Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, the tax rates for the two lower income tax brackets will further decrease in 2027, further
• "Additionally, the tax rates for the two lower income tax brackets will further decrease in 2027, further
• tax credit, renewable fuels tax credit, tax credit for research activities, and the technology infrastructure
• renovation tax credit in 2029, and the renewable energy technologies tax credit in 2031."
• In line In line with a prioritization for preserving income tax breaks for those households, this tax

Bills: HB1800 , HB1860 , HB2250 , HB472 , HB649 , HB1391 , HB1481 , HB1509 , HB1511 , HB1515 , HB1518 , HB1541 , HB1548 , HB1576 , HB1618 , HB1642 , HB1643 , HB1661 , HB1667 , HB1678 , HB1682 , HB1688 , HB1692 , HB1707 , HB1710 , HB1711 , HB1713 , HB1718 , HB1721 , HB1728 , HB1737 , HB1740 , HB1741 , HB1785 , HB1801 , HB1802 , HB1804 , HB1810 , HB1815 , HB1824 , HB1838 , HB1839 , HB1853 , HB1854 , HB1864 , HB1870 , HB1881 , HB1888 , HB1890 , HB1891 , HB1894 , HB1920 , HB1959 , HB1960 , HB1969 , HB1973 , HB1974 , HB2023 , HB2050 , HB2078 , HB2094 , HB2095 , HB2104 , HB2137 , HB2152 , HB2158 , HB2171 , HB2207 , HB2218 , HB2246 , HB2270 , HB2271 , HB2272 , HB2279 , HB2282 , HB2289 , HB2293 , HB2297 , HB2300 , HB2309 , HB2310 , HB2314 , HB2319 , HB2329 , HB2338 , HB2339 , HB2344 , HB2361 , HB2385 , HB2395 , HB2417 , HB2429 , HB2443 , HB2452 , HB2474 , HB2475 , HB2498 , HB2505 , HB2547 , HB2576

Transcript Highlights:

• Applying a revenue neutral ad valorem tax rate sets structured processes before local taxing jurisdictions
• may increase taxes beyond those levels.
• on inventory they've already paid taxes on.
• I mean, excise tax avalorin taxes because of that very feature, Fugate. Final question.
• Because they don't have a sales tax, they run strictly on property taxes. Thoughts about that?

Committee: House Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• My question about the applicability to tax, so to tax, so, um, are there, of vulnerability... ...to tax
• and tax credits.
• business taxes.
• tax?
• business enterprise tax is used as a credit against the business profits tax.

Summary: The meeting was a Ways and Means briefing opened by the vice chair, who introduced Jason Wong of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston to discuss the national and regional economy. Wong focused on inflation, asking why it had fallen from about 9% in 2022 to the 2%–3% range, and what that meant for monetary policy and the risk of an economic downturn. He said the Fed’s target is 2%, noted that recent PCE inflation was about 2.4% and core PCE about 2.7%, and described the ongoing debate over whether interest rates should stay tight or be lowered further to protect the labor market. Wong explained that the improvement in inflation has been driven largely by goods prices, especially durable goods such as cars, appliances, and furniture, as well as non-durable goods like food. He said supply-chain disruptions during the pandemic caused major price spikes in 2022, but those pressures have eased and many goods prices are now at or below the Fed’s target. He also referenced the New York Fed’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index, saying it showed extreme pandemic-era disruptions that have since receded. The main remaining inflation problem, he said, is in services, especially housing. Wong broke services into rent of shelter and all other services, explaining that shelter is a large share of household budgets and that housing inflation has a lag because rent measures often reflect older lease terms rather than current market rents. He said monthly Zillow data suggest market rents have cooled and may eventually feed through to official inflation measures. Members asked several questions about the chart’s time scale, the treatment of real estate, property taxes, and utilities, and Wong clarified that housing costs are counted in services and that the slides would be shared digitally. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It would provide an income tax credit of $4,000 per disaster for the portion of sales tax paid on furniture
• We are not actually voting on the tax itself.
• I do have a question about opposition because I understand this to be a tax credit and not a tax exemption
• A tax credit.
• So for all tax credits, tax deductions, anything like that that is reducing from the general fund, it

Committee: Senate Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you're really stuck with just ...tax revenue, tax rate, I included that in the slide.
• Gaming is our tax in Indian gaming. Gaming is our tax revenue,<01:02:34.360><c> right?
• I was The the tax revenue is good.
• </c> we're taxing that amount. we're taxing that amount.
• It a business and occupation tax, but it's the same thing, a B&O tax.

Transcript Highlights:

• credit, federal tax dollar fordoll tax credit, federal tax credit<01:00:08.160><c> of</c><01:00:08.400
• </c> a federal tax credit. a federal tax credit.
• And on to Amendment 2, Amendment 2 is simply about state tax dollars. This is a federal tax cut.
• And on to Amendment 2, Amendment 2 is simply about state tax dollars. This is a federal tax cut.
• is $2,82. income tax is $2,82.

Summary: The House convened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum, approved the prior journal, and received committee reports on several bills. Reported measures included House Bills 1 and 2 from Appropriations and Revenue, along with bills on animal control officers, emergency services revenue, postsecondary education, proactive postsecondary admission, vehicle lights, motor vehicle operation, motor vehicle dealers, and machine gun conversion devices. The chamber also took up Senate Bills 52 and 124 for concurrence, and House Bill 1 was moved from rules to the orders of the day for immediate action. The House then considered House Bill 568, which would regulate public adjusters by prohibiting new licenses, allowing renewals for current licensees, imposing conflict-of-interest and contract requirements, capping fees at 5%, and barring adjusters from negotiating claims. Supporters described it as a consumer-protection measure responding to complaints and investigations, especially after recent storm-related exploitation. The bill passed overwhelmingly, 95-1. The House next debated House Bill 1, which would opt Kentucky into the federal education freedom tax credit program and authorize the Secretary of State to administer the state’s participation without using state general funds. Supporters argued it would bring federal scholarship dollars into Kentucky for K-12 students, including public school students, and could generate significant private donations for scholarship-granting organizations. Opponents raised concerns about shifting resources away from public education, the speed of the process, and a proposed waiver of Eleventh Amendment immunity. A motion to table the bill failed by a wide margin, and members continued debating the bill and its implications for public schools and state sovereignty.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'd like to provide a little bit of information about provider taxes or health care-related taxes
• the MCO tax specifically.
• So there are a few taxes that support Medi-Cal today: the MCO tax, the hospital quality assurance fee
• So the impact of these new changes on our MCO tax specifically: our MCO tax is not broad-based, uniform
• We have passed a local sales tax measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• than their regular tax rate.
• than their regular tax rate.
• </c><00:48:34.160><c> uh,</c> a tax break and they pay less in tax uh, a tax break and they pay less
• as tax from as the tax at the same rate as tax from as the tax rate<00:49:13.040><c> from</c><00:49:
• </c> would be just to um tax the rate tax the would be just to um tax the rate tax the income<00:50:13.280

Summary: The joint hearing covered several bills focused on economic development, tourism, business climate, and related policy areas. On HB 1943, which would support a DBEDT office in Korea, DBEDT and the Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in support, emphasizing Korea’s importance as a market for investment, trade, and tourism and the value of helping small and midsize Hawaii businesses access Asian markets. A later witness also tied the proposal to broader free-trade and APEC-related goals. The committees heard no opposition on that measure. The committees then heard HB 1612 and HB 1614, both supported by multiple organizations and agencies. Testimony for HB 1612 stressed Hawaii’s weak business climate and the need for policies that improve economic growth and competitiveness; the Hulamua Collaborative cited survey results showing only 19% of respondents viewed Hawaii as a good place to do business. HB 1614 also drew support, with HTC saying its focus is on economic growth. For HB 1968 and HB 1967, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the University of Hawaii, the Chamber of Commerce, and Hulamua Collaborative largely stood on written testimony in support; the hearing notes reported nine supporters and one opponent on HB 1968, and seven supporters with one comment on HB 1967. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on HB 1589, a bill to create dementia training and recognition for businesses. Testifiers included a private citizen sharing a personal family story, the Alzheimer’s Association, and DBEDT. Supporters said the measure would help families affected by dementia, reduce stigma, and make businesses more dementia-friendly. DBEDT said the issue would be better handled by an agency with dementia expertise, while the Alzheimer’s Association said it could provide training at no cost and suggested amendments to shift implementation toward the Executive Office on Aging and to use the term “dementia business champion.” The final major topic was HB 1608, involving a space-related project and financing. Phoenix Space testified that the bill would help launch responsive space access operations at Hilo International Airport, create local jobs, and support partnerships with Hawaii institutions, while another supporter said the project could diversify the economy. A committee member raised a timing concern, noting bond cap capacity was already allocated through 2028, and the witness said they were willing to work on a solution. The hearing also included HB 1850 on capital gains taxation, where supporters argued the bill would make the tax system fairer by increasing taxes on investment income, while the Chamber of Commerce opposed it. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• from the tax that is amount collected from the tax that is deposited<00:13:17.519><c> into</c><00:13
• </c> renewable fuels production tax credit. renewable fuels production tax credit.
• Tax credits of $2 would be 1.2 billion. More than 10% of our tax base being brought in.
• It should include a nonrefundable tax credit, as recommended by the DOT tax last year.
• get another tax credit?

Bills: SB2699

Committee: Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The committee reconvened and first addressed SB 2699 on public transit/free transportation for young people. Members noted that the Committee on Transportation had already deferred the measure, and this committee said it would defer it as well before adjourning that brief reconvened session. The hearing then moved to SB 2373, which would establish a state goal to strengthen nature-based carbon emissions reduction solutions and authorize the Hawaii State Energy Office to develop methods to quantify carbon reductions from marine ecosystem restoration. The Energy Office said marine carbon sequestration was outside its expertise and asked to be removed from that portion of the bill, while DLNR and OPSD offered comments and said the work fit better with their areas, with DLNR saying it could take it on if properly resourced. Testimony included support from environmental groups, and committee discussion focused on which agency should lead and whether existing methodologies could be used. Next was SB 21001 on organic waste reduction and diversion. The Department of Health supported the intent but raised implementation concerns. Hawaii Farmers Union strongly supported the bill, arguing it would help build compost supply, improve soil health, and give counties time to develop infrastructure; they cited Vermont as a model and said the bill could extend landfill life and reduce methane. Members asked about the Vermont approach and the need for infrastructure before household-level diversion. The committee also heard SB 2905, which would increase the environmental response, energy, and food security tax and direct more revenue to the electric vehicle charging system subaccount. The Energy Office, PUC, and Tax Department offered comments; youth and clean transportation advocates strongly supported the bill as a way to expand charging access and meet EV adoption goals. A member questioned whether the proposed increase would outpace the state’s ability to deploy chargers, and PUC staff said the current annual appropriation is about $750,000 and that they could provide more data on an appropriate funding level. Additional measures were briefly taken up: SB 3231 on condominium maps and county zoning certification in A districts drew support from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Hawaii Farm Bureau; SB 2486 on climate change drew comments from the Energy Office, Climate Commission, and OPSD, who said it duplicated existing climate planning and should include adaptation language; and SB 2376 on the renewable fuels production tax credit drew support from industry and agricultural groups, while the Energy Office and Tax Department raised concerns about the rollover provision and the scale of the credit. No final votes were recorded in the excerpt beyond the earlier deferral of SB 2699.

Transcript Highlights:

• at the retail tax rate.
• It's per barrel; we get severance tax revenue.
• It's per barrel; we get severance tax revenue.
• Yeah, if you have increased production, you're bringing in sales tax and severance tax revenue.
• There will be an increase in the severance tax as production goes up.

Bills: SB1211 , SB1574 , SB2774 , SB2873 , SB2900 , HJR4

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 1574 by Senator Zaffirini, which would codify the Texas Judicial Council’s Centers of Excellence Program for courts and judges. Testimony from judges and the Office of Court Administration emphasized that the program promotes transparency, procedural fairness, mentoring, and public trust. A committee substitute expanded eligibility to justices of the peace and municipal judges and removed a merit-pay reference to eliminate fiscal impact. After quorum was established, the committee adopted the substitute and later voted it out favorably, though it was not certified for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also heard SB 2774 by Senator Hinojosa, which would amend the Tax Code’s retail trade definition to include industrial uniform and linen rental businesses so they qualify for the lower franchise tax rate. Supporters said the change would put rental textile businesses on equal footing with other rental industries and help Texas employers and customers. The bill was reported favorably to the full Senate. Members then considered SB 1211 by Senator Perry, which would broaden the existing fracking-related sales tax exemption for equipment used with non-fresh water sources, including recycled, produced, and brine water. The bill’s supporters argued it would conserve freshwater and reduce litigation over water definitions, while the Comptroller’s office discussed the fiscal note and production-related revenue effects. The committee also heard SB 2873 and SB 2900, both by Senator Kolkhorst and presented by Senator Nichols; SB 2873 would require electronic filers to file electronically, and SB 2900 would eliminate certain Comptroller-related advisory committees and boards. Both were later adopted in committee substitute form and reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard HJR 4, sponsored by Senator Parker, proposing a constitutional amendment to prohibit new taxes on securities transfers or financial transaction processing. Supporters said it would protect investors, especially retirees, and help position Texas as a financial center. The committee voted to report HJR 4 favorably to the full Senate. In each recorded vote after quorum was present, the measures passed with nine ayes and no nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're losing the chargeback, and then also the state's getting their meals tax.
• The tax and tip interchange proposal is not a simple spreadsheet adjustment.
• due, up to $1,000 for the tax filing period.
• It's a credit off of the sales tax that is legally due and owed to the state.
• Can Massachusetts, you know, you mentioned a state that does a tax credit?

Summary: The Special Legislative Commission on the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses held a public hearing chaired by Senator Paul Feeney and Representative Jamie Murphy. The commission reviewed its charge to gather input on payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now/pay later, and related issues affecting small businesses. Representative Sean Garballey testified in support of maintaining the current card system, emphasizing tourism’s importance to Massachusetts and arguing that universal card acceptance and interchange stability are especially important with major upcoming events and visitors. A large portion of the hearing focused on independent restaurants and small businesses arguing that credit card processing fees are burdensome and unfair when applied to sales tax and gratuities that are not business revenue. Testifiers including Jen Ziskin, Kristen Canty, Nancy Cushman, Kerry Colzer, and others described razor-thin margins and said restaurants pay fees on money passed through to the state or employees. Ryan Lotz also urged reforms to chargebacks, including refunding chargeback fees when merchants prevail, requiring consumers to contact businesses first, and making fees proportional. In response, credit union and banking representatives, including Alex Vereen, Brad Popolado, Deb Peters, and Keely McEwen, argued that interchange funds fraud protection, card infrastructure, and consumer protections, and warned that state-specific changes could create compliance burdens, higher costs, or reduced access to services. Several witnesses addressed legal and policy questions. Dan Swanson and David Montero said states have authority to regulate aspects of the payment system, but Montero warned that state-specific rules could create uncertainty and conflict with federal banking law. Julian Morris and other industry witnesses argued that card payments benefit consumers and merchants by reducing cash-handling costs and increasing spending, while critics of reform said changes could shift costs into bank fees or reduced rewards. Commission members questioned whether sales tax could be separated from card transactions, whether surcharging should be considered, and whether vendor compensation or other state-level relief might be more workable. The chairs said they were exploring a narrower, targeted approach rather than a broad overhaul, and announced plans for one additional public hearing to allow further testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Doing this would provide property tax relief, maybe not maybe property tax relief, but it would provide
• They want it to go for property tax relief.
• They're paying the school tax already.
• Property tax reduction or other programs.
• It's brought tax relief to hundreds of thousands in our... ...tax relief to hundreds of thousands of

Bills: SB2401 , SB2402 , SB2403 , SB2404

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then took up second reading and final passage of several House bills related to the Rural Health Transformation Program and other matters. House Bill 1621, requiring the presidential fitness test in school physical education with exceptions and a delayed effective date, passed 43-3. House Bill 1623, appropriating federal rural health transformation grant funds and creating a related loan program and reporting structure, passed 46-0 after extensive debate about using the federal money for community health, infrastructure, and sustainability. House Bill 1622, joining the physician assistant licensure compact, also passed unanimously 46-0. House Bill 1625, authorizing the Ray Richards Golf Course land sale to support a Grand Forks transportation project and golf course improvements, passed 46-0. House Bill 1626, clarifying that the primary residence credit is applied after the early payment discount so taxpayers receive the full $1,600 benefit, passed 40-6.

Transcript Highlights:

• tax tax type<00:05:55.560><c> second</c><00:05:56.240><c> is</c><00:05:56.680><c> sustaining</c><00:
• year 22 to tax year 23 but even me tax year 22 to tax year 23 but even that<00:18:23.280><c> is</c><
• This is roughly 30% of the tax.
• </c><00:50:42.839><c> types</c> tax this is one of the smaller tax types tax this is one of the smaller
• </c><04:38:07.279><c> will</c><04:38:07.400><c> do</c> tax no no Communications tax will do tax no no

Summary: The committee received a Department of Revenue Administration update from Commissioner Lindsay Stepp focused on revenue estimates for fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027. She explained the department’s forecasting method, which uses five scenarios based on the first seven months of actual collections and different assumptions for the remaining months, then selects a reasonable high and low range for FY 25 and applies projected growth rates for FY 26 and FY 27. Members asked several clarifying questions about how the scenarios are chosen and how the estimates relate to economic growth and taxpayer behavior. For business taxes, Stepp reported FY 25 year-to-date collections of $110.3 million, 18.2% below plan and 17.2% below prior year. She said the shortfall reflects both economic conditions and a resetting of estimated payments after unusually strong pandemic-era profits, and noted that the department cannot fully separate changes in taxpayer liability from changes in estimated payment behavior. She said approximately just under $72 million was refunded in FY 24 due to the CCO cap, and that FY 25 year-to-date refunds are at 41.7%. For business taxes, the department’s FY 25 range was based on either continued underperformance versus plan or a return to prior-year levels, with FY 26 and FY 27 growth projected at 3% to 8%. The committee also reviewed meals and rooms tax, tobacco tax, and related trends. Meals and rooms revenue was $6.9 million, or 3.3%, ahead of plan and prior year; the FY 25 gross estimate was $475.894 million, with a net range of about $331.82 million to $335.259 million after municipal transfers and school building aid. Stepp said recent monthly results suggest some fluctuation tied to disposable income, weather, and travel patterns, but no clear sustained decline. Tobacco tax was $18.1 million, 14% below plan and 4.8% below prior year; she said cigarette stamp sales are declining while e-cigarettes and other tobacco products are growing, with FY 25 tobacco revenue projected at $182.5 million to $185.3 million and FY 26-FY 27 growth ranging from -5% to flat. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• or the luxury vehicle tax.
• The sales tax part of it was relatively clear. The use tax was not.
• It's a combo of fuel taxes.
• would apply to the luxury tax.
• tax.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session on two major corridor projects before moving to public hearing and executive session. In the Yakima area, WSDOT, Yakima County, and Ecology described the Interstate 82/east-west connector work as a coordinated effort to add capacity, improve interchanges, and address the Boise Cascade mill site contamination that sits in the project footprint. County and Ecology witnesses said the county is ready to remove wood waste and contaminated material, but the project is stalled pending a draft work plan and a de minimis consent decree; several senators pressed for faster action and clearer direction from Ecology. The committee then heard an update on the SR 3 Belfair freight corridor, where WSDOT said environmental review is complete and the next major step is an access hearing this summer, followed by right-of-way acquisition and construction likely in late 2027 or early 2028. Local and tribal partners emphasized the project’s importance for freight mobility, housing growth, emergency access, and regional economic development. The public hearing was on engrossed substitute House Bill 2711, a transportation resources bill that largely tracks provisions from prior legislation but also adds or changes several tax and account provisions. Staff explained that the bill clarifies fuel tax and peer-to-peer tax distributions, treats trade-in value differently for recreational vessel and luxury vehicle taxes, provides a six-month motor home exemption and penalty waiver for the luxury vehicle tax, allows lease payments to be made over time, exempts tribal members and nonresidents, creates a Preserve Washington account, changes some transfer timing, and repeals the luxury aircraft tax. Testimony was mixed: aviation groups supported repealing the luxury aircraft tax; trucking and some citizens opposed fuel tax and diesel tax increases; Sound Transit, transit advocates, labor, and ferry interests asked for amendments such as 75-year bonding authority, mobile driver’s licenses, ferry funding, and bike education funding. Alaska Airlines and Delta also supported adding mobile ID language. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills, including SHB 1823, SHB 2114, E2SHB 2251, SHB 2323, SHB 2410, EHB 2588, 2SHB 1923, and HB 2495, all with due pass recommendations after adopting amendments where applicable. The committee adopted a striking amendment to E2SHB 2251 adjusting Climate Commitment Act account distributions and a striking amendment to EHB 2588 limiting the ferry district changes to Whatcom County and removing the voter-approval tax provision. It also adopted an amendment to 2SHB 1923 that added further conditions for passenger-only ferry districts, including whale-protection and fare-related provisions. Senator King voted no on E2SHB 2251, objecting that the bill reduced the transportation share of Climate Commitment Act revenues. The chair announced one more executive action meeting would be held Wednesday morning, with amendment requests due the prior day.

Transcript Highlights:

• And my question is about sales tax." "And my question is about sales tax.
• Sales tax 2% limit.
• I pay almost 12% in sales tax.
• Senator, I seem to recall in 2013 when we started cutting the income tax rate, that the income tax rate
• I understand why lowering taxes is a goal of people. I do. I want to pay lower taxes.

Summary: The Arkansas Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a brief morning hour that included an announcement about volunteers for the Hunger Caucus “Serving Up Solutions” fundraiser. The chamber then moved to its business agenda, where the main item was Senate Bill 1 by Senator Dismang, which would reduce income tax rates for individuals, trusts, estates, and corporations. Senator Dismang explained the bill as a continuation of tax reductions begun in 2013, lowering the top individual rate from 3.9% to 3.7% effective January 1, 2026, and reducing the corporate rate to 4.1% starting next year. The bill drew debate over state priorities and fiscal tradeoffs. Senator Flowers questioned local sales tax limits and whether future needs such as Medicaid, education, and educational freedom accounts could be funded if taxes were cut further. Senators Tucker and Leding spoke against the bill, arguing the state should prioritize investments in early childhood education, hospitals, maternal health, and public schools rather than returning revenue to taxpayers. Senator McKee spoke in favor, saying money should be returned to the people who produced it. Senator Dismang closed by emphasizing that the tax cut was supported by surplus revenue and that a family making $65,000 had already seen a significant reduction in effective tax burden since 2013. The Senate passed Senate Bill 1 by a vote of 29 yeas to 6 nays and transmitted it to the House. Afterward, members announced that the Revenue and Taxation Committee would meet after House adjournment if the House sent over its tax bill, and the Senate adjourned subject to clearing the desk and reading House Bill 1001 across the desk, until 9 a.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• what other people, pay in taxes.
• That's all sales tax. So it's pushing that even.
• Based on the comments about the Medi-Cal tax... I'm going to the comments about the Medi-Cal tax.
• When we did the MCO tax and doubled our tax, higher than anybody else in the country, so that we could
• This is not about whether we support a tax or not.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• There are no increases to sales tax, property tax, or B&O tax.
• I wanted to ask about the CCA working family's tax credit issue.
• tax.
• passed that in 2021—to be a credit against the sales tax to really tackle the regressivity of the tax
• Most other states use income taxes to fund public schools.

Summary: Senate budget writers, led by Chair June Robinson with Senators Noel Frame and Derek Stanford, rolled out the Senate operating budget and described it as a difficult supplemental budget shaped by flat revenue growth, rising maintenance costs, and uncertainty from federal actions, including H.R. 1 and tariffs. They said the proposal aims to preserve core services such as K-12 education, health care, food assistance, housing stability, and long-term care while making targeted reductions and avoiding broad-based tax increases like sales, property, or B&O tax hikes. A major focus of the discussion was how to pay for the Working Families Tax Credit and how to handle cuts in the Working Connections child care program. Robinson said the Senate budget uses policy changes, especially an attendance-based payment adjustment, rather than the governor’s proposed enrollment cap and waitlist, because lawmakers wanted to avoid destabilizing the child care workforce and reduce harm to families. She also said the Senate is open to negotiating with the House on the Climate Commitment Act use of funds for the tax credit, noting that the statute allows it, though some advocates oppose that approach. The senators defended using $750 million from the rainy day fund, saying it was preferable to deeper cuts and still leaves reserves above $1 billion in the near term. They also argued that Washington’s revenue system is too dependent on property and sales taxes and that a future “millionaires tax” could help stabilize funding, especially for education and other core services. In response to criticism from educators and Republicans, they said the state has made progress on school funding and that rising program costs reflect increased need and utilization rather than waste. No votes were taken in the transcript, and the event was a budget rollout and press Q&A rather than a formal committee action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ad Valorem taxes.
• So what we have proposed is a bill that would put it on the tax bill like these... ...put it on the tax
• It would not be an assessment on tax; it would be treated as though it was an add-on tax for the purpose
• as though it was an Ad Valorem tax.
• If you put it on the tax bill, you have a well-established tax certificate sale process for three years

Bills: HB145 , HB311

Committees: House Tourism , House Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: HB145, scrap tires, scrap tire disposal, illegal dumping, ADEM, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, environmental enforcement, Class 2 municipality, municipal court, local enforcement, delegation agreement, primacy, waste management, tire recycling, tire hauling, environmental quality act, misdemeanor penalties, Class A misdemeanor, Class B misdemeanor, Class C misdemeanor

Transcript Highlights:

• committee</c> property tax and changes tax committee property tax and changes tax committee makes<00:
• to the tax base or growth in tax makes to the tax base or growth in tax base<00:01:55.560><c> all</c
• </c> the property tax system made by the tax the property tax system made by the tax committee<00:02:
• Here's a list of those property tax class rates for that adjusted net tax capacity tax base.
• tax taxes and and discussion of property tax taxes and and part<00:14:31.000><c> of</c><00:14:31.240

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I will talk more about the $1.4 billion tax cut on the $1.4 billion tax cut, I'm sorry.
• Let's do tax cuts.
• In Arizona, you pay no tax going in and no tax coming out. What did the Democrats demand?
• H.R. 1 does offer no tax on tips. And for those ... H.R. 1 does offer no tax on tips.
• So this is not only delivering good tax policy, it's eliminating bad tax policy.