Transcript Highlights:

• Fiscal Bureau, could you please explain this item in the request?
• The agency did not specify where the money would come from for the request.
• Where the money would come from for the request.
• in the committee's appropriation.
• in this legislative session, which, if approved by the committee, will then be forwarded to the Legislative

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee.
• We have five audit requests to consider.
• The one audit request on the proposed consent calendar is Senator Lackey's DMV license revocation request
• For all the requests for presentation, we'll do the standard format: the member who is requesting the
• Yeah, I think the request articulates two pages of questions that I think the requesters are anticipating

Summary: The committee met as a subcommittee for much of the hearing because it initially lacked a quorum, then later established one and began taking votes. The state auditor gave a status update on ongoing audits, including several JALAC-requested audits in progress, other statutory audits, staffing growth in his office, and the number of new JALAC audits his office could start in the coming months. The committee also heard that one audit request on Prop. 28 was held, and another PUC-related request was moved off consent and heard on the regular calendar. Members then heard and discussed several audit requests. Senator Cervantes presented a request to audit California fusion centers, with witnesses from the FBI and ACLU supporting the need for transparency and oversight; opponents argued the request was politically motivated and could interfere with counterterrorism work. Senator Allen presented a request on CPUC enforcement of Rule 21 interconnection timelines for solar and storage projects, supported by industry and school representatives who described long delays and financial harm, while CPUC staff said the issue was being addressed through workshops and a formal proceeding. Senator Perez presented a request to audit Caltrans’ administration of the former SR 710 extension properties and affordable sales program, citing tenant complaints about maintenance, pricing, and transparency; Caltrans said it was working to complete sales and improve administration. Senator Umberg presented a request to audit the Orange County Board of Education over transparency, contracting, litigation spending, charter oversight, and whistleblower issues, while board representatives said there was no factual basis for an audit and that existing legal remedies had not been invoked. After quorum was established, the committee approved the consent-calendar DMV license revocation audit and then approved the PUC utility timeliness audit and the Caltrans SR 710 audit. The fusion center audit was left on call after a split vote, and the Orange County Board of Education audit continued with testimony from the board’s representatives after the committee had already moved on to other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we think this appropriation is an appropriate request for recurring funding that is responsive to
• also requested.
• It's a PED appropriation. It flows to PED. They put out requests for applications.
• Appropriate, probably.
• Disapprove that it's appropriate for this legislative session, so what I'm thinking is maybe we want

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the payment requires an appropriation the payment requires an appropriation from<00:58:40.000><c
• </c> having to do Appropriations for the having to do Appropriations for the insurance<01:03:34.920><
• Yeah, I'm blanking out the appropriation amount. It still says so blank is appropriated.
• Got it: blank out the appropriation, put the appropriation request, the amount of $350,000, into the
• Got it: blank out the appropriation, put the appropriation request, the amount of $350,000, into the

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 410, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ biennium operating budget. OHA asked for a modest increase over its base budget, including $1.2 million to fund 13 new full-time positions for a strategy and implementation team tied to its long-term plan, with emphasis on housing, education, health, and economic resilience. OHA also described a broader effort to work directly with executive branch departments to improve outcomes for Native Hawaiians. Testimony was largely supportive, with several individuals speaking in favor and one testifier expressing strong frustration about Native Hawaiian rights and access to resources. The chair noted there were 38 additional written/supporting testimonies and three in opposition. Members asked about OHA’s funding sources and public land trust revenues; OHA said it is not receiving the full 20 percent share, described a public land trust working group and system issues, and said a related bill would seek funding to begin an inventory. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then considered House Bill 304, which would make the Hawaiian version of a law binding when the law was originally drafted in Hawaiian and later translated into English. The Judiciary supported the bill, saying it reinforces Hawaiian as an official language and looks to the original language for legislative intent. The Attorney General supported the intent but recommended narrowing the bill with a proviso to avoid ambiguities, limiting it to laws originally drafted in Hawaiian that were not later amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in English. Public testimony was generally supportive, though one speaker raised broader sovereignty concerns. Members questioned how many laws would be affected and whether the proposed amendment would undercut the bill; the Attorney General said the amendment was meant to address uncertainty in interpretation. No final action was reported. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 603, which would direct OHA to administer a Native Hawaiian business marketing program to promote Native Hawaiian-owned businesses through marketing and technical assistance. OHA supported the concept, saying a label or branding program could help consumers identify and support Native Hawaiian-owned businesses, but requested that funding be redirected to a working group to study program design, implementation, enforcement, and long-term viability. The chair noted four supportive testimonies had been received, and a member asked OHA to confirm that its programs serve all Hawaiians, not only those eligible for homelands; OHA said it serves all Hawaiians in the state. The transcript ends before any vote or further action on HB 603.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm wondering, was this a constituent request?
• last year or similar legislation?
• We have no guarantee that that legislation is coming.
• It was a request bill from the Department of...
• It was a request bill from the Department of Agriculture.

Bills: HB1427, SB1403, SB1448, SB1489, SB1546, SB1557, SB1614, SB1377, SB1990, SB1439, SB1630, SB1632, SB1696, SB1796, SB1824, SB1362, SB1849, SB2066, SB2071, SB2104, SB933, SB1633, SB1224, SB1246, SB1280, SB1303, SB1346

Keywords: tax credit, clean-burning fuel, hydrogen fuel cells, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, environmental impact, vehicle modification, renewable energy, job incentives, tax rebates, Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program, employment growth, wage requirements, Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, deceptive practices, exemptions, statutory exemptions, Corporation Commission

Summary: The Senate took up a long series of bills, mostly on third reading, with several unanimous or near-unanimous votes and a few more contested measures. Early action included House Bill 1427, which was substituted to add the bank privilege tax section to an existing clean-burning motor vehicle fuel tax credit without changing the cap or creating a fiscal impact; it advanced 45-0. Senate Bill 1403, an IEC recommendation affecting Quality Jobs incentives by requiring rebate claims within one year and eliminating the statewide wage threshold, passed 32-15. Senate Bill 1448, narrowing exclusions under the Consumer Protection Act to improve enforcement, passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1489, codifying IDEA-related procedures in state law and adding principal training and parent participation provisions, was amended on the floor, debated at length about implementation and special education services, and then passed 47-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1546 renamed and expanded the teacher scholarship program to Next Ed, increasing scholarship amounts while keeping the service commitment, and passed 37-10 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1557 transferred behavior analyst licensure duties from DHS to the State Board of Psychologists and passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1614 closed a loophole allowing adjunct teachers to teach early elementary reading and math and passed 46-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1377, requiring DHS to provide foster children with duffel bags and essentials, passed 46-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1990 strengthened the incentive evaluation report by requiring analysis of whether incentives actually changed business behavior, and passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1439, with amendments, barred certain climate-change-related lawsuits against fossil fuel entities operating within the law, and passed 40-7. Senate Bill 1630 allowed limited virtual instruction days during statewide testing and passed 47-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1632 moved career readiness assessment authority to the State Department of Education and clarified college-credit translation, passing 46-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1696, a local recruitment grant program to attract new residents to Oklahoma, failed 17-30, with notice of possible reconsideration. Senate Bill 1796 shortened the time for informal foster care arrangements from seven days to 72 hours and added guardrails, passing 46-0. Senate Bill 1824 updated the corporation and LLC statutes and passed 46-0. Senate Bill 1362 standardized in-person early voting hours across election types and passed 36-9. Senate Bill 1849 allowed the Podiatric Medical Examiners Board to approve certain medical marijuana continuing education for credit and passed 44-0. Senate Bill 2066 relaxed recording margin requirements for documents filed in multiple counties and passed 45-0 as an emergency measure. The final major item, Senate Bill 2071, a Department of Agriculture request bill updating milk regulation to cover all hooved mammals and align with federal authority, drew extensive debate over an amendment to remove the fee increase and over concerns that the bill would harm a small donkey dairy’s ability to advertise; the fee amendment was laid over, a motion to suspend the rules for an untimely amendment failed, and the bill itself was then advanced for further consideration after lengthy questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• the appropriation to the judicial branch, appropriating monies to the judicial branch for fiscal year
• House Bill 848, by the Appropriations Committee, an act relating to the appropriation to the legislative
• branch, appropriating monies to the legislative branch for the Legislative Services Office and the Office
• House Bill 848 by Appropriations Committee in Act relating to the appropriation to the legislative branch
• , appropriating monies to the legislative branch for the Legislative Services Office and the Office of

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, received Senate messages, and handled a long calendar of bills and resolutions. Early actions included the introduction and referral of several appropriations and policy bills, plus committee reports moving measures on transportation, education, and other topics. The chamber also welcomed a substitute representative and later recessed with plans to return in the afternoon. Among the major floor actions, the House passed Senate Bill 1332, a cash-transfer measure described as necessary to balance fiscal year 2026, by a vote of 59-9. The House also passed House Bill 545, which would allow certain military chaplains to obtain counseling licensure and bill insurance, after extensive debate over training equivalency and scope of practice; it passed 52-17 with one abstention. Other bills passed included House Bill 702 on securities ownership and Idaho law, House Bill 638 to restore the presidential primary, House Bills 765, 766, 767, and 797 on fire district boundaries, impact-fee administration, impact-fee use for equipment replacement, and fire district representation, and House Bill 672 limiting logos and slogans in the executive budget document. The House also approved House Bill 785 on school discipline for vulgar or inappropriate online conduct toward educators, House Bill 760 on property tax exemptions for workforce and affordable housing, and House Bill 789 ratifying the Coeur d'Alene Tribe Water Rights Settlement of 2026. In addition, the chamber adopted House Concurrent Resolution 27 honoring Idaho civilians who served and died on Wake Island during World War II, and passed House Resolution 25 regarding reviewed rules. Several measures were held on the calendar, and House Bill 833 on daily recess for elementary and middle school students was taken up after a two-thirds vote to suspend rules, with debate focused on whether the bill would unduly limit classroom discipline.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, I request a capital leave for Senators Muth and Pisciottano, legislative leaves for Comitta
• , and Senator Costa requests capital leave for Senators Pisciottano and Muth, and legislative leave for
• President, I request a recess of the Senate for the purposes of an Appropriations Committee meeting,
• Senator Pittman requests a recess of the Senate for the purpose of a meeting of the Appropriations Committee
• Senator Pittman requests a recess of the Senate for the purpose of a meeting of the Appropriations Committee

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine administrative business, including approval of the June 1, 2026 journal and several leave requests. The chamber then took up a series of bills and committee referrals, with House Bill 1042 initially sent to Appropriations and later re-referred to Rules and Executive Nominations after committee action. Several other measures were either passed, held over in their order, or re-referred, including House Bills 36 and 513 to Appropriations and various Senate and House bills set aside for later consideration. The most substantive floor debate centered on House Bill 96, where Senator Yaw offered Amendment A4096 to clarify the legal effect of historic tax sales of unseated lands. The amendment would treat certain historic tax-sale deeds as conveying full fee simple ownership, including severed subsurface rights, unless those rights were separately assessed, and would require documentary proof for claims of redemption. The amendment passed 36-14. The Senate also adopted Amendment A4183 to House Bill 1862 after a ruling that Senator Rothman had no conflict of interest and was required to vote; that amendment passed 46-4. Later, Amendment A4173 to House Bill 2559 was adopted 49-1, and House Bill 2559 then passed as amended. Several bills received final passage by unanimous 50-0 votes, including House Bills 482, 1102, 1830, 1860, and 2426, while House Bill 1862 and House Bill 96 were advanced as amended. The Senate also returned a slate of gubernatorial nominations to the governor on motion of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee. During petitions and remonstrances, Senator Tartaglione urged action to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, arguing the budget should not ignore low-wage workers. The session also included recognition remarks for Ed Sheehan’s retirement and a submission to the record on the Treaty of Paris. The Senate then recessed until July 12, 2026, at noon, and several bills were signed in the presence of the Senate before recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• This proposal requests a reappropriation of $883,000 of General Fund, which was previously appropriated
• As of right now, we have been requesting annual appropriations to continue the project.
• We're trying to understand where this appropriately falls to actually make the requests.
• There is also a continuous appropriation request for the Victims of Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund,
• Fund, continuous appropriations really reduce legislative oversight of the fund.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Persons disrupting legislative proceedings are subject to removal, arrest, or other appropriate legal
• Each patient must make two verbal requests, must submit a written request signed by two witnesses, make
• two verbal requests, must submit a written request signed by two witnesses, and must be evaluated by
• I respectfully request an aye vote.
• I respectfully request an aye vote on SB 146.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, and opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance recognizing 9/11. Members then moved through a long daily file and concurrence calendar, with many items passed without debate or temporarily retained. The chamber also took procedural actions, including re-referring AB 1152 to the Public Safety Committee, suspending rules for guest access and file-item handling, and later taking a roll-call vote to allow a late-filed journal letter request. Among the major Senate bills taken up on third reading, the Assembly approved SB 385 on peace officers’ rights, SB 753 on shopping cart recovery, SB 838 on housing and hotel projects, SB 643 on carbon dioxide removal grants, SB 645 on jury peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 761 on CalFresh access for students, SB 774 on real estate licensing sunsets, SB 400 on renewable energy labor tax incentives, SB 24 on utility spending transparency, SB 37 on attorney advertising ethics, SB 258 on spousal rape involving disabled spouses, SB 364 on outdoor advertising near new freeways, SB 403 removing the sunset from medical aid in dying, SB 770 on HOA barriers to EV charging, and SB 22 on gift certificate cash redemption values. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition; SB 403 and SB 770 drew more divided votes, while SB 24 was briefly delayed by a call before passing. The Assembly also concurred in numerous Senate amendments on Assembly bills covering a wide range of topics, including service of process (AB 747), local clean energy planning (AB 39), firearms (AB 1078), workers’ compensation (AB 1336), public health (AB 1487), survivor leave protections (AB 406), solid waste (AB 70), water reporting for data centers (AB 93), Diwali recognition (AB 268), wildfire workforce recovery (AB 338), educational equity (AB 419), civic education (AB 422), office-to-housing conversions (AB 507), cannabis tax relief (AB 564), privacy/browser opt-out rules (AB 566), housing element transparency (AB 610), tenant appliance requirements (AB 628), code enforcement penalties (AB 632), homelessness and LGBTQ-related policy (AB 678), energy (AB 740), DEIA review in state government (AB 766), inmate firefighter wages (AB 247), children’s health (AB 798), real estate (AB 851), COVID-era rehiring protections (AB 858), hazardous materials (AB 961), real property and housing covenants (AB 1050), aging (AB 1069), health care facilities (AB 1172), endangered species protections (AB 1319), CalWORKs modernization (AB 1324), cannabis access for seriously ill patients (AB 1332), foreign labor contractors (AB 1362), and downtown revitalization financing (AB 1445). Several of these passed overwhelmingly, while a few drew notable opposition, including AB 93, AB 403, AB 770, AB 851, AB 1050, and AB 1319. The transcript also included extended debate on SB 34, which was presented as a compromise measure on air pollution and port operations in the San Pedro Bay area. Supporters said it narrowed the scope to protect union jobs while preserving AQMD authority, while opponents and supporters alike noted the underlying distrust between labor and environmental stakeholders. The Assembly passed SB 34, SB 515 on disaggregated demographic data collection, and then began taking up AB 495 on immigration, with the sponsor describing family separation and immigration enforcement trauma before the transcript cuts off.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the 2027 legislative session, regional universities and community colleges will be requesting a predictable
• A special appropriation request through the Department of Information Technology. Perfect.
• New Mexico Tech is also doing work in quantum and has some special appropriation requests for you all
• We are requesting a $5 million appropriation to support our programs, educators, and students because
• And so there is a request for an increased appropriation that will allow us to do a few things.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And there's a very similar request for fiscal year 2027.
• And then the last request is the home energy rebates.
• And then the last request is the home energy funds.
• And then the last request is the home energy rebates.
• How do we as JFAC and as legislators... ...how do we as JFAC and as legislators help to make that a reality

Summary: The joint Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee first reviewed the Department of Juvenile Corrections budget. Legislative analyst Noah Peterson outlined the agency’s three programs, funding sources, recent expenditure trends, and proposed FY 2027 requests, including replacement items, IT upgrades, a clinician services transfer from Health and Welfare, and endowment-funded facility and vehicle needs. Director Ashley Dowell described the department’s mission, declining juvenile census, and the role of county partnerships, youth assessment centers, and prevention/diversion services. Members asked about the governor’s holdback, vehicle replacements, staffing, and whether any juveniles were under mandatory minimums; Dowell said the holdback was managed through contract reductions, travel/training savings, and internal efficiencies, and that the staffing analysis found the department was understaffed by 12 positions, with six vacancies already reclassified into direct care roles. The committee then heard the budget review for the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources. Analyst Peterson explained that the office is mostly federally funded, with several dedicated funds and large reappropriated balances tied to energy resilience projects; he also noted a home energy rebates request that was not recommended by the governor because of uncertainty at the federal level. Administrator Calli Younger said the office uses federal and state funds to support rural energy efficiency, wildfire prevention, permitting coordination, and policy work on hydropower, geothermal, mining, and nuclear energy. She emphasized the new nuclear task force, the office’s request for flexibility to support nuclear policy work, and efforts to improve permitting efficiency through a one-stop-shop approach and participation in FAST-41 processes. Members asked about nuclear fuel recycling, workforce needs, incentives, and a possible merger with the Office of Species Conservation; Younger said Idaho’s lab and regulatory certainty make it well positioned for nuclear growth, but workforce development and policy clarity remain key, and she described the merger idea as a way to consolidate overlapping permitting functions and reduce costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• UCP appropriations down to 10 percent.
• This revised request keeps their positions at line-item maximums, with requested increases shown on the
• The spreadsheet also details the revised requests for regular salary and match appropriations totaling
• Profury needed to answer legislators’ questions regarding his corrections work.
• legislative branch that has the right and authority to do that.

Summary: The committee met and took several budget-related items out of order. It first approved a revised Auditor’s Office letter and amendment that reduced requested salary and match increases to 10 percent for operations and UCP, and then approved a revised Lieutenant Governor’s Office request that kept positions at line-item maximums while revising regular salary and match appropriations to a total increase of $99,876. Both items passed without objection. The committee then considered a member amendment from Senator Rice to Senate Bill 30 affecting the Governor’s Office. The amendment would eliminate one Governor senior advisor position, reducing authorized positions from 59 to 58 and cutting regular salaries and matching funds by a total of $264,895. Senator Rice argued the change was warranted because of concerns about former Corrections Secretary Joe Profury’s conduct, transparency, and refusal to appear before Joint Performance Review. Members debated the relevance of the amendment to current duties, whether the governor could still hire the individual in another role, and whether a Board of Corrections member could speak. After discussion, the committee rejected the amendment on a roll call vote. Under regular business, the committee approved an OPM request to reinstate a labor market rate at the crime lab so it can recruit two medical examiners, with pay up to $300,000 for those positions. Members also approved Arkansas State University-Jonesboro’s request for 11 positions tied to the new veterinary medicine school, including clinic, lab, communications, mental health, and administrative roles. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This leaves $83.2 million remaining to be requested for appropriation in 26-27.
• We request $18.8 million to support programs.
• We would request that an additional $14.7 million be appropriated for each of these programs in fiscal
• new funding, has to be compared with all the other new funding requests, and all the new funding requests
• It has to be compared with all the other new funding requests, and all the new funding requests have

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, I would just add that the appropriations in this bill for the session—Senate, House, Legislative
• say the funding that's being requested in House Bill 1 is for that program for Legislative Finance Committee
• , Legislative Education Study Committee, and the Legislative Council Service.
• Chair, Senator, could you please clarify which appropriation request you're looking at?
• The Legislative Council Service is the administrator of the appropriations for the District Legislative

Transcript Highlights:

• Improvement requests we're seeking consideration for would be a supplemental appropriation for our employees
• We have two really major requests, both of which are special revenue requests for reappropriation.
• Requests, both of which are special revenue requests for reappropriation.
• That would be the legislative bottom room.
• And then, in the last few months, they have requested, I believe it was a six-page packet, requesting

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the prior meeting, and heard budget presentations from the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the State Auditor. The Secretary of State’s office described its FY27 budget, emphasizing efficiency gains from technology, election security work, and business services. It said it is operating with fewer staff than a decade ago, but rising costs and outdated statutory fees are creating deficits in service of process and other operations. The office asked the committee to consider either increasing fees or allowing it to retain a larger share of business-service revenue, and it also proposed creating an Office of Entrepreneurship to help small businesses navigate state government, grants, permits, and related services. Committee members questioned the Secretary of State’s office about fee increases, the current 50-50 split of certain revenues with general revenue, and whether the proposed entrepreneurship office would duplicate existing services. The office said it would complement, not replace, Commerce, SBDC, or grant programs, and would report metrics and policy recommendations to the legislature. The Attorney General then requested a one-time $2 million special revenue appropriation to hire additional lawyers and support staff, citing increased litigation, federal and state legal work, and the need to defend new laws. He also discussed embedded DMV lawyers handling DUI revocation hearings and said the arrangement costs the office just over $200,000. The State Auditor reported that his office is largely self-funded through special revenue and said he wants to reduce reliance on general revenue over time. He highlighted savings from renegotiated leases and an open government contract, discussed the need for more auditors in the Chief Inspector’s Division, and described fraud recovery and P-card operations. A major topic was delinquent land sales: the auditor said the office sold about 17,000 parcels last year and believes online bidding and better marketing could generate substantially more revenue, with the surplus potentially shared among counties, the state, and other programs. Members also asked about securities fee changes, fairness hearings, fire department audits, IT/cybersecurity, and how surplus proceeds from delinquent land sales should be handled. The committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• appropriations appropriations bill.
• Um, we look at evaluate member requests. We evaluate legislative member requests.
• We evaluate legislative member requests. We evaluate legislative priorities.
• they requested appropriation they requested appropriation they requested clarification that that funding
• So, you've heard the uh request. The you've heard the uh request. The you've heard the uh request.

Bills: HB 29, HB 125, HB 145, HB 171, HB 255, HB 50, HB 796, HB 363, HB 116, HB 491, HB 589, HB 1495, HB 368, HB 1285, HB 1905, HB 1360, HB 2002, HB 917, HB 2723, HB 2067, HB 1238, HB 2337, HB 745, HB 1188, HB 1606, HB 2003, HB 2147, HB 2391, HB 2355, HB 2546, HB 2495, HB 2818, HB 2249, HB 1749, HB 3109, HB 3228, HB 3240, HB 1507, HB 658, HB 1748, HB 1851, HB 1922, HB 2001, HB 2798, HB 107, HCR 29, SB 5, SB 262, HB 11, HJR 72, HB 106, HB 18, HB 48, HB 27, HB 37, HB 1481, HB 581, HB 1696, HB 2216, HB 1035, HB 1633, HB 742, HB 754, HB 1689, HB 1690, HB 2669, HB 391, HB 517, HB 1024, HB 1607, HB 252, HB 1716, HB 1562, HB 4116, HB 1866, HB 1741, HB 2103, HB 2637, HB 2884, HB 503, HB 1089, HB 2986, HB 972, HB 502, HB 29, HB 125, HB 145, HB 171, HB 255, HB 50, HB 796, HB 363, HB 116, HB 491, HB 589, HB 1495, HB 368, HB 1285, HB 1905, HB 1360, HB 2002, HB 917, HB 2723, HB 2067, HB 1238, HB 2337, HB 745, HB 1188, HB 1606, HB 2003, HB 2147, HB 2391, HB 2355, HB 2546, HB 2495, HB 2818, HB 2249, HB 1749, HB 3109, HB 3228, HB 3240, HB 1507, HB 658, HB 1748, HB 1851, HB 1922, HB 2001, HB 2798, HB 107, HCR 29

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• The way that it's written, I think you could turn somebody down, turn down a request based on the requester
• In his request for appeal, the filer stated that he doesn't have the funds to pay the fine and requested
• In her request for appeal, the filer requested a full waiver as it was not a deliberate act not to file
• Very briefly, I'll cover three things: one, our appropriations requests; two, how the sunset process
• With respect to appropriations, our requests are really focused on additional staffing.

Summary: The Texas Ethics Commission met on March 11, 2025, first in executive session and then in open session. The chair announced that, in light of Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-484, the commission would conform its practices to the opinion and move to repeal tolling rules for sworn-complaint deadlines. The chair also said the commission would dismiss 36 pending sworn-complaint cases in which the 120-day settlement deadline had been exceeded, even though the delay had been tolled under prior TEC rules. The commission then set future meeting dates for June 12 and September 17 and approved prior meeting minutes. The commission adopted a new criminal-referral rule clarifying that, once jurisdiction over a complaint is accepted, commissioners may vote to make a criminal referral. It also adopted revised advisory-opinion rules, with a clarifying amendment from a commenter, and republished proposed changes to the definition of “principal purpose” for political committees after staff recommended a 49 percent political-activity threshold and further public input. The commission published for comment proposed changes to ethics training rules, facial-compliance review procedures, late-filing waiver and reduction rules, and sworn-complaint procedures, including tighter discovery limits, a default-order set-aside process, and removal of tolling language inconsistent with KP-484. It also republished Chapter 28 rules on Speaker-candidate reporting. The commission adopted several advisory opinions. It declined to give an affirmative defense on whether certain school-district communications were political advertising because related litigation had already addressed the issue. It reaffirmed that a House member may use donated district-office space if it is not reimbursable with public funds and was accepted before the contribution moratorium. It also concluded that a judge may use political funds for travel to a Navy-hosted event as a local dignitary, that legislators’ use of a corporate aircraft for a border-region fact-finding trip could be permissible but would likely trigger reporting obligations, that a TCEQ commissioner’s revolving-door restrictions apply only to matters actually placed before the commissioner, and that a part-time legislative staffer may not take outside employment assisting a registered lobbyist. The commission then heard and acted on numerous fine-waiver appeals, granting several full waivers or reductions and approving staff recommendations on others, and terminated a number of inactive campaign treasurer appointments. Finally, the executive director briefed the commission on the 2025 legislative session, noting that staffing requests are tied to Sunset recommendations and that the House had preliminarily recommended about half of the commission’s appropriations requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reappropriation authority was not requested for fiscal year 2026 and is instead requested here as a supplemental
• This request, very similar to the last one, accounts for the difference between what was originally appropriated
• It says, “initiate a request for proposal.” That has been changed to “a request for information.”
• and fund it appropriately.
• So this supplemental request, excuse me, moves the appropriation from where it's historically been in

Summary: The committee considered a series of Idaho Department of Corrections budget supplementals and FY 2027 enhancement requests, including Hepatitis C fund spending authority, county and out-of-state placement costs, medical services, management services replacement items, state prisons replacement items, and community corrections replacement items. Most of these motions passed with due-pass recommendations, though the county and out-of-state placement request drew some opposition before passing. Members also discussed a separate intent-language item directing IDOC to begin a request for information on community reentry centers; supporters said it could identify more efficient operations, while opponents raised concerns about staff workload, funding, and accountability. That language ultimately passed. The committee then turned to the Commission of Pardons and Parole, approving a FY 2026 fund shift to support operating and personnel costs and a FY 2027 dedicated-fund increase for OITS hardware and budget restoration. After that, the Department of Health and Welfare budgets were taken up. In the Division of Welfare, members heard about SNAP federal match changes under H.R. 1, Medicaid expansion work requirements, and Medicaid eligibility system changes; the combined motion failed in the House committee. The committee then approved a budget-neutral fund source change for Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention to align the Liquor Control Fund appropriation with the Cooperative Welfare Fund. For Behavioral Health, the committee approved Mental Health Services changes tied to juvenile corrections clinical transfer funding, restoration of staff and funding related to the Jeff D. settlement, Idaho Behavioral Health Plan growth, and Allenbaugh House funding, along with related transfer and reporting language. It also approved a Psychiatric Hospitalization supplemental shifting Idaho Behavioral Health Plan revenue from federal to dedicated funds, and a FY 2027 psychiatric hospitalization budget that included endowment and fund-source adjustments, replacement items, and the ongoing behavioral health plan shift. Finally, the committee corrected a prior college and universities motion to restore four FTP for risk managers transferred from the State Board office, then adjourned after noting upcoming budget-setting deadlines and the next meeting schedule.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reappropriation authority was not requested for fiscal year 2026 and is instead requested here as a supplemental
• This request, very similar to the last one, accounts for the difference between what was originally appropriated
• It says, 'initiate a request for proposal.' That has been changed to 'a request for information.'
• and fund it appropriately.
• This supplemental request moves the appropriation from where it's historically been in federal funds

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee took up a series of Idaho Department of Corrections budget supplementals and FY 2027 enhancement requests. Members approved supplemental or ongoing funding for Hepatitis C treatment authority, county and out-of-state placement costs, medical services, management services replacement items and IT hardware, state prisons replacement items, and community corrections replacement items, with several motions passing by due pass recommendation after roll calls. In community corrections, the committee approved a reduced amount that excluded some vehicle replacements. The committee also approved a technical correction to the college and university budget to restore four FTP that had been omitted from yesterday’s motion. The committee then considered several Department of Health and Welfare items. It approved a budget-neutral fund source change for substance abuse treatment and prevention, moving $650,000 from the Liquor Control Fund to the Cooperative Welfare Dedicated Fund. In the Division of Welfare, members discussed SNAP administrative cost changes tied to H.R. 1, Medicaid expansion work requirements, and Medicaid eligibility system changes; the motion to fund all three items failed in the House committee, so no language advanced. The committee also approved psychiatric hospitalization supplemental funding to shift Idaho Behavioral Health Plan revenue from federal funds to dedicated funds. For FY 2027 mental health services, the committee approved a compromise package that reduced funding for a juvenile corrections clinical transfer and restored some mental health services staffing and Idaho Behavioral Health Plan costs, while adding Allenbaugh House funding through opioid settlement dollars. It also adopted language allowing certain transfers under state law and requiring separate reporting for children’s and adult mental health spending under the Idaho Behavioral Health Plan. For psychiatric hospitalization, the committee approved ongoing fund shifts for employee benefits, the Idaho Behavioral Health Plan, replacement items, and endowment fund adjustments. The meeting ended with notice of upcoming budget-setting work and a reminder for members to get any new motions to staff by early afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 15, very similar to our request for a continuing appropriation for the Insurance Regulatory Trust
• Fund... ...our request for a continuing appropriation for the insurance regulatory trust fund that is
• It would have been nice if we or if the appropriators in the Senate division that does our appropriations
• That is the legislative policy decision.
• Act is probably more appropriate and then have the Legislative Council work that out because we are going

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Industry and Business reconvened to work on House Bill 1584, which would create a new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) regulatory structure within the Insurance Department. Insurance Commissioner John Godfrey and Deputy Commissioner John Arnold explained a revised set of amendments negotiated with Representative Casper and the North Dakota Pharmacists Association. They said the bill largely kept the House policy intact but added technical corrections, narrowed some references in Chapter 19-02, created a separate PBM licensing class, set a delayed effective date for licensing, and established emergency authority so the department could begin building the new division. They also described the proposal to fund the program through existing trust fund resources, PBM license fees, and a transfer of about $1.6 million from the prescription drug transparency program fund, while allowing the department flexibility to hire needed attorneys, pharmacists, and examiners. A major point of discussion was Section 10, which would have required the Attorney General to represent and bear costs for lawsuits related to the bill. Chief Deputy Attorney General Claire Ness said the language was too broad and would go beyond normal constitutional defense work, potentially obligating her office to cover all lawsuits against the commissioner or state under the section. Representative Casper said the intent was only to avoid the Insurance Department having to seek emergency funding for litigation, and both he and department officials said they were open to removing the section or narrowing it. After further discussion, the committee agreed to remove Section 10 from the amendments. The committee then voted 4-0 to adopt the amended amendment package, and then voted 4-0 to give House Bill 1584 a do pass recommendation as amended and refer it to Appropriations. Members noted the bill was still a work in progress, but said the revised version was intended to move the PBM regulation issue forward while continuing discussion in the appropriations process.