Video & Transcript Research : 'fully shielded'
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MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Public Service Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Public Service
Transcript Highlights:
- And, like I said, by statute, systems need to be fully funded by 2040.
- But the question we need to start asking ourselves is: what is fully funded? Is it 100%?
- We start asking ourselves, what is fully funded? Is it 100%? Maybe. Is it 105%?
- And yes, it may be a little proactive at this time, but as systems are becoming fully funded, it's time
- So as we're approaching full funding and the Commonwealth itself will be fully funded in 2036, this is
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of retirement, municipal workforce, and public employee labor bills. Early testimony focused on H. 2749, a Plymouth home rule petition to classify Plymouth harbormaster employees as Group 4 for retirement purposes. Supporters, including local officials and retirement board representatives, argued the employees perform law-enforcement and rescue duties comparable to police and fire personnel, that the change would be fair, and that it would have little or no fiscal impact on the town. A separate harbormaster-related bill, H. 2743, was also introduced later in the hearing.
The committee also heard testimony on provisions of the Municipal Empowerment Act (H. 56), including a temporary critical-shortage exemption allowing retired state or municipal employees to return to work in hard-to-fill positions, and a renewed OPEB commission to study retiree health care costs. Administration and municipal officials said the measures were needed to address staffing shortages and rising benefit liabilities, while emphasizing the shortage exemption would be time-limited and require proof of recruitment efforts. Related retirement bills drew support and caution: advocates for higher COLA bases and enhanced COLA benefits urged relief for retirees, but some asked the committee to wait for recommendations from the special COLA commission before acting.
A major portion of the hearing concerned labor rights at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Committee for Public Counsel Services. Union representatives and employees backed bills to extend just-cause protections, promotional rights, and collective bargaining rights to MWRA and CPCS workers, arguing they currently lack protections available to most other public employees. Testimony described unfair discipline, delayed promotions, and high turnover, and committee members indicated prior favorable action on similar MWRA bills and expressed support for addressing CPCS labor rights. The committee also heard from representatives of the Massachusetts Municipal Association and public higher education employees in support of H. 2820, which would require timely funding of ratified state employee contracts, with witnesses describing long delays in receiving negotiated raises and back pay. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair repeatedly invited written testimony and closed each panel after questions.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
House Chamber - Fri Jan 30, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 6
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The attorney general and her team are fully equipped and they have the expertise to do the investigation
- equipped and they have the fully equipped and they have the expertise<00:51:22.160>
to <00:51: - I do agree with the judiciary chair that the AG is fully equipped to do a criminal investigation.
- judiciary chair that the AG is fully judiciary chair that the AG is fully equipped<00:59:54.000>
- Madam Speaker, second time, members. fully with law enforcement. fully with law enforcement.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance Mar 5th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- They fully funded having math coaches for almost every school in their state, and they can't find the
- So the 2024 Budget Act projected the rainy day fund to be fully depleted by a mandatory withdrawal in
- We absolutely and accurately say we are fully funding our commitment.
- We believe this proposal is unconstitutional and urge the committee to fully fund the guarantee without
- One, our district fully supports the Governor's proposed investments in fully implementing transitional
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance Apr 29th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm still not fully understanding. So I'm going to turn on some more expertise, a board member, Dr.
- I'm still not fully understanding. So I'm going to turn on some more expertise, a board member, Dr.
- set of parameters that we're considering when we're putting forth this study before jumping in and fully
- As far as ongoing, the administration does expect still for the mandates process to fully play out, and
- The administration does expect the mandates process to fully play out, and at that point we would be
Summary:
The committee heard a series of budget proposals focused on education finance, with repeated questions about whether the state’s investments are coordinated, targeted to the highest-need students, and likely to produce measurable results. On the first item, the administration proposed $1 million for a study of California’s curriculum framework, standards, and instructional materials process, plus $250,000 for supplemental ELA/ELD guidance. CDE and Finance said the study would examine how other states organize standards, frameworks, and adoptions, while the chair and members questioned why California has gone so long without updating some standards, what the study would actually accomplish, and whether the proposal was too vague to justify the cost. The issue was held open.
The committee then took up a proposed $25 million statewide literacy network within the system of support. CCEE and CDE said the network would coordinate multiple existing literacy leads, create a clearinghouse of evidence-based resources, and improve coherence across the state’s many literacy initiatives. Members pressed on how a one-time, five-year allocation could support a long-term system, how the work would reach distressed and rural districts, and whether the proposal would translate into classroom change rather than just another layer of coordination. The issue was also held open.
Next, the committee reviewed a $500 million proposal to expand literacy coaches and reading specialists and to create a math coaches program. CDE described the existing literacy coach cohorts as producing positive reports from participating LEAs, while the LAO recommended modifications, especially for the math coach portion, including limiting eligibility to elementary schools, setting minimum grant amounts, directing funds to eligible school sites, and making eligibility automatic rather than application-based. Members focused on whether coaches were actually being placed at the schools with the greatest need and whether the state has a coherent long-term strategy for literacy and math investments. The committee also heard a $40 million proposal for training and implementation of K-2 reading difficulty screeners, which the LAO said was reasonable but could be reduced because $25 million had already been provided for training; CDE said the new funds were needed for full implementation, procurement, and sustainability. Finally, the committee heard a $10 million proposal for a developmentally appropriate TK multilingual learner screener, with CDE explaining why the preschool language-identification process is different from K-12 EL assessment and the chair asking staff to explore whether a single, more consistent approach could be developed. The meeting concluded with a presentation on universal school meals and kitchen infrastructure, including a $31.5 million backfill, an $84.1 million increase for projected meal growth, a COLA adjustment, and $150 million for kitchen upgrades and training to support freshly prepared meals.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- a fair amount of compacts where people are sharing enforcement opportunities, even if they're not fully
- So I fully support... We're not in compliance. What are you supposed to do?
- So I fully support this change in this bill, and I hope that you all will agree with me that it makes
- The Select Board operates fully hybrid. We are also zoomed on our local cable.
- The Select Board operates fully hybrid. We are also zoomed on our local cable access.
Summary:
The hearing focused on Governor Healey and Lt. Gov. Driscoll’s Municipal Empowerment Act, with administration officials and municipal leaders broadly supporting the bill as a package of tools to help cities and towns manage rising costs, staffing shortages, and service demands. The administration highlighted procurement reforms, including raising Chapter 30B advertising thresholds, clarifying cooperative purchasing, and removing the Commbuys notice requirement; permanent authority to amortize emergency-related deficits over three years; expanded authority and enforcement for removing double poles; continued flexibility for hybrid and remote public meetings; regionalization options such as regional boards of assessors and intermunicipal agreements; cybersecurity reporting to EOTSS; and several local revenue options and other municipal finance changes. They said the bill was shaped by listening sessions with municipal officials and was intended to increase flexibility, efficiency, and stability without imposing broad mandates.
Committee members asked about regionalization, cybersecurity costs, Commbuys, hybrid meetings, and double poles. Administration witnesses said cybersecurity reporting would help the state target resources and that existing Community Compact and capital grant programs, including IT and municipal fiber funding, could support local needs; they said EOTSS would absorb reporting within existing resources. On procurement, they said the Commbuys notice change would be optional and that other public notice methods would remain available. On hybrid meetings, they emphasized flexibility for different types of boards and the burdens a one-size-fits-all mandate could create for small towns and volunteer boards. On double poles, they said the bill’s main change from last session was to give utilities more time and improve the removal process while keeping enforcement mechanisms aimed at speeding removal rather than raising revenue.
The Massachusetts Municipal Association, MAPC, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and multiple mayors and town managers testified in support. They described the bill as a practical modernization measure that would help local governments operate more efficiently and respond to fiscal pressure. Witnesses from Northampton, Lynn, Gardner, Cambridge, Franklin, North Andover, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Ashland praised the hybrid meeting provisions, procurement changes, regional service-sharing, and emergency deficit amortization. Several also urged adoption of local revenue tools, including meals and lodging tax options and other local fees, as ways to preserve services and staffing. No votes were taken during the hearing.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Senate in Special Session E May 29th, 2026
Florida Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- . 96% of that growth, or $1.7 billion, fully supports the Medicaid and KidCare caseload.
- Or do I, while I'm young still and not fully invested in this, do I?
- Is that fully available and reinstated now as an option?
- On housing, we're fully funding the sale and ship program.
- On housing, we're fully funding the sale and ship program.
Summary:
The Senate took up the conference report on House Bill 501E, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026-27, with Chair Hooper and the appropriations chairs walking through the $114.5 billion budget. Major highlights included pay increases for state law enforcement, firefighters, park rangers, and correctional officers; funding for teacher salary increases and K-12 enrollment stabilization; workforce and university funding in higher education; major Medicaid, nursing home, waiver, and opioid-related investments in health and human services; corrections and prison-capacity funding; transportation, housing, and emergency management spending; and large environmental appropriations for Florida Forever, Everglades restoration, and water quality projects.
Members then asked detailed questions about specific items. Senators pressed on the Hamilton Center at UF, the difference between assistant state attorney and public defender pay, declining student enrollment funding, private school scholarship vouchers, mental health funding in schools, the lack of preeminence funding, APD’s iBudget waiver wait list and provider rates, ADAP premium assistance and the return of Biktarvy to the formulary, prison staffing and air conditioning, Florida Forever land-buying versus easements, SNAP and Sun Bucks funding, Hope Florida, election audit funding, and the IDD managed care program. Chairs generally explained the negotiated compromises, noted where funding was flat or omitted, and in several cases said items would be revisited next year or depended on agency implementation.
Several senators used debate to praise the budget while also criticizing major policy choices. Leader Berman argued the state should have expanded Medicaid, invested more in public schools instead of vouchers, and accepted federal summer EBT funds. Other senators highlighted local wins such as Biscayne Bay restoration, Tri-Rail, housing assistance, ADAP funding, and declining enrollment support. The transcript ends with debate remarks thanking Chair Hooper for his work on the budget; no final vote is shown in the excerpt.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Senate in Special Session E May 29th, 2026
Florida Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- . 96% of that growth, or $1.7 billion, fully supports the Medicaid and KidCare caseload.
- In the Department of Transportation, the work program is fully funded at $11.6 billion.
- Or do I, while I'm young still and not fully invested in this, do I? It was a great step.
- Is that fully available and reinstated now as an option?
- On housing, we're fully funding the sale and ship program.
Summary:
The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved to the conference report on House Bill 501E, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026-27. Budget chairs presented the major spending areas, describing a $114.5 billion overall budget that they said was fiscally responsible and below the prior year’s spending. Highlights included pay increases and retirement adjustments for public safety employees, education funding for K-12, higher education, health and human services, criminal justice, transportation, environmental programs, and agriculture/regulatory agencies.
Members then questioned chairs on several items. In education, senators discussed K-12 declining enrollment funding, teacher salary set-asides, private school scholarship spending, mental health funding, preeminence funding for universities, the Hamilton Center at UF, and charter school PICO funding. In health and human services, questions focused on the iBudget waiver waitlist, provider rates, ADAP/HIV funding and the return of Biktarvy to the formulary, KidCare, rural health funding, SNAP-related IT and error reduction efforts, and the IDD managed care program. In criminal justice, senators asked about correctional officer pay, prison staffing and infrastructure, air conditioning in prisons, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement recruitment, and court system funding. Environmental and transportation questions covered Florida Forever, water quality, state parks, water projects, housing, elections funding, and emergency management.
Several specific actions and explanations were given during debate: the budget includes $8.8 million for state attorney competitive area differentials but no funding for public defender CAD requests; assistant state attorneys will start at $70,000 and assistant public defenders at $65,000; the battery disposal issue was described as a temporary study/preemption approach; and the Senate said the budget does not fund Medicaid expansion, preeminence funding, or the SunBucks Summer EBT state share. Senators also noted that some proposals discussed in committee did not make it into the final budget. The transcript ends with debate statements from members praising the budget process and Chair Hooper, while also expressing concerns about public schools, health care access, affordability, and the lack of funding for certain priorities.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division II (03/28/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- There is also a state match account, which is still in full existence and still fully matched.
- There is also a state match account, which is still in full existence and still fully matched.
- There is also a state match account, which is still in full existence and still fully matched.
- There is also a state match account, which is still in full existence and still fully matched.
- <00:51:02.880>
accounted and uh fully accounted and uh fully accounted for<00:51:05.079>
Summary:
The committee first considered an amendment to add a new “Lakes” license plate to HB 2, with proceeds directed to the cyanobacteria fund for lake cleanup. Representative McGuire said the bill had already passed on consent and asked that it be included in HB 2; members discussed that it had also gone to the Senate. The motion to adopt the amendment failed on a 7-8 vote.
The committee then took up an amendment imposing a 5% administrative fee on certain dedicated funds, with several exemptions for funds that could not legally or appropriately be charged, such as those involving federal money or bequests. Supporters said it would make the treatment of dedicated funds more consistent and raise roughly $31 million over the biennium for the general fund, while opponents questioned the number of carve-outs and who currently pays the administrative costs. The amendment failed on a 4-5 vote.
Next, the committee reconsidered and then adopted an amendment changing the distribution of business profits tax and business enterprise tax revenue, reducing the share going to the Education Trust Fund from 41% to 30% and increasing the General Fund share. Supporters argued the Senate had overfunded the Education Trust Fund and that the change would help balance the budget without changing education spending levels; opponents said they could not support taking money from the Education Trust Fund. The amendment passed 5-3. The committee also adopted, by the same 5-3 margin, an amendment incorporating HB 741 language on open enrollment and student attendance in public schools, with supporters calling it House policy and opponents noting it had been a close, partly partisan vote in the House.
Finally, the committee considered a change to the University System of New Hampshire budget that would reduce general fund appropriations by $40 million per year, offset in part by $15 million in previously approved unique dollars for a net reduction of $25 million per year. Supporters said the cut was necessary to balance the budget and that other options had been exhausted; opponents called it harmful to the university system and argued the committee should instead look to other areas, including education freedom accounts, for savings. The discussion continued, but the transcript excerpt ends before a final vote on the UNH item.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- The grant is not fully funded, leaving countless students without the resources they need.
- By fully funding the State Grant, we affirm our belief in the potential of every student and the value
- The grant is not fully funded, leaving countless students without the resources they need.
- funded leaving countless not fully funded leaving countless students<00:04:42.400>
without <00 - <00:30:25.960>
fund urge this legislature to fully fund urge this legislature to fully fund
Summary:
The committee heard informational testimony from student and advocacy groups focused on higher education affordability and support programs. Representatives of the Minnesota Association of Private College Students urged full funding for the Minnesota State Grant, describing it as essential for low- and moderate-income students and noting prior successes such as increased support for hunger-free campuses. Two student witnesses, including one first-generation college student and one refugee student, said the grant made college possible for them and warned that underfunding or cuts would limit students’ ability to choose the right school, especially at private colleges not covered by North Star Promise.
Members asked questions about the students’ schools, majors, and why they chose their institutions. The witnesses emphasized scholarship opportunities, campus community, faith-based support, and the importance of financial aid in making college accessible. No votes or formal actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.
The committee then heard from Vivian Dudley of Foster Advocates, who testified in support of the Foster Independence Grant. She described how the grant allowed her to begin college, stabilize housing and basic needs, and continue toward a social work degree, while warning that aging out of eligibility leaves foster youth facing renewed financial barriers. Members responded with supportive comments and asked about her educational path and work with youth; she said she wants to use her education to help others and to educate campuses on better supporting foster students.
Finally, Shay Hornik of the University of Minnesota student government testified in support of North Star Promise, arguing that the program reduces financial burdens and signals that higher education should be accessible regardless of family income. Hornik cited student financial stress, rising living costs, and public opinion favoring greater investment in higher education, and urged expansion of North Star Promise to help middle-class families. No committee action was taken in the transcript.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement - 03/25/25
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And I would say close to fully funded.
- This would be something fully funded.
- <00:38:52.079>
funded know right before we get fully funded know right before we get fully - I fully appreciate the of and the like.
- with the other plans because we're fully with the other plans because we're fully funded.<01:39:
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Overview of Minnesota State budget request before House higher education committee 3/11/25
Transcript Highlights:
- So those are the two main factors when we look at fully funding a settlement.
- Generally speaking, we are at times not fully funding a settlement because there's other factors that
- when we look at fully funding a settlement<01:01:07.079>
um <01:01:07.400>generally <01 - at times um not fully funding a settlement<01:01:12.799>
because <01:01:13.000>there's - funded um for 24 and 25 so um was fully funded um for 24 and 25 so um it<01:19:41.920>
was <01
Summary:
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities presented an overview of the system and several budget riders. Board Chair George Soul described the system’s structure, noting 26 colleges and seven universities governed by a 15-member board, and emphasized that Minnesota State serves about 270,000 students annually, including many students of color, adult learners, Pell-eligible students, first-generation students, and veterans. He highlighted the system’s workforce role, saying it offers more than 4,000 programs, extensive employer partnerships, and that 86% of graduates find jobs in their field or a related field. He then turned the presentation over to system staff to discuss specific funding requests.
Associate Vice Chancellor Kim Lynch focused on the Z-degree textbook program, which supports zero-textbook-cost courses and degrees. She said prior legislative support has produced about $3.1 million in savings in academic year 2024 and more than $12.6 million in aggregate savings, with 10 colleges now offering Z degrees and 12 more on track or exploring implementation. She described the program’s use of open educational resources, instructional design support, and library resources to fill gaps where free materials are not available, and said students save roughly $7 to $10 for every $1 invested. Members praised the program and asked about its expansion.
Associate Vice Chancellor Paul Shepard discussed student support funding, including a centralized basic needs resource hub, the Mantra Health mental health platform, and the emergency grant program. He said student surveys showed significant food, housing, and homelessness insecurity, and that the basic needs hub has served over 2,400 students with a 97% positive response rate. He said Mantra provides telecounseling, peer support, self-paced courses, and crisis support, and clarified in response to questions that it is not AI-driven and does not sell student data; general usage data is collected, and follow-up with campus counselors occurs only at the student’s request. He also said the emergency grant program has distributed over $3 million to more than 4,800 students, with grants averaging just under $700, and that campuses use application review and recordkeeping to manage repeat requests. Members asked about counselor staffing, data privacy, and grant safeguards.
The final item addressed sexual assault reporting and prevention funding. System staff said the appropriation supports technology infrastructure for statutory reporting, case management for investigations, campus prevention training, and professional development for Title IX coordinators and related staff. They noted that the statutory student training requirement is funded by individual colleges and universities, not by this appropriation. No formal votes were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Health Finance and Policy Committee 2/12/25
Health Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Some centers do not offer fully comprehensive health information to women in accord with the national
- He said the draft says an infant who is born alive shall be fully recognized as a human person, which
- developed young uh lungs and uh fully developed young uh lungs and uh these<01:32:31.239>
children - You're saying you're taking away what the law now says, that they shall be fully recognized as a human
- You're saying you're taking away what the law now says, that they shall be fully recognized as a human
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Senate in Special Session E May 29th, 2026
Florida Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- In the Department of Transportation, the work program is fully funded at $11.6 billion.
- Or do I, while I'm young still and not fully invested in this? Do I?
- Retirement or do I, while I'm young still and not fully invested in this, do I?
- Is that fully available and reinstated now as an option?
- On housing, we're fully funding the sale and ship program.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-05-29 (10:00AM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Highlights of the budget include an increase of $74 million to fully fund the Bright Futures Program.
- Palm, this budget fully funds the Department of Financial Services.
- Bright Futures was fully funded. So no. Further questions? Further questions? All right.
- And just to be clear, my position is that both should be fully funded at their request.
- Both of them should be fully funded at the request that they ask.
Summary:
The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Donnell C. Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. A quorum was announced, the journal was approved, and the Speaker said the chamber would take up 11 budget conference reports, with debate and final votes on each report. The first report considered was HB 7031E, the tax package, followed by HB 501E, the state budget appropriations bill.
On HB 7031E, Chair Duggan explained that the conference report included a range of tax reductions and tax-related changes, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related provisions, reductions in certain taxes and fees, and new exemptions or administrative clarifications. He said the package also added items such as sales tax relief for certain university construction projects, a tennis admissions exemption, and changes to agricultural property tax treatment, and that the amendment reduced state and local tax revenues by $272.2 million. Members questioned the bill about the child care tax credit reduction from three years to one, the homestead exemption provision for certain diplomats and foreign service personnel, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the inclusion of firearm accessories and tennis tickets in sales tax holidays. After structured debate, the House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11.
The House then began the conference report on HB 501E, the $114.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which was described as below the prior year’s spending level and leaving more than $14 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major allocations across education, higher education, IT, health care, transportation and economic development, justice, state administration, and agriculture/natural resources. Highlights included increased FEFP funding and veteran teacher raises, full funding for Bright Futures, major IT modernization projects, Medicaid and behavioral health funding, transportation and local infrastructure spending, correctional and law enforcement investments, fire station and emergency response funding, and large environmental and water-quality appropriations. Members asked detailed questions about school voucher fraud oversight, scholarship funding, teacher raises, preeminence funding, ADAP changes, SNAP data tools and error rates, Medicaid rate changes, prison wastewater monitoring, and other budget items, but the transcript ends during the budget questions before final action on HB 501E is shown.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Jobs and Economic Development - 02/03/25
Jobs and Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- We have fully transitioned all of the financial components of that from DEED to Explore Minnesota, and
- <00:23:31.720>
so <00:23:31.880>we <00:23:32.039>have <00:23:32.240>fully - Minnesota fully so we have fully Minnesota fully so we have fully transitioned<00:23:33.279>
- Our agency is fully prepared to support the expansion of existing businesses or the relocation of new
- growth in our region they're fully growth in our region they're fully prepared<00:49:07.400>
Summary:
Explore Minnesota Executive Director Lauren Bennett McGinty gave the committee an agency overview focused on the state’s tourism, livability, business attraction, film, and outdoor recreation promotion work. She highlighted record 2023 tourism results, including 80.2 million visitors, $4.1 billion in economic impact, more than 180,000 hospitality jobs, and $2.3 billion in state and local taxes, and said tourism sales, hotel occupancy, and other metrics continued to improve. She also described the agency’s marketing strategy, including a new campaign centered on authentic Minnesota stories, expanded domestic and international advertising, and a strong emphasis on winter, diverse markets, and accessibility.
McGinty reviewed several one-time-funded programs launched or expanded in the last year, including Explore Minnesota for Business, the tourism recovery grant program, the first Tribal Nations Grant program, and the outdoor recreation industry partnership with IRRR, DEED, and DNR. She said the recovery grants had distributed $1.15 million to 110 grantees, the tribal grant program had spent $1.4 million with eight tribal nations, and outdoor recreation was estimated at $13.5 billion annually with 10.5% growth. She also noted strong media and social media results, including a viral Timberwolves-related campaign, high video completion rates, and increased website traffic.
In response to committee questions, McGinty said the workforce and business attraction campaign is aimed at showing why people choose to live and work in Minnesota, using stories from newer residents and businesses, and that it is performing well in markets such as Silicon Valley, Boston, and Seattle. She said the agency is investing more in winter advertising to promote Minnesota as a winter destination and is working with partners to highlight activities beyond outdoor cold-weather recreation. Members also discussed the agency’s new film program, resident retention efforts, and a planned music-themed tourism ad tied to Prince and Bob Dylan. No votes or formal actions were taken.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Minnesota House OKs bill to strengthen disability protections in Minnesota Human Rights Act 5/12/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- either not necessary, it doesn't do anything, or it does things that the proponents of it are not fully
- that uh the proponents of it are<00:35:59.600>
not <00:36:00.160>uh <00:36:00.280>fully - either aware of or are not uh fully either aware of or willing<00:36:02.000>
to <00:36:02.120> - We're inviting people with disabilities to be able to fully participate in public and private spaces
- participate in public and to fully participate in public and private<00:41:25.600>
spaces <00:
Summary:
The House took Senate File 3210 off the table and then adopted an amendment from Representative Nadeau that added the word “reasonable” and a statutory reference clarifying who qualifies as a person with a disability. The bill, as amended, was then given third reading. The measure is described as relating to human rights and disability accommodations as protection from discrimination.
Representative Hicks, the bill’s author, said the proposal is intended to send a clear message that discrimination against people with disabilities is unlawful and that entities must engage in a good-faith process to identify reasonable accommodations. Supporters, including Representatives Finke, Feist, and Luetkemeyer, argued the bill reinforces existing law, reflects the interactive process already used in practice, and helps protect access in employment, public accommodations, schools, and other settings. Hicks also responded to questions from Representative Joy by describing the process as a simple conversation to meet a person’s needs.
Representative Niska opposed the bill, arguing that it is unclear whether it changes the meaning of other provisions in the Minnesota Human Rights Act beyond employment and that it could create ambiguity and more litigation for businesses, schools, and public entities. He said the legislature should be explicit if it intends to change those provisions and warned the bill could invite lawsuits rather than provide clarity. Representative Loegering-Nicolai responded that the bill would change the practice of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and that referencing the interactive process in public policy would provide a lens for assessing whether accommodations were handled in good faith. No final vote on passage was taken in the portion provided.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Investments and Pensions Oversight Oct 8th, 2025
Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- The public pension community, as a group, was fully funded.
- Those were severe losses that took several years to fully recognize.
- New Jersey has developed a policy to fully fund their pension plans.
- And again, I'd like to commend the legislature for finding the money and directing that money to fully
- To fully fund.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Delivery of Government Efficiency Apr 30th, 2025
Delivery of Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- At that time, fully autonomous development was considered a distant goal.
- Currently, there are no formal oversight or operational standards for fully autonomous vehicles beyond
- So the question is, are we fully funding our schools? Like what is, how do you define?
- Uh, fully funding, uh, you know, is HEB fully funded?
- You know, what are we not fully funding?
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- There is a requirement; however, the adjudication hasn't fully completed yet.
- I'm just wondering [if this will] start getting us compliance... ...fully completed yet.
- So any projects they choose have to be fully funded, and it bypasses that.
- They have to fully fund projects.
- So any projects they choose, they have to be fully funded, and it bypasses that provision.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
Transcript Highlights:
- Workers and their union representatives are then also to be fully engaged in using that assessment to
- committed to working to working to work. health care system as a whole. 1199 SCIU is fully committed
- We fully support this bill. We fully support this bill.
- Just real quick, fully in support of this bill, but are... ...for your testimony.
- Just real quick, fully in support of this bill, but are there any unintended consequences?
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security heard testimony on several bills, beginning with a major workplace violence proposal for health care settings. Senator Lovely, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, and SEIU 1199 all supported legislation requiring hospitals and other health care employers to conduct facility-specific risk assessments, develop violence prevention plans, train workers, and provide reporting and protections for assaulted employees. Witnesses described workplace assaults as frequent and escalating, and committee members discussed balancing worker safety with concerns about criminalizing mental illness; testimony emphasized that the bill targets intentional assaults while preserving treatment and discretion for behavioral health crises.
The committee also heard strong support for bills to strengthen traffic safety, including primary seat belt enforcement, rear-facing car seat requirements, and seat belts on school buses. AAA Northeast, the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, law enforcement, legislators, and the Massachusetts Insurance Federation all backed the measures, citing crash data, injury prevention, and personal stories of traumatic brain injury. Senator O’Connor testified for school bus seat belts, saying Massachusetts should join other states requiring them, and later Sophia Furzada of the National Transportation Safety Board urged passage of school bus seat belt and child passenger safety bills, saying lap-shoulder belts would reduce injuries and save lives in crashes where compartmentalization is not enough.
Other testimony included support for a bill to make 9-1-1 disability indicator forms more accessible and inclusive, with the witness arguing the form should better reflect mental health, developmental disabilities, language access needs, and a fifth-grade reading level. The committee also heard opposition to a proposal to extend Christian’s Law to swimming pools, with a parks and recreation director warning of unintended consequences for municipal camps and underserved communities. Finally, the committee took testimony on a bill to expand the Forensic Science Oversight Board to include workforce representation, which MOSES said would restore technical expertise to the board. At the end of the hearing, the committee adjourned without taking votes on the bills discussed.