Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, members, please note we have testimony from the Department of Budget and Finance providing
• Seeing none, members, please note we have testimony from the Department of Budget and Finance providing
• appropriations and the FTE amount and include a def effective date, and we'll see if we can get the finance
• In the FTE amount and include a def effective date, and we'll see if we can get the finance committee
• considering the budget climate we're in, but nonetheless I'd like to keep this bill moving to the Finance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on March 14, 2025, and heard five University of Hawaii-related bills. SB 741 would create an external audit committee for the UH system and Board of Regents; UH and UHPA opposed it, saying existing internal and external audits already provide robust oversight, and the committee later recommended deferring the bill indefinitely as duplicative. SB 1252 SD2 would create a dementia training program for health care providers; the Alzheimer’s Association and other supporters said broader training is needed across the care workforce, while the university discussed using JABSOM as a coordinator. The committee deferred the bill to March 19 for an HD1 reflecting JABSOM’s suggestions and removing the appropriations/FTE language. SB 1502 SD1 would fund faculty positions, student programs, and facilities at UH Manoa and West Oahu for defense-sector workforce development. UH and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii supported the measure, describing a pipeline for students into intelligence, cybersecurity, and related fields, while one individual opposed it as too closely tied to military contracting and urged investment in other sectors instead. The committee amended the bill to remove FTE references and advanced it; the vote to pass with amendments was adopted, with several members voting aye and some excused. SB 1530 would require performance-based allocation of UH general funds and efficiency reporting. UH and the Attorney General’s office raised concerns, saying the bill’s metrics would apply across the entire general fund budget and were not practical as drafted; the committee also noted opposition from the Budget and Finance Department and individuals. SB 1624 SD1 would restrict RIM funds to renewing, improving, or modernizing existing facilities and require annual reports. UH opposed the bill and explained that RIM is a lump-sum approach used to address deferred maintenance and capital needs, with Board of Regents approval and quarterly reporting already in place; the Attorney General suggested constitutional amendments. The transcript ends during discussion of SB 1624, with no final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy.
• on Commerce, Finance, and Policy.
• On Commerce Finance and Policy, where it needs to take a stop before it can go back.
• Finance and Policy, and be re-referred to the Committee on Elections, Finance, and Government Operations
• And be re-referred to the Committee on Elections, Finance, and Government Operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am what you call a recovering finance guy because I've spent most of my career in financial analysis
• I am what you call a recovering finance guy because I've spent most of my career in financial analysis
• Part of the reason for this is there was reform in FDOT's finance back in the late '80s because there
• Our finances are run a little bit differently than other agencies and even other... it.
• Internal affairs, communications, legislative affairs, IT, and finance.

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee met to organize for the session, take roll, and hear introductory remarks from members and agency heads. Members briefly introduced themselves and their districts, with several noting transportation, economic development, emergency response, military, and hurricane recovery issues in their areas. Chair Shove then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction and current-year budget, noting a total of about $20.3 billion, with most funding coming from trust funds and only a small share from general revenue. The committee also heard that upcoming meetings would include presentations from major agencies in the subcommittee’s purview. The first agency presentation was from the Department of Military Affairs and the Florida National Guard. Major General John Haas described the Guard’s three missions—supporting national security, responding to state emergencies, and adding value to the state—and highlighted deployments for hurricanes, border security support, and ongoing support to the Department of Corrections. He emphasized that the Guard is understrength relative to Florida’s size and demand, said recruiting is strong, and identified force structure growth as the main challenge. Members asked about aircraft, funding sources, and recruiting; Haas explained the Guard’s helicopter and fixed-wing fleet, said aircraft purchases are funded through legislative appropriations, and reported strong interest in the Florida State Guard’s recruiting pipeline. Executive Director Mark Thieme then described the Florida State Guard’s expansion into air, ground, and maritime capabilities, including Black Hawks, boats, drones, canine search-and-rescue teams, and ground support units. He said the agency supported immigration enforcement and hurricane response, and asked for continued legislative support to expand aviation, maritime, and medical capabilities. Members praised the Guard’s disaster response work and asked about aircraft, funding, and staffing. Secretary Cord Byrd of the Department of State followed, focusing on election administration, election security, the SunBiz and voter registration IT systems, arts and culture, corporations, libraries, and historical resources. He said Florida’s election system remains a national model, reported two prosecutions for non-citizen voting, and discussed modernization needs for legacy IT systems. The committee also asked about voter lookup tools, password privacy for SunBiz, and arts funding vetoes. Secretary Alex Kelly of the Department of Commerce described the agency’s broad portfolio, including workforce, economic, community, and international commerce functions, plus housing recovery, broadband, small business support, rural infrastructure, defense-community grants, and law enforcement recruitment bonuses. He said access to capital is the biggest barrier for small businesses and noted ongoing work with CareerSource, the Department of Corrections, and other partners on workforce and reentry. Secretary Jared Perdue of the Department of Transportation then outlined FDOT’s record budget and five-year work program, emphasizing emergency response, preservation and maintenance, safety, and major investments in roads, ports, airports, transit, and spaceport infrastructure. He said the department has removed millions of cubic yards of storm debris, is ahead of schedule on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, and faces a large unfunded project backlog. Members asked about supply chain issues, project priorities, and workforce needs, and Perdue said FDOT is open to collaboration on recruitment and retention.

Transcript Highlights:

• program for municipal municipal finance program for municipal public officers.
• The Municipal Finance team at WAM is going...
• The Municipal Finance team at WAM is going to be an incredible resource.
• I have two degrees, one in economics and one in finance.
• Our purview is finances, and we get a lot of complaints that don't have anything to do with finances.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Greg will show a summary of the finance, you know, the finances that we have in the budget.
• But as we've previously identified, with the finance plan that identified funding a $5 to $7.5 billion
• The tolling funding is going to be talked about, but right now our finance plan is looking at between
• The tolling funding is going to be talked about, but right now our finance plan is looking at our finance
• Those options will then, we'll look at updating our finance plan as well once we have an updated cost

Summary: The committee met jointly with the Washington-Oregon Legislative Action Committee for an update on the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement (IBR) program. Members first adopted the proposed committee rules, then received program updates from staff on environmental review, permitting, design, tribal consultation, and public engagement. Staff said the project remains in the supplemental EIS process, with a final supplemental EIS and amended record of decision expected in early 2026, which would allow construction to begin. They also described ongoing work on Coast Guard navigation clearance, Section 106 historic-property coordination, and architectural guidelines for the bridge and five-mile corridor, emphasizing that the visualizations shown were conceptual and that public and partner feedback has already influenced design considerations such as accessibility and shared-use path connections. Members raised concerns about schedule delays, rising costs, and whether the project is being designed to be functional, safe, and economical. Staff acknowledged that the timeline has slipped from earlier expectations and said the delay reflects the complexity of the environmental and federal review process, as well as the need to avoid redoing steps. They said the updated cost estimate is being prepared now that design has advanced to roughly 30 percent, and that it will account for inflation, risk factors, and both fixed-span and movable-span options. Staff estimated a movable span would add more than $400 million and said the first construction work after environmental approval would likely be preliminary freeway and retaining-wall work in late 2026, followed by the bridge procurement. The committee also received funding and tolling updates. Staff reported that major federal grants have been executed, including Mega and Bridge Investment Grant agreements, and that state STIP amendments are advancing to allow access to federal funds. The tolling team described Level 3 traffic-and-revenue work, a bi-state tolling subcommittee process, and possible toll scenarios aimed at supporting either about $1.24 billion or $1.6 billion in toll revenue. Members questioned low-income toll relief timing, truck toll rates, and the effect of tolls on freight users. Staff said low-income discounts are being analyzed for both revenue and operational feasibility, that tribal exemptions and other policy exemptions are under review, and that the commissions expect to move into public outreach on toll rates and policies in 2026, with tolling on the existing bridges currently projected to begin in spring 2027.

Transcript Highlights:

• The project report from the finance and administration cabinet.
• The project report from the finance and administration cabinet.
• Agenda item number six, the lease report from the Finance and Administration Cabinet.
• <00:20:43.760> and lease report from the Finance and lease report from the Finance and Administration
• acquisition, This will finance the acquisition, This will finance the acquisition, construction,

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:34 Approval of Minutes 00:56 Information Items 05:40 Project Rpt from Postsecondary Institutions 14:00 Project Rpt from Finance and Administration Cabinet 20:40 Lease Rpt from Finance and Administration Cabinet 24:53 Rpt from OFM – Ky Infrastructure Authority 40:38 Office of Financial Management 47:39 Remaining 2025 Meeting Dates 48:05 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with routine business, including a quorum call, approval of the April minutes, and several informational reports. Those information items covered upcoming general obligation debt for Bullitt, Jefferson, and Warren counties; Kentucky Communications Network Authority updates tied to House Bill 6; Eastern Kentucky University asset preservation reallocations under House Bill 1; and School Facilities Construction Commission debt activity, including 20 prior debt issues totaling about $386 million with roughly 85% locally supported debt service and 15% SFCC participation. Members then discussed concerns about a Kentucky Communications Network Authority project, focusing on a reported discrepancy between an appropriation of $12.927 million and an apparent payment of about $8.532 million on a project with a cost estimate of $12.449 million. Several members asked for more detailed written information before the next Capital Projects meeting, noting that a lawsuit is pending and that they wanted to better understand the basis for the request and the spending to date. The committee also heard and unanimously approved a donor-funded Northern Kentucky University project to renovate tennis courts, with possible pickleball additions, after questions about why approval was needed, the project’s estimated $3 million cost, and its expected minimal ongoing operating costs. The committee next received Kentucky State University pool allocation reports for three projects: a $2 million McCullen Hall renovation, a $1.75 million walkway and miscellaneous repairs project, and a $2 million academic services building roof-and-window project. A member asked specifically about curb cuts and accessibility in the walkway project, and Kentucky State said existing curb cuts would be repaired and additional accessibility issues would be reviewed by engineers. The lease report from the Finance and Administration Cabinet included one lease modification requiring approval for the Attorney General’s office in Franklin County and one no-action modification for the Board of Cosmetology; the Attorney General lease was approved by roll call vote. Finally, the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority presented five loans and 37 grants, with action taken on the loan and grant items. The loans included a Hodgenville wastewater treatment plant increase, a Grant County sewer district treatment plant loan, a Mount Sterling dam rehabilitation loan, and two Morganfield drinking water loans for granular activated carbon treatment, one with full principal forgiveness. Members asked about the Morganfield project’s purpose and were told it was a remediation effort for a water-quality concern, and they also raised questions about engineering fees, which KIA said are compared against a U.S. Rural Development fee schedule that is industry accepted. The committee also reviewed cleaner water program grant reallocations from county allocation pools.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am now in Washington, and Senator Watson is looking at the bill from the finance side.
• I am now in Washington, and Senator Watson is looking at the bill from the finance side.
• I am now in Washington, and Senator Watson is looking at the bill from the finance side.
• I am now in Washington, and Senator Watson is looking at the bill from the finance side.
• I am now in Washington, and Senator Watson is looking at the bill from the finance side.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Putnam, this bill needs to go to Finance.
• .<00:03:07.987> [snorts] Finance.
• [snorts] Finance.
• produce revenue sufficient to finance produce revenue sufficient to finance the<00:14:43.120>
• <01:25:22.400> are We are here because HCMC's finances are We are here because HCMC's finances

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <05:52:09.040> as Finance Committee recommends passage as Finance Committee recommends passage
• The Senate Finance Committee students.
• > which<06:07:29.600> was committee on finance to which was committee on finance to which
• The Senate Finance to January 1 of 2027.
• Finance Committee recommends interim Finance Committee recommends interim study<06:09:49.600>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The true number is much higher because of the way they hide their finances.
• The true number is much higher because of the way they hide their finances.
• H.R. 915, a bill to authorize small business loans to finance access to modern business software and
• the purchase of digital tools. finance the purchase of digital tools.
• home buyers and affordably finance home buyers and housing developers.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The meeting of the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee is called to order on Monday, March
• We'd like to get ready for the end of the bill to Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee
• <00:12:49.519> and referred to the elections finance and referred to the elections finance
• House File 340 is set to be moved to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.
• The motion prevailed. finance and civil law committee all in finance and civil law committee all in favor

Bills: HF2066, HF340, HF341, HF566, HF2107, HF2130

Keywords: electric bicycles, tax rebate, transportation, environment, local economy, fleeing peace officer, culpable negligence, traffic laws, public safety, motor vehicle offenses, driving violations, penalties, license suspension, traffic enforcement, all-terrain vehicle, ATV, class 1 ATV, class 2 ATV, road rights-of-way, public roads

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Finance will come to order. Clerk? Well, the green light's on. Okay.
• It's my third session on Senate Finance.
• That's tied to public school finance.
• TIDC is financed by GR and GRD funds.
• Scott Ehlers: TIDC is financed by GR and GRD funds.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , everyone here today between finance, everyone here today between finance, commerce,<00:20:53.760
• New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority.
• services New Hampshire housing finance services New Hampshire housing finance um<00:37:29.760>
• Uh the side to show you the financing.
• So we had a in house finance.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that brings us to a real-world example of sharing services at that VP of finance position.
• And so just having her as an asset for those VPs of finance, I think will help us going forward.
• Please note that these items will have gone through our Budget and Finance Committee.
• All of these were approved by the Budget and Finance Committee.
• Budget and Finance reviewed and considered these.

Summary: The Higher Education Institutions Committee met at NDSU and heard an extensive presentation from President David Cook/President Stewart and NDSU leadership on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research growth, and use of New Horizons funding. Leaders emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission, its role in workforce development, and its goal of becoming more distinctive through strategic planning, recruitment and retention, commercialization, and partnerships. They highlighted that NDSU awarded 2,370 degrees in 2025, produces a large share of the state’s engineering, nursing, and agriculture graduates, and reported strong outcomes for graduates staying and working in North Dakota. They also noted enrollment headwinds, competition from other institutions, and the need to manage tuition waivers more carefully through a scholarship optimization effort. Provost Sherry Vale outlined academic stewardship efforts, including review or consolidation of low-producing programs, strategic hiring tied to institutional priorities, faculty workload policy changes, and expanded online and regional offerings. She said the university is using New Horizons dollars to strengthen advising, student support, and programs in engineering, agriculture, and health. NDSU leaders also described new or expanded academic offerings such as robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, material science and engineering, nuclear engineering certificates, accelerated nursing, nurse practitioner certificates, a Master of Health Administration, and a clinical research master’s program with Sanford Health. They stressed that these investments are intended to improve student completion, meet workforce needs, and increase return on public investment. The committee also heard testimony from students and recent graduates who described the value of NDSU’s education, mentorship, internships, research opportunities, and support services. Alyssa Hodges spoke about pharmacy education, public health work, and campus support as a parent and student; Ethan Blessy described engineering coursework, internships with Marvin, and career preparation; and Aiden Freolic discussed neuroscience research, federally funded projects, and plans for graduate study. Their testimony was followed by presentations on partnerships with Gateway to Science for K-12 STEM outreach and with Sanford Research on biomedical research, clinical trials, obesity research, and a joint biostatistics hire. NDSU also highlighted systemwide shared services, Governor’s School programming, and research growth, including a reported 8% increase in research expenditures from $199 million to $215 million. No bill votes were taken; the meeting was informational and featured presentations, testimony, and discussion of future planning and partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:02.080> for<00:14:02.240> initial received financing for initial received financing
• <00:15:19.200> could project where public financing could project where public financing could
• Given the rate recovery aspect of this, we have to send this to finance.
• Um further member this to finance.
• We are, after all, laying it over because of the RDA finance part of it.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Finance, nothing to add.
• Yeah, Liz Bath Casillo with the Department of Finance.
• Department of Finance: Nothing further to add.
• Anything from Department of Finance or the LAO?
• First, anything from Department of Finance or the LAO? Sima, Department of Finance, nothing to add.

Summary: The committee heard a budget oversight hearing on the Department of Health Care Services, focusing first on the overall Medi-Cal budget and a March General Fund loan to cover a current-year shortfall. DHCS said the 2025-26 budget proposal totals $193.4 billion, with Medi-Cal projected at $188.1 billion total funds and $42.1 billion General Fund, driven by higher enrollment, pharmacy costs, managed care growth, and costs tied to eligibility expansions and the COVID-era redetermination unwinding. The department said the $3.44 billion loan was needed to manage cash flow and ensure timely payments to providers and plans, while the LAO noted Medi-Cal’s cash-basis budgeting creates volatility and that more detailed estimates would come with the May Revision. Members discussed federal Medicaid threats, the need for transparency on cost drivers, and the impact of pharmacy spending, long-term care, and immigration-related coverage expansions. The second major topic was family health programs, including California Children’s Services, the continuous coverage unwinding, and opioid settlement fund spending. DHCS described CCS funding methodology changes, ongoing county stakeholder work, and a delayed rollout of CCS monitoring and oversight until July 1, 2025, while county representatives and advocates argued the program is underfunded and asked for more technical assistance and a delay in implementation. On the unwinding, the department explained that federal redetermination flexibilities helped maintain coverage after the pandemic, but the Governor’s budget proposes ending them at the end of June 2025; advocates urged making the flexibilities permanent to avoid coverage losses. For opioid settlement funds, DHCS and Finance said the budget increases funding for naloxone distribution while reducing other harm-reduction spending based on updated settlement revenues, prompting criticism from members and public commenters who argued the change would weaken effective harm-reduction programs. The hearing also included an update on Proposition 35 implementation. DHCS said the voter-approved measure continuously appropriates MCO tax revenues beginning in 2025, with up to $4.6 billion annually available for specified Medi-Cal and provider investments in 2025 and 2026, but implementation depends on consultation with the required stakeholder advisory committee. The department and LAO noted uncertainty about future federal rules affecting the MCO tax after 2026. Public testimony largely supported maintaining Medi-Cal expansions, protecting immigrant coverage, preserving harm-reduction funding, and increasing support for community health workers, pediatric dental care, and CCS county administration. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And remember too that it’s going to be going to finance.
• This is going to go to Finance, yeah. What is it over 100K he requires to go to Finance, or 10,000?
• All right, and Senator Long will take that one out on to Finance.
• in finance in finance<01:30:42.119> Senator<01:30:42.760> Apprentice<01:30:43.400>
• thank<01:30:43.560> you finance Senator Apprentice thank you finance Senator Apprentice thank

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Committee on Finance, come to order. Will the clerk please call the roll? Huffman. Here.
• I'm here to testify for adding and giving additional financing for disasters. Why?
• Financing will enable more communication and transportation of exits in and out of a disaster.
• If we have financing for people that are unknown, that are in an area, it is necessary for EMS and the
• Financing also has to be given to the police because looting starts there. Thank you.

Bills: SB3, SB 3

Keywords: disaster relief, emergency funding, flood management, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program, backup power

Transcript Highlights:

• chairs and ranking minority members of the committee with jurisdiction over veteran affairs policy and finance
• Committee with jurisdiction over veteran affairs policy and finance.
• this bipartisan bill was unanimously passed through the Veterans and Military Affairs Policy and Finance
• It takes care of all the nuts and bolts and finances of the organization.
• Natural Resource Finance and Policy Committee. Representative Skraba, please begin your testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Financing costs.
• under finance underwriting financing under finance underwriting legal<03:36:26.960> advice<03:
• concept of the tax increment financing. concept of the tax increment financing.
• Local finance officer.
• Two, the tax increment financing.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The meeting included a Senate recognition ceremony honoring the Winona High School boys basketball team for winning the 2026 Alabama High School Athletic Association 5A state championship. A resolution was read commending the team for its 101-40 victory over Silicag, noting the team’s record-setting performance, Brendan Davis’s MVP honor, the contributions of other players, and Coach Cedric Lane’s leadership. Senators and the lieutenant governor praised the players’ sportsmanship, the school community, and the team’s historic season, and copies of the resolution were presented to the team, coaches, and administrators. Several guests and school representatives also spoke briefly, including the coach and principal, who thanked the Senate and noted the team’s success and the principal’s retirement after 35 years. After the recognition, the Senate returned to session and adopted the Committee on Rules report setting the special order calendar. The calendar included Senate Bill 99 on the Ten Commandments, Senate Bill 298 on Class 3 municipalities, House Bill 381 on camp safety, Senate Bill 370 on tax increment districts, Senate Bill 363 on the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, House Bill 466 on firefighters, House Bill 95 on elections, House Bill 259 on stablecoin, and Senate Bill 342 on education. The chamber then took up SB 99, sponsored by Senators Kelly and Sessions. Senator Kelly described the bill as requiring local school boards to display the Ten Commandments, together with founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Alabama Constitution preamble, in certain history classrooms and common areas for grades five through 12, using donated displays and funds when available. He said the bill was intended as a historical and educational measure, not religious instruction, and emphasized the inclusion of a disclaimer stating Alabama is not establishing a religion. After extended debate and a petition to close debate from the Rules Committee, the Senate voted on the bill by long roll and passed SB 99, with the recorded vote announced as 30 yeas and 4 nays.