Transcript Highlights:

• It just prevents taxpayer money being spent on that union activity.
• So, for example, we have 1.2 million dollars being spent for union activities in our traditional... .
• It just prevents taxpayer money being spent on that union activity.
• Personally, I'd like to see that $1.2 million be spent in the classroom.
• Personally, I'd like to see that $1.2 million be spent in the classroom to teach our kids how to read

Summary: The House convened with 66 members present, approved the March 3, 2026 journal, and received gubernatorial and Senate messages, including notice that the governor had signed House Bills 502, 533, and 555. Committee reports advanced several bills and resolutions to second reading or printing, and the House introduced a new slate of bills, including measures on community infrastructure districts, auxiliary containers, minimum wage, voter registration at DMV offices, education, tobacco products, and fertility preservation services. The House then moved a number of bills to the Third Reading Calendar, including measures on Medicaid, libraries, insurance, LLCs, transactions, crimes, prisoners, bribery, urban renewal, taxation, reckless driving, state government, child protection, the state controller, and insurance. On third reading, the House passed House Bills 695 and 697, both dealing with criminal or election-related code revisions; House Bill 727, which sponsors described as strengthening Idaho’s response to sextortion and threats against minors; House Bill 678, aimed at making wolf trapping more effective and humane; House Bill 745, which would bar taxpayer funds from being used for union activities, with debate focused on teacher associations and exemptions for police and fire; House Bill 733, revising partnership tax audit procedures; House Bill 720, lowering the population threshold for district elections in cities, despite concerns about college-town representation; House Bill 723, implementing child welfare and oversight reforms for residential treatment facilities; House Bill 664, addressing differential speed limits for trucks and other vehicles; and House Bill 667, removing a state requirement to offer certain driver licenses to non-citizens, with supporters citing federal uncertainty and trucking safety concerns. Several other bills were held on the calendar for one legislative day. Debate on the bills was often substantive and partisan, with supporters emphasizing safety, taxpayer protection, local representation, and child protection, while opponents raised concerns about labor rights, college-town districting, truck safety, and the scope of regulation. The House also heard announcements about Idaho Day, America 250 activities, and upcoming committee meetings. The chamber adjourned until 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• It just prevents taxpayer money being spent on that union activity.
• It just prevents taxpayer money being spent on that union activity.
• For example, we have $1.2 million being spent for union activities in our traditional public schools.
• Personally, I'd like to see that $1.2 million be spent in the classroom.
• Personally, I'd like to see that $1.2 million be spent in the classroom to teach our kids how to read

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will note that of the $9 million grant that we were awarded on September 14th, we have spent $3 million
• It's not all been collected, but that's what we've spent building this structure.
• You know, we've spent a lot of time over the last 20 years talking about that blind horse.
• And so our district spent a little over a million dollars on a drill rig.
• So we've spent probably another half million dollars on purchasing support equipment so that we could

Summary: The committee heard a series of presentations on Idaho water infrastructure and management projects funded through state and federal grants. Paul Arrington of the Idaho Water Users Association opened by describing statewide water challenges and emphasizing that recent legislative investments are being paired with private dollars to address aging infrastructure, improve reliability, and avoid future curtailment. He introduced presentations focused on Boise River Basin projects and Eastern Snake River Plain settlement-related work. Lori Gray of Nampa Meridian Irrigation District described a $21 million Ridenbaugh headworks replacement project near Barber Dam and Barber Park. She said the project will replace 1930s-era infrastructure, improve employee safety, increase delivery reliability, improve efficiency, and include fish screens, automated crest gates, and an OG weir. She outlined funding from a state aging infrastructure grant, a regional water sustainability grant, and federal WaterSMART funds, and gave a schedule showing work through 2026 and 2027. Daniel Hoke of Water District 63 presented the Treasure Valley Water Supply Project, which is using new monitoring, modeling, and forecasting to track declining drain return flows in the Boise River Basin and develop mitigation options, including a planned Fifteen Mile drain project to stabilize return flows. Jay Barlowji of Twin Falls Canal Company described a large canal lining and automation effort to reduce seepage, improve delivery efficiency, and add real-time monitoring at return-flow sites; he said the project totals about $26.3 million and is about two-thirds complete. Alan Jackson of Bingham Groundwater District discussed groundwater-to-surface-water conversions, a district-owned drill rig and planned monitoring wells, and annual mitigation water purchases under the settlement agreement. Aaron Dowling of Fremont-Madison Irrigation District described telemetry for groundwater meters, a pipeline replacement, a long-running North Fremont Canal pipeline project, automation that has increased reservoir storage, and smaller canal-company infrastructure upgrades. The committee then took up two rule dockets from the Idaho Department of Water Resources. It approved docket 37-0204-2501, revising the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Water Bank rules, after Mary Condon explained that the changes were the product of consultation with the tribes and stakeholders and mainly removed outdated or unnecessary provisions while clarifying rental applications, payments, and terms. Haley Johnson Wasco testified for the tribes in support. The committee also approved docket 37-0307-2501, revising stream channel alteration rules, after Aaron Gollart explained that the changes streamline the rules, add definitions and standards for bridges, culverts, permanent structures, rock riprap, and bioengineering, and reduce the overall word count. A third rule docket was postponed to another day, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will note that of the $9 million grant that we were awarded on September 14th, we have spent $3 million
• It's not all been collected, but that's what we've spent building this structure.
• You know, we've spent a lot of time over the last 20 years talking about that blind horse.
• And so our district spent a little over a million dollars on a drill rig.
• So we've spent probably another half million dollars on purchasing support equipment so that we could

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have done an update to that study, spent the last probably 18 months working on that effort, and are
• transformational projects, but again, we just need a little more time to get these implemented and spent
• We've spent the last six plus months really trying to implement that merger.
• All of the prep airfield infrastructure funding will hopefully be spent in the first half of this year
• Representative Crosswhite Hader was making our being spent.

Committee: House A&B Transportation Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• be the largest portion of the overall budget, with $48.5 billion, or 41% of the total budget, being spent
• We spent years trying to increase the efficiency and the work of the Office of Minority Health and Health
• We spent years trying to increase the efficiency and the work of the Office of Minority Health and Health
• briefly, and we'll talk about it more, some of the briefs, some details as to what that actually will be spent
• And as you know, we've spent over a billion dollars thus far on FX.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard presentations on the governor’s proposed FY 26-27 budget for the health and human services silo, which totals $48.5 billion within a $117.4 billion state budget. Agency leaders outlined major spending priorities, including AHCA’s behavioral health redesign, APD waiver enrollment and facility needs, DCF’s integrity and self-sufficiency systems, opioid response, community-based care and mental health bed expansion, DOEA’s Alzheimer’s, home care, and community care programs, DOH’s cancer research, public health, EMS blood-transfusion initiative, and lab feasibility study, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ facility, cybersecurity, and medication-management investments. Members generally praised several proposals, especially increased reimbursement for private duty nursing, behavioral health funding, Alzheimer’s support, and the EMS blood program. Senator Sharief raised concerns about the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), warning that changes could leave many Floridians without coverage for HIV medications and asking whether manufacturers could provide rebates directly to patients. Surgeon General Ladapo said the issue was driven largely by funding and federal changes, not a legal barrier, and said the department had explored alternatives but could not fill the gap with current resources. Senator Rouson asked about the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, and DCF said its budget includes about $7 million for the substance abuse and mental health data dashboard required by prior legislation. Public testimony focused heavily on ADAP. Former program leaders and advocates said the proposed changes would reduce enrollment and remove key drugs and insurance-premium support, calling the situation a crisis and criticizing the department for lack of transparency and stakeholder engagement. They urged a pause and collaborative review of the program’s finances. The committee also discussed KidsCare implementation, with AHCA saying federal conditions and litigation have delayed the expansion. The meeting ended after the chair noted the budget would still need to be adjusted for updated Medicaid caseload estimates, and the committee adjourned without taking any formal votes or other action on the budget items.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, the process for how that money is going to be spent on those institutions has not been rolled
• In that time, I would say we have spent Over various administrations, we have been working on capital
• something that we, as the Nation, are working on and will continue to work on to help get the money spent
• We had to get the 5% spent in like three weeks or something of that nature, and that caused a lot of
• That's when they lowered the requirement to five percent from what it was to be spent so that they...

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• inspector back out to make sure before we write the check for $10,000 that the state's money has been spent
• So with that 50, 50 breakdown and knowing that we've spent almost a billion dollars past extensive reforms
• You know that we spent over the last few years.
• layer on top of all of the other permit inspections in order to ensure that the moneys improperly spent
• It is most of the money where most of our money is spent to reimburse insurers for there their losses

Transcript Highlights:

• in three years, they will return to council and provide a report of what these funds were actually spent
• distribution only at such time as they provide you the documentation of the projects that it will be spent
• Looking at the details in the pilot program and in the standards-based program, we've seen that we've spent
• On average, I think we spent about $320,000.
• I know there's been some conundrums and comments made that a district In particular, spent well over

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• About 25 years in law enforcement, a lot of that spent as a law enforcement administrator.
• About 25 years law enforcement, a lot of that spent as a law enforcement administrator.
• Since retirement, I've spent time advocating for good governance.
• of you have been looking at these pieces of code for much longer, but I've spent...
• Many of you have been looking at these pieces of code for much longer, but I've spent about four years

Bills: SB7 , SB14

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 14, which would create a confidential department file for law enforcement officers and jailers and limit public access to records involving unsubstantiated misconduct, while preserving access for hiring agencies, TCOLE, and certain criminal justice uses. TCOLE’s Gretchen Grigsby explained the current rollout of law enforcement recordkeeping reforms, including the distinction between the public personnel file and the confidential G-file, and answered questions about when TCOLE would request files during investigations. Senator Perry and other members focused on how the bill would interact with existing personnel-file rules, public transparency, and criminal discovery obligations. Public testimony was largely opposed. Critics argued the bill was drafted too broadly, could sweep in records beyond misconduct files, and would reduce transparency for the public, journalists, oversight bodies, and families seeking answers in cases such as Uvalde and jail deaths in Tarrant County. Several witnesses said the bill could allow small or single-officer agencies, including elected constables, to shield their own records, and some warned it could chill reporting and oversight. Supporters, including law enforcement representatives, said the bill would protect officers from false or unsubstantiated allegations, align agencies without civil-service protections with those that already have G-files, and preserve confidentiality for records that should not be public. Dallas County prosecutors and Harris County deputies supported the general policy but asked for clarifying amendments, especially to separate language they said could affect the Michael Morton Act and to preserve existing protections through in-camera review or protective orders. Committee members spent significant time questioning witnesses about how substantiated versus unsubstantiated allegations would be handled, whether body camera footage and case files would remain public, and how the bill would affect discovery in criminal cases. After hearing all registered witnesses, the chair closed public testimony. Senate Bill 14 was left pending, and the committee recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• nothing but make sure that the law is passed by Congress are followed and that money we appropriate is spent
• the way it should be spent.
• northern Vermont- is really benefited, obviously, by the wages that are paid, by the money that's spent
• I've spent a lot of time with people on the front lines, border patrol agents.
• at these ports, spent sorting through complexities or the delays in shipping.

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Keywords: Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, border security, asylum, transparency, Hernandez Rojas, migrant treatment, public testimony

Summary: The meeting centered on the nomination of Rodney Scott to serve as the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Throughout the session, various senators expressed concerns regarding CBP's recent practices, including issues related to border security and the treatment of migrants. Questions were raised about Scott's involvement in previous incidents, particularly surrounding the controversial death of Mr. Hernandez Rojas while in custody, which sparked a heated discussion about accountability and transparency in current border policies. Senators emphasized the importance of balancing efficient border security with humane treatment of individuals seeking asylum.

Transcript Highlights:

• And much of my time has been spent devoted. To public service largely at the U.S.
• While in the private sector, my time was spent largely on nuclear projects.
• to tell you as my colleagues, there's nobody, there is no one that I have met around here who has spent
• You don't have much time, but you have spent a lot of time thinking about many of these things.
• My parents here and my son have spent a lot of time there.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• As I've stated in the past, this is an industry that I spent a large portion of my young adulthood working
• appreciate I was not on public safety in the last couple of years, but as a public defender, I've spent
• Studies show that every $1 spent on violence interruption and prevention saves up to $5 in reduced medical
• One group here received $1.8 million in grants in 2024 and 2025, and they spent 46.2% on their board.
• We received $450,000 through this program, which was very well spent, and I think is really important

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Many thanks for the many hours that are spent. Mr.
• in all reality, with the resources that are out here, are we going to be able to get those dollars spent
• think there's a major focus by both committees on ensuring you're appropriating enough that can get spent
• auditor will now be in charge of providing to the legislature a report to ensure that every dollar spent
• the other question I had is, who determines what roads will be fixed with this and how that money is spent

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• operations, making sure that our citizens are well served and that their taxpayer dollars are well spent
• I think that we are very mindful of the way the taxpayer dollars are spent.
• doing in my IT budget and policy subcommittee shows we have seen hundreds of millions of dollars be spent
• doing in my IT budget and policy subcommittee where we have seen hundreds of millions of dollars be spent
• whether it's an appropriation project, whether it's a... ...hard look at how those dollars are being spent

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee heard several measures focused on government structure, oversight, and public policy designations. The most debated bill was HJR 1325, which proposed a constitutional amendment to create a statewide Commissioner of Government Efficiency, abolish the lieutenant governor office and the Government Efficiency Task Force, and eliminate the constitutional requirement for an Auditor General appointment. Sponsors said the new commissioner would be a watchdog over waste, fraud, and abuse across state and local government, while opponents raised concerns about cost, single-subject issues, lack of implementation details, and whether existing oversight structures were sufficient. After extensive debate, the resolution was reported favorably by a recorded vote. The committee also approved HB 575, which redesignates the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in Florida statute, and HB 1445, which requires certain state officials and agency heads to have stronger ties to Florida and, for some positions, to live in the county where their agency headquarters is located. HB 1445 drew questions about practicality and whether a proximity standard would be better than a strict county requirement, but the sponsor said he would continue working on that issue. Both bills were reported favorably, with HB 1445 passing unanimously. In addition, the committee unanimously approved HB 259, designating August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day, with supporters emphasizing the need for public education about fentanyl overdoses. The committee also passed CS/HB 29, the public records and meetings bill linked to the social work licensure compact, which creates confidentiality and meeting exemptions needed for the compact to operate. Public testimony on that measure was supportive, and it too was reported favorably without opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• money or students it's limited in terms of money when When the appropriation is, when the money's spent
• So if all the money is spent in the first year and those students stay in private school you will never
• Okay, yeah, well, the bill, if, who, whatever child receives it, once the appropriation is spent, or
• We spent $7 billion, which the fiscal note, I believe, is $7 billion for the second biennium for this
• And so, you know, if we- If we spent $7 billion for our special education programs in public schools,

Bills: HB3 , HB3

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• know, frankly, they wish they had a voice in how some of the money that they received in a budget was spent
• The other 50% would go to a fund to be spent on the mission, and that committee that determined what
• that was spent would be faculty and administration. citizens doing the job to have their citizens doing
• </c><00:04:22.280><c> would</c><00:04:22.520><c> be</c> determined what that was spent would be determined
• what that was spent would be uh<00:04:23.600><c> faculty</c><00:04:24.600><c> and</c> uh faculty and

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 289, authored by Representative Quam, and adopted a technical A1 amendment before moving the bill forward. Quam explained that the bill is intended to create a mechanism for frontline state employees, faculty, and management to identify waste, inefficiency, and possible savings in agency budgets, with a portion of any savings going back to the state budget and the remainder placed in a special fund for mission-related spending decided by a joint committee. He said the idea grew out of earlier faculty union discussions and that the bill had previously passed with bipartisan support, though it was underused when first enacted. Members generally praised the goal of empowering employees and improving efficiency, but several raised concerns about the bill’s practical operation and low historical use. Representative Jones asked why uptake had been limited and whether current conditions would improve participation; Quam responded that larger budgets and more employee engagement could make the program more useful now. Representative Freiberg and Representative Bonner both supported the concept but questioned whether employees would understand budget constraints and whether the structure might discourage managers from saving money intentionally. Quam argued that employee input would improve decisions, morale, and credibility, and could help justify needed investments. Representative Koznick asked how the bill interacted with the Odyssey Fund, and staff clarified that the two are separate accounts and do not directly affect each other. Representative Koznick also objected to comments he viewed as attacking the administration, and the chair reminded members not to impute motives. Representative Kosnik/Quam indicated openness to future improvements, but Representative Bonner said she was not ready to support the bill in its current form because of concerns about the approval process through MMB and the Legislative Audit Commission. Despite those reservations, the committee ultimately voted to send House File 289, as amended, to the General Register.

Transcript Highlights:

• relationships, but important for you all, below that in the state budget, you can sort of tell what's spent
• Another strangeness of our budgets is that a significant portion is spent in a very short period of time
• And another strangeness of our budgets are a significant portion are spent in a very short period of
• The hours spent on these complaints by my six-person team reached over 2,000 hours for a period of time
• So any money—any revenue we've collected—that is not spent is divided equally among all of the taxing

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee met to review how county budgets are developed and how constitutional officers fit into that process. Davin Suggs of the Florida Association of Counties gave an overview of county budgeting, explaining the statutory framework, the role of property taxes and TRIM notices, the fiscal-year timeline, fund balances and reserves, and the Department of Revenue’s oversight. He emphasized that county budgets include the board’s budget plus the budgets of constitutional officers, and that relationships and communication are critical to resolving budget issues. A panel of constitutional officers then described their offices’ budget processes and responsibilities: Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons discussed law enforcement budgeting and the importance of negotiated agreements with county commissions; Alachua County Property Appraiser Aisha Solomon explained the June 1 budget deadline, valuation methods, and the appeal process for property assessments; Manatee County Clerk and Comptroller Angelina Coleniso outlined the clerk’s court and finance duties, the county-side budget process, and the clerk’s personal liability under section 129.09 for unlawful expenditures; Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Early described the cyclical nature of election costs, staffing, equipment, and the impact of turnout and election law changes; and Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keene explained that tax collectors’ budgets are reviewed by the Department of Revenue, with fee offices funding themselves through service charges and budget offices relying on county support. Members asked about personal liability for unlawful spending, conflicts between clerks and county commissions, property valuation and storm damage adjustments, reserve levels, and whether tax collectors can retain excess fees. Responses noted that clerks must refuse illegal expenditures, property appraisers use market-based assessments with VAB and court review available, counties should maintain healthy fund balances for cash flow and emergencies, and tax collectors generally must zero out year-end balances and distribute excess revenues to taxing authorities. The committee took no votes and adjourned after thanking the panelists for their testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• And of course, we're all supportive of that, but I believe they only spent $106,000 out of it, right?
• I don't know what happened, but it was only $106,000 that was spent and the money's there, was there
• The money has never all been spent for various reasons. It’s always way below target.
• reason that we didn't request additional funding is because, as the Chair pointed out, we have not spent
• And the reason we haven't spent the money is because this program didn't exist when the legislature funded

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, Attorney General, budget recommendations, funding swaps, salary increases, Landowner's Compensation Program, public testimony, law enforcement

Summary: The meeting focused on the budget recommendations for the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), where key issues included the proposed decrease of $163.9 million for the 2024-25 biennium and various methodology swaps for funding. Attorney General Paxton discussed ongoing litigation expenditures and emphasized the need for continued investments in agency staffing to address rising demands within law enforcement. Notably, he requested a 6% salary increase for 2026 and 2027 to retain talented personnel amidst competitive job markets. Public testimony highlighted community awareness challenges regarding the Landowner's Compensation Program, indicating a need for enhanced outreach efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, um, members, the DE1 has all the recommendations from the LSOHC Outdoor Council that we've spent
• the interim reviewing we've uh has spent the interim reviewing and<00:01:25.160><c> going</c><00:01:
• So, I spent 9 years driving from Ely to Duluth once a month to be on this committee.
• So, I spent 9 years driving from Ely to Duluth once a month to be on this committee.
• </c><01:15:48.200><c> vetting</c> it's it's a lot of time spent vetting it's it's a lot of time spent

Bills: HF3879

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Keywords: outdoor heritage, conservation, habitat restoration, natural resources, wildlife management, 1183, house