Bills: HB818, HB1514, HB1648, HB2138, HB2323, HB2494

Keywords: Waiakea peninsula, community development, economic revitalization, cultural preservation, infrastructure improvement, workers' compensation, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, nonprescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, healthcare providers, reimbursement rates, Hilo-Kona, transportation, pilot program, economic development, mobility, treatment plans

Bills: SB6062, SB6080, SB6184, SB6224, SB6255, SB6286, SB6308, SB6319, SB5977, SB5979, SB6249, SGA9299

Keywords: juvenile justice, criminal offense, minors, rehabilitation, legal provisions, contracts, jails, federal custody, municipal agreements, incarceration, law enforcement, homeless youth, youth services, mental health, support programs, state law, behavioral health, children, support services, poverty reduction

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee first held a confirmation hearing for Angela Ramirez, the governor’s appointee to lead the Department of Social and Health Services. Ramirez described her background in public service and said her priorities would include improving technology and electronic records, addressing workforce shortages, strengthening communication with the legislature, and protecting DSHS programs and services. The Lieutenant Governor also spoke in strong support of her confirmation. No vote was taken on the appointment during this meeting. The committee then took executive action on several bills. Senate Bill 6062, concerning juvenile rehabilitation capacity, midpoint reviews, and transfer/release rules, was amended and advanced to Ways and Means after all six proposed amendments from Senator Christian failed. Senate Bill 6308, dealing with shelter care conditions for young children in dependency cases, was amended with a tribal-clarification amendment and passed to Ways and Means; several amendments to add staffing, removal, or safety requirements failed. Senate Bill 6319, creating a community referral pathway for high-risk families involving high-potency synthetic opioids, was amended to require referral within seven days and passed to Ways and Means after other proposed amendments failed. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 6286, which authorizes Department of Health inspections of private detention facilities and creates an account for related community repair assistance, sending it to Ways and Means after rejecting amendments that would have limited inspections or fines. Senate Bill 6080, governing jails that hold people in federal custody and related contracts, was amended and sent to Rules after all proposed amendments failed. Finally, Senate Bill 6184, an agency-request bill making technical and programmatic updates, was held over for action the next day. Throughout the session, Senator Christian offered multiple amendments emphasizing victim notice, child safety, staffing, transparency, and limits on transfers or detention, but most were rejected by the committee majority.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an economic imperative.
• Health is deeply linked to social and economic factors.
• This is not a failure of effort; it's an economic reality.
• The economic challenges families face are interconnected.
• As well as other economic mobility investments.

Bills: S3022, H5187

Keywords: ENOUGH Act, ENOUGH fund, anti-poverty, poverty reduction, community development, place-based grants, distressed neighborhoods, economic mobility, housing and livable communities, community schools, cradle-to-career, child poverty, intergenerational poverty, social services, workforce development, education equity, public health, behavioral health, mental health, affordable housing

Bills: SB325, HB513, SB357, HB513, HB626

Keywords: youth residential facilities, abuse prevention, law enforcement, video surveillance, civil penalties, record keeping, child rights, background check, criminal history, biometric identifiers, fingerprints, iris scan, palm print, photograph, rap back, NGI Rap Back, ALEA, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, AJIC, Alabama Justice Information Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• G2: State representatives on the task force, the Economic Justice Alliance, and the Advisory Council
• The Economic Justice Alliance and the Advisory Council shall provide annual reports instead of a one-time

Bills: SB6339, SB6184, SB6224, SB6255, SB5977, SB5979, SB6249, SB6007, SB6186, SGA9299

Keywords: alternative placements, individual ownership, restrictive policies, healthcare, operational control, homeless youth, youth services, mental health, support programs, state law, behavioral health, children, support services, poverty reduction, intergenerational poverty, WorkFirst, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF, self-sufficiency, economic justice

Summary: The Human Services Committee met on policy cutoff day to finish executive action on several bills and then hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 6339. In executive session, the committee advanced Senate Bill 6224, which creates a Children and Youth Behavioral Health Leadership Council and an executive coordination officer, sending it to Ways and Means. Senate Bill 6255, which updates the Lupro poverty-reduction task force and related council duties, was amended and passed to Rules. Senate Bills 5977 (near-fatality reports), 5979 (in-home dependencies), and 6249 (DOC supervision for stalking convictions) also passed, with 5977 and 6249 sent to Rules and 5979 sent to Rules as well. Senate Bill 6007, directing WSIPP to evaluate child welfare screening and risk assessment tools, was amended and sent to Ways and Means. The committee also confirmed gubernatorial appointee Angela Ramirez. The committee then waived the five-day notice rule to hear Senate Bill 6339, which would require that a less restrictive alternative placement for a sexually violent predator be owned and operated by the same person or persons providing or monitoring treatment. Supporters, including the bill sponsor, the City of Kennewick, and several residents, argued the bill would improve accountability, transparency, and community safety, especially in response to a proposed placement in Kennewick near schools and homes. Opponents, including the Department of Social and Health Services, public defense attorneys, and Disability Rights Washington, said the bill would create conflicts of interest, be difficult or impossible to implement, and could undermine the constitutional LRA process by making release to the community unrealistic. Committee members asked questions about liability, supervision, and how LRAs are currently reviewed and monitored. Agency witnesses explained that DOC investigates proposed LRA sites, that residents remain under conditions and monitoring, and that ownership and treatment are typically separate functions. The chair closed the hearing without taking action on Senate Bill 6339, saying more work and discussion were needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• May they walk in integrity, govern with wisdom, and legislate with justice and righteousness. hearts
• May this day continue to be a stronghold for righteousness and a refuge for those seeking justice and
• The River Valley is a significant economic powerhouse in Texas.
• Richardson has long been a. beacon of innovation, economic growth, and strong civic engagement.
• It's just been a great economic boost on top of. the attraction into our area for Corpus Christi.

Bills: SJR1, SB9, SB40, SJR36, SJR1, SJR5, SB9, SB40, SJR1, SB9, SB40, SR62, SR92, SR95, SR108, SR110, SR111, SR113, SR114, SR117, SR120, SB314, SB314

Keywords: bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform, El Paso, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we all want systems of justice to work efficiently, especially when the end result is justice
• The Criminal Justice Division of the AGO contains the major economic crimes unit.
• I think we all want systems of justice to work efficiently, especially when the end result is justice
• The Criminal Justice Division of the AGO contains the major economic crimes unit. Thank you.
• We want justice in all cases.

Bills: HB1982, HB2156

Keywords: Indian rights, treaty rights, convictions, tribal members, criminal justice reform, Attorney General, AG investigators, limited authority peace officer, peace officer certification, economic crimes, financial crimes, white-collar crime, fraud investigation, search warrant service, electronic service, business records, law enforcement authority, criminal background check, training requirements, Washington RCW

Summary: The committee began with a public work session on interrogation techniques, hearing from Matthew Jones, a retired homicide detective and interview trainer, and Mark Fallon, a former federal agent and consultant. Both argued for science-based, information-gathering interviews over confession-driven or coercive tactics, emphasizing rapport, open-ended questioning, corroboration, and avoiding deception, especially with vulnerable interviewees. Members asked for source materials and raised a concern about whether a friendly interview style could be traumatizing to victims if later viewed on video; the witnesses said some minimization tactics used in sex-crime cases can be especially problematic. No votes were taken in the work session. The committee then held a hearing on House Bill 1982, which would expand Washington’s existing process for vacating convictions tied to treaty Indian rights. Staff explained that the bill would extend eligibility beyond fishing to hunting, gathering, and pasturing rights; remove the pre-1975 time limit; allow vacation of convictions based on enjoined local ordinances; authorize the Office of Public Defense to provide direct representation and consultation; and create a tribal liaison position. The prime sponsor and tribal leaders from the Squaxin Island and Nisqually Tribes testified in support, describing the bill as a way to correct historic wrongs and remove barriers to housing, employment, and other opportunities. The Office of Public Defense supported the bill, said its fiscal note was just under $200,000, and explained it would serve as a hub to help identify cases and assist families and tribes. Questions focused on the number of affected cases, costs, whether the state or federal government should handle treaty issues, and whether the bill could divert resources from other cases; supporters said the process would be measured and case-by-case. The hearing also included testimony from a county commissioner, a data scientist, and a tribal liaison from the Attorney General’s Office, who said amendments were being discussed to clarify the process. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2156, which would give Attorney General investigators limited authority to serve search warrants on businesses when the AGO has concurrent criminal investigative authority. Staff said the bill would limit investigators to the authority of the granting entity, require judicial authorization for business search warrants, and bar investigators from arresting, detaining, or carrying weapons. The bill sponsor said it would reduce delays in economic crime cases, especially for electronic business records. Opposition came from the sheriffs and police chiefs association and a retired veteran, who argued the bill blurs the line between investigation and prosecution, lacks sufficient oversight, and gives non-commissioned personnel powers that should remain with peace officers. An AGO attorney responded that the bill is only about serving electronic warrants, not granting full police powers, and said most AGO investigators are retired law enforcement, but acknowledged they are not commissioned officers and do not have CJTC requirements. The committee did not take final action on either bill during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• being amenable to an amendment that I'm working on that would make sure that we capture not only the economic
• we're talking about state agencies besides just the Auditor General, whether it's the Department of Economic
• and Yuma counties, and directs that the $600,000 previously appropriated to the Arizona Criminal Justice
• The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission will receive... ...equally among the task forces.
• The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission will receive the appropriations and then allocate the money to

Bills: HB2352, HB2388, HB2418, HB2499, HB2500, HB2579, HB2584, HB2804

Keywords: funding, auditor general, county treasurer, procedural reviews, state appropriations, HB2388, Arizona Commerce Authority, ACA, small modular reactor, SMR, nuclear energy, advanced nuclear, data center, data centers, economic development, study, appropriation, general fund, jobs, wages

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota by banning NDAs for economic development.
• </c> differ dramatically in their economic differ dramatically in their economic needs<00:23:41.080><
• </c> investment and the jobs and economic investment and the jobs and economic growth<00:24:09.400><c
• </c> other persons who can obtain economic other persons who can obtain economic value<00:26:06.440><
• </c><01:18:47.960><c> at</c> some protection for the Chief Justice at some protection for the Chief Justice

Bills: HF4077, HF3809, HF3639, HF4478, HF3363, HF3874

Keywords: municipal nondisclosure agreement, NDA, public records, transparency, local government, county, city, town, school district, housing and redevelopment authority, economic development authority, port authority, economic development, land development, public financing, tax increment financing, TIF, abatement, municipal bonds, debt obligations

Summary: The Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee approved the minutes from March 25 and March 26, then took up House File 4077, a bipartisan bill authored by Representatives Greenman and Roach. The bill would prohibit municipalities from entering into non-disclosure agreements with private entities that restrict disclosure about land development, economic development, or publicly funded projects, while preserving existing Chapter 13 data practices rules and trade secret protections. The authors argued the bill is needed to prevent secret agreements and backroom decision-making that undermine public transparency, and they moved that the bill be re-referred to the general register. Several local officials and residents testified in support, including a St. Louis County commissioner, the mayor of Lonsdale, and residents from Farmington and Hermantown. Supporters said NDAs had been used in connection with data center and other development projects to keep elected officials and the public in the dark, eroding trust and limiting community input. They described the bill as a common-sense transparency measure and said existing law already protects legitimate trade secrets. Opposition came from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Business Partnership, which argued that NDAs are often necessary in early-stage economic development discussions to protect sensitive business information and remain competitive with other states. They warned the bill could discourage investment, jobs, and tax growth, and said it would impose a one-size-fits-all state mandate that limits local discretion. Committee members then debated whether the bill was too broad and whether it should be narrowed to data centers; supporters responded that the issue extends beyond data centers to other forms of economic development. A roll call vote was requested on the motion to re-refer the bill to the general register, but the final vote result was not stated in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representatives Wht and Sellers relating to taxation is referred to the Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic
• He has escaped from the community of Union Springs, and I'm I'm just hoping and praying they bring justice
• And that's, you know, that's just kitchen table economics. Yes, it is.

Bills: SJR 1, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 36, SJR 1, SJR 5, SB 9, SB 40, SR 61, SR 91, SR 97, SR 103, SR 104, SR 112, SR 115, SR 116, SCR 16, SB 26, SB 26

Keywords: bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform, Texas Music Advocacy Day, music industry

Bills: HB17, HB41, HB118, HB119, HB127, HB128, HB129, HB130, HB132, HB133

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, ad valorem taxes, disabled, elderly, homesteads, tax limitation, diversity, equity, inclusion, LGBTQ, state agencies, prohibition, heat illness prevention, workplace safety, administrative penalties, advisory board

Transcript Highlights:

• America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

Bills: HR144, HB4182, HC51, HR169, HB4178, HB4179

Keywords: commendation, sports, team achievement, high school, state championship, suffrage, restoration of voting rights, conviction, probation, law-abiding citizen, congressional term limits, constitutional amendments, Article V, state resolution, political reform, Jackson State University, Veterans Memorial Stadium, economic growth, property tax, multi-purpose facility

Transcript Highlights:

• This provides ongoing funding for the Department of Commerce's Office of Economic Development for staff
• It decreases funding appropriated to the Criminal Justice Training Commission for the implementation
• It also amends the uses of the supplemental criminal justice account for the current biennium to allow
• That's a lot of economic activity.
• That's a lot of economic activity.

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Transcript Highlights:

• And then on deck, Kim Justice, Tyler Munch. Bring the next panel forward.
• And then on deck, Kim Justice, Tyler Munch, Jim Theophilus.
• I'm Kim Justice with Partners for Our Children.
• These programs keep kids out of the justice system and stabilize families.
• It reallocates costs to emergency, hospital, and criminal justice systems.

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Transcript Highlights:

• supports the entire local foods infrastructure that allows small- and mid-scale farmers to remain economically
• It's about access to justice. Prior, many were evicted wrongly.
• I'm a right to counsel attorney in Spokane with the Northwest Justice Project, and I support the governor's

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee continued its public hearing on HB 2289, the supplemental operating budget. Testimony focused heavily on the governor’s proposal to redirect or supplant Climate Commitment Act revenue, with environmental and public health advocates arguing that the $569 million diversion would undermine climate pollution reduction, wildfire resilience, clean transportation, affordability programs, and long-term climate investments. Several speakers also urged restoration of full wildfire funding under HB 1168, warning that underfunding would increase future costs and risks to communities and ecosystems. A large share of testimony opposed proposed Medicaid and long-term care changes, including freezing or delaying rate rebasing for nursing homes, shifting pharmacy benefit financing, and reducing support for caregiver staffing. Providers said the cuts would destabilize facilities, reduce access for Medicaid residents, and worsen workforce shortages. Other speakers urged continued funding for public health services, the Working Families Tax Credit, food assistance, housing and homelessness programs, right-to-counsel for tenants, disability services, and public defense, arguing that reductions would increase emergency-system costs and harm vulnerable residents. Education-related testimony supported the Ninth Grade Success Initiative, homeless student supports, and K-12 funding, while school and university representatives opposed higher education cuts and called for new progressive revenue. Child care advocates warned that proposed subsidy caps and rate reductions would reduce access and harm the workforce. The committee also heard support for public works infrastructure funding, land conservation and youth outdoor programs, a tribal liaison position at a museum, and continued support for dental access and immigrant legal services. No votes were taken; after public testimony ended, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then on deck would be Erica Halleck, Jim Justice, Kim Justice, and Samuel Martin.
• Child care should not be a discretionary line item, as it is foundational economic infrastructure...
• Child care should not be a discretionary line item, as it is foundational economic infrastructure to
• We greatly appreciate the governor, including for the Economic Security for All program.
• This is a great start, and we hope that you continue to invest in the community's economic resilience

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee opened with committee guidelines for the 2026 session, emphasizing time limits, no visual aids, amendment deadlines, confidentiality, professionalism, and the chair’s authority on parliamentary rulings. The chair also noted the meeting was being recorded and live streamed, and that public testimony would be limited to one minute because of the large number of sign-ins. The committee then heard a work session presentation from OFM Director Katie Chapman on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget, followed by questions about the budget’s four-year balance and potential credit-rating effects. Chapman said the proposal addresses a roughly $2.3 billion shortfall through nearly $800 million in spending reductions, revenue shifts, fund transfers, and about $1 billion from the Budget Stabilization Account, while also making targeted investments in areas such as child welfare, wildfire response, housing, and some affordability measures. She also explained that the proposal does not fully balance in the 2027-29 outlook, though she said the governor believed the statutory conditions allowed that choice. Chapman outlined major proposed reductions, including a soft cap and lower subsidy rates for Working Connections Child Care, limits on Apple Health Expansion enrollment, reduced increases for assisted living and nursing homes, reductions to transition to kindergarten and Running Start, flat local effort assistance, and across-the-board cuts to higher education and agency operations. She also described shifts of Working Families Tax Credit funding to the Climate Commitment Account, additional transfers from accounts such as Public Works Assistance, and proposed closure of several tax preferences. Agency and stakeholder testimony largely split along these lines: education groups, child care advocates, higher education leaders, and school employees opposed cuts to TTK, LEA, Running Start, and child care; human services and legal aid groups supported or sought restoration of funding for crime victim services, right to counsel, civil legal aid, and youth/foster care programs; and natural resources and local government witnesses objected to sweeps from wildfire, derelict vessel, and infrastructure accounts. Several statewide officials and agency representatives also testified. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs objected to additional sweeps from his accounts and said prior cuts had forced layoffs and service reductions, including at the libraries and corporations division. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove said the wildfire prevention funding in the budget was still $30 million short of the commitment in House Bill 1168 and warned that underfunding would increase fire costs. Other testimony supported funding for the Office of Civil Legal Aid, the Office of Public Defense, the Human Rights Commission, the Economic Security for All program, and the state employee contracts included in the budget. The committee did not take any votes or formal action during the hearing; it continued taking public testimony on the governor’s budget proposal.

Bills: HJR303, SJR83, SJR85, HJR310, HR304, HJR311, SJR82, HJR298, HJR299, HJR300, HJR301, HJR291

Keywords: arts education, cultural heritage, Alabama Center for the Arts, public art, Alabama Arts Hall of Fame, community engagement, Cook Museum, natural science, STEM education, North Alabama, educational programs, student engagement, trade, economic relations, Montenegro, Port of Bar, international cooperation, investment, cargo operations, Alabama

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> justice for all. justice for all. &gt;&gt; Thank<00:01:51.600><c> you.</c> &gt;&gt; Thank you.
• The court of justice operates on the second floor.
• The Court of Justice operates on the second floor.
• The Court of Justice operates on the second floor.
• </c> those programs um being the economic those programs um being the economic development<00:51:08.720

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:11 Approval of Minutes 00:02:00 Information Items 00:02:25 CPE Special Report 00:03:26 Review of Executive Branch Agency Plans 00:31:48 A. Attorney General 00:32:10 B. Court of Justice 00:36:41 C. Cabinet for Economic Development 00:50:44 D. Kentucky Public Pensions Authority 00:56:06 E. Board Discussion of Planning Issues 01:05:12, 958, all

Summary: The Capital Planning Advisory Board opened its fourth meeting, confirmed a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes by unanimous voice vote, and then heard information items and agency presentations. The main substantive presentation came from the Council on Postsecondary Education, which outlined its capital planning recommendations for the 2026–28 biennium. CPE staff described the role of Kentucky’s research and education network (Kron), including connectivity to cloud services, Internet2, identity services, and new local AI/inferencing capacity, and argued that the network is now essential to higher education, health care, and extension services. They said the network’s recent upgrades were driven by privacy, security, redundancy, and the need to support modern research and AI workloads at lower cost than commercial providers. CPE also presented its broader higher-education capital request: $700 million for asset preservation and $1.73 billion for new construction, for a total recommendation of about $2.4 billion. Staff said they do not plan to recommend IT projects or equipment in this cycle, despite reviewing 48 IT submissions totaling nearly $1.4 billion and equipment requests totaling $322.6 million. For asset preservation, they said the recommended allocation method would remain based on each institution’s share of Category 1 and 2 square footage, and they noted that the state’s prior facility assessment is now 12 years old, with deferred maintenance still estimated in the $7–9 billion range. For new construction, they said the requests are heavily focused on STEM and health-related facilities that are difficult to retrofit into older buildings. Board members asked about how asset-preservation amounts were determined, including why Northern Kentucky University’s request was much larger than its prior allocation. CPE staff responded that campus size, building age, and institutional prioritization affect the requests, and that schools are asked to submit more projects than are likely to be funded. The board then moved on to an Attorney General capital plan overview, where senior counsel Will Schroeder began describing the office’s technology needs and the office’s prior reliance on a 2020 appropriation to replace legacy systems and improve security.

Transcript Highlights:

• When he was here, he was very involved in the governor's economic agenda and advancing issues on that
• He lives here in Santa Fe with his wife and children, earned his B.A., magna cum laude, in economics
• We support policies that grow jobs and economic opportunity.
• We support policies that grow jobs and economic opportunity, including investments in economic development
• And even more harmful, it erupts the economic stability for New Mexicans.

Bills: SM20, SM9, SJR6, HB124

Keywords: youth violence, violence prevention, violence intervention, community violence intervention, credible messengers, peer support, restorative justice, violence interrupters, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, high-risk youth, public safety, Department of Health, New Mexico, statewide summit, data collection, reporting, interagency coordination, community-based organizations, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• When he was here, he was very involved in kind of the governor's economic agenda and advancing issues
• He lives here in Santa Fe with his wife and children, earned his BA, magna cum laude, in economics from
• We support policies that grow jobs and economic opportunity, including investments in economic development
• And even more harmful, it erupts the economic stability for New Mexican.
• And even more harmful, it erupts the economic stability for New Mexican.

Bills: SM20, SM9, SJR6, HB124

Keywords: youth violence, violence prevention, violence intervention, community violence intervention, credible messengers, peer support, restorative justice, violence interrupters, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, high-risk youth, public safety, Department of Health, New Mexico, statewide summit, data collection, reporting, interagency coordination, community-based organizations, law enforcement

Summary: The committee first considered the appointment of Mary Patricia Roman to the State Investment Council. Senator Campos presented her as highly qualified, citing more than 34 years in global investing, leadership at J.P. Morgan, and prior service on the SIC investment committee. Roman described her experience with asset allocation, fiduciary responsibility, and the SIC’s vetting process. Senators asked about the council’s role in pension investments, staffing levels, and whether personal values could influence decisions. Roman said the SIC process is robust, heavily staff-driven, and insulated from individual value judgments. The committee reported broad support and voted 8-0 to advance her nomination to the full Senate. The committee then heard the reappointment of John F. Bingaman to the SIC. Senator Worth praised his leadership as SIC chair and his background in private equity, public service, and economics. Bingaman emphasized the growth of New Mexico’s sovereign wealth funds to more than $70 billion, the importance of staffing and asset allocation, and the SIC’s role as a fiduciary for New Mexicans. Senators asked about protecting the funds in a weaker market and about the Blackstone/PNM matter; Bingaman declined to comment on the memorial because he had not read it. The committee voted 9-0 to send his reappointment to the full Senate. The committee next took up Senate Memorial 20, calling for a statewide youth violence summit. Senator Lopez and an expert from the Council of State Governments said New Mexico lacks a cohesive statewide infrastructure for youth violence prevention and intervention, limited data collection, and enough evidence-based services. Supporters from the ACLU, behavioral health organizations, youth-serving nonprofits, and youth advocates backed the memorial as a way to center lived experience, community engagement, and research-based solutions. Some members raised concerns that victims’ families were not explicitly included in the planning group, but the memorial passed on a 6-3 vote. Finally, the committee debated Senate Memorial 9, which asked the Legislative Finance Committee to study whether New Mexico should invest in equity stakes in PNM and New Mexico Gas Company and requested that the PRC pause consideration of the private-equity acquisitions while the study was completed. Supporters argued the state should examine whether utility ownership value could remain in New Mexico, protect ratepayers, and diversify revenue, while opponents from PNM, Blackstone’s representatives, chambers of commerce, and utility advocates said the proposal would duplicate the PRC’s review, create uncertainty, and risk higher rates and delayed investment. The committee adopted an amendment removing references to the PRC, but the memorial then failed on a 4-4 tie after a motion for due pass as amended.