Transcript Highlights:

• started in the retirement phase, that you wouldn't want to collect from an employee because you can't recalculate
• 01.680> be contributing nor will their benefit be contributing nor will their benefit be recalculated
• c> or<00:21:02.680> calibrated<00:21:03.680> to<00:21:03.800> reflect recalculated
• or calibrated to reflect recalculated or calibrated to reflect additional<00:21:04.640> employment

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The commission first approved the minutes and then took up several pension omnibus items. Representative Rapinski’s item, related to an I-RAP issue, was moved ahead of the agenda and passed without further information after members noted the State Board of Investment and Minnesota State had not identified additional facts; the bill, as previously amended, was recommended for inclusion in the 2026 Pension Omnibus Bill. The committee also corrected a procedural issue on Senator Gustafson’s bill, SF 3897/HF 3703, after realizing an amendment referenced earlier belonged to a different bill; the motion was restated without the amendment reference and the bill was then recommended to pass and be incorporated into the omnibus bill. The main policy discussion centered on SF 3897/HF 3703, which would change how terminating firefighter relief association plans value benefits for firefighters under age 50. Senator Gustafson said the current statute can unfairly reduce benefits by requiring present-value discounting and that the bill would instead allow benefits to be based on accrued benefit under the plan formula, while still leaving relief associations flexibility to use present value if they choose. Staff confirmed the bill applies only to relief associations under chapter 424B, not PERA or the statewide plan. Senator Rasmussen raised concerns about consistency between SVF and non-SVF reliefs and about differing treatment on termination; the bill author acknowledged the difference. The committee ultimately voted to recommend the bill for inclusion in the omnibus pension bill. The final major item was House File 4162, as amended by an A1 amendment, which requires employers of reemployed annuitants in TRA to make employer contributions during reemployment, including Minnesota State Colleges and Universities employees covered under section 354.445. Representative O’Driscoll argued the bill would direct existing education-formula pension dollars to TRA, prevent districts from using those funds elsewhere when retirees are rehired, and keep the employee neutral because the annuitant’s benefit would not change. Supporters said the measure would help pension funding and address situations where districts rehire retired teachers, often in hard-to-fill specialties. Opponents, including Senator Rasmusson, questioned the added cost to school districts, citing an estimated $5.385 million in annual TRA revenue from the change and warning it could reduce districts’ ability to hire or retain staff. After discussion, the committee had not yet taken final action on this item in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I talked to the PFA CFO, and we'd have to go back and recalculate.
• PFA CFO and we'd have to go<00:58:06.440> back<00:58:06.680> and<00:58:06.800> recalculate
• <00:58:07.600> she<00:58:07.800> thought go back and recalculate she thought go back
• and recalculate she thought about<00:58:08.440> 40<00:58:08.720> projects<00:58:09.240

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we recalculated it now, it would actually just be kind of a, well, let's lower where we're putting
• So if we recalculated it now, it would actually just be kind of a, well, let's lower where we're putting
• So if we recalculated it now, it would actually just be kind of a, well, let's lower where we're putting
• So if we recalculated it now, it would actually just be kind of a, well, let's lower where we're putting

Bills: HB0159

Keywords: student rights, free expression, K-12 education, speech protection, religious views, political speech, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This recalculation of the aid would be revenue neutral.
• Um this<00:33:02.960> recalculation<00:33:03.600> of<00:33:03.840> the<00:33:03.919
• > aid<00:33:04.240> would<00:33:04.480> be this recalculation of the aid would be
• this recalculation of the aid would be revenue<00:33:05.120> neutral.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:22:14.960> that<00:22:15.080> you're population that you're population that you're
• here's what we're special ed population here's what we're seeing<01:10:35.600> on<01:10:35.719
• And I recalculated that, um, the Debt Service for that fiscal year.
• that um The correct and I recalculated that um The Debt<03:31:46.880> Service<03:31:47.880>
• So with that information, what I did is I recalculated that Debt Service assuming that we will issue

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard from the Personnel Appeals Board, which explained that it became an independent state agency after Senate Bill 487 and was presenting its first standalone operating budget. The board described its quasi-judicial role in hearing appeals from classified state employees over disciplinary actions such as warnings, suspensions, and terminations, and said it handles about 25 to 35 cases a year, with some cases lasting longer because of their complexity. Members also outlined the need for a chair and vice chair who are attorneys, the board’s current staffing and space needs, and its plan to move away from reliance on Administrative Services for office support and website functions. The board requested about $353,500 for fiscal year 2026, including startup costs, routine operating expenses, and two new part-time positions: a program director and a paralegal. Members said the budget reflects the new independent status, includes funding for only four board members rather than the authorized five, and is designed to avoid full-time staffing costs and benefits. Legislators asked about the cost per case, the board’s relationship to DAS, whether appeals must go through the board before court, and how often cases are appealed further. The board said appeals must first go through it, that court appeals are infrequent but have increased recently, and that the board’s process is intended to resolve disputes more quickly and less expensively than court litigation. Committee members also asked about the board’s caseload, outcomes, and staffing. The board said that in the prior year there were 22 cases, with four decisions overturned in favor of employees, nine dismissals, and nine settlements, and that many disputes are resolved before reaching the board through a multi-step internal process. A member noted the governor and council had recently approved a new board member and were expected to approve a fifth soon. The discussion ended with questions about the board’s website and records access, which members said would need to be moved from Administrative Services as part of the agency’s transition. The committee then moved to the New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities. The executive director explained that the council is 100 percent federally funded under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act and develops a five-year plan to address the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She said the council works with state agencies and advocacy organizations on quality-of-life issues, accessibility, voter rights training, and plain-language or easy-to-read materials, and that 60 percent of its membership must be individuals with disabilities or family members/guardians. She also described the council’s funding structure, including reimbursement to the state for operating costs, and noted that it currently has three full-time and three part-time positions, with no new positions requested but one full-time position being eliminated and replaced after a pandemic-era staffing change did not work out as planned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Having our student body more closely reflect the population of California is a win made possible by the
• Expanding the UC health professional programs with an emphasis on serving underserved populations would
• So maybe it's time to recalculate how we, or reassess the formula, is what you're suggesting?
• I would like to get granular with a specific student population.
• I don't know how large that population is.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, chaired by Assemblymember Alvarez, held a hearing focused on University of California budget issues. The committee reviewed UC core operations funding, enrollment trends, federal funding threats, Title IX implementation, and basic needs support. Major themes included the end of the Governor’s multi-year UC compact, the state’s fiscal outlook, UC’s enrollment growth, and the potential impacts of federal policy changes on research, health care, and student aid. On core funding, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to continue compact-related support, defer some payments, and authorize a cash-flow loan. The LAO recommended a smaller or no base increase, earmarking some funds for capital renewal, retiring deferrals when possible, avoiding new compact commitments, and funding UC annually rather than through compacts. UC argued that the compact has supported enrollment growth, student services, and operating costs, but said campuses face rising expenses, structural deficits, and limited reserves. Members questioned the effects of deferrals on students and discussed the need to prioritize less harmful reductions if cuts become necessary. The enrollment panel focused on UC’s growth in California resident enrollment and the nonresident replacement plan at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The LAO recommended maintaining the current enrollment target, funding enrollment separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident replacement plan, and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. UC said it has already met compact enrollment goals, grown California undergraduate enrollment by about 18,800 students, and that further growth depends on ongoing state support. The committee also discussed the cost of enrollment growth, possible differential nonresident tuition, and a reporting request for UC to analyze the nonresident replacement approach; the motion to adopt supplemental reporting language passed. The hearing also covered federal funding risks, with the LAO and UC warning that federal changes could affect research grants, medical center reimbursement, and student financial aid. UC said research cancellations and suspensions are disrupting labs and graduate student support, while federal health policy changes could increase uncompensated care at UC hospitals. In the Title IX update, UC described its systemwide civil rights structure, annual student training, and campus support offices, and members praised the work while asking about ongoing concerns and intersegmental collaboration. The final basic-needs item began with Finance stating the Governor’s budget does not change ongoing support, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the staff in the regional offices is working on the board directive to recalculate part of the
• districts to see how they can best allocate their funding and to meet the needs of the diverse population
• And to meet the needs of the diverse population they currently have. Thank you very much.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Arthur Krantz to the Public Employment Relations Board and Christopher Ferguson, Brian Haynes, Anna Marie de Mars, and Ronald Fiore to the Student Aid and Student Athletic commissions. The committee also approved references of bills to committees by a 5-0 vote. It then heard testimony from Julia Montgomery, nominated as General Counsel to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, who described her long career serving agricultural workers and said the ALRB’s mission is to protect workers’ rights, support fair bargaining, and ensure access to information and resources. Questions to Montgomery focused on card-check unionization procedures, signature authenticity, outreach to farmworkers, and enforcement of make-whole orders. Senator Grove raised concerns about workers being pressured or not knowing what they signed, while Montgomery said objections and unfair labor practice charges can be filed and investigated, though the office does not independently verify signatures unless there is an allegation. Senator Reyes pressed on delays in collecting make-whole awards, including the Tri-Fanucchi case; Montgomery said appeals, bankruptcies, and employer closures often delay relief, but the agency seeks settlements and enforcement when possible. The committee voted 3-2 to advance Montgomery’s appointment to the full Senate. The committee then considered three State Board of Education nominees: Cynthia Glover Woods, Brenda Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez. In their testimony, all three emphasized long careers in education, support for students and teachers, and the importance of early learning, community schools, professional development, and aligning instructional materials with standards. Members questioned them about math achievement, the 2023 mathematics framework and Algebra I access, the state’s low national rankings, transitional kindergarten access, and a proposed change to education governance. The nominees said they support flexibility for students ready for Algebra I, believe recent instructional materials and professional learning will help improve outcomes, and had not been involved in governance-structure discussions. Public witnesses from school and child-serving organizations spoke in strong support. The committee then advanced Glover Woods and Gonzalez on 3-1 votes and Lewis on a 4-1 vote for full Senate confirmation.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:38:15.560> of<00:38:15.720> schoolage<00:38:16.400> kids the entire population
• of schoolage kids the entire population of schoolage kids it's<00:38:17.280> just<00:38:17.440
• <01:04:08.559> your<01:04:08.760> benefit the service and recalculate your benefit
• the service and recalculate your benefit based<01:04:09.480> on<01:04:09.640> how<01:04
• also just because of a population also just because of a population decline<03:55:05.159> in<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee work session focused primarily on House Bill 115 and a proposed amendment, 114H, which would carry over language from HB 2 into HB 115 and place limits on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). Representative Murray described the amendment as a way to keep the 350% federal poverty eligibility cap, require students to have attended a charter public school in grades K-12 for the preceding year before entering the voucher system, and add guardrails against universal eligibility. She argued the state was facing a severe budget crisis, that expanding EFAs would divert money from other programs, and that public testimony and local votes showed widespread opposition to expansion. She also cited a letter from former Finance chair Neil Kirk opposing expansion. Other members responded that the committee should not revisit policy already decided by the House, though some said the amendment was fair to discuss because of its fiscal implications and supported it on that basis. The discussion then broadened into a debate over the fiscal impact of universal vouchers and the reliability of enrollment and cost estimates. Representative Luno argued that prior EFA projections had relied on assumptions that could badly underestimate state exposure, pointing to Arizona as a cautionary example and saying New Hampshire should not expand the program without better analysis. Representative Papovich similarly warned that universal eligibility could create a large, unexpected cost, estimating a potential exposure of about $285 million based on school-age children not currently in public, charter, or EFA programs. In contrast, Representative Weyler said EFAs can save money because public school spending is already high and parents using EFAs still pay taxes and take on more responsibility for their children’s education. After discussion, Representative Murray moved to accept the amendment, and Representative Bean seconded it. There was some procedural clarification about voting on the original bill and the amendment. The transcript ends before a final recorded vote on the amendment or on HB 115 itself, though the committee had also been told it would likely reconsider several retained bills later in the week, including HB 129, HB 133, HB 671, and HB 781.

Transcript Highlights:

• Population growth in the majority of the counties is either stagnant or declining.
• He, uh, had a declining population for over four decades.
• He, uh,<00:27:52.880> declining<00:27:53.440> population<00:27:54.159> for<00:27
• :54.399> over<00:27:54.640> four uh, declining population for over four uh, declining population
• <00:33:05.039> is out and as he stated the population is out and as he stated the population

Bills: HB517, HB520, HB233, HB354, HB517, HB520, HB233, HB354

Keywords: underground damage prevention, one-call notification system, utility locating, excavation safety, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, utility lines, underground utilities, pipeline safety, gas pipeline, electric utility, telecommunications, water utility, wastewater, cable television, locate request, premark, tolerance zone, positive response

Bills: HB3620, HB3942, HB3279, HB3378, HB3383, HB3413, HB3414, HB3415, HB3420, HB3130

Keywords: 2030 census, complete count committee, census outreach, decennial census, enumeration, population count, hard-to-count populations, hard-to-enumerate areas, State Data Center, Oklahoma Census, multilingual campaign, public outreach, school-based outreach, community organizations, minority groups, ethnic minorities, language minorities, self-response rate, census awareness, federal census

Transcript Highlights:

• This process is not new, as the law currently allows temporary judges in counties with a population over

Bills: SB2784, HB23, HB247, HB1533, HB2011, HB2013, HB2273, HB2421, HB2464, HB3120, HB3424, HB3575, HB3788, HB4370, HB4809, HB5057, HB5084, HB5534, HB5668, HJR34

Keywords: Somervell County, hospital district, board of directors, elections, local governance, staggered terms, third-party review, property development, local government, permits, construction inspection, regulatory authority, land development, liability, occupancy certificate, border security, tax exemption, ad valorem, real property, infrastructure

Summary: The committee heard and left pending several local government, property tax, development, and public safety measures before later voting some of them out. Senator Birdwell explained SB 2784 for the Somerville County Hospital District, which would move the board to staggered four-year terms after a transition and was requested to be held pending until the House companion could be acted on; no public testimony was offered. HB 5084 would allow local approval for fireworks sales tied to Lunar New Year celebrations, with testimony from Hutchinson County Judge Cindy Irwin emphasizing local fire risk and the need for county discretion. HB 5534 would let county commissioners post agendas electronically instead of on a physical bulletin board. HB 4370 would expand permissible projects for certain special districts to include geothermal water conveyance systems, and HB 312 would require residential child detention facilities to enter local MOUs, report health and safety information, and conduct background checks for state-funded facilities; both drew supportive testimony and were left pending. HB 5057 would give displaced solid waste providers time to wind down after a city grants an exclusive franchise, and HB 2421 would extend the life of the Save Historic Muni District to continue work on preserving Lions Municipal Golf Course; both were left pending after supportive testimony. HB 2011 would let former owners repurchase property taken by eminent domain if the acquiring entity fails to pay property taxes for two years, and the committee substitute to SB 3065 was also laid out and left pending after a technical correction to eminent-domain language. The committee then took up additional bills on development, appraisal, and local regulation, including HB 3575, HB 4809, HB 2273, HB 247/HJR 34, HB 2464, HB 3424, HB 2013, HB 5668, HB 3788, HB 1533, and HB 23, with testimony ranging from support to opposition on issues such as appraisal procedures, historic property valuation, Galveston emergency governance, border-security tax treatment, home-based businesses, chicken covenants in HOAs, municipal utility district authority, hospital authorities’ use of assets, and third-party building review. HB 23 drew the most extensive testimony, with builders, engineers, counties, and cities split over third-party plan review and inspection authority, liability, licensing, and local code enforcement; many witnesses said the House amendments created problems and the bill was left pending. In the end, the committee voted SB 2784, SB 3065, HB 5686, HB 247, HJR 34, and HB 2011 out of committee, with the first several receiving local and uncontested calendar recommendations where applicable.

Transcript Highlights:

• year, we had as many people die in Tarrant County Jail as Harris County, with many fewer in the population
• A lot of us are getting sick, not just the jail population.
• Census Bureau regarding the Asian American population.
• Rock, and San Marcos area, which had a 10.5 percent increase. an increase in the Asian American population
• these programs may mention veterans, there is no dedicated requirement focused specifically on this population

Bills: HB2814, HB4477, HB5084, HB5108, HB5127, HB5383, HB5611, HB5663, HB5664, SB1563, HB2668, HB3841, HB4114

Keywords: juvenile justice, release documents, children, identification, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, civil service, staffing requirements, local government, positions exemption, Texas legislation, fireworks, Lunar New Year, retail permits, public safety, Texas law, holiday sales, HB 5108, deaths in custody, custodial death, jail death

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 4477 allows sheriffs serving counties with populations under 3.3 million to exempt up to 10

Bills: HB2814, HB4477, HB5084, HB5108, HB5127, HB5383, HB5611, HB5663, HB5664, SB1563, HB2668, HB3841, HB4114

Keywords: juvenile justice, release documents, children, identification, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, civil service, staffing requirements, local government, positions exemption, Texas legislation, fireworks, Lunar New Year, retail permits, public safety, Texas law, holiday sales, HB 5108, deaths in custody, custodial death, jail death

Transcript Highlights:

• It didn't work as well for my student population.
• It didn't work as well for my student population.
• than we do so we go out we do population than we do so we go out we do the<01:40:09.760> work
• requires us to go in and recalculate requires us to go in and recalculate again<02:15:52.280>
• so we held those numbers population so we held those numbers constant<04:26:05.399> in<04:26:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II committee heard a Department of Education budget presentation from Commissioner Frank Edelblut and CFO Tammy Valen-cour. The department outlined its organizational structure and emphasized that it functions largely as a flow-through agency for school funding. The commissioner reviewed general fund and Education Trust Fund items, including state aid, dropout prevention, special education, building aid, lease aid, charter schools, Education Freedom Accounts, and the district adequacy calculation. He also highlighted the public school infrastructure fund, saying the state has invested well over $50 million in school safety since 2018 for measures such as access controls, locks, and window film, and argued that safety spending should be ongoing rather than reactive. Members asked about the variability in the school infrastructure line, special education aid, and the Discovery Education learning platform. Edelblut explained that some safety funding had come from one-time surplus appropriations rather than the agency line, and said special education aid was underappropriated because districts submitted more invoices than expected; he said the governor added $16 million to address the shortfall. He also described CTE renovation funding, noting four projects were initially proposed but only Jaffrey and Milford were still moving forward, with local votes required and the state covering 75% of costs. He said Milford’s project was omitted from the governor’s budget by oversight. The department also reviewed enrollment trends, noting public school enrollment has fallen from about 230,000 students in 2002 to about 185,000 today. Edelblut clarified that charter students are not eligible for Education Freedom Accounts, while EFA students attending non-public schools are counted as EFA students. He described several one-time surplus-funded initiatives, including Student Clearinghouse, MTSSB work, civics curriculum development, computer science education, and adult education. He also discussed a $4 million CTE tuition and transportation grant, saying it was kept as a competitive grant rather than a formula grant to avoid creating an ongoing maintenance-of-effort commitment that could jeopardize federal Perkins funding. In the final portion, Edelblut identified prioritized needs in the department’s budget, especially funding for a state administrator for assessment to support the legislatively required civics assessment, and additional support for the Discovery Education platform. He said every school in the state is using the platform and cited more than 1.5 million educator engagements, while a member raised concerns about mixed reviews and uneven district awareness of the program. No votes or formal actions were taken during the presentation and question period.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's part of what used to be population health, now community health program.
• However, they have also highlighted shortcomings in how school tax rates are recalculated under existing
• Current law permits school districts, after reassessment, to recalculate their tax rates in a way that
• Many of them are way outpacing their population growth, 2% growth.

Summary: The House convened with Girl State participants presiding for part of the session, including introductions of the student leadership and a unanimous voice vote passing House Concurrent Resolution 152 honoring the young women participating in Delaware Girl State. The chamber also welcomed congressional interns and other guests, accepted the prior day’s minutes, and observed a moment of silence for Nathan Cynix and Kara Feeley before prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to tributes for Representative Ron Gray, who was recognized for his 14 years of service and his work on issues such as bond bills, dredging, bike paths, small business, constituent service, and agriculture-related funding. Multiple members from both parties praised his humor, honesty, mentorship, and dedication to the House and his district. Gray responded with extended remarks reflecting on his family legacy, legislative service, and appreciation for colleagues and staff, and the chamber later sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at his request. The House then received communications, including Senate messages returning several bills and informing the chamber of Senate passage of additional measures. Members were also told that the FY27 bond bill, House Bill 500, had been placed on desks as a gift for review. The House read in Consent Agenda S, which included House Bill 476, House Joint Resolution 13, Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 168, Senate Bill 297, Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 319, and Senate Joint Resolution 21, and began a roll call vote on the consent agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it also seems perhaps ignorant of the student populations of CCSNH.
• I think it also seems perhaps ignorant of the student populations of CCSNH.
• I think it also seems perhaps ignorant of the student populations of CCSNH.
• I think it also seems perhaps ignorant of the student populations of CCSNH.
• . recalculated. recalculated. 33<05:20:27.840> nursing<05:20:28.320> homes,<05:20:29.040

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• normal population normal population um<01:33:55.040> they<01:33:55.239> actually<01
• to around 10% a pension is recalculated to around 10% a 10%<03:16:41.760> reduction<03:16:42.479
• In the six years since 2019, there's been 25% inflation, plus 4% population growth in New Hampshire.
• inflation right so um plus 4% population inflation right so um plus 4% population growth<04:02:37.199
• that that there's been a population that that there's been a population decline<05:42:44.000>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 622, but after the sponsor said further research raised concerns, he asked that the bill be tabled. The committee then moved in executive session and voted unanimously to find the bill inexpedient to legislate, sending it to consent. The committee also retained House Bill 349, the ophthalmologic laser bill, after members said more time was needed for the professions involved to work out training standards and provide additional information; that motion also passed unanimously. The committee then discussed House Bill 244, a municipal building/fire code recodification measure. Members said the bill needed more review and careful scrutiny because of its length and possible unintended effects, and they voted unanimously to retain it as well. House Bill 534 was then heard; the sponsor said the bill did not do what was intended because of a misunderstanding about current processing, and the committee voted inexpedient to legislate and placed it on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 233, with an amendment to remove a requirement affecting the New Hampshire Vaccine Association. Supporters argued the bill would reduce an unnecessary burden and improve transparency, while opponents said the committee should not single out one private 501(c)(3) organization. The amendment was adopted 8-5, and the bill as amended then passed 7-6; a minority report was requested. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 536, a proposed 1.5% cost-of-living adjustment for certain state retirees. The sponsor and supporters argued retirees had not received adequate COLAs and that the bill would help offset inflation, while the retirement system testified that the proposal would add significant costs, including an estimated $1.5 million for the state, $6.6 million for political subdivisions, and about $100.7 million in present-value unfunded liability, with the impact reflected in future employer contribution rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• And at that point we'll be back to square one and back here recalculating.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's stating that PED would be required to recalculate FY26 enrollment growth units and reset FY26

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the past, the Number was significantly higher, and we're recalculating it in a way that reduces the

Keywords: 914, all