Transcript Highlights:

• Chair: The Senate Local and County Government Committee meeting will now come to order.
• of here where we had everybody that was related to everybody else that was running the municipal government
• Members, that concludes the first half of the session, Local and County Government Committee business

Bills: SB2130, SB2135

Keywords: municipal finance, audit exemption, biennial reporting, local government, transparency, county purchasing, purchase card, government accountability, emergency expenditures

Summary: The Senate Local and County Government Committee heard two bills. Senate Bill 2135, as amended, would let county purchasing agents obtain purchase cards through a local bank instead of only through the current state program, while keeping existing competitive-bidding and other guardrails. Senator Reinhart said the amendment was developed with the State Auditor’s Office to add protections, and committee questions focused on sealed bids, public award of contracts, spending limits, and how the bill aligns with current state P-card rules. The amendment was adopted by voice vote, and the bill then advanced on a 10-0 roll call vote. The committee also considered Senate Bill 2130, a constituent-request bill aimed at helping very small towns qualify for grants by easing pre-grant audit requirements. Senator Murdoch explained that towns of 500 people or fewer with $50,000 or less in total funds would be exempt from having to obtain an audit before applying for a grant, though customary audits would still apply otherwise. Members discussed whether the bill could weaken fiscal oversight, whether other audit requirements would still apply, and whether agreed-upon procedures engagements might be a cheaper alternative. The chair and several members supported the measure as a way to help struggling rural communities, and the bill advanced on a 9-1 roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Section 20 is the study on the governance and finance, but predominantly both, but of the three big

Bills: HB1329

Keywords: government spending database, public expenditure transparency, open data, government transparency, school district spending, state spending, local government finance, education finance, budget database, expenditure reporting, salary transparency, benefits data, public records, Legislative Management study, North Dakota, school board training, superintendent, principal, business manager, higher education spending

Summary: The division first discussed Senate Bill 1540 and related amendments involving implementation mechanics, procurement exemptions, and an emergency clause. Bank of North Dakota representatives explained that, based on a timeline review with DPI, the project would be very difficult to implement for the 2026-27 school year without exemptions from state purchasing and IT oversight rules and without an emergency clause; they said the normal procurement process could take about 240 days and that a 15-month implementation window would likely push the start to 2027-28 if those changes were not adopted. Members also raised a separate policy question about a criminal penalty placeholder in the bill, and the committee agreed that the sentence was unnecessary and should be removed. The committee deferred means-testing questions and fiscal-note issues to the next morning, with the understanding that the bill would be drafted in a way that made it workable if it advanced. The committee then turned to the water budget bill and reviewed the latest amended version, which included changes to the Water Topics process, Southwest Pipeline line of credit provisions, Red River supply funding, Mouse River project amounts, general water funding, studies on Missouri River intakes and water governance/finance, and a carryover/transfer adjustment. Chris Cattermas of the Department of Water Resources said most of the carryover funds were already obligated, with the largest unobligated amount in flood control. After review, Senator Thomas moved a do-pass recommendation on the bill as amended, the motion was seconded, and the committee approved it unanimously. The chair noted that other bills would be taken up the next morning, including 1013, 1014, and 1540.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, you know, even we talked about our finance fax books, which is full of the information I mean
• , you know, you, even we talked about our finance facts books, which is full of the information of salaries
• Chairman Sorvaag, Adam Tesher, School Finance Officer, Department of Public Instruction.
• Chairman Sorvaag, Senator Shively, Adam Tesher, School Finance Officer, DPI.
• Chairman Sorvaag, Senator Shively, Adam Tesher, School Finance Officer, DPI.

Bills: HB1329

Keywords: government spending database, public expenditure transparency, open data, government transparency, school district spending, state spending, local government finance, education finance, budget database, expenditure reporting, salary transparency, benefits data, public records, Legislative Management study, North Dakota, school board training, superintendent, principal, business manager, higher education spending

Summary: The Education Division met with all members present and first took up House Bill 1329, which would create a transparency database and website for school spending information. Senator Schaible offered Amendment 0204 to turn the bill into a study, citing concerns that the proposal would impose major data-collection burdens on 168 school districts, require new data standards and privacy protections, and likely cost far more than the $500,000 in the bill. Several members supported transparency but agreed the implementation costs and technical feasibility were unclear. The committee adopted the amendment 4-1, then passed HB 1329 as amended on a 5-0 vote, with Senator Shively to carry the bill. The committee then discussed House Bill 1540, the education savings account/voucher bill. Representatives from the Bank of North Dakota and the Department of Public Instruction explained that they had not been consulted on the original drafting and outlined needed administrative changes, including clarifying the Bank as administrator, using a third-party program manager, involving DPI in rulemaking, adding audit and appeal procedures, and adjusting language on eligible purchases and school disqualification. They also said the current timeline was likely too aggressive to launch by the 2026-27 school year and estimated the program would require about 15 months to implement, with a fiscal note now around $5.1 million. Members also discussed policy-related amendments on means testing and application timing. Senator Shively proposed a 300% of poverty-level means test and a sign-up period to reduce costs and limit open-ended enrollment, while Senator Axman proposed a tiered approach that would keep all students technically eligible but phase in funding levels by income, preserving access for students who qualify for other federal supports. DPI said it could not currently disaggregate some data by family income and that the appeal process and procurement timeline still needed work. The committee did not move HB 1540 out that morning and instead recessed to continue discussion later after members had time to review the administrative and fiscal issues separately from the means-testing proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Local and County Government Committee meeting will now come to order.
• here, where we had everybody that was related to everybody else that was running the municipal government
• That concludes the first half of the session for the Local and County Government Committee.

Bills: SB2130, SB2135

Keywords: municipal finance, audit exemption, biennial reporting, local government, transparency, county purchasing, purchase card, government accountability, emergency expenditures, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• exempting these courts from the interpreter, certification and licensure Requirements under the government
• So I think the government code sort of delineates a lot of these situations and other pieces of the code
• I'd rather us map what the government code has already thoughtfully done here.
• A certified or licensed interpreter, if the government code already requires that whoever you bring in
• I think sometimes we draw too big a line about whether the government has certified you and not as much

Bills: HB113

Keywords: HB 113, Texas, Government Code Chapter 1253, general obligation bonds, bond election, voter approval, political subdivision, local government, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds, capital projects, public finance, bond referendum, ballot measure, five-year waiting period, rejected proposition, election law, municipal finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there's usually a United States federal government representative in those meetings.
• OK, but The federal government has a, is a stakeholder here as well, correct?
• We cannot wait for the federal government in each and every one of these cases.
• , the state government.
• So now we're hoping to Join Florida to urge Congress to give states and governments this ability.

Bills: HB176, HB180

Keywords: tax, ad valorem, voter-approval, local government finance, property tax, repeal, tax rates, school finance, tax reduction, compressed tax rate, education, funding

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen fit to do that for our personal finances, and for folks wanting to buy a home, it makes sense
• But if you're trying to get a quick rough estimate of the finance cost... ...associated with a given
• Local government impact is projected to be no significant fiscal implication to units. ...of local government
• Most Texans expect their city governments to police the streets, put out fires, and fill potholes.
• And third, this measure prevents the government from interfering in the free market.

Bills: SB414, SB621, SB2395

Keywords: bond election, ballot proposition, debt obligation, municipal bonds, local government finance, property tax, ad valorem tax, school district bonds, county bonds, special taxing district, voter information document, public debt, municipal finance, tax-supported debt, election ballot language, bond transparency, homestead tax impact, capital improvements, general obligation bonds, public bank

Transcript Highlights:

• parents fail us, when our religious institutions that we look to for guidance fail us, We look to our government

Bills: HB168

Keywords: certificates of obligation, local government debt, municipal finance, county finance, public works, bond election, voter petition, registered voters, refinancing certificates, Texas Local Government Code, municipality, county, hospital district, infrastructure financing, public improvement, debt issuance, general obligation alternative, public oversight, local bonds, historic preservation

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not fun for any of us, and it's not great for people who rely on government services, and it's not
• The low-cost financing and public-private partnerships the authority provides will lower costs and risk
• The low-cost financing and public-private partnerships the authority provides will lower costs and risk
• This is terrible governance.
• This is terrible governance.

Bills: HB2747

Keywords: budget sustainability, state finance, fiscal policy, economic growth, government spending, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Minnesota Institute of Public Finance just to describe what it is.
• Bagnoli, with the public finance Mr.
• </c> House File 4161 about local government House File 4161 about local government aid<00:10:20.800><
• </c><00:55:23.120><c> and</c> businesses, local governments and businesses, local governments and housing
• to get these to be the gap financing to get these projects<01:14:25.840><c> done.

Bills: HF495, HF4321, HF3902, HF4161, HF3755

Keywords: day care, tax subtraction, child care costs, licensed child care, dependent care assistance, HF4321, dependent care assistance programs, gross income exclusion, federal conformity, Internal Revenue Code, individual income tax, Minnesota tax law, tax conformity, child care assistance, employer-provided dependent care, taxable income, state income tax, retroactive tax change, family care benefits, housing tax credit

Transcript Highlights:

• The Welsh Government is the Museum Association Room, or forming a social council that engages with issues
• Economic government, supporting this bill, and the economic government will increase.

Bills: HB102, HB300, SB2255, HB102, HB300

Keywords: military education, early registration, ROTC, corps of cadets, higher education, military academy, scholarship, military, Texas Armed Services, military spouses, occupational licensing, state agency, license requirements, reciprocity, training and education, debt obligation, voter information, ballot, elections, transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• Local governments have used COs to finance a variety of capital improvement projects and services.
• Local governments often use COs in emergency situations when they need to finance a project quickly and
• historically financed through general obligation bonds. bonds.
• Governments how much government is consuming on the part of everyday activities.
• And they don't want to lose control of their finances.

Bills: HB1453, HB1718, HB2043, HB2207, HB2798

Keywords: local governments, anticipation notes, certificates of obligation, public works, flood control, financial management, local government, municipal financing, private activity bonds, closing definition, real estate finance, bond issuance, government regulation, bond election, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, political subdivision, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m going to call this meeting of the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee to
• </c> actually allows for tribal governments actually allows for tribal governments to<00:03:39.920><c
• </c><00:05:15.600><c> and</c> tribal governments and um and tribal governments and um and development
• I'm the government Hannah Palmer.
• </c> finance board is going to be bringing. finance board is going to be bringing.

Bills: HF3884, HF3881, HF3882, HF3883, HF3363, HF3362

Keywords: tribal governments, Metropolitan Council, grant programs, funding, local government, small business, contracting, veteran-owned businesses, compliance, government contracts, housing finance, reporting requirements, regional development, city programs, elected officials, campaign access, multiple unit dwellings, residential access, voter registration, 1183

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 223 clarifies that lobbying, government relations, and similar services intended to influence
• longer exempt from the competitive procurement requirements under Section 252.022(a) of the Local Government
• I'm the Director of Government Relations for the Office of Court Administration.
• I'm the Director of Government Relations for the Office Court Administration.
• and governing bodies of certain political subdivisions to call for a local option election relating

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs heard several House bills, with most measures left pending after testimony and later taken up in a batch of votes. Early in the meeting, HB 5624 on liability protections for motocross/off-road vehicle tracks, HB 223 on requiring competitive procurement for municipal lobbying contracts, HB 3709 on post-election audit procedures, and HB 5081 on protecting personal information of judicial officers and court staff were all discussed and left pending after testimony. Witnesses on HB 223 supported greater transparency in municipal lobbying contracts. HB 3709 drew sharp opposition from an election integrity advocate who argued the bill would reduce precinct-level granularity and make it harder to detect ballot errors, while a Secretary of State resource witness said the bill would simplify and standardize the audit process by location. HB 5081 received strong support from court administration and a district judge who described prior threats and an attack tied to publicly available personal information. The committee also heard HB 3546 on allowing school districts to move elections to November, HB 493 on barring certain felony offenders from serving as poll watchers, HB 5115 on increasing penalties for election fraud and related conduct, HB 4081 on trade secret filing procedures, HB 3909 on limiting restrictions on wireless devices at polling places, HB 2702 on limiting gubernatorial closure authority for certain veterans organizations during pandemics, HB 119 on foreign adversary lobbying, and HB 5138 on the Attorney General’s authority to prosecute election crimes. Several of these bills were explained with committee substitutes and then left pending before final action. Testimony on HB 493 and HB 5115 came from an election integrity advocate who supported both bills, saying the poll watcher restriction was appropriately narrowed and that the election fraud bill would help address invalid votes and refusal to count valid votes. Later, the committee took up pending business and voted out a large number of bills, generally along party lines or with broad support. HB 186 on minors’ social media use, HB 229, HB 2885, HB 3909 as substituted, HB 4285, HB 1661, HB 2820, HB 3181, HB 4157, HB 223, HB 521, HB 640, HB 1234, HB 2253, HB 2294, HB 3053, HB 3697 as substituted, HB 4281, HB 4463, HB 4995, HB 5081 as substituted, HB 5624 as substituted, HB 119 as substituted, HB 3225, HB 5138 as substituted, HB 5115, HB 481 as substituted, HB 3546, HB 493, and HB 4145 were reported favorably to the full Senate, with several also placed on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also adopted committee substitutes for multiple bills, including HB 3909, HB 5081, HB 5624, HB 119, HB 5138, and HB 481. At the end, the chair noted another committee meeting would likely be needed before deadlines, possibly on a weekend, and recessed the committee subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the burden of caring for those patients when they're unable to work falls on the federal government
• , the state government, and a huge crisis in the quality of their life, and not only that, but the quantity
• So we're being asked to establish yet another piece of government with a lot of funding.
• just wondering, what are we missing at our institutions that we need to create a new function of government
• disproportionately impacting the black and Hispanic communities, as detailed in the report by US Government

Bills: HB46

Keywords: local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits

Transcript Highlights:

• I would rather have this employee sharing Texas. wine rather than maneuvering through government red
• In this country and in Texas, we are seeing a growing trend of government-sponsored efforts to diminish
• HB 3053 adds Section 2.280.005 to the local government code, prohibiting cities and counties from adopting
• This leaves local governments without a clear course of action when a disaster impedes their ability
• House Bill 4995 grants civil liability to government units for incidents arising from the discharge of

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 223 clarifies that lobbyists, government relations, and similar services are intended to influence
• longer exempt from the competitive procurement requirements under Section 252.022a of the Local Government
• I'm the director of government. I'm here as a resource on the bill.
• House Bill 229 concerns general definitions for and the collection of government information regarding
• Representative Gerdes' bill, sponsored by our colleague, Senator Schwertner, regarding allowing governing

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I'm also the past president of the Government Finance Officers Association of Texas.
• And so we're gonna finance the project over three to five years.
• This is just a straight limitation on what local governments can do.
• It says the governing body may authorize anticipation notes, otherwise prohibited.
• One to finance the cleanup, mitigation, or remediation of a natural disaster.

Bills: SB512, SB1024

Keywords: SB 512, Texas Finance Code, money transmission, money services business, money transmitter, money transmission licensee, terms of service, consumer protection, civil penalty, attorney general enforcement, account closure, refund of balance, financial services regulation, payments industry, fintech, prepaid accounts, remittance, licensee compliance, local government debt, municipal finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We will take up Senate File 3045, the Senate omnibus state government and elections bill, delete the
• Tomorrow, uh, we have on the agenda the education finance bill and the human services finance bill, and
• an amendment for the human services finance bill will be posted later this afternoon. amazing.
• bill and the human education finance bill and the human services<00:03:20.239><c> finance</c><00:03:
• :03:23.200><c> will</c> for the human services finance bill will for the human services finance bill

Bills: SF3045, HF2783, HF1943

Keywords: omnibus, state government, local government, elections, campaign finance, voter registration, absentee voting, election administration, electronic rosters, lobbying, lobbyist disclosure, state budget, appropriations, biennial budget, Minnesota Secretary of State, Minnesota Management and Budget, state personnel, civil service, affirmative action, disability employment

Transcript Highlights:

• I call the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee to order.
• Um, reducing minimum government subsidy.
• ><c> have</c><01:08:36.080><c> made</c> Too many municipal governments have made Too many municipal governments
• </c> change and and cities and government change and and cities and government changed<01:41:54.800><
• </c> loud and clear from local government loud and clear from local government partners<01:42:13.440>

Bills: HF3902, HF3895

Keywords: housing tax credit, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, qualified projects, taxpayer contributions, greater Minnesota, zoning, housing, local government, multifamily development, affordable housing, land use, urban development, 1183, house