Transcript Highlights:

• say that everybody, regardless of how wealthy a community is, regardless of whether you live in a blue
• state or a red state, is an American... ...regardless of whether you live in a blue state or a red state
• country, our presidents have delivered aid... ...without considering whether the state was red or blue
• They've been around, if you've seen the blue jackets all over this week.
• And if you see blue jackets around Sacramento, thank them for being youth that are stepping up and getting

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, heard a prayer and pledge, and then moved through a largely ceremonial floor session with multiple guest introductions and recognitions. Members honored the retirement of long-serving committee secretary Marisa Lancaster, recognized Assemblymember Rubio’s parents on her mother’s 80th birthday, welcomed school and agency guests, and celebrated Crescenta Valley Water District’s 75th anniversary. The body also adopted several resolutions recognizing Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and California FFA, with strong bipartisan support and co-author additions. The main policy item was AJR 27, a resolution urging federal disaster aid for Los Angeles-area wildfire recovery, especially the Palisades and Eaton fires. Supporters from both parties emphasized the need for immediate, unconditional federal assistance for displaced residents, businesses, and communities still rebuilding, while some Republicans argued the state and local governments should move faster on permitting, recovery, and mitigation and criticized state spending priorities. After debate, the resolution was opened for co-authors and then adopted on a 68-0 roll call vote. The Assembly also adopted ACR 133 on Girl Day by voice vote after 70 co-authors were added, ACR 138 honoring FFA with 73 co-authors and voice adoption, and ACR 136 on Engineers Week with 69 co-authors and unanimous consent on the consent calendar. The chamber then heard adjournment-in-memory tributes for Juan Antonio Pacheco and Paul L. McAiley, and adjourned until Monday, March 2, at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving to the next slide, here you see a brief history of the state funding, the blue line for the college
• Here you see a brief history of the state funding, the blue line for the college system over the last
• You see the blue line for the state university system represented over the last decade.
• I didn’t know there was a red team and a blue team, which is sort of like: we have a problem, and how
• And so I didn't know there's a red team and a blue team, which is sort of like, we have a problem, and

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education received a presentation from the Governor’s Office and the Commissioner of Education on the proposed higher education budget. The presentation highlighted a $117.4 billion overall state budget, with education at $32.5 billion and higher education receiving a modest overall increase. Key items included no tuition or fee increases for Florida residents, major financial aid funding such as Bright Futures, Benacquisto, EASE, Open Door, and first responder scholarships, as well as workforce investments including apprenticeship programs, career and technical education, nursing pipeline funding, and performance-based funding for colleges and universities. Committee members asked questions about the proposed expansion of the Guardian program at state colleges and the $100 million university recruitment and retention fund. Officials said the Guardian funding would give colleges flexibility to use trained personnel for campus safety, sometimes alongside or in place of campus police or private security. The Chancellor explained that the recruitment and retention money would be distributed to universities with no specific directives beyond using it for faculty recruitment and retention, emphasizing Florida’s favorable demographics and the opportunity to attract faculty from states facing enrollment declines. The committee then heard testimony from multiple appointees and reappointees to boards of trustees at state colleges and universities, including Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Miami Dade College, Northwest Florida State College, and St. Johns River State College. Each described their backgrounds and stressed themes of affordability, workforce alignment, nursing and technical programs, dual enrollment, and local community needs. Several cited strong nursing licensure pass rates and college outcomes. After hearing all appointees, the committee voted unanimously to confirm the full block of nominees, and the confirmations were reported favorably before the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• How are the Hibbing Blue Jackets doing? Uh, for hockey or hockey?
• How are the Hibbing Blue Jackets doing? Uh, for hockey or hockey?
• /c><00:08:21.039> are<00:08:21.120> the<00:08:21.280> Hibing<00:08:21.599> Blue
• How are the Hibing Blue Jackets Hibbing. How are the Hibing Blue Jackets doing? doing? doing?

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2360, as amended by H.F. 2360A1, which would create a state-level New Markets Tax Credit-style program modeled on the federal program. Chair Swedzinski explained that the bill is intended to drive investment across Minnesota, including a requirement that at least 50% of the $200 million allocation be directed to greater Minnesota, and noted that the program would run for 12 months with state oversight to help guide investments. Testimony in support came from Alex Stuponic of Advantage Capital and Jason Wabama of Advanced Machine Guarding Solutions in Hibbing. Stuponic described the federal New Markets program as a tool for directing capital to low-income and underserved communities, cited Minnesota projects that have already benefited from federal funding, and argued that state programs in other states have successfully attracted more investment. Wabama said the credit could help rural businesses like his expand, noting that his Hibbing company has grown from one employee in 2021 to 22 employees and hopes to reach 50 employees while eventually becoming an ESOP. Chair Gomez raised concerns about the bill’s changes, especially the set-aside of half the funds for one region and the five-year carryforward, saying the proposal seemed arbitrary and more permissive and that there was likely not room in the budget for the $100 million cost this year. In response, Swedzinski said the fiscal note pushes costs into future years, with the first costs beginning in 2028-2029, and emphasized that the structure would allow the investment benefits to occur upfront. The amendment was adopted, and the bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We all back the blue, and we all support law enforcement. As a former law enforcement officer...
• It's a back to Blue initiative; many of these bills interact with each other.
• You got some hot-headed officers out there. ...and they demand too much to be a police officer in blue
• You're talking about protecting the blue. Now, we’re going back to that.
• I saw the blue being abused during J6, and here we... ...during J6, and here we are going to take away

Bills: HB105, HB296, HB15, HB264, HB34, HB304, HB146, HB26, HB15, HB34, HB26

Keywords: law enforcement, retirement benefits, Alabama Peace Officers, agency-issued badge, agency-issued pistol, resisting arrest, custody, public safety, Alabama law, traffic infractions, traffic ticket, disposition, criminal contempt, vessel registration, boating fees, state funds, regulatory changes, water safety, compliance, false information

Transcript Highlights:

• Fellow, Emmy Award-winning journalist and producer, New York Times best-selling author and founder of Blue
• The term Blue Zones was first coined by Dan in 2004 and refers to areas with high concentrations of centenarians
• About 15 years ago working with AARP and the University of Minnesota we set out to manufacture Blue Zones
• And I think this will be replicated across the whole country, red and blue states. I agree.
• worked with Harvard's Walter Willett, and we did a meta-analysis. 155 dietary surveys done in five blue

Keywords: health policy, lifespan, quality of life, community health, public testimony

Summary: The committee meeting was marked by discussions surrounding health policies aimed at enhancing the lifespan and quality of life for the community members. The chairperson initiated the session with personal reflections on the importance of extending not just the years of life but also the quality of those years, especially from the perspective of parents and grandparents. Members engaged in thoughtful dialogue regarding potential legislative measures that could address public health in a more holistic manner, emphasizing the need for community outreach and effective health education programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• property taxes, the orange represents general sales taxes, the green are individual income taxes, the blue
• The blue corporate income... to theirs.
• The blue corporate income taxes show that we're not too far off that average from others with corporate
• What the blue represents is the active COLAs, and the red is the retiree COLAs.
• Okay, so the blue is basically when we give a pay raise, and that's that. ...raise, and that's that.

Bills: HB188, HB52

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical treatment, access, affordability, income tax, CHOOSE Act, education funding, ABLE account, tax credits, poverty threshold, legislative funding, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it was thought that maybe we should pass a bill to alert people to the safety dangers that using
• should pass<02:05:43.440> a<02:05:43.599> bill<02:05:43.920> to<02:05:44.159> alert
• <02:05:44.560> people<02:05:44.960> to<02:05:45.280> the pass a bill to alert
• people to the pass a bill to alert people to the safety<02:05:47.119> dangers<02:05:48.480>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The providers would be alert to it.
• The The providers would be<01:09:04.560> alert<01:09:04.880> to<01:09:05.000> it.
• 05.560> But<01:09:05.720> I'm<01:09:05.799> very<01:09:06.000> impressed be alert
• But I'm very impressed be alert to it.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• members over there and according to them, they've talked to some whistleblowers in DHS who had tried to alert
• members over there and, according to them, they've talked to some whistleblowers in DHS who had tried to alert
• administration, according to published reports and DHS, has persecuted these people and even threatened them. alert
• the uh, Wal administration and DHS alert the uh, Wal administration and DHS leadership<01:32:48.159>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And you've got a detailed program integrity flag and alert process to catch issues and address those
• know detailed program integrity<00:07:54.479> flag<00:07:54.720> and<00:07:54.960> alert
• <00:07:55.280> process<00:07:55.599> to integrity flag and alert process to integrity
• flag and alert process to catch<00:07:56.720> issues<00:07:57.199> and<00:07:57.360>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• would at Dr. calculate the amount of state education tax for a municipality, and at the same time alert
• <01:16:22.320> the<01:16:22.480> same<01:16:23.199> time<01:16:24.199> alert
• municipality and at the same time alert municipality and at the same time alert that<01:16:25.000

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met to review a large package of bills, with the first four—HB 717, 742, 773, and 603—focused on special education aid, formerly called catastrophic aid. Chair Ladin explained that the committee needed to move a special education bill forward by March 4 and was trying to determine which bill would serve as the vehicle. He described the current formula and the difficulty of estimating the fiscal impact of lowering the threshold from 3.5 times the statewide average cost per pupil to a lower level, noting that DOE did not have reliable data on how many students would fall into the lower-cost bands. The committee also noted that several other bills in the package addressed SWEP and adequacy issues, and that HB 510 dealt with due process rather than funding. Mark Mello of the Bureau of School Finance testified that the department only has reliable data for special education expenditures above $70,000 per student, since claims are submitted for reimbursement at that point. He said the bureau was trying to estimate how many students might fall between 2.5x and 3.5x or 3x and 3.5x the average cost, but that the basic answer was they did not know and that any estimate would be difficult. He explained that moving the threshold from 3.5x to 2.5x would create a minimum additional cost of about $13.6 million based on existing claims, not counting new students who would enter the range. Members discussed whether districts already had the underlying data, whether a survey should be required, and how districts know when to begin tracking costs for reimbursement. The committee also discussed proration and the state’s share of special education aid. Mello explained that the current 80% state share is modeled in the formula, but the actual payment has been prorated because appropriations have not matched the statutory liability; he said the state liability was about $50 million, while the budget had provided $34 million, resulting in a 68% payment rate. HB 742 was described as a bill that would eliminate proration by paying the liability directly from the education trust fund with an overflow mechanism. Members also discussed possible alternatives such as changing the state share, using a lower threshold in a transition period, or requiring districts to submit data. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the committee was still in discussion and considering which bills to advance.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so in your packets at the tables there, you'll have a couple blue sheets, as we're calling them,
• Chairman and members of the committee, so again, the other blue sheet... ...sheet to talk about.
• Speaking about activity levels, all the lines on here are rig count except the blue dotted line.
• The blue dotted line is the frac crew count in the state of North Dakota.
• The orange is gas basins, and the blue is your oil basins.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division of the budget section and received updates on several Industrial Commission-related agencies and programs. Legislative Council first reviewed base budget materials, then the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported on its current appropriation and staffing, noting that its new FTEs were being filled gradually and that it remained largely funded through special and federal funds. Agency leaders described homeownership lending, loan servicing, and housing incentive fund activity, including below-market mortgage rates, down payment assistance, and a growing servicing portfolio that has increased workload but not yet required additional FTEs. Housing Finance also detailed use of the Housing Incentive Fund and homeless grant dollars. Officials said the multifamily HIF round drew more than $73 million in requests and awarded $25 million, while the single-family program supported rural development and community land trusts. Homeless grant funding was split between emergency shelter, prevention, and rapid rehousing, with performance-based scoring used to renew or reallocate awards. Members discussed housing affordability, aging households, rental assistance, and the need to coordinate housing and site-preparation messaging with Commerce. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased in the next session. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and operations update. Staff said the agency was on track financially, had filled most of its new reclamation FTEs, and was not expecting major litigation costs beyond normal late-biennium invoices. The director reviewed agency initiatives including Project North Star IT modernization, organizational restructuring, succession planning, rulemaking, and implementation of the development incentive well tax program and critical minerals rules. He also discussed oil and gas activity, explaining that longer laterals, especially three- and four-mile wells and the first five-mile spacing case, are helping keep production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. Members asked about gas capture, hedging, break-even prices, and the effects of Iran and Venezuela on oil markets. The committee also heard about enhanced oil recovery grants and the Pipeline Authority. The EOR program’s $25 million appropriation was fully allocated to six projects, with total awards reaching about $45.1 million when other fund balances were included, subject to a possible 5% reduction if federal DOE money does not materialize. Officials said the projects are public, reimbursement-based, and will produce results over the next several years. Finally, the Pipeline Authority outlined natural gas transmission projects, including the imminent Bakken Express line and the proposed Bakken East project, which WBI was selected to advance after an Industrial Commission RFI process. The project is moving through open season, survey permission, and regulatory work, with in-service dates projected for 2029 and 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, if the public is going to loan on blue sky, what are the parameters for the same?
• How do we look at that and decide is it really blue sky or is there intrinsic... ...really blue sky or
• So, we would look at all of those elements that make up "blue sky," which is it those these are... ..
• .blue sky, which is it those these are not like a wing and a prayer blue sky or things like customer,
• And you want to talk about blue sky. Oh my lord. And we do it because it's right.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He's a county administrator for Blue Earth for over 35 years of public service.
• "Folks, I want to just say when I started my career, my first week on the job I was informed that Blue
• Earth County was informed that Blue Earth County was going<00:23:07.520> to<00:23:07.600>
• So, on also the prescription of what needs to be changed, I see that blue screen scripting needs to be
• legislation because if that blue zone legislation because if that blue zone is<00:40:49.600> updated

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That was in the Blue Ribbon Commission, so a total of $250 million.
• that cut to $300 million for the Blue that cut to $300 million for the Blue Ribbon<00:04:14.240>
• Ribbon Commission to come for the Blue Ribbon Commission to come for the Blue Ribbon<00:04:15.640
• <01:40:35.600> Sounds about the Blue Ribbon Commission.
• Sounds about the Blue Ribbon Commission.

Bills: HF4213, HF4198, HF3930, HF3585, HF3451

Keywords: education finance, school funding, K-12, prekindergarten, pre-K, early childhood education, general education aid, special education, literacy aid, school meals, free school meals, school breakfast, school lunch, charter school lease aid, charter schools, nonpublic pupil aid, private school aid, transportation aid, desegregation aid, integration aid

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:57.360> Cross<00:31:57.559> please Mr Dolan from Blue Cross please Mr Dolan
• from Blue Cross please introduce<00:31:58.679> yourself<00:31:59.679> Mr<00:31:59.960><
• Dolan from Blue Cross, please introduce yourself. Mr.
• Cross Blue Shield Minnesota.
• Our actuaries explored Blue Cross is the leading Health Plan in Blue Cross is the leading Health Plan

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Winn Pasaki that were under<00:04:15.599> uh<00:04:15.760> warnings<00:04:16.320> blue
• I would move not to pass on House Bill 140, the blue envelope program.
• I would move not to pass on House Bill 140, the blue envelope program. Okay.
• I would move not to pass on House Bill 140, the blue envelope program. Okay.
• 140, the blue envelope program. Okay. 140, the blue envelope program. Okay.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The light blue, or the lighter shade of blue, is after assessment limitations, after exemptions.
• or the lighter shade of blue is after The light blue, or the lighter shade of blue, is after assessment
• And here's the real challenge: our revenue system is based on taxable value, the light blue.
• Look at the red line, and my cost drivers for expenses may be closer to the dark blue bar.
• But my revenue system is based on the light blue. And so the two are not matching enough.

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes heard first from city representatives through the Florida League of Cities, who argued that property taxes are a stable local revenue source that funds core services such as police, fire, parks, public works, and stormwater work. Casey Cook emphasized that cities are optional governments with widely different tax bases and service levels, that exemptions shift the burden to fewer taxpayers, and that transparency already exists through TRIM notices, public budgets, and local hearings. Sarah Campbell of Fernandina Beach, T. Michael Stavris of Winter Haven, and Stephen O’Kee of Port St. Lucie described their budget processes, the share of general-fund revenue coming from property taxes, reserve policies, debt and capital planning, and the impact of inflation, minimum wage increases, and personnel costs. They all said local governments need predictable revenue and that any property tax changes would require careful consideration of replacement funding or service reductions. Members questioned the city panel about whether homebuyers are clearly informed about city versus county taxes and services, the role of HOAs, how many lobbyists cities employ, reserve levels, average salaries, and whether utility revenues are used only for utility purposes. The panel said TRIM notices, realtor listings, and city websites provide tax information; HOAs generally do not provide emergency services; lobbyists help local governments track Tallahassee legislation; reserves vary by city and fund; and utility revenues are generally restricted, though some cities use limited transfers. Members also asked about revenue replacement if ad valorem taxes were reduced or eliminated, and the panel said options would likely include user fees, service cuts, or other local revenue shifts. The chair also asked about public safety consolidation, and the response was that such decisions are local and may shift costs rather than create true savings. The committee then heard from county representatives after an overview by the Florida Association of Counties’ Davin Suggs, who framed counties as shared partners with the state and emphasized the gap between rising market values and the shrinking share of taxable value after exemptions and assessment limits. He said counties face a mismatch between revenue based on taxable value and expenses driven by real-world costs, and noted that most counties either held millage steady or lowered it without reaching rollback rates. He also highlighted that property taxes are only one part of county revenue, with charges for services and intergovernmental revenue often larger in some counties, and that public safety at the county level includes more than law enforcement, such as EMS, emergency management, inspections, and corrections. Deborah Manzo of Okeechobee County described a fiscally constrained rural county with limited staff, a county-supported airport, heavy reliance on property taxes for the general fund, and major cost pressures from inflation, insurance, retirement, and state and federal mandates. She said the county lowered millage slightly over recent years but still depends on multiple revenue sources and special assessments, and she flagged Medicaid, medical examiner costs, and possible firefighter workweek changes as significant concerns. Bay County Administrator Mark McQueen said his county’s budget is shaped by Hurricane Michael recovery, non-discretionary obligations, and rapid growth; he described ongoing FEMA reimbursement delays, substantial borrowing to cover disaster costs, and continuing interest expenses while the county waits for reimbursement. The county panel was still in progress when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Blue bar is the member service, so how much of the money is actually going to member services compared
• Blue bar is the member service, so how much of the money is actually going to member services compared
• This is what we regulate: the blue chunk of the slide, with the sort of left-hand big pie representing
• The little blue slice there is what we regulate: the commercial health insurance market, covering large
• The blue is how much we've seen premiums increase over the past 10 years.

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing focused first on Oregon Medicaid coordinated care organization (CCO) finances and rate setting. Oregon Health Authority staff explained how 2025 CCO financial results will inform 2027 capitation rates, including reserve requirements, subcapitation arrangements, and major cost drivers such as behavioral health, pharmacy, rural hospital costs, and dental directed payments. They said the Legislature’s added 2025 funding materially improved CCO margins and that, without it, the program would have been negative overall. Members asked about retained earnings, subcapitation, behavioral health utilization, ABA therapy, and whether outcomes are being evaluated; OHA said rate setting is actuarial and that CCOs, OHA, and other partners all play roles in monitoring efficacy and access. OHA also reviewed House Bill 4039 changes intended to increase transparency and give CCOs earlier access to rate information and reconciliation exhibits. CCO representatives then testified that the system is under significant financial pressure and that behavioral health state-directed payments, benefit changes, and federal uncertainty from H.R. 1 are reducing flexibility. CareOregon said it has lost more than $500 million over the last couple of years and is now making provider terminations and other network changes to align spending with available funding, while emphasizing that CCOs must make hard decisions about which services and providers can be sustained. Eastern Oregon CCO said rural and frontier factors, cost-based hospitals, air ambulance needs, and statewide efficiency adjustments are not fully reflected in rates, and that dental funding is especially strained. Trillium similarly warned that state-directed payments and benefit expansion pressures are constraining the global budget model and that H.R. 1 could worsen acuity and volatility. Members pressed the witnesses on who is responsible for evaluating treatment effectiveness, especially for ABA and psychotherapy, and on how utilization limits and reimbursement changes are being used to control costs. The committee then shifted to an overview of the Affordable Care Act and Oregon’s commercial insurance market. Department of Consumer and Business Services staff explained actuarial value, metal tiers, premium tax credits, medical loss ratio rules, and the main drivers of premium rates: cost trend, utilization trend, and administrative costs. They said mandates have likely added only a limited amount to premiums over the past decade, though the exact effect is difficult to isolate, and they gave examples of how high-cost, low-volume services versus broad, high-utilization services can affect rates differently. Staff also noted that Providence Health Plan and PacificSource Health Plans are withdrawing from the individual market, though consumers should still have at least three insurer options in every county and may have four in many counties. The division said it is in the middle of reviewing proposed 2027 rates and will continue its public rate review process, including hearings and written comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the change in why you have a blue bill in front of you instead of a white bill.
• It would actually have been on page two, and it would have been—you don't see it on the blue bill.
• front<00:12:10.320> of<00:12:10.399> you<00:12:10.639> instead have a blue
• bill in front of you instead have a blue bill in front of you instead of<00:12:11.040> a<00:12
• Uh you'll see it on it on the blue bill.

Bills: SF0012, SF0013, SF0067

Keywords: military, national guard, reenlistment, extension bonus, funding, Wyoming, Wyoming National Guard, recruitment, referral bonus, military service, eligibility expansion, incentive program, Wyoming state guard, emergency response, governor authority, state council of defense, 916, all