Transcript Highlights:

• The last piece I wanted to review: our allocation and grant state funding.
• So not every agency gets the exact same CSBG allocation."
• "Everybody gets a base allocation.
• And then what's allocated above and beyond the base allocation is based on census data, reflecting the
• There is a lack of statewide communication, bonding, and school readiness.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Human Services Committee met in interim session and first approved the previous meeting minutes before receiving a series of presentations on homelessness and housing stability. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency updated members on the new Interagency Council on Homelessness, describing its executive-order mandate to review resources, gather input from stakeholders, identify gaps, and develop recommendations. She said the council’s first work is building a statewide program matrix of existing homeless services and funding sources, with attention to youth, tribal communities, and other vulnerable populations. Members raised concerns about youth homelessness, homeless veterans, and how the council will stay focused on a practical framework rather than getting lost in details. The committee also discussed possible connections to the rural health transformation grant and agreed to continue the topic later in the spring. Beth Olson of Presentation Partners in Housing described the organization’s housing-first model in Cass County and Clay County, including homeless prevention/diversion, housing navigation, and Cooper House, a 42-unit permanent supportive housing building in Fargo. She said the organization focuses on people with long-term and chronic homelessness, many with mental health, addiction, health, domestic violence, and Indigenous identity-related barriers, and reported strong outcomes: 85 of 86 people housed in 2025, 91% still housed after one year, and major reductions in emergency room use, ambulance rides, jail stays, detox days, and shelter use. She also explained that state funding has grown from a small share of the budget to about $1.1 million in state-connected funding for fiscal 2026, largely through contracts tied to supportive services. Members asked about vouchers, rent contributions at Cooper House, length of stay, and whether similar projects could be expanded elsewhere. Andrea Olson of the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota outlined statewide homeless and housing-related services delivered through six community action agencies in all 53 counties. She explained the Community Services Block Grant structure, said housing was identified as the top need in the most recent statewide needs assessment, and described programs including Supportive Services for Veteran Families, North Dakota Homeless Grant services, and Home ARP supportive services. She emphasized that the end of North Dakota Rent Help has increased pressure on the system, that the current $2 million annual homeless grant is far smaller than prior rent-help assistance, and that community action is using case management and financial assistance to move households toward self-sufficiency. Members asked about funding formulas, rural service delivery, and coordination with Presentation Partners to avoid duplication. YouthWorks then began a presentation on youth homelessness, describing services for ages 12 to 24, the special needs of youth and former foster youth, and the organization’s use of federal and state funds to support transitional housing, emergency shelter, maternity housing, and diversion services.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:36:51.359> So,<00:36:51.520> we to allocate to all these things.
• So, we to allocate to all these things.
• <00:37:07.200> So, allocate to these other things. So, allocate to these other things.
• Our bond rating was decreasing over time, and when I came in '16, uh, we were teetering as a state.
• Our bond rating was decreasing over time, and when I came in '16, uh, we were teetering as a state.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met without a quorum, so the minutes were not approved. The main presentation was from retired economics professors John Garren and Dr. Kums, who discussed their Bluegrass Institute research on teacher compensation in Kentucky since the Kentucky Education Reform Act era. They said teacher base salaries, adjusted for inflation, have declined over the last decade, while state-paid “on-behalf” benefits such as pension and health insurance contributions have risen sharply; they argued total teacher compensation has increased modestly overall, but less than per-pupil funding. They also presented broader context on staffing growth, declining average daily attendance, Kentucky’s low share of teachers among total school staff, and flat or weak NAEP and ACT performance trends, including widening white-Black score gaps on NAEP. Members questioned the methodology and interpretation of the compensation figures. Representative Bojanowski argued the on-behalf calculations may overstate teacher compensation because they include insurance and pension costs that also benefit classified employees and retirees, and he asked for clarification on the denominator used to derive the per-teacher amount. Representative Truit said the presentation could be misleading if it implies teachers earn $94,000 in salary, and he objected to framing pension stabilization payments as teacher pay. The presenters responded that they were using total compensation, not salary alone, said they had divided total personnel-related on-behalf payments by the relevant staff count, and promised to review and send a technical explanation. Representative Truit and Chairman Typton both emphasized that compensation should be viewed as salary plus benefits, not salary alone, and noted that pension contributions are part of the cost of employing teachers. The presenters said their intent was to show the full compensation package and its relevance to labor supply and teacher shortages, not to claim that individual teachers earn the total compensation figure as salary. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the decision to revisit the minutes at a later meeting due to the lack of quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, the report’s special order calendar and allocation of times...
• I know that neither of us are bond raters.
• I know that neither of us are bond raters.
• As far as the funding sources that would may or may not affect a credit rating associated with a bond
• As far as the funding sources that would may or may not affect a credit rating associated with a bond

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Basically, we're allocating $300 million, which has never been done, that hasn't been done anywhere in
• How is an ASA supposed to verify the immigration status of someone at bond hearings across the street
• How is an ASA supposed to verify the immigration status of someone at bond hearings across the street
• Include an amendment that requires a source of funds to post bond. And I'll vote for it.
• Include an amendment that requires a source of funds to post-bond. And I'll vote for it.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met to hear SB 2-C, a major immigration enforcement bill sponsored by Senator Gruters and co-introduced by Senator Fine. The sponsor described the bill as a response to federal immigration priorities and said it replaces a single immigration officer with a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, expands local-federal cooperation, increases penalties for crimes committed by unauthorized immigrants, requires detention in certain cases, broadens information sharing, funds detention-bed expansion and law-enforcement training, and ends in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. The bill also includes provisions related to sanctuary policies, voter fraud, transport of unauthorized aliens, and driver’s license-related offenses. The sponsor said the bill appropriates roughly $300 million overall, including $250 million for grants and $48 million for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for interdiction and border-related enforcement work. Committee members questioned the bill’s scope, costs, and implementation. Senators focused heavily on the tuition-waiver repeal, asking how many students would be affected and whether the bill would harm students who have long lived in Florida. They also pressed on whether the bill should include stronger E-Verify provisions, how sanctuary-policy enforcement would work, whether local officials could be penalized for policy choices, and how immigration status would be verified in court and jail settings. The sponsor and Senator Fine said the tuition waiver would be removed for undocumented students, that the bill does not address E-Verify, and that the measure is intended to make immigration status a factor in detention and sentencing. Questions also addressed detention-bed capacity, reimbursement rates, and whether corrections staff would receive bonuses or salary increases; sponsors said bonuses are included for participating law enforcement, while broader salary issues would be handled in the regular budget process. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters and information-only witnesses, including Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and former officials, said the bill would help Florida coordinate with federal authorities, expand bed space, and close loopholes in existing immigration enforcement. Opponents from the Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU of Florida, Florida Policy Institute, labor groups, and immigrant advocates argued the bill is unconstitutional, likely to trigger litigation, and harmful to families, schools, and the economy. They warned that the pretrial detention provisions could lead to wrongful detentions and that the tuition changes would reduce access to higher education and cost the state tuition revenue. No final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt, but the committee continued through public comment and extended the meeting to complete the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got $1.7 million that has been allocated to help us kick these demonstration program into gear,
• roadmap through Senator Trudeau's leadership we've got one point seven million dollars that has been allocated
• I could go down and get one right now with my driver's license as long as I could put up a bond.
• the option of just rezoning to residential really isn't there, as we're required to balance our allocation
• The option of just rezoning to residential really isn't there, as we have to balance our allocation for

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee work session focused first on Civic Commons’ “starter home production plan,” a statewide strategy intended to increase production of homes affordable to households roughly between 60% and 120% of area median income. Presenters said the Covenant Home Ownership program will not succeed without more starter homes, and outlined recommendations including a temporary cross-sector crisis task force, a developer network, new financing tools, public seed funding, and a multi-site demonstration program to test off-site construction and standardized designs. Committee members asked about silos in the current system, the role of off-site and modular construction, target income ranges, and where the plan would be most useful. Civic Commons said the plan is meant to be statewide, community-informed, and respectful of local context, with pre-approved plans and standardized approaches for both single-family and multi-unit housing. The Department of Labor and Industries then gave an update on factory-built housing oversight. Officials said residential factory-built structures are a small but important part of their work and described progress in prioritizing residential plan reviews, which they said has reduced review time from months to about two days. They also reported creating a plans examiner supervisor position, moving forward with rules for third-party plan review and inspection, and beginning analysis of national standards from the Modular Building Institute to see whether they align with state code. Committee members and L&I discussed the value of standardized plans, real-time tracking for applicants, and the role of state inspection in reducing local jurisdictional variation. The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council testified that it supports efforts to reduce permitting delays and increase housing production, but warned against weakening safety standards or labor protections. The labor representatives said prefabrication and modular construction can help if the workforce is protected, wages and apprenticeship opportunities are preserved, and projects use tools such as community workforce agreements. They also raised concerns about wage theft, misclassification, and unlicensed contractors in residential construction, and suggested stronger front-end contractor education or licensing. Committee members responded that the goal is to expand production without sacrificing safety or good jobs. The committee also heard city perspectives on local housing reforms. Olympia described its affordable housing emergency ordinance, which gives qualifying projects priority in the permitting queue, and said success depends on communication among housing staff, planners, engineers, and developers. Walla Walla, an early adopter of middle housing, reported increased ADUs, duplexes, and smaller-lot development after eliminating single-family zoning and expanding tools such as MFTE and ADU flexibility. Des Moines described adopting middle housing and ADU ordinances in June 2025 after a lengthy public process, while Poulsbo described proactive code changes including duplexes on corner lots, unit lot subdivisions, manufactured home protections, expanded ADU allowances, and pre-approved ADU plans shared with neighboring jurisdictions. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• , such as Panama's plans to ameliorate the water level challenges, the bidding processes used to allocate
• The Canal Authority informed us they were already making changes to that allocation system.
• It can issue its own bonds. It has independent governance.
• What Panama did is they had a smaller percentage, maybe 20% allocation, and then they moved it up to
• Well, this is the other way; this is capitalist, but it is a different way of allocating space that they're

Transcript Highlights:

• Those is not general funds but it is allocated is not general funds but it is allocated to<01:35:40.880
• <01:35:47.880> share building and it is their allocated share building and it is their allocated
• We and we allocate them allocate them.
• generally they represent the allocated generally they represent the allocated cost<01:36:40.639>
• that allows for precise cost allocation. that allows for precise cost allocation.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• all these school buildings that we are building with foreign materials because... ...they can be allocated
• And I've always been puzzled why we bond for one of those five-year cars, and usually that bond is longer
• In other words, okay, we're going to—we need a hundred cars, and we go out and bond for 100 cars.
• Cars and we go out and bond for 100 cars. Five years later, we have to do the same again.
• And often the answer is we don't have bond capacity.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight heard testimony on several procurement-related bills. Senator Lovely and steel industry witnesses supported S. 2167/H. 3411, which would require preference for U.S. manufacturers on public construction projects using steel and other materials. They argued that Canadian and other foreign fabricators underbid Massachusetts firms because of exchange rates, subsidies, and different labor-cost structures, causing local job losses and economic leakage. Committee members asked about tariffs, market share, and whether the bill should be folded into broader municipal legislation; the witnesses said public work should stay in Massachusetts and that the bill would help preserve local industry and jobs. The committee also heard strong support for S. 2107, a bill to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in state and municipal contracting. Work Inc. testified that a preference for contractors employing people with disabilities would expand competitive employment, reduce reliance on public assistance, and generate net savings for taxpayers. Members asked about the estimated savings and whether recent federal changes to benefits would affect the numbers; the witness said the figures may need updating but that the underlying employment opportunity remains important. Another bill, H. 3339/S. 2187, would prohibit state and municipal contracts for new artificial turf fields containing zinc, plastic, or intentionally added PFAS. Sponsors and supporters cited health risks, heat retention, injuries, and PFAS contamination, while committee members discussed local bans, disposal problems, and whether indoor facilities or alternative materials could be used. Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro testified in favor of H. 12 and H. 13, which would update Chapter 30B procurement thresholds and allow municipalities to bundle snow hauling and removal with plowing contracts. He said the changes would give local governments more flexibility, reduce confusion between school and municipal procurement rules, and make snow contracts more attractive to vendors. Members questioned whether quasi-public agencies and state entities should also be subject to 30B, and Shapiro said many public entities have their own procedures but that transparency and fairness should apply across the board. The committee also heard support for S. 2150, a software licensing bill aimed at preventing vendor lock-in by ensuring state agencies can run purchased software in the infrastructure that best fits their needs; the witness said restrictive licensing can drive up costs and create cybersecurity and modernization problems, and that similar laws have already passed in several other states.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes approximately $170 million in accelerated climate bond funding to conservancies for forest
• For Clean Cars for All, this bill eliminates the requirement for the Air Resources Board to allocate
• It's been three years of that allocation, and I just keep hearing from all school districts.
• The $20 million allocation, which the Legislature put in, is to support that.
• It doesn't include... ...million to $750 million in yearly allocations.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee held an informational hearing on the final three-party budget agreement and related trailer bills, with the Department of Finance outlining the major budget bill and omnibus measures. Finance described a package built around balancing the state budget amid economic uncertainty, preserving core health and safety-net programs, and making significant ongoing reductions in some state programs. The budget bill included major items such as shifting $1 billion from the General Fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for Cal Fire, funding universal transitional kindergarten, deferring some UC and CSU funding, supporting foster care and homelessness programs, providing Proposition 36 implementation funding, and achieving Medi-Cal savings through changes to benefits and eligibility. The committee also heard that votes on the budget bills were expected later in the week and the following Monday. Finance then walked through the trailer bills, including health, human services, early learning, education, resources, energy, transportation, labor, housing, tax, public safety, courts, general government, cannabis, and energy-related measures. Notable provisions included a Medi-Cal enrollment freeze for certain adults, new premiums and benefit changes for some immigrants, child care COLA changes, education funding for literacy, teacher support, universal meals, and community college student support, as well as resource and climate measures affecting Cal Fire staffing and energy permitting. The housing trailer bill drew the most discussion, with provisions on CEQA streamlining, a vehicle miles traveled mitigation banking program, a renters’ credit trigger, and a six-year moratorium on new residential building standards. Members also discussed a film tax credit expansion, cannabis enforcement funding, a tribal police pilot program, and changes to tax policy, including military retirement income exclusions and wildfire settlement payment exclusions. Committee members largely praised the staff and the budget process, but several raised concerns and asked detailed questions, especially about the housing trailer bill’s new wage standards, tribal consultation provisions, and possible effects on prevailing wage protections. Finance explained that the housing language was intended to set wage floors for market-rate projects receiving CEQA streamlining, with different county-based tiers and a notwithstanding clause preserving existing prevailing wage laws. Members also questioned the size and timing of funding for the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, Clean Cars for All, Proposition 36, and the film tax credit expansion. Other members highlighted support for public safety, veterans’ tax relief, child care providers, housing production, and higher education, while some expressed concern that the budget’s policy changes were being negotiated too quickly or without enough stakeholder input.

Transcript Highlights:

• from now in courtroom. 2 D I was in a a say supposed to verify the immigration status of someone at bond
• going to be considered. >> Under Mister under 903 point 0, 4, 6, at someone who's done a number of bond
• and to and hold a separate hearing to identify the source of funds that might be used to post that bond
• to drug trafficking case will do that all day long and save some of going to post a million dollar bond
• for it including amendment for E verify including amendment that requires source of funds to post bond

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any allocation of state revenues directly shared with local governing bodies not otherwise guaranteed
• those payments. those payments. any<01:52:11.920> allocation<01:52:12.480> of<01:52
• :12.719> state<01:52:13.040> revenues any allocation of state revenues any allocation of
• , 16, tax increment obligations, bonds, 16, tax increment obligations, bonds, warrants,<03:42:21.439
• > other Bonds, warrants, notes, or other Bonds, warrants, notes, or other evidences<04:09:17.920

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The meeting included a Senate recognition ceremony honoring the Winona High School boys basketball team for winning the 2026 Alabama High School Athletic Association 5A state championship. A resolution was read commending the team for its 101-40 victory over Silicag, noting the team’s record-setting performance, Brendan Davis’s MVP honor, the contributions of other players, and Coach Cedric Lane’s leadership. Senators and the lieutenant governor praised the players’ sportsmanship, the school community, and the team’s historic season, and copies of the resolution were presented to the team, coaches, and administrators. Several guests and school representatives also spoke briefly, including the coach and principal, who thanked the Senate and noted the team’s success and the principal’s retirement after 35 years. After the recognition, the Senate returned to session and adopted the Committee on Rules report setting the special order calendar. The calendar included Senate Bill 99 on the Ten Commandments, Senate Bill 298 on Class 3 municipalities, House Bill 381 on camp safety, Senate Bill 370 on tax increment districts, Senate Bill 363 on the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, House Bill 466 on firefighters, House Bill 95 on elections, House Bill 259 on stablecoin, and Senate Bill 342 on education. The chamber then took up SB 99, sponsored by Senators Kelly and Sessions. Senator Kelly described the bill as requiring local school boards to display the Ten Commandments, together with founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Alabama Constitution preamble, in certain history classrooms and common areas for grades five through 12, using donated displays and funds when available. He said the bill was intended as a historical and educational measure, not religious instruction, and emphasized the inclusion of a disclaimer stating Alabama is not establishing a religion. After extended debate and a petition to close debate from the Rules Committee, the Senate voted on the bill by long roll and passed SB 99, with the recorded vote announced as 30 yeas and 4 nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• Or, I don't—I mean, we do larger allocations to nonprofits, but I mean, this is a large chunk of money
• Or, I don't—I mean, we do larger allocations to nonprofits, but I mean, this is a large chunk of money
• <00:53:42.800> limit<00:53:43.200> for which increases the bonding limit for which
• increases the bonding limit for the<00:53:43.760> State<00:53:44.079> Armory<00:53:44.640
• So, this bill allocates about $779 million in projects in every corner of our great state.

Bills: HF2446, HF2563, HF2444

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• Congress can do fantasy math, but bond investors don't, and this week they sent us a message.
• The bond investors who bond our debt demanded higher interest rates on the 10-year note, 20-year note
• BUT BOND INVESTORS DON'T AND THIS WEEK THEY SENT US A MESSAGE.
• THE BOND INVESTORS WHO BOND OUR DEBT DEMANDED HIGHER INTEREST RATES ON THE 10 YEAR NOTE, 20 YEAR NOTE
• The gentleman from Virginia who knows something about the bond market. Mr. Beyer: Mr.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also ask the legislature to consider increasing the amount allocated to the HEF funds to meet the
• Part of this was that we want more transparency in how this money is allocated.
• University Medical Center contributed 30 million dollars in their bond.
• So I don't see any community colleges floating a lot of bonds right now to the voters.
• There's also a benefit in it for you as budget allocators.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But this week, the USDA announced that it would not use emergency funds specifically allocated to this
• emergency funds specifically allocated emergency funds specifically allocated to<00:01:31.360>
• It's our bonding bill.
• So we do get 20% of our allocations in cooperative agreement funds from USDA. Those are safe.
• <01:19:14.080> cooperative our our allocations in cooperative our our allocations in cooperative

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When voters passed Prop 1A, the $9.95 billion bond to provide the nation's first high-speed rail project
• But the smaller airports will get more revenues, whether you have a 50% allocation going directly back
• So we are moving, I think, towards a little bit more equitable allocation.
• It's 50% plus what they will get out of the other 50% allocation.
• What I will also add is that when I first introduced this measure, I tried to allocate a large fund of

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 86, which would extend and expand the CAEATFA sales and use tax exclusion program through 2031, raise the annual cap from $100 million to $200 million, and add fusion energy. Supporters, including the State Treasurer and industry and labor representatives, cited billions in clean-tech investment, job creation, and environmental benefits; county groups opposed the bill over local revenue losses. The committee approved SB 86 on a 12-0 roll, holding the roll open for additional members. The committee then heard SB 545, which would require Go-Biz to study economic development opportunities along the California high-speed rail corridor, including land value, development incentives, and public-private partnerships. Labor, Fresno’s mayor’s office, and other stakeholders supported the bill as a way to spur corridor development and future funding opportunities, while one business group moved from opposition to neutral after amendments. The bill passed on a 9-1 vote, with the roll held open. Members next considered SB 63, a Bay Area transit funding measure authorizing a regional revenue measure to support transit operations amid looming fiscal shortfalls. The author and witnesses described severe service cuts that could follow without new funding, while committee members raised concerns about the bill’s structure, county participation, polling, and whether other revenue options should be considered. The bill advanced on a 9-3 vote, with the roll held open, and the committee also approved SB 263, directing a state study of tariff impacts on California’s economy and supply chains, on an 11-0 vote. Finally, the committee heard SB 661, which would redirect aviation-related tax revenues back to airports for aviation purposes and bring the state into compliance with federal requirements; testimony focused on airport modernization, rural access, and allocation formulas, but no final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties
• They were soon joined by hotel employees Tammy Hall and Donovan Bond, who assisted performing CPR until
• focused on school mentorship, outreach, and community engagement, he has worked to strengthen the bond
• <01:03:15.280> between<01:03:15.680> schools, strengthen the bond between schools,
• strengthen the bond between schools, families,<01:03:17.280> and<01:03:17.599> law<01:03

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And $50 million bond issue that built new schools all over the county for the school system.
• We can, um, put a special allocation in place to help offset some of the cost of the lack of investigators
• We can, um, put a special allocation in place to help offset some of the cost of the lack of investigators

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• cash, immediately turned it into programmable funds in our work program, and then leveraged it with bonding
• idea, every new project that comes to the table is just going to be further dividing the current allocation
• idea, every new project that comes to the table is just going to be further dividing the current allocation

Summary: The Committee on Transportation received a presentation from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles on Florida’s camera-based traffic enforcement programs: red light cameras, school bus stop-arm cameras, and school zone speed cameras. The department explained how each program works, the distinction between a civil notice of violation and a uniform traffic citation, and the fee distribution for each type of violation. It also reported preliminary data showing 42 jurisdictions operating red light cameras, with 496 cameras at 302 intersections and 923,133 notices of violation in fiscal year 2024-2025; for the newer school bus and school zone programs, the department said preliminary figures showed five active school bus programs and 40 active school zone programs, with prior-year totals of 61,150 school bus notices and 26,300 school zone notices. Senators asked about camera placement, school zone requirements, review procedures, and whether law enforcement or third parties are involved in reviewing violations. The committee then received an update from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue on the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative, which used $4 billion in general revenue to advance a $7 billion package of 20 major congestion-relief projects. He said the department has used innovative delivery methods, including modified phased design-build, voluntary acceleration, and structured acceleration, to move projects forward faster and control costs. He highlighted progress on projects including I-4 congestion relief lanes, the Golden Glades Interchange, I-95 at US-1, I-75 auxiliary lanes, I-75 at Pine Ridge Road, and I-275 in Tampa, and said 80% of the plan is expected to be underway by the end of 2026, with four projects remaining in 2027. Members asked about temporary traffic patterns at Golden Glades, subcontractor opportunities, public transportation planning, contractor safety and OSHA issues, bridge strikes, logistics hubs near airports and seaports, aggregate and material supply, local government coordination, and federal transportation funding. Secretary Perdue said FDOT continuously reevaluates traffic management plans, works with small businesses and local subs, and monitors contractor safety closely, including corrective action plans after incidents. He emphasized that Florida’s transportation revenues are flat, that the state remains largely state-funded, and that additional resources are the main thing the Legislature can provide to support future infrastructure delivery. The committee adjourned after the chair requested FDOT staff provide senators with district-specific project updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• rates went up, so the jackpot size is a function of the amount of cash we have on hand multiplied by a bond
• 06:35.400> a of cash we have on hand multiplied by a of cash we have on hand multiplied by a bond
• 36.280> which<00:06:36.360> is<00:06:36.520> interest<00:06:36.800> rate bond
• factor which is interest rate bond factor which is interest rate driven<00:06:37.680> equals<
• Because there is no point in allocating it, but just in terms of the gross profit per product.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a budget presentation from New Hampshire Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre and CFO Jim Durus. McIntyre said the Lottery has more than tripled its return to the Education Trust Fund since 2011, from $62 million to $207 million in FY 24, while keeping expenses relatively flat over time. He explained that the Lottery operates like a business, is heavily audited, and that the governor’s budget raises the FY 26-27 revenue estimate to $185 million, up about $12 million annually from prior estimates. He attributed FY 24’s unusually strong results to record Powerball sales driven by a spike in billion-dollar jackpots tied to higher interest rates, and said scratch tickets still make up most gross sales, though Powerball is the highest-margin product. Members questioned the Lottery about the difference between gross revenue and profit, the steep rise in operating expenses, and the reasons for requested budget increases. McIntyre said the main drivers were payroll, benefits, advertising, added regulatory responsibilities from expanded gaming, and a new Salesforce customer-tracking system. He also described requested capital needs, including an outdated security system, building access and ADA improvements, and upgrades to the front office for employee safety. He said the security system is still running on an old Windows 7-based setup and that the requested upgrade would modernize cameras and add redundancy. The discussion also covered staffing and gaming expansion. McIntyre said the Lottery has 84 employees including three commissioners, with 13 funded vacancies, and that it plans to fill positions as two new gaming rooms come online in Rochester and Derry. He said the Lottery’s revenue estimates were revised upward because sports betting in Massachusetts had less impact than expected and historic horse racing machines have been more profitable than forecast. He also explained the governor’s proposal to shift historic horse racing toward slot-style machines, saying the physical machines would look largely the same but the content and math would change, and that the state’s revenue share would increase under the proposal. No votes were taken; the committee mainly asked questions and received explanations about the Lottery’s budget and revenue assumptions.