293 dealt with school curricula and passed 31-22. HB 2502 related to the Arizona State Retirement System and passed 37-16. HB 2750, concerning mining and legislative department provisions, passed 44-9. HB 2999, creating special taxing districts tied to housing development, drew supportive remarks about affordability and private financing and passed 32-21. H.C.M. 2009 urged federal action to streamline access to minerals on federal land withdrawals and passed 31-22. HB 2229, relating to maternal services and funding for pregnancy resource centers, failed initially by a 26-27 vote after extended debate over abortion-related implications and taxpayer funding. Members then moved to reconsider that failure, and the motion to reconsider passed 27-21, placing the bill back on the calendar. The House also heard a proclamation for March as Sleep Apnea Awareness Month and a Women’s History Month reflection on Mexican-American and Mexican-Irish heritage. The chamber adjourned until 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• hold it in finance? hold it in finance?
• <00:30:15.279> A financed on multi-year schedules. A financed on multi-year schedules.
• <00:30:27.840> financing<00:30:28.399> costs, customers see higher financing costs,
• And when there financed over many years.
• Higher financing costs, predictable.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Finance will come to order. Clerk, please call the roll. Huffman? Here.
• It's great to have you here in Senate Finance.
• Tricia is finishing a finance degree.
• All right, good afternoon, Chair Huffman, Senate Finance Committee.
• Liquefied natural gas construction, there's like 17 to 20 billion worth of construction going on in that

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the building and construction. in the building and construction. construction<02:39:14.240>
• construction trades, which is my bill. construction trades, which is my bill.
• construction construction industry.<02:39:28.319> This<02:39:28.560> bill<02:39:28.880
• . finance. finance.
• So Madame construction season.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of those FTEs was assigned primarily to our Institutional Finance Division.
• Actually, two years ago, we worked with Chairman Munoz of the Senate Finance Committee to change the
• And the finances behind that are growing and getting bigger.
• Chair, and esteemed members of the Legislative Finance Committee.
• New construction in the amount of $4 million.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction, within the Public Protection Cabinet.
• . construction. construction.
• and Construction. and Construction.
• As a taxpayer, we appreciate that and that's why we feel a construction.
• And we also have extra construction.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:32 Approval of Minutes 01:46 Public Protection Cabinet 19:05 Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet 33:14 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee met without a quorum at first, then approved the minutes once a quorum was reached. The first presentation was from the Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction within the Public Protection Cabinet. Commissioner Max Fuller and Deputy Commissioner David Moore reviewed the department’s licensing structure, noting about 50 license types and roughly 42,000 active licenses, with most tied to plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work. They compared Kentucky’s fees and requirements with neighboring states and said Kentucky is generally in line or slightly below surrounding states when local and contractor licensing requirements elsewhere are considered. The department also described staffing and inspection pressures. Officials said boiler inspections have a measurable backlog, with about 18% of state-jurisdiction boilers and pressure vessels past due statewide and a higher percentage in Jefferson County. They said building code plan review turnaround has risen from about 30 days to roughly 33–35 days, and that some areas are struggling to maintain same-day plumbing inspections and three-day HVAC inspections. Members asked whether the agency could handle increased housing construction, especially in rural areas; the department said it had requested additional plumbing staff and a plan reviewer, particularly for the Bowling Green/Warren County area, and noted that electrical inspectors are stretched across the state and are also pulled into disaster response work. The committee then heard from Kentucky Venues and the Kentucky State Fair Board on the Kentucky Exposition Center renovation and related operations. David Beck, board chairman David Williams, CFO Tony Shrek, and others said the project is progressing ahead of schedule, with keys to the new building expected in December and the facility already booked for future events. They reported strong tourism and economic impact, including record activity at the Exposition Center and downtown convention center, and said the Farm Machinery Show and other events continue to drive demand. Members asked about budget status, and the presenters said inflation, delayed access to funds due to the RFP/design process, and added costs have left them short of money to finish all planned work. They identified phase three funding needs, including food and beverage service improvements and completion of Freedom Hall seating, and said they are considering bringing food and beverage operations back under their control to improve efficiency and revenue. The meeting ended with no formal votes on the presentations and an announcement that the committee would meet again the following Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Wayne Props from the Department of Finance and Administration.
• But what you can see is construction spending is still quite high.
• So construction is way up. Yay!
• Do we have any kind of permanent construction going on?
• We see the numbers go up in construction because we're putting significant money into construction for

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today's hearing is on grid transmission, distribution, green financing, and environmental justice.
• This model links payments to market prices, reducing volatility, and lowers project financing risk and
• Workers in the energy and construction industries had no say in what technology would be used in the
• It will take decades of massive investment in construction to fully transform. is ready to build and
• It will take decades of massive investment in construction to fully transform. Energy creation.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy held a hearing on grid transmission and distribution, green financing, environmental justice, renewable portfolio standards, and clean energy workforce policy. Testimony on H. 352/S. 2268 focused on eliminating or scaling back the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, with Green Energy Consumers Alliance arguing it costs ratepayers about $30 million annually and largely subsidizes fossil-fuel combined heat and power, biodiesel blending, and woody biomass. Committee members raised concerns that a full repeal could affect heat pumps and solar thermal projects that currently receive APS credits, and the witness acknowledged those technologies are the strongest part of the program but said Mass Save would be a better home for them. Renew Northeast supported H. 3497 on renewable portfolio standard review and clean energy procurements, but urged an indexed renewable energy credit model like New York’s rather than an attribute-only arrangement, arguing it would reduce financing risk and consumer costs. Vote Solar and Senator Liz Miranda testified in support of H. 3540/S. 2303 on clean energy equity, saying environmental justice communities and renters receive too few benefits from clean energy spending and need stronger tracking, tenant protections, and measurable benefit allocation. Miranda described long-standing environmental harms in Roxbury and called for data and accountability to ensure benefits reach environmental justice communities. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to H. 3475/S. 2276 on just transition and clean energy workforce standards. Labor representatives from the pile drivers, building trades, electrical contractors, SEIU, United Steelworkers, the AFL-CIO, and Climate Jobs Massachusetts Action backed the bill, emphasizing prevailing wage, project labor agreements, apprenticeship requirements, workforce transition plans, and protections for gas workers and other fossil-fuel employees as the state shifts to clean energy. They argued the bill would create family-sustaining jobs, support training, and prevent workers from being left behind during the transition. The hearing concluded after all sign-ups were heard, and the committee voted to close the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seth Kolbe who is now budget and finance Seth Kolbe who is now budget and finance has<00:30:09.560
• <01:28:40.120> an on all the islands and constructed an on all the islands and constructed
• member in public finance member in public finance during<01:29:11.880> the<01:29:11.960><
• <01:29:23.400> Um, public finance expert. Um, public finance expert.
• So, in other words, it's public finance.

Keywords: 910, house, all