Transcript Highlights:

• you know I'm not sure who it select B you know I'm not sure who it should<00:19:01.360> be<00:
• Is this language sufficient to address that type of case?
• This type of property would not qualify.
• This type of property would not qualify.
• /c><04:53:58.240> suggests do the opposite uh section B suggests do the opposite uh section B

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:27:36.960> of<00:27:37.120> bond<00:27:37.440> or There be a some type of
• in our state, Minnesota Human Services, where there's a certain amount where I'll pay for the Part B
• in our state, Minnesota Human Services, where there's a certain amount where I'll pay for the Part B
• in our state, Minnesota Human Services, where there's a certain amount where I'll pay for the Part B
• Most states follow this type of path, and so Minnesota is kind of an outlier.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, coerced debt is the type of identity theft in which an abuser incurred related transactions
• This makes it just for the type of vehicle I'm going to enlist your help in making sure that we build
• Yeah, like an apprentice type thing.
• So we've already established as a government that it's an age of responsibility for that type of, you
• We're talking about dynamite-type categories. We're talking about dynamite-type categories.

Bills: SB438, SB512, SB647, SB648, SB1495, SB2121, SB2145, SB2154, SB2167, SB2184, SB2211, SB2268, SB2349, SB2443, SB2629, SB2702, SB2902

Keywords: SB 438, Texas, State Office of Administrative Hearings, SOAH, administrative law judge, ALJ, public information act, open records, confidentiality, privacy, home address, home telephone number, emergency contact information, social security number, family members, Government Code 552.117, Government Code 552.1175, Tax Code 25.025, public records, government transparency

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up several pending bills, voting favorably on SB 1612, SB 2717, SB 1468, SB 1642, and SB 1789. SB 1612 was reported favorably with objections to the local and contested calendar, while SB 2717, SB 1468, SB 1642, and SB 1789 were reported favorably, with SB 1642 and SB 1789 sent to the floor. SB 2717 would create the Texas Energy Efficiency Council; SB 1642 would add an executive director to the Texas Department of Insurance structure; and SB 1789 would establish pole standards and clarify PUC authority and remedies. The committee also heard an ERCOT update from CEO Pablo Vegas on the updated long-term load forecast, which showed a much higher unadjusted growth projection driven largely by data centers. ERCOT described an adjusted forecast using historical delays and lower realized build rates, and members discussed reliability, generation timelines, and the importance of SB 6 for demand response and flexibility. The committee then heard and left pending SB 2629, which would allow condominium and property owners’ association meetings and voting by electronic means; SB 2702, which would let nationally certified professionals test backflow prevention assemblies without a separate TCEQ license; SB 2167, which would let TDLR pause new license applications tied to human trafficking emergency orders or pending SOAH cases; SB 2349, which would exempt short-term leases and certain leasebacks from flood disclosure requirements; SB 2121, which would tighten the data broker registry law; and SB 2443, which would authorize TDLR electronic delivery of notices and other documents. Testimony generally supported these bills as cleanup, modernization, or workforce-streamlining measures, with some members expressing caution about electronic meetings and emphasizing in-person accountability. The committee also heard SB 2902 on coerced debt and identity theft, with testimony from a law professor and family violence advocates supporting stronger protections for survivors and suggesting a police report as an additional proof option. SB 512, a refiled bill restricting money transmission license holders from fining users for terms-of-service violations, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2145 on allowing certain TIF boards to meet virtually in narrow circumstances, SB 2268 on extending Texas Energy Fund loan deadlines in some cases, SB 1495 creating an EV supply equipment advisory board, SB 2154 regulating delivery network companies under a statewide framework, SB 2184 lowering the age for pyrotechnic operator and fireworks display permits from 21 to 18, SB 2211 on combining data centers, power generation, and produced-water desalination projects, and SB 647 on title theft protections and clerk authority to refuse fraudulent filings. Most of these bills were left pending after brief testimony and questions, with members focusing on reliability, regulation, and safeguards against fraud.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:56:11.280> of separate us from other types of separate us from other types of countries
• >> average monthly intake by type >> average monthly intake by type [clears throat]<
• /c> convicted of class A and class B convicted of class A and class B felonies.<02:11:32.400> Felonies
• <03:08:35.120> of service and um other types of service and um other types of uh<03:08:36.800
• serious types of offenses or violations. serious types of offenses or violations.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard testimony on two immigration-enforcement bills: HB 1886 HD1 and HB 2540 HD1. HB 1886 would limit state and federal collaboration in immigration enforcement, require visible identification and restrictions on facial coverings for law enforcement officers, and create offenses for improper masking, lack of identification, and unauthorized civil immigration interrogation, arrest, or detention. HB 2540 would also limit state and federal collaboration, require law enforcement agencies to adopt and publicly post written civil immigration enforcement policies, prohibit stops or arrests based solely on immigration status, and restrict state and county participation in civil immigration enforcement in certain places. Most testimony supported both measures. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Office of the Public Defender, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and several private individuals said the bills would increase transparency, accountability, and community trust, and would help protect constitutional rights and reduce fear among immigrants and other community members. Several testifiers emphasized Hawaii’s history and the need to keep local law enforcement separate from federal immigration enforcement, while others said the bills would help people feel safer going to court, school, work, or public protests. A retired police officer also supported visible identification and uniform standards for officers, including federal agents operating in Hawaii. A few testifiers opposed the use of masked or unidentified officers and argued that local police should not be diverted from ordinary public safety duties to immigration enforcement. One ACLU witness noted that the federal government has increasingly used local and state agencies to expand immigration enforcement, and said the task-force provisions in the bills are important to prevent blurred lines between agencies. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the meeting provided, but it recorded very large numbers of supportive testimonies for both bills, with only a small number in opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, are there any other companies doing this type of work in the United States?
• of work in the companies doing this type of work in the United<00:40:09.359> States?
• Appropriations B will have budget hearings at 9:30 in 2011A tomorrow.
• <01:20:43.280> Appropriations<01:20:44.239> B tomorrow in room 114.
• Appropriations B tomorrow in room 114.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 21 January, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a quorum call, and several guest introductions, including a pastor, a doctor of the day, medical students and physicians for MSMA White Coat Day, and visitors in the galleries. The chamber then moved to the calendar and took up House Bill 314, the Ibogaine Treatment Drug Development Grant Program Act. The sponsor described ibogaine as a potential treatment for opioid use disorder, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, depression, and related conditions, emphasizing that the bill would not legalize the drug but would authorize the State Department of Health to fund a consortium for FDA-regulated clinical trials with private matching funds, a university and hospital partner, and a requirement that at least 20% of commercialization revenue go to the state. Members asked about VA involvement, whether the trials would serve veterans or civilians, how the drug would be administered and monitored, why a statute was needed, and the source of the proposed state funding. The bill passed by a vote of 110 yeas and 1 nay. The House then considered House Bill 534, as a committee substitute, creating the Mississippi Health Exchange, a statewide health information exchange for real-time sharing of admission, discharge, transfer, and related patient information among hospitals, clinics, payers, and public health officials. The sponsor said the system would improve continuity of care, help with bed availability and mental health placements, and support public health analysis while protecting privacy through HIPAA compliance, an opt-out process, and limits on access to identified data. The bill would require hospitals, community mental health centers, and state hospitals to participate as a condition of licensure, designate a single nonprofit operator selected by the Department of Health, and create a fund for implementation and cybersecurity costs. Members questioned the bill about privacy protections, the opt-out process, whether data could be sold or shared improperly, costs to hospitals, whether hospitals and the hospital association supported the measure, and how the exchange would work in transfer scenarios. The sponsor said the bill would make unauthorized sharing illegal, that most hospitals already participate in some form of HIE, and that the exchange would not cost the state anything immediately because there was no appropriation attached. The discussion also noted possible help from rural transformation funding. The transcript ends during continued questioning of House Bill 534, before final passage or other action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• > for<00:34:22.320> legislative<00:34:22.960> consideration<00:34:23.839> 2.B<
• /c> Matter for legislative consideration 2.B Matter for legislative consideration 2.B is<00:34:25.119
• We don't have access to other types of nursing type facilities in our region that some of these others
• type<01:08:36.080> facilities.
• of nursing type facilities. of nursing type facilities. in<01:08:37.279> our<01:08:37.520

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:00 Approve Minutes from November 13, 2025- 00:00:55 RiverLink Tolling Operations for Louisville Bridges-Quarterhill Testimony- 00:01:48 Staff Report on Veterans’ Centers- 00:26:45 Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Response to Staff Report- 0:58:53 Adjournment- 1:18:00, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the November 13, 2025 meeting and then heard testimony from Quarter Hill, the tolling subcontractor for RiverLink on the Indiana-Kentucky bridge system. Quarter Hill described its role in back-office support and call center operations for the Lincoln, Kennedy, and Lewis and Clark bridges, and said the contract began in 2021 with go-live in September 2023. The company reported that revenue has increased since it took over, customer service response times have improved, and it has been operating at a loss because the contract was based on outdated transaction estimates and did not account for higher-than-expected volume and added support costs. Members questioned Quarter Hill about the role of consultants, the low reported collection rate, and why the company was leaving the contract. Quarter Hill said a single large consulting engineering firm had been hired to help shape the RFP and contract, but argued that consultants and overly detailed requirements can create disputes and hinder efficient service. On collection rates, the company said the reported 85% rate reflects the absence of registration holds and other enforcement tools, and that the remaining unpaid tolls are the hardest to collect. The company also said it had lost significant money on the contract and had reached a change order and termination agreement, while emphasizing that the system itself was functioning well. The committee then received a staff report on Kentucky veterans centers. Staff said quality of care is generally high and staffing has improved, but reported occupancy figures are misleading because they are based on certified beds rather than functional capacity after conversions to single-occupancy rooms and capital projects. The report said actual occupancy is closer to 85% than the commonly reported 56%, and that increasing occupancy would not necessarily increase revenue because the state’s cost of care exceeds reimbursement and private-pay revenue. Recommendations included adopting functional occupancy reporting, continuing the move to single-occupancy rooms, reviewing modernization needs at Thompson Hood, including Eastern Kentucky in planning, and referring the Radcliffe HVAC procurement and installation to the Auditor of Public Accounts and Attorney General for review.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a non-criminal, type of situation.
• <00:40:23.520> prior<00:40:23.920> to some type of resolution prior to some type of
• yet unlike in a traffic infraction type yet unlike in a traffic infraction type situation<00:40:
• <01:01:50.040> of been subjected to this type of been subjected to this type of treatment.
• these types of offenses these types of offenses the<01:01:54.040> consequences<01:01:54.800

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several Senate bills. On SB 2530, relating to campaign contributions, the State Procurement Office suggested clarifying that contractor disclosure information be submitted within 30 days of a fully executed contract, while the Campaign Spending Commission supported the bill but asked that the restriction on contributions by officers be expanded beyond compensated officers. Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action supported the measure and urged keeping the Senate language, arguing it better addresses contractor influence, while no other testifiers appeared. On SB 2970, relating to standards of conduct, the State Ethics Commission supported the bill and proposed amendments to consolidate the new language into existing Chapter 84 contract provisions and use “department head” instead of “director.” The State Procurement Office supported the measure but recommended closing a perceived loophole by limiting the covered contracts to those under $10,000. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee then heard SB 2919, which would fund one full-time Deputy Public Defender position focused on immigration-related advice under Padilla v. Kentucky. The Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrants’ Rights, and the ACLU of Hawaii supported the bill, explaining that the position would help public defenders advise clients about immigration consequences of criminal cases, not provide immigration representation. Members asked several questions about the scope of the position and whether it could assist with citizenship; testimony clarified that it would not handle civil immigration matters. The bill was also described as creating a statewide consistent resource for the public defender system. Finally, on SB 2446, relating to the judiciary, the Intermediate Court of Appeals supported adding a seventh associate judge position but noted the court has only recently been fully staffed at six judges and has improved output through internal changes. The chair emphasized that the bill authorizes the position without funding and encouraged the judiciary to return later if appropriations are needed. The committee also began hearing SB 2730, a criminal justice reform bill on warrantless arrests and citations. OHA supported reducing unnecessary arrests but objected to making citations visible on criminal records; the Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill, citing law enforcement flexibility, identification concerns, and possible litigation costs; and the Judiciary requested a later implementation date and suggested changes to citation-resolution language. The transcript ends while testimony on SB 2730 was still underway.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:46:05.760> of on and get through these types of on and get through these types of issues
• And I do have the note with that A and B or C.
• So, I believe with that A and B or C.
• So if it right now it requires A and B.
• c> of<02:07:54.639> licenses Anyone with those types of licenses Anyone with those types of

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• People who are age 19 or under; people who are pregnant or enrolled in Medicare Part A or B benefits;
• maybe Minnesota Care or some other type maybe Minnesota Care or some other type of<00:55:14.160>
• They could either go on to a MinnesotaCare-type product or, if that were not available, what if they
• type product<00:57:09.520> or<00:57:09.760> if<00:57:10.000> that<00:57:10.240>
• >> Director<01:04:20.960> B. >> Director B. >> Director B.

Bills: HR1

Keywords: January 6 insurrection, pardon, law enforcement, violent crimes, public safety, justice system, political accountability, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• B.
• B.
• B.
• B.
• B.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At the top of page two and B, it was any person or an organization whose membership is aggrieved by a
• At the top of page two and<01:12:12.080> B,<01:12:12.480> it<01:12:12.640> was<01
• it was any person or an and B, it was any person or an organization<01:12:14.560> whose<01:12
• Are you talking about an as-applied type of situation?
• >> Are you talking about an as applied type >> Are you talking about an as applied type

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The continued conference on House Bill 609 focused on reconciling House and Senate drafts dealing with firearms and other personal defense tools, local government preemption, and agency rulemaking. Representative Leyon walked through amendment 21107H, explaining that it narrows undefined terms, clarifies that the General Court has supremacy over local regulation, allows damages actions for violations of preemption law, and adds language limiting agency rules unless specifically authorized by statute. She also described a three-year sunset and a delayed effective date for new rules so existing rules could continue temporarily while the legislature considers any needed statutory carveouts. Members then debated the practical effect of the language, especially whether it would bar agencies from adopting internal employment rules or instead require those rules to come through JCAR and be tied to express statutory authority. Several examples were discussed, including state plow drivers, corrections employees, and other workers who may need to carry personal defense tools in the field. The committee also discussed a provision making a plaintiff a prevailing party if a municipality changes a challenged policy after suit is filed, and a clause stating that good faith or advice of counsel is not a defense, though it may be considered in mitigation. The discussion narrowed to the difference between the House approach, which some members read as an absolute prohibition on agency rules in these areas, and the Senate approach, which some members said would allow rules only when an agency can point to express enabling authority and JCAR can review them. Members agreed that the goal was to prevent agencies from adopting rules that conflict with the statute while still allowing legitimate safety-related regulations where the legislature has authorized them. The conference took a recess and later resumed with the chair stating the parties had reached an agreement in principle based on the latest Senate language, and Representative Leyon was asked to continue reviewing the draft line by line for remaining concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• evaluated in the study, or in the results, only 19.3% of schools received an A rating, 33.6% got a B
• That B student can become an A student. That C student can become a B student.
• Save a lot of money if the state managed those types of things?
• And you can do it, so you can go on the internet and you can type in the form information.
• We typed in the chat, GBT, and...

Bills: SB 13, SB 27, SB 57, HB1325, HB1655, HB3312, HB5526, SB13, SB57, SB207, HB441, HB591, HB5019, SB27, SB843

Keywords: lobbying, public funds, political subdivision, local government, county association, municipal lobbying, registered lobbyist, Texas Legislature, taxpayer lawsuit, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, government finance, county dues, state association of counties, sheriffs association, law enforcement officers, legislative advocacy, bill tracking, legislative alerts, Government Code Chapter 556

Transcript Highlights:

• This, and its location just north of Dallas, make the City of Plano the perfect place for these types
• of projects, the types of projects that the QHP program is designed to help bring to fruition.
• is a true headquarters relocation to Texas and will be the centerpiece of the PFZ and exemplify the type
• If there are no other questions, I just want to say this is exactly the type of policy and exemption
• Not necessarily Kerr County taxpayers, but everybody that would come there and use any of these B&Bs

Summary: The committee heard a long series of bills, most of them expanding or adjusting hotel occupancy tax or qualified hotel project authority for specific local governments. Measures discussed included HB 2404 for Childress County; HB 3066 for Allen’s Kalahari resort project; HB 4682 for Plano; HB 4683 for Anna; HB 3076 creating a project finance zone in Frisco; HB 3567 for Wichita County; HB 3715 for McAllen; HB 1039 for Alpine; HB 3182 for Burleson; HB 4926 for Grimes County; HB 4222 for Victoria County; HB 3377 for Katy; HB 4659 for Addison; HB 3241 for Georgetown; HB 4098 for Taylor; HB 3178 for Kerr County; HB 3179 for Mason County; HB 2289 for New Braunfels; HB 4412 for Kermit; HB 5165 for Monahans; HB 3500 for Bastrop; and HB 3169 for Carrollton. In each case, authors and local officials described tourism, convention, hotel, airport, or mixed-use development needs and argued the bills would help attract visitors, investment, and jobs. One non-hotel-tax bill, HB 4226, would exempt Texas food banks from sales tax on vehicle purchases and rentals, with testimony emphasizing the scale of food bank operations and the savings’ impact on meal delivery and disaster response. Testimony was generally supportive from city officials, economic development representatives, and industry groups such as the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association. Several witnesses described major private projects, including Kalahari in Allen, a proposed hotel and conference center in Addison, a mixed-use project in Georgetown, and a large development tied to Samsung growth in Taylor. For HB 4226, food bank representatives said the bill would help them purchase refrigerated trucks and other delivery vehicles, while an opponent questioned the fiscal note and the scope of the exemption. HB 4926 drew opposition from Camp Allen, whose representative argued a new county hotel tax would raise costs for guests and could hurt the retreat center’s operations. HB 3178 also drew an objection from a Kerr County resident who argued the tax would grow county government and pointed to event center losses, though the author said the revenue would support tourism-related county uses. The committee took no final votes on the bills in this transcript. After each bill was laid out and testimony concluded, the chair repeatedly asked whether there was objection to leaving the bill pending; in each instance, no objection was heard, and the bills were left pending. Several committee substitutes were offered and then withdrawn or noted as conforming drafts, but no bill was reported out or otherwise acted on beyond being left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• If we have any type of technical difficulties, we will make a public notice as to when we will reconvene
• should be looking to the federal government for more money and benefits, we explain to them that this type
• coming in when our own federal Fentanyl coming in when our own federal government<00:15:45.079> B<
• battled everything that the government B battled everything that the states<00:15:47.199> rightfully
• looking at the purview of the PUC, projects that are coming online, and we've seen where different types

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1295 HD2, relating to clean energy, and then on Senate Concurrent Resolution 140 and Senate Resolution 158, which seek an Article V Convention of States application. HB 1295 drew brief supportive testimony from listed supporters and one witness who said the bill would help future generations and address pollution, runoff, watershed planning, and cleaner energy alternatives. No committee action or vote was taken on the clean energy bill during the portion provided. Most of the hearing focused on SCR 140 and SR 158. Supporters argued the resolutions would let states, including Hawaii, propose constitutional amendments to address federal overreach, fiscal responsibility, deficit spending, term limits, and the balance of power between Washington and the states. Several supporters said state legislators are closer to the people and that Article V gives states a legitimate role in proposing amendments; some also cited debt, executive orders, and the need for long-term reforms. One witness from Convention of States Action said the movement is active nationwide and that the convention process would still require ratification by 38 states. Opponents, including representatives of Hawaii Children’s Action Network, Common Cause, Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii, and individual testifiers, warned there are no real guardrails on a convention and that it could open the door to broader constitutional changes. They said the effort is unnecessary, risky, and potentially harmful to environmental protections, social safety net programs, and civil rights, and argued that federal action is sometimes needed during recessions and emergencies. Committee members asked questions about whether the proposal was merely procedural and whether the states should act without Congress; the discussion ended with continued questioning, and no vote or final committee action is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in section one of the bill, the House has added language in B that the board shall utilize reference-based
• pricing to reduce hospital prices incrementally until they equal the national median prices by hospital type
• So it's a lot of work, and then you start moving into the types of services and so on. >> Okay.
• appreciate... ...working with this language to appreciate it, but number two on page 4556 and A and B.
• We look at services, types of services, look at... ...look at level of risk for patients that are being

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The, like, Part B, Part C, and our special needs are under with us as well.
• Part B, Part C, and our special needs are under with us as well.
• Do you see the HIPPY program, or programs like the home visiting type of programs, expanding upon that
• However, if we're able to increase more of the home visiting type of programs, at least they're in something
• closing, so we have eight on our list that closed because of funding, and I counted in that eight any type

Summary: The committee met to review early childhood education funding, access, and program sustainability, with Secretary Aleva and Director Ashland Abney providing updates on Arkansas’s ABC state-funded preschool program and the federal CCDF/SRA program. Members discussed the long-standing flat funding for ABC, which rose from $11 million to $14 million in 2018, compared with roughly $137 million in federal CCDF/SRA funding. Officials said ABC serves about 23,000 children, while SRA serves about 14,871 children and has a wait list of about 2,971 children. Members also asked for more data on rural versus urban access, provider types, and the number of slots and providers by region. A major topic was how to improve quality and access while aligning early childhood with K-12. Officials said the department is moving from the Better Beginnings environmental rating system toward CLASS observations, using local leads and a kindergarten-readiness strategy tied to quality improvement. Members raised concerns about deserts and islands in service availability, the cost of school-based versus community-based providers, and the need to support infant-toddler care as well as preschool. The commissioner said early learning should be part of long-term state education investment, but that simply adding money would not solve access gaps without broader structural changes. The committee also discussed recent funding changes and their effects on providers and families. Officials said a $14.741 million PDG-BFV competitive grant will support systems-building work, including local leads, workforce, data systems, and third-party CLASS observations, but it is a one-year grant and not direct service funding. Members questioned the impact of new co-pays, provider closures, and slot reallocations; officials said eight closures were tied specifically to funding changes, and that paying only for enrolled children rather than allocated slots saved about $576,000. They also discussed dual enrollment in home visiting and ABC, with officials estimating that limiting double enrollment could save about $2.4 million and potentially serve about 470 more children. The meeting ended with agreement to continue regular updates and further discussion, and the committee adjourned without a vote on legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• IF I SAW CORRECTLY, HILLSBORO IS CURRENTLY A B RATED DISTRICT SO MAYBE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT
• BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE FACED WITH REAL WORLD DISCUSSIONS ON THE TYPES OF TOPICS YOU MENTIONED. >> Chair
• HAZEL B SIMPSON IN MY HIGH SCHOOL TAUGHT, JUST BLEW MY MIND OPEN MY KNOWLEDGE TO WORLDS THAT HAD NO FAMILIARITY
• RESOLUTION TODAY, HOWEVER, IF THAT LANGUAGE IS INAPPROPRIATE, WHY DO WE MAKE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FOR THAT TYPE
• MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR CAME UP HEAR WHO I AM SURE HAS TALKED TO MULTIPLE STUDENTS, RIGHT, ABOUT ALL TYPES

Transcript Highlights:

• Executive Committee Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council met Thursday, January 15, in Room B
• you can go back, look at the history of Arkansas, even with the Constitution providing for certain types
• discovered in the education committee this past year that some school districts were getting some type
• Then I have issues with the types of programs recommended even by the Department of Education for school
• Moving on to item number eight B, Division of Parks. I'll entertain a motion to file as reviewed.

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, hey, as far as moving forward with any type of code adoption, this is a win-win as far as I'm concerned
• I don't believe they came to the council for any type of funding to repair that particular water leak
• Exhibit B is then going to be the version that is going to now be available to those school districts
• I'd like to understand how we got from maybe A first and then how do you get to B in this process of
• Other types of spaces are ineligible when the out-of-state planning guide prohibits them or does not

Transcript Highlights:

• So FEMA has a Category A and B, which are emergency.
• Categories C, D, E, F, and G are other types of permanent work.
• So I couldn't imagine how it would be on my acequia to have these kinds of disasters and this type of
• The DOT can only do the CAT-A-B work, which is debris removal and emergency repairs, but it is very challenging
• disasters, when we are doing work, whether it's knocking down a building, cutting down a tree, that type