Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, we would ask the committee to consider the governor's recommendation, which includes the expansion
• Finally, we would ask the committee to consider the governor's recommendation, which includes the expansion
• Finally, we would ask the committee to consider the governor's recommendation, which includes the expansion
• :16:01.040><c> which</c><00:16:01.440><c> includes</c><00:16:01.759><c> the</c><00:16:02.000><c> expansion
• </c><00:16:02.320><c> of</c> uh which includes the expansion of uh which includes the expansion of agency

Bills: HF2783

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...many, many years to do maintenance and preservation of existing assets before we do any new expansion
• and we fund the resurfacing, the repair, the replacement of bridges, etc., before we do any new expansion
• So there are opportunities, and we have partnered on many capital expansions in the past.
• It is for new expansions, and so passenger rail is one of those.
• Because the roads are fully built out for the most part down there, now we have a few major expansion

Summary: The committee heard introductory remarks from Chair LaMarca and members, then received presentations on electric utility planning, transportation infrastructure, and broadband deployment. Public Service Commission staff explained how Florida’s utilities plan for reliability and cost through 10-year site plans, demand forecasting, and economic dispatch. The presentation emphasized Florida’s residential-heavy load, growing EV demand, expanding solar and battery storage, continued reliance on natural gas combined-cycle plants, and the role of nuclear power. Members asked about energy efficiency, rates, renewable options beyond solar, cybersecurity, grid resilience, data centers, and small modular nuclear reactors; the witness said efficiency programs are reviewed every five years, utilities must balance reliability and affordability, and large new loads like data centers generally must pay for their own infrastructure needs. Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue described FDOT’s five-year work program, decentralized district structure, and funding mix, noting that the agency is predominantly state-funded and prioritizes maintenance and preservation before expansion. He highlighted record investment levels, major congestion-relief projects, toll-road revenues, seaport and airport partnerships, spaceport investments, workforce and equipment needs, and emerging technology such as advanced air mobility. Members asked about project timing, MPO planning, rail and ferry funding, airport governance, winter storm preparedness, and flooding/sea-level rise; Perdue said faster delivery depends on resources, local governments lead transit operations with FDOT as a capital partner, and coastal and drainage projects are designed around storm surge and resiliency. The Office of Broadband reported on six grant programs supporting infrastructure, community facilities, digital connectivity, and future digital capacity and broadband expansion. Director Leo Garcia said the office has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars across most counties, leveraged significant private investment, and focused heavily on rural areas. He noted that broadband efforts are intended to support telehealth, education, workforce development, and economic growth, and said the state has reduced the number of unserved locations from more than 400,000 to a projected 170,000 after current awards are completed. He also said the office needs additional budget authority for the upcoming digital capacity program and that the larger federal/state broadband deployment program will be used to reach remaining unserved and underserved areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• greenfield expansion.
• Number one, expansions<00:27:56.080><c> where</c><00:27:56.799><c> expansions</c><00:27:57.760><c> are
• </c> expansions where expansions are expansions where expansions are possible,<00:27:59.919><c> right
• </c> expansion of that landfill after 2035. expansion of that landfill after 2035.
• expansion gets preference.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• Charles County rejected the vote, so they don't have MetroLink expansion to St. Charles County.
• It was an expansion of MetroLink.
• It was an expansion of MetroLink.
• It was an expansion of MetroLink.
• Representative Smith: Are the Citizens for Modern Transit interested in expansion into the St.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight

Summary: The House Transportation Committee first announced that House Bill 1873 had been pulled at the sponsors’ request and would not be heard. The committee then took up House Bill 2759, which would require MoDOT to publish engineer’s estimates after a project is awarded or rejected, with the sponsor and supporters framing it as a transparency and accountability measure that would help taxpayers and contractors understand why bids are accepted or rejected. Supporters, including the Missouri Asphalt Paving Association and a state public advocate, said the bill would not affect bidding because the estimate would be released only after award, and argued that other states already do this without higher costs. MoDOT opposed the bill, saying its estimates are meant to reflect fair market value at the time of letting and that releasing them could let contractors pattern bids around MoDOT’s numbers, potentially setting an artificial floor or otherwise distorting competition. Committee members questioned both sides closely about whether publishing the estimate after award would still influence future bids, whether rejected bids are already explained, and whether the bill would help identify problems with project scope or estimating. The sponsor said the bill had been refined and referenced an amendment to make clear the disclosure would occur at award or rejection, not before bidding. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2837, which would change how vacancies on the Bi-State Development Agency board are filled by returning to a system where the governor appoints from within the district rather than from lists submitted by the St. Louis city mayor and county executive. The sponsor argued the current process gives too much control to St. Louis City and County and does not adequately represent growing areas such as St. Charles County. Opponents from the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, Citizens for Modern Transit, and a state public advocate argued the change would weaken local control for the jurisdictions that actually fund and use the transit system, noting that St. Charles, Jefferson, and Monroe counties do not pay the same transit taxes and in some cases do not receive service. The hearing ended after testimony in opposition, with no vote taken and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we plan for grid expansion, we have really three main factors: what are the loads going to be, what
• So there's a substantial way to go in order to implement all of this expansion. Final slide here.
• really, one way to put it, table stakes, I think, for what the region needs for transmission and expansion
• This is enough to maintain the system, but not enough to support any major clean energy expansion.
• If we look in green there, that is when we get into our energy Energy expansion.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience

Summary: The Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience opened by electing Senator Shewmake as chair and Representative Alex Ybarra as vice chair. Members then turned to a work session on data centers, transmission, and workforce issues, with the committee noting the statutory rotation of leadership and the urgency of these topics for 2026 and beyond. Kate Bruns and Glenn Blackman presented preliminary findings from the governor’s Data Center work group, which met from May through November and received more than 1,000 public comments. They said the group did not reach full consensus, but agreed Washington’s grid has limited excess capacity, data centers are expected to be a major source of future load growth, ratepayer protections and better load forecasting are important, and the state should preserve its energy and climate laws while seeking more clean power and transmission. They also described tribal consultation underway through the Department of Revenue, and noted that a proposed expansion of the data center sales tax exemption tied to new clean electricity narrowly failed and was left for the legislature to consider. The committee then heard from West Tech consultant Keegan Moyer on regional transmission planning. He described a broad Western transmission portfolio developed through interconnection-wide studies, including roughly 70-plus planned projects and additional upgrades totaling about 12,000 line miles and an estimated $56 billion. He said the West faces rapid load growth, reliability stress, and major transmission constraints, and that the portfolio is intended to support reliability, economic efficiency, and public policy goals. Members asked about crossing utility and market “seams,” state ownership or pre-permitting of corridors, and whether the process could speed interconnection delays; he said the main barriers are permitting, rights-of-way, and interconnection queues, not construction itself. Stephanie Scott then summarized the electrical transmission workforce needs study. She said the study focuses on substation technicians, line workers, and line clearance tree trimmers, and found that meeting Washington’s clean energy goals will require far more workers than current training pipelines produce. She emphasized that apprenticeship depends on active projects, that retirements are reducing experienced mentors, and that barriers such as costly CDL training, limited pre-apprenticeship access, and wraparound support needs must be addressed. The committee also heard from Brant Johnson of Grid United on barriers to new transmission, using the North Plains Connector as a case study. He described a long development process centered on early stakeholder engagement, tribal consultation, route changes, and coordinated federal and state permitting, and said the project has largely relied on private capital with a federal GRIP grant covering a portion of costs. Members discussed eminent domain, landowner compensation, financing, and whether similar approaches could help speed other transmission projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Expanse trolls across the public-facing internet, and it looks at vulnerabilities and weaknesses that
• One, our attack surface management tool is called Expanse.
• We often will go into different organizations and we'll do an Expanse scan, or run, and say, “Hey, how
• We often will go into different organizations and we'll do an Expanse scan or run and say, “Hey, how
• And we went in and did an Expanse run, and it was 300 million.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Cybersecurity and the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management held a joint informational hearing focused on maximizing the value of state cybersecurity investments, especially by fully using security features already included in existing vendor contracts. The first panel included representatives from Microsoft, Zscaler, and Palo Alto Networks, who described the products and services they provide to California and generally agreed that agencies often have strong adoption in some areas but still face challenges from tool overlap, limited staff, lack of awareness of available features, and the need for ongoing training and configuration support. They also discussed major threats such as ransomware, data loss, attack-surface exposure, IoT/OT vulnerabilities, and the growing role of AI in both attacks and defenses. Members pressed the vendors on whether state departments underuse purchased cybersecurity tools, how to improve utilization, and how to address the cybersecurity workforce shortage. The vendors said utilization is often constrained by staffing, procurement complexity, and the need to align tools with agency missions and maturity levels, but emphasized that training, leadership buy-in, and regular vendor-agency collaboration can improve results. They also discussed how AI can help with phishing triage, data-loss prevention, and security operations, while warning that agencies must manage AI safely and with human oversight. The second panel featured officials from the Department of Technology, Cal OES/CalSIC, and the California Military Department. They described statewide oversight efforts including audits, independent security assessments, continuous monitoring, advisory services, vulnerability disclosure programs, and workforce development initiatives such as the Information Security Leadership Academy and Cybersecurity Education Summit. Officials said some underutilization is real, but it is often tied to differing agency maturity, overlapping tools, and deliberate feature restrictions to reduce attack surface and complexity; they emphasized a balanced approach using people, process, and technology, with plans of action and milestones to hold departments accountable. They also noted federal uncertainty around MS-ISAC and the state and local cybersecurity grant program, saying California is advocating through federal partners and monitoring the impact. The hearing ended after public comment and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we can also support the expansion of tourism and infrastructure with airports, roads, and hotels.
• And right now we're seeing aggressive territorial expansion efforts from Russia, obviously through force
• And so if we put territorial expansion sort of at one end of the spectrum here, and then we can think
• It is critical for the expansion of good paying jobs for Greenlanders and for a strong economy.
• We're also seeing the expansion of wildland fires and other novel challenges.

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Keywords: Greenland, acquisition, national security, Arctic, geopolitical, China, Russia, icebreakers, trade routes

Summary: The meeting convened by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation focused on the potential acquisition of Greenland by the United States. This issue, first raised by President Trump in 2019, has gained renewed significance amidst shifting global dynamics and the strategic importance of Greenland in relation to transatlantic trade routes and national security. The members discussed the geopolitical implications of Greenland's position, especially given the increasing influence of China and Russia in the Arctic region. Notably, the urgency to address military presence and icebreaker capabilities in the Arctic was a major point of contention, with a call for a new fleet to counter foreign dominance in the area.

Transcript Highlights:

• So think about someone on Medicaid expansion having radiation every day for six weeks.
• </c> law for Medicaid expansion enrolles. law for Medicaid expansion enrolles.
• </c> for Medicaid expansion enrolles. for Medicaid expansion enrolles.
• </c><01:21:34.960><c> having</c> who's on Medicaid expansion having who's on Medicaid expansion having
• And then HR1 says you can't have premiums for Medicaid expansion, but you must have cost share.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> office and laboratory expans expansion office and laboratory expans expansion and<00:18:43.799><
• Moving on to the second of the Department's requests, there is a critical expansion of rehabilitative
• We can cover 50% of the cost of the public infrastructure needed to support business expansion.
• typically that's uh water expansion typically that's uh water sewer sewer sewer lines<01:18:13.440><
• They needed a couple of wells, obviously, to help with their brewery and their expansion.

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• We<00:24:53.200><c> believe</c><00:24:53.600><c> expansion</c><00:24:54.080><c> of</c><00:24:54.240><
• c> the</c><00:24:54.480><c> taxing</c> We believe expansion of the taxing We believe expansion of the
• within the zone if the city determines that that expansion is necessary to prevent relocation outside
• within the zone for businesses expansion within the zone if<01:44:22.239><c> the</c><01:44:22.400><c
• is necessary to prevent expansion is necessary to prevent relocation<01:44:26.000><c> outside</c><01

Bills: HF4094 , HF3390 , HF3813 , HF3583 , HF3751 , HF4324 , HF4789 , HF3596 , HF4033 , HF4424 , HF4053

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: Crosby, local sales tax, bonding authority, community projects, voter approval, Owatonna, use tax, special law, community center, municipal finance, capital project, sales and use tax, local option tax, city tax, public facility, general election, bond referendum, debt limit, levy limit, Minnesota local government

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand there are amendments being taken on the expansion of the electioneering boundary from 100
• I understand there are amendments being taken on the expansion of the electioneering boundary from 100
• Any expansion should be evidence-based, locally tailored, and fully funded.
• Any expansion should be evidence-based, locally tailored, and fully funded.
• First, we want to be sure that we are focused on, in addition to expansion, eliminating the inequitable

Summary: The Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments heard several election-related measures. SB 884 by Senator Umberg would expand electioneering buffer zones around polling places and ballot-processing sites, restrict law enforcement activity near voting locations except for crimes against persons or property, expand ballot drop box and vote center access, and extend the vote-by-mail receipt deadline. Supporters said it would protect voters from intimidation and interference; county election officials opposed it as operationally burdensome and difficult to enforce. The committee discussed amendments narrowing some provisions, and the bill was ultimately advanced on a 4-1 vote, with Senator Choi voting no. The committee also heard SB 1164 by Senator Cervantes, part of the California Voting Rights Act of 2026 package, which would codify and expand state voting-rights protections against vote dilution and voter suppression, add preclearance for certain jurisdictions with recent violations, and direct courts to interpret election laws in favor of voter access. Support came from civil rights and voting rights groups, while one city representative raised concerns about effects on pending litigation. Senator Choi questioned the bill’s concepts, but the measure was moved to Judiciary and later recorded as passing 4-1. SB 900 by Senator McNerney would shorten and streamline campaign-ad disclosure language, allow abbreviations, and increase the number of top funders listed on political mailers from three to five. Outdoor advertising and good-government groups supported the bill as improving readability while preserving transparency. It passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. The committee also considered SB 1225 and SCA 3 by Senator Niello, which would shift responsibility for initiative titles and summaries from the Attorney General to the Legislative Analyst’s Office; supporters argued this would improve neutrality, while labor groups opposed the change as unnecessary and less accountable. Both measures were advanced to Appropriations after divided votes. Finally, SB 1360 by Senator Cervantes would expand election language-access requirements beyond current federal thresholds and add a petition process for undercounted language communities. It drew broad support from civil rights and advocacy organizations, with county election officials seeking amendments over implementation details; the bill passed 5-0 after the committee completed roll calls on the absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our understanding is this will be an incredible expansion to access this program for most counties in
• Our understanding is this will be an incredible expansion.
• Our understanding is this will be an incredible expansion to access this program for most counties in
• pause to WASPC, FPIW, and some other groups out there that saw the potential for future abuse or expansion
• pause to WASPC, FPIW, and some other groups out there that saw the potential for future abuse or expansion

Bills: SB5223 , SB6071 , SB5966 , SB6061 , SB6016 , SB5973 , SB5053 , SB5249 , SB5899 , SB6190 , SB5574 , SB5873 , SB5924 , SB6263 , SB6282 , SB5950 , SB6074 , SB6096 , SB5609 , SB5901 , SB5943 , SB5975 , SJM8016 , SB5907 , SB6031 , SB6155 , SB6158 , SB6227 , SB5947 , SB6085 , SB6234 , SB6274 , SB5909 , SB6044 , SB6239 , SB6045 , SB6089 , SB6170 , SB5954 , SB5762 , SB6032 , SB6066 , SB6082 , SB6164 , SB6176 , SB6319 , SB6308 , SB6200 , SB6080 , SJM8014 , SB6177 , SB6052 , SB6182 , SB5828 , SB6335 , SB6017 , SB5470 , SB5990 , SB5046 , SB5387 , SB5637 , SB5647 , SB5839 , SB5888 , SB5962 , SB6018 , SB6037 , SB6047 , SB6078 , SB6130 , SB6147 , SB6151 , SB6197 , SB6220 , SB6256 , SB6311 , SB6343

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, healthcare, nutrition, medically tailored meals, dietary support, food security, chronic illness, tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• while many of those are critical and important, it's going to be difficult for us to afford any expansion
• AB 537, Arreguín, California College Promise expansion: due pass as amended to provide eligibility for
• AB 1167, Berman, utility political activities: due pass as amended to remove expansion of Public Advocates
• AB 1035, Mark Gonzalez, California College Promise eligibility expansion: holding committee.
• AB 1035, Mark Gonzalez, California College Promise eligibility expansion: holding committee.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its May 23, 2025 suspense hearing and opened by emphasizing the difficult budget environment, rising costs for constituents, and the need to make tough choices. The chair said many bills would be held, amended to reduce costs, or made two-year bills because the state could not afford broad program expansions this year. The committee also noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later that day. The committee then acted on a large suspense file, taking up hundreds of Assembly bills across topics including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, climate, water, transportation, elections, and technology. Many bills were held in committee, while many others were approved with cost-saving, clarifying, or author’s amendments. Examples included measures on CalABLE, Covered California enrollment, wildfire and insurance issues, reproductive health, school and college programs, prison and juvenile justice matters, AI and data privacy, and local government and utility regulation. Several bills were converted to two-year bills to continue discussion. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly voted on bills by A roll call or B roll call, often with Republicans not voting on amended measures. Some bills were advanced with notable amendments, such as narrowing scope, removing appropriations, delaying implementation, or striking costly provisions. The committee also approved a number of committee bills and omnibus measures, including emergency management, judiciary, insurance, and water-related bills. At the end of the hearing, the chair stated that the committee had moved 435 bills to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass as amended, and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, in all five decades of scope expansion across the country, no state has reversed or repealed
• Minnesota, and expressed strong opposition to House File 1011, which would allow expansion of optometrists
• I understand that legislators are wary of these continued scope bills, but as long as scope expansion
• When we've had scope expansion in the past, and it's been a very long time, but when we have had it in
• The board, I want to make it very clear, has never been involved in scope expansion efforts.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Medicaid expansion would cause a vast expansion of our Medicaid budget.
• when the federal government eventually lowers the enhanced rate for the expansion population, which
• Medicaid expansion would cause a vast expansion of our Medicaid budget.
• Adopting Medicaid expansion would make Florida increasingly, Medicaid enrollees.
• Thank you. ...intentional, thoughtful, far-reaching, and expansive like the entire sky.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why hasn’t ACA moved forward with the KidCare expansion eligibility that was passed in 2023 and signed
• support the amendment, but I would also like to get further detail on where we are on the KidCare expansion
• unfortunately I could not hear the speaker’s response when he answered the question about the KidCare expansion
• We’ve applied for the grant, I mean, for the expansion, but...
• We’ve applied for the grant, I mean, for the expansion, but the federal approval was the reason it has

Summary: The Legislative Budget Commission considered 21 budget amendments, most of them routine authority adjustments tied to federal grants, Medicaid payment programs, and trust fund realignments. The Department of Education received $14.751 million for a Preschool Development Grant to support early learning system improvements, workforce credentialing and training, IT modernization, and related early childhood certification work. The Department of Veterans Affairs shifted $2.2 million within its trust fund to cover higher nursing home occupancy, replace contract nursing with OPS staff, and meet rising operating costs. The Department of Health moved about $9.1 million to support Disability Determinations, where roughly 140,000 cases were pending or in process, and said the change would help reduce backlog and avoid a deficit. The Agency for Health Care Administration presented multiple amendments for Medicaid-related programs, including $766 million for indirect medical education, $1.9 million for managed care network adequacy audits, $209 million for the Rural Health Transformation Program, and several large supplemental payment programs for hospitals and physicians; members asked about CMS approval delays, provider access, and how rural funds would be distributed. The commission also adopted an amendment realigning KidCare funds, placing a $32.1 million surplus into reserve, though several members objected that the state had not yet implemented the 2023 KidCare expansion and that children remained on a wait list. Another Medicaid amendment placed a $376 million surplus into reserve after updated estimating conference projections. Other agencies also received approvals. FDLE received $16.26 million to buy counter-unmanned aircraft systems equipment such as radar and RF sensors to detect and mitigate drone threats. The Department of Juvenile Justice received $1.6 million for the Florida Scholars Academy and a Social Services Block Grant realignment, with staff confirming corrective action had been taken after prior audit findings about allowable SSBG spending. The Division of Emergency Management received federal pass-through authority for FIFA World Cup security and counter-UAS funds, both controlled by the Miami host committee, and members noted the state had little direct oversight over how those local grants would be used. The Department of Commerce received $148.4 million for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery work, with questions focused on the split between housing, infrastructure, and administrative costs. The Department of State received $408,377 for arts and culture federal grant obligations. All amendments were adopted, generally without objection, after brief questioning and no public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why hasn't ACA moved forward with the KidCare expansion eligibility that was passed in 2023 and signed
• support the amendment, but I would also like to get further detail on where we are on the KidCare expansion
• unfortunately I could not hear the speaker's response when he answered the question about the KidCare expansion
• We've applied for the grant—I mean, for the expansion—but... We were waiting for federal approval.
• We've applied for the grant—I mean, for the expansion—but the federal approval was the reason it has

Transcript Highlights:

• Why hasn't ACA moved forward with the KidCare expansion eligibility that was passed in 2023 and signed
• support the amendment, but I would also like to get further detail on where we are on the KidCare expansion
• unfortunately I could not hear the speaker's response when he answered the question about the KidCare expansion
• We've applied for the grant, I mean, for the expansion, but...
• We've applied for the expansion, but the federal approval was the reason it has not happened.

Summary: The Legislative Budget Commission met to consider 21 budget amendments, beginning with the Department of Education’s request for $14.751 million in federal grant authority for the Preschool Development Grant. Members asked whether any funds would support VPK or provider payments; the department said the money is for birth-to-kindergarten early learning work, including IT modernization, workforce credentialing, training, and streamlining director certification. The amendment was adopted without objection. The commission then approved amendments for the Department of Veterans Affairs to shift $2.2 million within its trust fund to cover higher nursing home occupancy and reduce staffing agency use, and for the Department of Health to realign about $9.1 million for disability determinations amid a backlog of roughly 140,000 cases. The Agency for Health Care Administration presented multiple Medicaid-related amendments, including $766 million for indirect medical education, $1.9 million for managed care network adequacy audits, $209 million for the Rural Health Transformation Program, and several large supplemental payment programs for KidCare, hospitals, physicians, cancer hospitals, nursing IME, and public hospital payments. Members questioned network adequacy, rural access, and the KidCare surplus and expansion; the KidCare realignment drew debate, with some members objecting because the 2023 eligibility expansion has not been implemented, but the amendment passed on a roll call vote. Other amendments adopted included FDLE’s $16.3 million for counter-UAS detection and mitigation equipment, DJJ’s $1.6 million for Florida Scholars Academy and a Social Services Block Grant realignment, and emergency management pass-throughs for FIFA World Cup security and counter-drone funding to the Miami host committee. The Department of Commerce received $148.4 million for disaster recovery under the CDBG-DR program, with questions about the split between housing, infrastructure, and administrative costs. The Department of State also received $408,377 for arts and culture grant authority. Most amendments were adopted without objection, and the commission adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• to my area, I have a rural hospital, Citizen Memorial Hospital, who just completed a $100 million expansion
• to the facility there. ...completed a $100 million expansion to the facility there.
• As Representative Warwick had mentioned, we have just finished a really large expansion to our hospital
• We've done traffic studies ahead of our expansion.
• Of course, as expansion is brand new, and we do the open house this weekend, I think that we'll see even

Committee: House Corrections and Public Institutions

Summary: The Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions heard testimony on House Bill 2912, House Bill 2753, and a joint hearing on House Bills 2171 and 3292. HB 2912 would expand the state’s use of master agreements for small projects, raising contract thresholds and adding architects, engineers, and surveyors to standing agreements for work under $100,000. Supporters from the Office of Administration and private engineering/architecture firms said the bill would reduce delays, lower costs, and avoid repeated RFQ/RFP processes for small projects. There were no witnesses in opposition, and the hearing closed after favorable testimony. HB 2753 would create a hospital zone designation, similar to school or work zones, allowing municipalities or counties to establish reduced-speed areas around hospitals when local conditions warrant it. The bill was presented in response to traffic and safety concerns around a rural hospital expansion and a state highway running through the campus area. Hospital representatives, the Missouri Hospital Association, and another hospital system supported the measure, emphasizing pedestrian, staff, ambulance, and visitor safety; committee members questioned the proposed penalties and whether the bill could create a statewide mandate, but supporters stressed it was permissive and locally initiated. No opposition testimony was offered. HB 2171 and HB 3292, identical bills, would direct the Department of Corrections to create a motivational boot camp program for offenders ages 17 to 21 convicted of nonviolent offenses, with the goal of rehabilitation and possible expungement after completion. Sponsors said the program would emphasize discipline, physical activity, and therapy, and could be a cost-saving alternative to prison; they noted a federal issue requiring changes for DWI/CDL cases and discussed a six-year sunset. Committee members raised questions about eligibility, screening, expungement language, program design, and how the proposal would interact with other sentencing bills. No witnesses testified in favor or opposition, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But expansion cannot come at the expense of the educators who make this work possible.
• So what you're saying is we don't know where the expansion could land, but if the expansion.
• So, in the expansion of child care, just this year, within the Higher Education Department budget, there's
• This just meets all the criteria for me for expansion and where we need to be.

Bills: SB132 , SB241

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: SB132, DOIT, Department of Information Technology, software replacement, equipment replacement, technology funding, revolving fund, capital equipment, enterprise services, state IT budgeting, software budgeting, amortization, depreciation, State Treasurer, Department of Finance and Administration, New Mexico, information technology, IT infrastructure, fund accounting, legislative appropriation