Transcript Highlights:

• In closing, we have worked hard, spent our allocated budget judiciously, and maintained a lean operation
• And so even though the scholarship has been awarded, those funds have not necessarily been spent.
• And so even though that money is appropriated, we haven't necessarily spent that every year, but we're
• So the two years it took to put the model together, and then we've spent...
• Maybe we spent it last year, but we're back on, you know, but unexpended again.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, how much money is spent in the metro versus other parts of the state?
• Anyways, there's a lot of opportunities for that to be spent.
• Anyways, there's a lot of opportunities for that to be spent. I appreciate your presentation.
• Spent to 0%, 1%, 2%, and subsequent forecasts or tax changes could make them go negative.
• So if there's amounts that are spent.

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In closing, we have worked hard, spent our allocated budget judiciously, and maintained a lean operation
• And so even though the scholarship has been awarded, those funds have not necessarily been spent.
• And so even though that money is appropriated, we haven't necessarily spent that every year, but we're
• Maybe we spent it last year, but we're back on, you know, but unexpended again.
• Maybe we spent it last year, but we're back on, you know, but unexpended again.

Summary: The committee first heard the Office of State Treasurer’s FY27 budget presentation from Treasurer Vivek Malik. He highlighted record investment earnings, growth in MOBUCK$ linked deposits, record unclaimed property returns, expansion of the MOST 529 plan, and changes to the MoABLE disability savings program. Members then focused heavily on two budget requests: $750,000 for the Show Me My Retirement Savings program and additional spending authority for the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (MOST Scholars) program, along with a staffing request for compliance and communications positions. Much of the discussion centered on MOST Scholars’ rapid growth, how applications are prioritized, whether income is reverified, how funds flow through educational assistance organizations, and concerns about marketing, geographic distribution, and the use of public dollars for private schools. The treasurer also answered questions about the 529 plan, the pending lawsuit over the ESA general-revenue transfer, and whether funds should be swept back to general revenue when unused. Several members raised policy objections to MOST Scholars, including concerns about discrimination by participating private schools, the lack of annual income requalification, and whether the program shifts money away from public education. Other members defended the program as a parent-driven choice option and asked about expanding access, improving outreach, and ensuring the program is fully funded. The treasurer said the office was following the statute as written, that the program’s demand could exceed available resources, and that the office would continue to seek more funding and better outreach. The committee then concluded the treasurer’s budget hearing. The committee next began the FY27 budget hearing for the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Commissioner Bennett Boggs introduced the department’s leadership team and gave a brief overview of the department’s role in aligning postsecondary education with workforce needs through its coordinating board and strategic planning. The hearing had just started when the transcript ended, and no votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a tough pill to swallow, and I know that you've probably spent a lot of time in trying to figure
• That's a tough pill to swallow, and I know that you've probably spent a lot of time in trying to figure
• That's a tough pill to swallow, and I know that you've probably spent a lot of time in trying to figure
• That's a tough pill to swallow, and I know that you've probably spent a lot of time in trying to figure
• That's a tough pill to swallow, and I know that you've probably spent a lot of time in trying to figure

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that, um, in many areas we're well in excess of the amount spent on the operating budget.
• So that, um, in many areas we're well in excess of the amount spent on the operating budget.
• So that, um, in many areas we're well in excess of the amount spent on the operating budget.
• So that, um, in many areas we're well in excess of the amount spent on the operating budget.
• Spent on the operating budget.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :47:22.200><c> uh</c><00:47:22.319><c> it</c><00:47:22.559><c> may</c><00:47:22.839><c> impact</c> spent
• 100,000 or more uh it may impact spent 100,000 or more uh it may impact them<00:47:23.480><c> as</c>
• that are spent by Productions when<00:58:45.960><c> they</c><00:58:46.119><c> come</c><00:58:46.359>
• </c><01:15:05.560><c> to</c><01:15:05.800><c> keep</c><01:15:06.000><c> the</c> already been spent to
• keep the already been spent to keep the businesses<01:15:06.719><c> afloat</c><01:15:07.400><c> and<

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Technology met on March 12, 2025, and heard testimony on several measures. On SB 9, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation testified in support, and there were no questions or objections. On SB 148, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs offered comments, and a member of the public testified in support of combining boxing and MMA oversight into a single combat sports commission, with amendments to preserve safety standards and separate or distinct treatment for the two sports. Committee discussion focused on whether proposed requirements were primarily safety-related or cost-related, how to handle smaller events, and whether a one-year implementation delay was necessary; the department said many safety provisions already exist in the MMA program, that it was open to continued discussion on costs, and that it needed time to combine rules and appoint new commissioners. The chair suggested possible amendments to account for event size and to reduce burdens on smaller events. The committee then heard SB 816, which drew extensive testimony on providing legal representation for immigrants in immigration proceedings. Supporters included the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, ACU Hawaii, the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic, the Legal Clinic, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, the Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Pride at Work Hawaii, and others. Supporters argued that immigration cases can be as serious as criminal cases, that counsel is essential for due process, and that representation improves outcomes; several also emphasized the economic importance of immigrants to Hawaii. One supporter noted a suggested amendment to include training for attorneys and partners doing deportation defense and asylum work. Opposition came from a Navy veteran who argued the bill would use state resources for a federal issue, create inequities, and impose fiscal burdens. The chair noted 69 testimonies in support and 44 in opposition, and later an additional supporter brought the total to 70 in support. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided. The committee also heard SB 125, with the Department of Economic Development, the Agreed Business Development Corporation, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association in support, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii offering technical comments about complicated nested definitions in the bill. Testimony on SB 125 focused on updating the Enterprise Zone Program so local manufacturers selling directly to retail could qualify, along with value-added products and certain health-related sectors. Finally, on SB 732, the State of Hawaii Creative Industries testified with comments, raising concerns about county permit-fee waivers, implementation timing, and the bill’s lack of a carry-forward provision for the film tax credit. The witness said uncertainty in the credit was already causing productions to delay coming to Hawaii and urged stability to support the industry and local workers. The committee then moved on to additional testimony on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have spent a lot of time communicating with you, and I remain to act in that capacity.
• I<00:11:02.560><c> have</c><00:11:02.720><c> spent</c><00:11:03.040><c> a</c><00:11:03.120><c> lot</c
• ><00:11:03.400><c> of</c><00:11:03.480><c> time</c><00:11:03.839><c> communicating</c> I have spent a
• </c> being spent appropriately. Thank you. being spent appropriately. Thank you.
• So, I spent a lot of time understanding the implications of that.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• EDR collects information after the money is spent. My bill, it's before the money is spent.
• Your bill collects the money before it is spent.
• I understand what's coming in and what is being spent.
• But God forbid, we ask how the money is being spent. Thank you.
• But God forbid, we ask how the money is being spent.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a quorum call, and several recognitions, including a moment of silence for service members killed in the Middle East conflict. The chamber adopted the special order report and then took up several bills on the special order calendar. Early action included passage of CS/CS/HB 981 on tributaries of the St. Johns River and Ocklawaha River restoration after debate over environmental benefits versus concerns about impacts to Rodman Reservoir, rural communities, property values, and long-term uncertainty. The bill passed 107-3. Members then considered CS/HB 1389 on affordable housing and the Live Local Act. The bill would expand multifamily and mixed-use allowances, limit local setback/stepback restrictions, remove local opt-out authority, address accessory dwelling units, and waive sovereign immunity for certain land-use discrimination claims. Supporters argued it would increase housing supply amid a statewide shortage; opponents objected to further state preemption of local control and the ADU provisions. The bill passed 78-29. The House also passed CS/CS/HB 1085, codifying the local government cybersecurity grant program and prioritizing fiscally constrained counties, by a unanimous 109-0 vote. The chamber next debated CS/HB 273 on special districts, which would allow certain agreements in rural areas of opportunity and impose new transparency and budget rules on larger downtown development districts. Questions focused on the meaning of “directly benefit,” the 10% administrative cap, budget approval authority, and the bill’s effect on downtown development authorities. An amendment to remove the downtown district provisions failed, and the bill passed 88-0. The House later returned to the temporarily postponed CS/HB 989 on motor vehicle manufacturers and franchise dealers, which limits allocation of new vehicle lines to any one dealer group; it passed 109-1. Finally, the House took up CS/HB 1329 on local government spending transparency. The bill requires tentative budgets to be posted 14 days before hearings, final budgets to remain online for five years, and budget data to be searchable and downloadable, with waivers for smaller governments. Members debated whether the bill would impose costs despite the sponsor’s claim of zero fiscal impact. An amendment by Representative Cheney would have added hardship assistance for small governments and CFO support, but the transcript ends during debate on that amendment before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• EDR collects information after the money is spent. My bill, it's before the money is spent.
• Your bill collects the money before it is spent.
• I understand what's coming in and what is being spent.
• I understand what's coming in and what is being spent.
• But God forbid, we ask how the money is being spent. Thank you.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the idea that someone that is spent.
• </c><02:23:50.880><c> It's</c> currently the money is being spent.
• It's currently the money is being spent.
• Um the money's<02:24:10.319><c> already</c><02:24:10.960><c> being</c><02:24:11.280><c> spent</c><02:
• And I can't see that we re that spent.

Committee: House Education Funding

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and that it's their money is being spent and that it's being<00:45:25.000><c> spent</c><00:45:26.000
• </c><00:45:50.800><c> If</c> did it get spent? We don't know. If did it get spent? We don't know.
• We spent a lot of time working through those rules.
• And I've spent legal immigration. Okay?
• Do you disagree currently spent figures.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the way that maybe this body would like to see it spent.
• If we don't pass this, then the Legislature has no say in how that money is going to be spent.
• And he spent his entire... “It was on the Waltons, wasn’t he?” “Pardon?” “Yes, he was at, too.
• Money is only spent out of the dedicated funds.
• Money is only spent out of the dedicated fund and then only if money exists in that fund.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, approved the journal, and moved through routine orders before taking up committee reports, gubernatorial messages, House messages, and first and second reading calendars. Several bills were advanced, including appropriations measures and enrolled bills transmitted to the House, Governor, or Secretary of State. The chamber then proceeded to third reading and final action on a series of bills, with debate focused largely on budget priorities, Medicaid, firearms preemption, medical education funding, rural health, and kratom regulation. The Senate passed Senate Bill 1420, creating a dedicated funding source for medical education beginning in 2028; Senate Bill 1430, strengthening state firearms preemption enforcement and authorizing penalties and injunctions against local violations; Senate Bill 1432, an appropriation for Health and Welfare indirect support and related modernization items; Senate Bill 1433, a large Medicaid enhancement budget with discussion of MMIS procurement, estate recovery, program integrity, hospital assessment fund alignment, and population/cost growth; Senate Bill 1434, the Division of Welfare budget reflecting SNAP administrative cost changes and Medicaid eligibility system updates; Senate Bill 1437, an appropriation for Idaho State Police tied to DNA collection for sexual battery and domestic violence offenses; Senate Bill 1439, delaying a school facilities model report deadline to 2027; and Senate Bill 1264 as amended, creating a rural health transformation account and legislative oversight committee for federal rural health funds. Most of these measures passed on party-line or split votes, while SB 1437 and SB 1439 passed unanimously. The most extended debate centered on Senate Bill 1264, where supporters said the bill would give the Legislature oversight over already-awarded federal rural health money and help ensure sustainable uses, while opponents argued it would deepen federal debt and create a process that could still leave control with the executive branch. Another major debate was on Senate Bill 1418, the kratom consumer protection bill, which would restrict sales to adults 21 and older, set product limits and labeling standards, and allow inspections and enforcement against synthetic or adulterated products. Supporters framed it as a consumer protection and harm-reduction measure; opponents raised concerns about warrantless inspections, lack of pharmacy board support, and whether the bill would effectively normalize kratom. The transcript ends during continued debate on SB 1418, before a final vote is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• previous slide, about how we don't baseline our costs and schedule until we are executing, so they spent
• We spent a couple of years here actually running through that, getting some vendor assistance.
• A lot more technical questions, a lot more in-depth than the amount of time we spent here.
• So it was very well time spent.
• Our training, we've spent $10,000 bringing in external trainers.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Summary: The committee received a series of informational reports from NDIT and DPI on major IT projects, cybersecurity, and the K-12 student information system transition. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major project portfolio, noting 111 projects totaling about $542.8 million, generally under budget and slightly behind schedule overall. He highlighted three schedule-red projects: Bed Management System and Vital Records, both now complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project, which is delayed due to vendor bug fixes after user testing. He also summarized new project startups, including the Attorney General’s Victim Notification System, HHS Medicaid correctional facilities data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier e-permit system, and additional RIMS work, and answered questions about project timing, funding, and whether work had begun on legislatively funded IT projects. Chris Gurgan, NDIT’s chief information security officer, reported on mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting under HB 1314. He said 77 incidents have been reported since August 2021, with 47 meeting the statutory definition of a cybersecurity incident; phishing remains the most common type, followed by email quarantine alerts, XDR detections, and malware. He emphasized that most incidents are resolved, but that timely reporting is critical for any chance of recovering funds in business email compromise or ransomware cases. He also described several notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool breach, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise at a K-12 district, and a recent ransomware report involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about smishing, MFA, conditional access, security awareness training, and recovery of lost funds; Gurgan said state systems use phishing-resistant MFA and conditional access, training is provided to state employees and offered to political subdivisions on an opt-in basis, and broader cybersecurity maturity assessments are underway. Craig Falkley gave brief reports on coordination with political subdivisions and higher education, including shared networking, cybersecurity, radio/911, PeopleSoft, and co-location services. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for decentralized, secure data sharing, but said the state has limited use for it and would likely frame future reporting more broadly around emerging technologies. The committee then heard from Tony Ambrose of DPI on the statewide Infinite Campus implementation. He said district implementations are underway, but the project had to terminate its original data migration vendor for poor performance and replace it with Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with a similar North Carolina migration. He also said DPI is moving special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, is still working through how to preserve e-transcripts and Choice Ready-type functionality after the PowerSchool transition, and is developing identity, authentication, and data-sharing arrangements for the summer cutover. Members raised concerns about procurement timing, summer school disruption, and whether some functions would be ready by July 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because the costs are higher, it wasn't spent?
• Department of Finance, can you share how much has been spent on CARES?
• Department of Finance, can you share how much has been spent on CARES?
• That hasn't been spent yet. It's around— we've spent around... How much is remaining? Yes.
• That hasn't been spent yet. It's around 47.5% unspent. That's a lot.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I spent about a third of my power.
• in the customer career has been spent in the customer side<00:42:22.680><c> of</c><00:42:22.760><c>
• They're experts that we all spent time to put together.
• And we spent all last year saying we're going to be deliberative about energy.
• </c><01:06:48.120><c> my</c> members are getting ready I've spent my members are getting ready I've spent

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:28 Introduction of Guests 00:02:08 American Electric Power and Kentucky Power Presentation 00:03:31 SB 89 Discussion 00:53:55 SB 89 Roll Call Vote 01:07:46, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for an initial natural resources hearing with a quorum present and introductory housekeeping, including prayer, roll call, and recognition of guests. Chair Smith outlined ground rules for questions and then invited Kentucky Power and American Electric Power representatives to the table to discuss a proposed plan involving the Mitchell Power Plant and future generation needs in Eastern Kentucky. Witnesses Cindy Wiseman, Alex Vaughn, and AEP CEO Bill Fehrman said the company’s goals are to stabilize and lower rates, reduce rate volatility, and expand generation in the Commonwealth. They explained that Kentucky Power seeks legislative authority to securitize its 50% interest in the Mitchell coal plant, describing securitization as a refinancing mechanism that would lower annual plant costs by about $34 million and help offset roughly one-third of the expected cost of adding new generation in Kentucky. They emphasized that the proposal is not intended to close Mitchell, and said Kentucky Power currently has no plan to divest its interest; the company still needs the plant to serve customers while it pursues additional dispatchable generation in Kentucky. Members pressed the witnesses on the plant’s book value versus fair market value, whether the Mitchell interest had ever been assigned a nominal value, how any divestiture proceeds would be handled, whether Kentucky Power owns Wheeling Power, and how long Mitchell can continue operating. The company said it values Mitchell at net book value for accounting purposes, not fair market value, and explained that Wheeling Power is a separate AEP affiliate and that West Virginia affiliates have already proposed securitization of their share. Witnesses said Kentucky Power’s interest cannot technically operate past 2028 without additional environmental control investment, while the West Virginia side is depreciating through 2040. They also described the financing timeline, saying securitization would require enactment of legislation, a PSC financing order, bond issuance, and then parallel work to acquire or build new generation, with any reinvestment terms to be addressed through the regulatory process.

Transcript Highlights:

• He spent all Saturday going door to door talking to people.
• He spent all Saturday going door to door talking to people about what's happened because the landlord
• We spent two years learning about what obstacle people face when finding dignified housing or holding
• By January 2026, this woman will have spent her entire life savings.
• She has spent so much on rent at this point in her life.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on a broad slate of landlord-tenant and home rule bills, with most testimony focused on rent stabilization, tenant opportunity to purchase (TOPA), tenant fees, access to counsel, algorithmic rent fixing, and tenant protections in subsidized housing. Chairs Cyr and Haggerty outlined the hearing procedures and noted that written testimony could also be submitted. Several members and invited speakers emphasized that the committee was hearing from both local officials and residents affected by housing instability, especially in Somerville and other communities facing high rents and displacement. Supporters of rent stabilization and local-option rent control argued that Massachusetts needs tools to prevent displacement while new housing is built. Senator Eldridge, Senator Jalen, Somerville officials, tenant organizers, and residents described steep rent increases, no-fault evictions, and the loss of naturally occurring affordable housing. Somerville’s home rule petition was described as allowing annual increases tied to CPI plus 2%, capped at 5%, with exemptions for owner-occupied two- and three-family homes and a 15-year exemption for new construction. TOPA supporters said it would let tenants or their designees buy buildings before speculative buyers, preserving affordable housing stock; opponents, including small landlords and property managers, argued rent control would reduce supply, discourage investment, and that TOPA could delay sales and harm properties. The committee also heard testimony on bills to curb junk fees and regulate tenant charges, including limits on late fees, lease renewal fees, payment portal fees, attorney’s fees, and other add-on charges. Advocates said these fees can add hundreds of dollars a month and disproportionately harm low-income renters and renters of color. Another major topic was algorithmic rent fixing: Senator Moore and Representative Sabadoza said landlords should not use software such as RealPage to coordinate pricing, citing federal antitrust actions and arguing that competition is essential to lowering rents. Additional testimony supported a statewide right to counsel in eviction cases, with legal services providers saying representation dramatically improves outcomes and can save the state money, and a bill to create an office of tenant protections to better enforce sanitary code violations. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, there's a number of, it's a good portion of that capital that will be spent outside of the
• So when you think about every direct dollar spent on the project in-state, the actual total in-state
• And sir, does the finance situation cover the long-term cost of storage of the spent fuel?
• Again... ...cost of storage of the spent fuel.
• Spent fuel.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Simply put it would take dollars to be spent on teachers, mental health professionals and other necessary
• I would also say I've spent some time talking to educators and people who never come to this room to
• I spent over 20 years teaching in special education and English learner education.
• As you know, I've spent much of my professional life serving students with disabilities as a special
• Because this year I spent a disproportionate amount of time case managing instead of teaching during

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we've already spent a good amount of that.
• So we've already spent a good amount of that.
• So we've already spent a good amount of that.
• This the spent a good amount of that.
• They want to million spent seven of it.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It prohibited ESA voucher dollars from being spent on luxury goods and from wasting taxpayer dollars
• We've had reports, significant repeated reporting, that these ESA monies have been spent on these luxury
• goods, and we should be able to all work together to make sure that taxpayer dollars are not being spent

Committee: Joint Legislative Council

Summary: The Arizona Legislative Council met to revise the adopted analysis for Proposition 212, the Protect Education Act, after the Arizona Supreme Court issued a ruling that would remove the measure from the ballot. Staff presented a revised draft analysis, explaining that the only changes were on page one and that the revised text was intended to comply with the court order and state law. One member of the public testified, saying she was neutral on the revision but questioned whether a sentence was necessary and urged that the analysis remain unchanged so voters could still consider the initiative. Members then debated the prior analysis and the court ruling. Democratic members argued the earlier language was biased, argumentative, and unlawful, and said the committee had to fix language the court found improper. Republican members responded that passing a law later ruled unconstitutional is not itself illegal and criticized the discussion as partisan. One member also argued that the revised analysis still contained other biased references, including language about severability and the funding source. The motion to adopt the revised analysis passed on a roll call vote of 7 ayes, 6 noes, and 1 not voting. During the vote explanation, one senator opposed the measure, arguing the initiative would have added guardrails to ESA voucher spending, restricted luxury purchases, required fingerprint clearance cards for private schools and tutors receiving ESA funds, and returned unused funds to the general fund. The committee then adjourned.