Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here on behalf of the communities that go unheard when we talk about health, those living in gaps
• the Department of State Health Services to study the effects of food deserts on Texans' health and finances
• Uh, House Bill 2036 closes an important gap in access to mental health care.

Bills: HB231

Keywords: HB 231, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, permit exemption, dam, reservoir, erosion control, flood control, floodwater control, sediment control, watershed protection, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, local sponsor, water appropriation, small dam, water diversion, maintenance, rehabilitation

Transcript Highlights:

• Roll call in and finance. That's why I'm up here. I ate in the morning, recess, at work.
• care of the state, and the state should never stop seeking their safe return. to address this critical gap
• documentation. such as complete bank or investment statements and receipts for all expenditures, leaving gaps

Bills: SB66, SB2165, SB2342, SB2878, SB2903

Keywords: disability, supported decision-making, legal assistance, confidentiality, access to justice, autonomy, civil rights, advocacy, Texas Family Code, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child welfare, foster care, substitute care, missing child, missing from placement, permanency hearing, parent-child relationship, SAPCR, conservatorship

Transcript Highlights:

• Roll call in and finance. I. That's why I'm up here. I, I didn't want you to recess. At work.
• Senate Bill 2165 seeks to address this critical Senator Parker: gap by ensuring that courts retain jurisdiction
• documentation such as complete bank or investment statements and receipts for all expenditures, leaving gaps

Transcript Highlights:

• I call this meeting of the Committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy to order.
• Um Chair Pinto, would you like to move to re-refer House File 3407 to the Judiciary Finance and Civil
• and Civil Law to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee?
• to the Judiciary Civil Law and Finance to the Judiciary Civil Law and Finance Committee.
• >> really closes some gaps >> really closes some gaps around<01:31:34.960> fraud<

Bills: HF2354, HF3407, HF4359, HF4192, HF3356, HF3695, HF1597, HF3155, HF3871, HF4437, HF4446, HF3990

Keywords: medical assistance, fraud prevention, subpoena authority, criminal penalties, consumer protection, ghost guns, unserialized firearms, 3D-printed guns, 3D printer firearms, CNC milling, home-built firearms, firearm serialization, serial numbers, unfinished frame, unfinished receiver, ghost gun ban, gun control, firearm design files, CAD files, digital gun blueprints

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:00:00.000> further<01:00:00.480> funding stop gap to prevent further funding stop
• gap to prevent further funding reductions.<01:00:02.960> Funding<01:00:03.280> the<01:
• as carving out the pharmacy benefit from managed care to improve service delivery and fund service gaps
• We did not make up this financing mechanism.
• key state services gap, allowing current families<01:32:23.600> in<01:32:23.920> supportive

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds and authorizes funds to finance
• bonds and authorizes funds to finance bonds and authorizes funds to finance Capital<00:20:17.799
• First to testify is the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation?
• testify today is Hawaii Housing Finance testify today is Hawaii Housing Finance and<01:58:06.840
• The bigger target of affordable housing, local ownership, financing.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senator Hinchey moves to discharge from the Committee on Finance Assembly Bill 1740A and substitute
• educational leaders about the impact of EOP, the importance of educational access, and bridging the gap
• THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND BRIDGING THE GAP TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
• > The bill is passed. >> Calendar 849, 6281, Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the State Finance

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on May 6, 2026, approved the prior journal, and accepted a Rules Committee report advancing the government appropriations bill to third reading. The chamber then took up the tenth budget extender, which sponsor Senator Serrano said would keep state government operating through Monday, May 11 and contained $482 million in new spending, bringing the total across extenders to $20.3 billion. In questioning, Senator O’Mara and Senator Helming pressed Serrano for details on the reported $268 billion budget deal, policy outcomes, revenue raisers, and whether local governments, schools, and rural health programs would receive certainty; Serrano said final budget bills were not yet in print and declined to speculate on unresolved issues. The extender passed 60-1, with Senator Weik voting no. The Senate also adopted several previously adopted resolutions honoring the North Tonawanda High School girls varsity basketball team, the Tappan Zee High School girls basketball team, and SUNY student Chriss-Ann Pryce. Members praised the teams’ state championships and Pryce’s academic and leadership achievements through the Educational Opportunity Program. The chamber then returned to legislation and passed a bill designating May 9 as Overdose Awareness Day in New York; Senator Fernandez said it recognized the harm of overdose and the need to continue funding harm reduction and recovery services. Additional bills passed included a statewide domestic violence lethality assessment measure, with Senators Murray, Rolison, Webb, and Ramos describing it as a tool to identify dangerous situations and prevent fatalities; a mental health insurance bill limiting step therapy/prior authorization for serious mental health medications, supported by Senator Fahy; and measures on education, real property tax, election law, general business law, kitchen incubator economic impacts, public buildings, state finance, and mental hygiene. Several bills drew recorded opposition, including the real property tax bill and the election law and general business law measures. The Senate concluded by adjourning until Monday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days designated legislative.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority, a lending entity, can either lend from the legacy capital financing
• The capital financing fund is interest-free to agencies, while bonds carry some costs on top of repayments
• LOFT found a gap between the extent of authority established in statute and that exercised by OMES.
• LOFT calls this OMES waste, as OMES has the authority to address this gap.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, and Sarah Danagie, who is the Vice Chancellor of Finance
• And we've narrowed the gap between the Pell students and the non-Pell students in the four-year graduation
• In certain cases, some universities or colleges had identified gaps or vulnerabilities that others hadn't
• I'm the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration at the Board Office.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education heard a presentation on the State University System’s new strategic plan, SUS 30, and its legislative budget request. University officials described the plan’s five priorities: One SUS collaboration, elevating student success, operational excellence, world-class talent, and innovative research and economic development. They highlighted Florida’s continued status as the top higher education system in the nation, low tuition, strong graduation outcomes, rising median wages for graduates, and expanded use of the My Florida Future website to help students and families compare degree outcomes and earnings. Members asked for follow-up information on programs of strategic emphasis, mental health and social work workforce needs, wage data over time, and how the system supports innovation moving toward commercialization. The committee also discussed campus safety, prompted in part by recent events at FSU. System officials said universities and the Florida College System recently held a safety summit to share best practices on building security, threat assessment, and coordination with law enforcement, and they agreed to provide a report back to the committee after the Board of Governors reviews recommendations in November. Senators also raised questions about Pell student support, first-generation student success, and whether liberal arts graduates’ earnings catch up over time. Officials said Pell students are tracked through performance-based funding metrics and that the system’s accountability plans will continue to emphasize access and completion. A separate update covered line funding for nursing and health care partnerships. Officials said the $6 million appropriation was fully subscribed through 24 proposals from all 10 nursing programs, supporting scholarships, faculty recruitment, internships, simulation, and licensure preparation. They reported over 1,900 new nursing graduates, more than 200 new student slots, over 300 scholarships, and a 92% NCLEX pass rate. Senators asked about expanding eligibility for the program, and staff said that issue would be revisited this year. The Board of Governors’ legislative budget request totaled $634.5 million and included $295 million for performance-based funding institutional investment, a request to restore and increase the state investment portion to $400 million, $125 million for preeminence funding, $100 million for faculty recruitment and retention, $6.4 million for UF/IFAS extension workload, and $3.1 million for State Fire Marshal inspections. The chair noted that resources are limited and that difficult budget decisions lie ahead. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no second reference to finance, but again, this program is tied to another bill.
• There is no second reference to finance, but again, this program is tied to another bill, House Bill
• I do believe, from my understanding with conversations with the finance chair, that House Bill 5074 will
• It was amended on the House floor, but originally, when it came out of finance, it had $3 million off
• In the nexus here, as I told the House Finance Committee when I testified in front of them, was that

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 4893, which would increase penalties for contempt of magistrate court and raise the maximum fine a court may impose without a jury trial. Counsel explained that the bill would raise fines for first, second, and third offenses, add community service, and allow weekend jail or work release for a third offense. The committee adopted the strike-and-insert amendment, reported the bill to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass, and adopted a title amendment. The committee then took up House Bill 5684, a pilot program creating child protection commissioners to help handle abuse and neglect cases. Counsel and the sponsor described the proposal as a way to reduce circuit court backlog, improve the frequency and consistency of hearings, and provide more focused attention to children and families while leaving final decision-making authority with circuit judges. Supporters cited the heavy caseloads, shortages of guardians ad litem, and a Texas model that reportedly improved efficiency; one senator criticized the bill as adding bureaucracy, while others said the system needs a new approach. Members discussed funding through a companion bill tied to the medical cannabis fund, with an initial startup amount and ongoing annual support. Several senators raised concerns about the lack of a sunset date and the need for measurable outcomes. The committee adopted an amendment requiring the Supreme Court’s Administrative Director to identify measurable outcomes, establish a pre-implementation baseline, and provide annual reporting to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance, including costs and projected costs. House Bill 5684, as amended, was then reported to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's all it's about: service levels and reducing those service gaps created by annexation.
• I'm a shareholder in our public finance section and the attorney for the district.
• So please note that the district is still required to finance such sewer infrastructure as well as to
• MUD Number 70 will have the power to finance the construction of water, sewage, and drainage facilities
• This measure ensures that MUD-financed roads do not unintentionally burden county taxpayers with future

Bills: HB447, HB897, HB993, HB2673, HB3671, HB3680, HB3897, HB4506, HB4753, HB4812, HB4894, HB5148, HB5437, HB5650, HB5652, HB5654, HB5656, HB5661, HB5665

Keywords: traffic impact studies, municipal utility district, bonds, road projects, eminent domain, HB 897, Texas land sale, state property, Austin real estate, Travis County, General Land Office, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission, state records facility, archives building, library funding, capital improvements, lease of state land, public land disposition

Transcript Highlights:

• generated from tax increment financing generated from tax increment financing for<00:08:10.800><
• financing on the following<00:08:42.080> projects.
• increment financing district for them. increment financing district for them.
• This brownfield funding source fills a gap in financing that can make or break a project's feasibility
• This brownfield funding source fills a gap in financing that can make or break a project's feasibility

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 769 creates a flexible, revolving fund to support the financing of large infrastructure projects.
• Existing infrastructure finance tools are slow, over-restrictive, and unable to meet today's complex
• small projects, they are not equipped to support large-scale cross-jurisdictional investments. that gap
• and helps us to finance and deliver major infrastructure projects throughout California by leveraging
• Also appreciate the bringing forward a flexible financing options for California especially as we enter

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• these bills to be out of finance these bills to be out of finance committee<00:04:09.840> is<
• >> that comes out of the full finance >> that comes out of the full finance committee
• One being ought during to full finance.
• , depending on how the vote comes out in full finance.
• between the Finance meetings.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session opened on February 13, 2026, with the chair outlining the committee’s advisory role and the possible motions available under House Rule 45. The committee then took up House Bill 1569, concerning the Philbrook Center/state hospital campus property, and heard extensive testimony from Commissioner Charlie Arlinghouse. He explained that the property is currently one parcel and state law prevents subdivision unless a separate Senate bill, identified as SB 572, is enacted to fix the legal issue. He said HB 2 directed the sale of the property but did not address subdivision or marketing details, and he characterized the $5 million revenue estimate as speculative. He also said the state would first offer the property to the city or county, which he viewed as the most practical buyer and potential partner for any subdivision work. Members asked whether the building should be retained for transitional housing or sold, what would happen after July 1, 2026, and whether other vacant state buildings could absorb the current occupants. Arlinghouse said there are no firm plans for the building if it is not sold, and that HHS would remain until a sale occurs. He described the building as not especially historic or attractive and noted plumbing issues, while also acknowledging HHS’s view that it could serve as transitional housing. He said there is no reserve stock of office space, that the state already rents substantial office space in Concord, and that some nearby state buildings are either under renovation or only partially usable. He also said the Executive Council would have to approve any sale and that moving costs are usually not budgeted in advance, leaving the using agency to absorb them. Several members raised concerns about relying on asset sales to balance the budget, citing past examples where projected real estate revenue did not materialize on schedule. Arlinghouse agreed that one-time revenue should generally be used for one-time expenses, but said the state sometimes has legitimate reasons to sell assets and that such decisions depend on the state’s needs. He estimated the state rents roughly 100,000 square feet of office space in Concord at about $25 per square foot, and said he would provide a more exact figure later. In response to a question about whether the state should include a right of first refusal if the property is later resold, he said that idea had not been considered but could make sense, especially if the buyer is the city or county. No votes were taken during this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1588 allows the municipality to finance the infrastructure upfront based on a direct assessment on
• It gives municipalities a fair and targeted way to finance improvements that unlock development.
• <01:03:56.559> tool that and pairing a local financing tool that and pairing a local financing
• <01:04:22.720> the allows the municipality to finance the allows the municipality to finance
• <01:05:27.200> improvements targeted way to finance improvements targeted way to finance improvements

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this bill can help bridge that gap. this bill can help bridge that gap.
• Uh, we of the Committee on Finance.
• Doc Greenhill, you, Chair, and members of the Finance House Finance Committee.
• Uh thank you for Finance Committee.
• state, we risk creating an equity gap state, we risk creating an equity gap between<05:17:50.680

Bills: HB2459, HB1616, HB1799, HB1604, HB1732, HB1736, HB1931, HB772, HB2153, HB2122, HB2009, HB2012, HB1779, HB2296, HB2397, HB2398, HB1596, HB2233, HB1976, HB1563, HB815, HB1655, HB1851, HB1941, HB2037, HB1635, HB2201, HB1943, HB1163, HB2452, HB2429, HB2148, HB2306, HB2007, HB2049, HB2616

Keywords: food innovation, agribusiness, food safety, market access, branding, economic diversification, performance indicators, agriculture, aquaculture, commercial activity, swine production, Korean natural farming, housing development, commercial projects, county authority, public works, construction standards, exemption, zoning, housing

Transcript Highlights:

• gaps, and financial oversight.
• , and gaps in service.
• Lack of financial oversight, data gaps, and gaps in service delivery mean people say, 'Oh, we've got
• So he's still working with his finances and his family.
• These aren't small training gaps.

Bills: HB2056, HB2202, HB2207, HB2224, HB2303, HB2344, HB2532, HB2759, HB2798

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, dementia care, telementoring, healthcare education, rural communities, grant funding, braille, disability access, education funding, state corrections, inclusion, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met on January 28 and heard several bills, beginning with member and staff introductions and a reminder about amendment deadlines. HB 2056 would appropriate $100,000 to the Arizona Department of Water Resources for a feasibility study of brackish groundwater desalination sites; the sponsor said Arizona should explore potential water supplies amid Colorado River concerns. A witness opposed the bill, and members debated whether brackish groundwater should be treated as a resource or a threat to aquifers. The committee approved HB 2056 on an 11-6 vote, with one member not voting. The committee then considered HB 2798, as amended, which would provide $100,000 to the University of Arizona/Arizona Geological Survey to compile data on materials related to nuclear energy, including thorium and other non-uranium fuels. The sponsor framed the bill as an economic development and national security effort, while opponents questioned whether Arizona has enough of the material to justify public spending. The University of Arizona supported the work as within the Geological Survey’s mission. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 11-5, with one member present and one not voting. HB 2303 would codify investment rules for the State Treasurer, requiring safety and principal preservation ahead of return and prohibiting speculative investments and insider-benefit conduct. The Treasurer’s Office said the bill reflects current policy and ethics rules already in place, and members asked about how “speculative” would be defined and whether the bill would affect other investment-related statutes. The committee passed the bill 15-0, with two members present and one not voting. HB 2344 would require the Treasurer to manage the local government investment pool and allow a third-party backup only in emergencies; the Treasurer’s Office argued this preserves a low-cost, high-liquidity service for local governments, while some members questioned whether it limited future Treasurers’ discretion. The committee passed HB 2344 12-2, with three present and one not voting. Later, the committee heard HB 2759, which would appropriate $500,000 to the Department of Veterans’ Services to partner with an educational institution in Yavapai County for veteran programs. A retired Navy SEAL and campus veterans coordinator described emergency housing, equipment, and professional-development needs for student veterans at Embry-Riddle, while several members supported the effort and others objected to using state funds for a private institution or a county-specific program. The bill passed 11-6, with one not voting. The committee also passed HB 2207, appropriating $300,000 for the prison Braille transcription program, after testimony that the program trains inmates in a skilled trade and has had no recidivism among released participants; it passed 17-0, with one not voting. Finally, HB 2224, as amended to reduce the appropriation from $2 million to $1 million, would fund the Double Up Food Bucks produce incentive program through SNAP. Supporters said it helps families, farmers, and local economies and can improve health outcomes, while members discussed budget constraints; the committee approved the amended bill after testimony from program advocates and farmers.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be a huge help from the state if we could plug that gap.
• I'm not the finance guy; I'm the programs guy. I believe we get around $4 million.
• I'm not the finance guy; I'm the programs guy.
• This is designed to reduce gaps in service delivery.
• Our mortgage programs are entirely self-funded through program revenue and bond financing.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The tax revenues for a tax equals the sum of all liability for tax minus the tax gap—that’s the amount
• Tax expenditures are structured differently from expenditures of finance or appropriation committees.
• that's the amount of minus the tax Gap that's the amount of tax<00:09:16.560> that<00:09:16.720
• :09:23.120> any<00:09:23.399> tax liabilities minus any tax liabilities minus any tax Gap
• 27.720> the<00:09:27.839> committee<00:09:28.120> you<00:09:28.200> may Gap

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Tax Committee met for an organizational and orientation session. Members and staff introduced themselves, with several lawmakers noting their districts, business backgrounds, and interest in tax policy. Chair Greg Davids then opened the committee’s first substantive item: a presentation from House Research and House Fiscal staff on how the committee works and on basic tax concepts. House Research staff Sean Williams and Chris Clayman explained their roles in drafting bills and amendments, writing bill summaries, answering legal and policy questions, and modeling tax proposals. They also described the committee’s key documents, including partisan and nonpartisan bill summaries, revenue estimates, fiscal notes, and supporting materials. Their presentation covered core tax concepts such as tax bases, rates, deductions, exemptions, credits, tax revenues, and tax expenditures, emphasizing that tax expenditures function like spending through the tax code and are reviewed by a legislative commission. The staff then reviewed Minnesota’s major taxes, focusing on the individual income tax and business taxation. They explained that Minnesota’s individual income tax starts with federal adjusted gross income, then applies state additions, deductions, subtractions, and credits, and that the state’s income tax brackets and rates are set separately from federal law. They also outlined the difference between corporate franchise taxes for C corporations and individual income tax treatment for pass-through entities, and discussed how the federal SALT cap led Minnesota and other states to adopt pass-through entity taxes so businesses could preserve federal deductibility of state taxes. Members asked questions about a duplicate “marriage penalty” entry on a slide, the purpose of Minnesota’s marriage penalty credit, comparisons with other states, and the timing and effect of the pass-through entity tax; staff answered that the duplicate was a mistake, the credit offsets bracket-related marriage penalties, and the pass-through entity tax was adopted in response to the federal SALT cap.

Transcript Highlights:

• usually we'd go on to the finance usually we'd go on to the finance report,<00:37:55.040> but
• I do not need it in finance and finance.
• ; non-FN bills approved for referral to Finance by today's FN report to the Committee on Finance; and
• . gaps. gaps.
• So, finance.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all