Transcript Highlights:

• 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund, and I'm happy to answer any questions.
• And Representative Gress, this is a nice, clean million dollars into the litigation fund.
• a separate fund, but this litigation fund was created last year, and so we support the measure from
• fund created last year solely for litigation in federal court if it gets to that level.
• which would create a separate fund but this litigation fund was created last year and so we support

Bills: HB2053, HB2116, HB2148

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation, A.R.S. 45-119, natural resources, water policy, river management

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million in fiscal year 2027 from the State General Fund to the Colorado River Litigation Fund. The sponsor said it was a repeat of last year’s request and was intended as a backup if the seven Colorado River basin states cannot reach a new agreement. Arizona Department of Water Resources staff testified in support, explaining the state’s role in ongoing Colorado River negotiations and distinguishing the litigation fund from the executive’s separate Colorado River Protection Fund. The bill received a due pass recommendation on a 17-1 vote. The committee then took up House Bill 2053, which appropriates $100,000 to ADWR for updated stormwater recharge mapping and expands the mapping effort beyond state trust lands to private lands. The committee adopted Chairman Livingston’s amendment, which extended the coordination timeline to one year, broadened the agencies involved, and revised language on site eligibility and the definition of stormwater. The sponsor said the bill would help identify more places to capture stormwater for recharge, while ADWR testified neutral, supporting the mapping work but raising a concern about language tied to appropriable surface water because that is a legal determination for the courts. The amended bill passed 11-7. House Bill 2148 was then heard, proposing to give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal monies, with requirements for specifying purposes and allowing agencies to spend such funds if the legislature does not act. An amendment excluded university and Board of Regents research grants from the bill’s scope, which the chair said was intended to avoid implementation problems. The sponsor framed the bill as a transparency measure, and members discussed the large amount of federal pass-through funding Arizona receives. The amended bill passed 11-7. After the bills, the committee received a lengthy JLBC presentation comparing the executive budget with the JLBC baseline. Discussion focused on revenue forecasts, the impact of federal tax conformity, state employee health insurance costs, SNAP administrative and error-rate costs under H.R. 1, developmental disabilities and AHCCCS growth, and K-12/ESA funding trends. Members repeatedly criticized the executive budget for funding some ongoing costs on a one-year basis and expressed concern about rising caseloads and supplemental needs. No formal action was taken on the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Corrections Oversight Fund.
• River litigation fund.
• We hope we don't have to litigate, but this million dollars would be added to the litigation fund if
• And so it... ...to the litigation fund if we need it, and so it—we may need it.
• fund since we're so short on general fund dollars at this moment.

Bills: HB2003, HB2063, HB2111, HB2116, HB2210, HCM2007

Keywords: driver education, instruction permit, underage drivers, motorcycle licenses, traffic regulations, corrections oversight, appropriation, independent office, public safety, funding, driver license, examinations, motorcycle awareness, traffic laws, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2003, which would lower the instruction-permit age for Class D, G, and M licenses from 15 and a half to 15, while increasing supervised practice requirements for minors: 50 hours for Class G with 20 at night, 50 hours for Class M, and a nine-month permit holding period before licensure. The sponsor argued the bill builds on Arizona’s graduated driver licensing system and is intended to improve teen safety, citing other states with longer permit periods and lower teen fatality rates. Questions focused on who certifies the supervised hours, with staff explaining that a parent, legal guardian, or custodial parent signs off, though driver education remains an alternative. The bill received a do-pass recommendation by a 9-1 vote. House Bill 2063, which appropriates $1.5 million from the General Fund in FY 2027 to the Corrections Oversight Fund, drew emotional testimony in support from a mother whose son died after a prison suicide, and from advocates who said the oversight office is needed given prison health care problems and federal receivership. The sponsor said the funding would support prison oversight and transparency. The committee then approved the bill unanimously, 10-0. The committee also passed House Bill 2116, appropriating $1 million to the Colorado River litigation fund, after the sponsor said the money would help Arizona prepare for possible litigation over Colorado River cuts and that the issue affects nearly every district in the state. Members discussed whether the funding should come from the WIFA fund instead of the General Fund, but the bill received an 8-0 do-pass recommendation with two not voting. The committee also considered House Bill 2210, which would prohibit the state, local governments, and private entities from using ADS-B aircraft surveillance data to calculate, generate, or collect aircraft fees. Supporters, including pilots and the Arizona Pilots Association, argued the technology was intended for safety and should not be used for billing, warning that fee collection could discourage pilots from keeping the system on. Opponents, including the Arizona Airports Association and the City of Phoenix, said airports should retain local control over fee collection methods and that the bill was a solution in search of a problem. After extensive debate about federal requirements, safety, and billing practices, the bill received a tied 4-4 do-pass recommendation. Finally, HCM 2007, a memorial urging renaming sections of State Route 69 to honor veterans of several wars, passed 5-4. The committee also briefly noted that some bills were being held at members’ request.

Transcript Highlights:

• into that fund, we know what's been working and what hasn't and how we can better direct those funds
• The funding mechanism that would be specifically used here is the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
• Funding to address these cesspools exists and is available via the Clean Water State Revolving Fund,
• It's $1 million from the State General Fund in fiscal year 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund
• fund last budget year.

Bills: HB2029, HB2096, HB2116

Keywords: water conservation, grants, infrastructure, environmental protection, sustainability, cesspool remediation, cesspool replacement, forgivable principal, forgivable loan, wifa, water infrastructure finance authority, clean water revolving fund, drinking water revolving fund, wastewater infrastructure, on-site wastewater system, septic system, groundwater protection, public health, nonpoint source pollution, county water projects

Summary: The Natural Resources Committee heard three bills, all of which received do pass recommendations. House Bill 2029 would require additional disclosure from applicants to the Water Conservation Grant Fund, including plans for how saved water will be used; an amendment broadened the disclosure requirement from only certain applicants to all eligible entities. WIFA testified neutral on the bill and amendment, noting it already collects much of the information. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed 8-0, with the sponsor indicating he may reoffer the amendment on the floor. House Bill 2096 would authorize counties to seek WIFA financial assistance, including forgivable principal, to remediate, close, or replace cesspools that threaten water quality or public health, and would clarify county authority to accept such loans without voter approval. WIFA was neutral and said the bill resolves ambiguity in the statutes. Supporters from the County Supervisors Association and Gila County described widespread cesspool problems in rural counties, especially Gila County, where thousands of cesspools remain and flooding caused sewage contamination and major cleanup costs. The committee approved the bill 8-0. House Bill 2116 would appropriate $1 million from the General Fund in FY 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund. Supporters said the money is needed to prepare for possible legal challenges over Colorado River cuts, while several members emphasized they hope litigation will not be necessary and described the amount as a placeholder for future budget discussions. The bill passed 8-0 and was sent to Appropriations before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of you know this fund as the rural fund.
• And so this fund is meant to help fund the projects that don't have funding from anywhere else.
• And so this fund is meant to help fund the projects that don't have funding from anywhere else.
• And so this fund is meant to help fund the projects that don't have funding from anywhere else.
• year 27 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund.

Bills: HB2024, HB2053, HB2097, HB2116, HB2117

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, irrigation, non-expansion areas, water management, agriculture, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation

Summary: The committee began with member and staff introductions, then heard House Bill 2024, which would expand the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority’s water supply development definition to include snowpack augmentation and related planning and facility work. Supporters argued cloud seeding and drone-based silver iodide deployment could increase snowpack and water supply at relatively low cost, while opponents raised concerns about weather modification, uncertainty in the science, and possible environmental or health effects. After debate, the committee approved HB 2024 on a 6-4 vote, with some members expressing reservations and requesting more information before floor consideration. The committee next considered House Bill 2053, which would direct the Arizona Department of Water Resources to update stormwater recharge mapping statewide and provide $100,000 for the work. The sponsor and ADWR said the bill would expand on prior state-land mapping and help identify recharge opportunities on private land; ADWR was neutral and said it could do the technical mapping but could not make legal determinations about appropriable surface water rights. Salt River Project opposed the bill’s language on surface-water rights, arguing that determinations about unappropriated water belong to the courts and that site-specific recharge projects could affect downstream rights. The committee adopted the Griffin amendment and then passed HB 2053 as amended on a 6-4 vote. Chelsea McGuire of WIFA then gave a broad presentation on the agency’s revolving funds, conservation grants, and long-term augmentation efforts, describing past investments, current grant awards, and seven potential augmentation projects under development. She said WIFA’s current budget ask was essentially for no additional cuts, while members asked about costs, project qualifications, and public-private structure. The committee then took up House Bill 2097, which would impose a six acre-feet-per-acre groundwater pumping cap in irrigation non-expansion areas, add reporting and well-measurement requirements, and set a $150 penalty for violations. ADWR said the bill could require additional staffing and that the cap and substitution provisions had technical concerns; environmental groups argued the cap was too high and could still encourage overpumping, while supporters said it would finally place a limit on INA pumping. HB 2097 passed 6-4. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million to the Colorado River Litigation Fund; the sponsor described it as a contingency for ongoing Colorado River negotiations, and the committee moved the bill forward after brief discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It relates to performance tier funding under the Public Junior College state finance program.
• Members, the current funding system rewards public junior colleges for student transfers to public four-year
• Generally, it would expand incentives into the state's outcomes-based funding model for community colleges
• It is funded through the Foundation School Program. It's an estimated appropriation.
• So Blinn normally has an increase in state funding.

Bills: SB 49

Keywords: Galveston County, legal expenses, appropriation, litigation, state funding

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 heard several higher education bills and took public testimony on each. Senate Bill 60 would let public junior college libraries donate outdated, duplicative, or valueless materials instead of treating them as surplus property; no public testimony was offered, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 49 would expand performance-tier funding incentives so community colleges are also rewarded for student transfers to private four-year universities; it also received no public testimony and was left pending. Senate Bill 365 would allow higher education institutions to choose a transcript lookback period between 5 and 10 years for adult undergraduates seeking to waive older transcripts. Senator Eckhardt and witness Daniel Arrevalo described how old academic records can block adults from returning to college; the bill was left pending after testimony. Senate Bill 895 would expand the FAST dual-credit program beyond public school students to include eligible private school and homeschool students, with support from the Texas Private Schools Association, the Texas Homeschool Coalition, and a coordinating board witness explaining the funding structure; it too was left pending. Senate Bill 1400 would clarify what counts as a transfer for performance-tier funding by allowing students with 30 or fewer prior university credit hours to still be counted as transfer students when moving from a public junior college to a general academic institution. Former Representative Leighton Schubert testified that the change would address funding losses and better reflect modern student pathways; after testimony, the bill was left pending. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill 3466 is a bill request from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission that eliminates their petty cash fund
• They no longer use this petty cash fund and just would like to get rid of it in statute.

Bills: HB3724, HB3392, HB3466, HB4060

Keywords: high-demand facilities, electric utilities, public infrastructure, water management, taxpayer-funded subsidies, decommissioning plans, local control, citizen initiative, referendum, electric utility, large load customers, infrastructure, utility planning, electricity rates, cost allocation, data centers, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, ratepayer protection, HB3466

Bills: HB79, HB437, HB646, HB1089, HB1099, SB173, SB180, SB260, SB424, SB476

Keywords: carbon capture, damages, environmental liability, legal liability, site restoration, expert witness, expert testimony, witness fees, pecuniary interest, conflict of interest, civil procedure, evidence law, Louisiana evidence code, Louisiana civil litigation, expert report, discovery, pretrial disclosure, litigation transparency, settlement, damages award

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that we have funding for it.
• And then The latter half of the bill, sections 6 through 11, do establish a revolving fund.
• So the last half of the bill establishes a revolving fund.
• And That's the purpose for that revolving fund. This bill is duly assigned, running it title off.
• But at current, there is no dollar amount attached to the revolving fund.

Bills: HB3005, HB3007, HB3403, HB1907, HB3175, HB3986, HB3466, HB3411, HB4246

Keywords: climatology, emergency declaration, Oklahoma Climatological Survey, environment, weather data, public policy, state governance, natural resources, advisory councils, sunset law, water quality, hazardous waste, solid waste, radiation management, public health, biosolids, land application, environmental quality, agriculture, wastewater treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• This amendment just changes the fund language.
• fund, and provides for the money to be appropriated to the Louisiana Department of Education.
• But because you're setting up a fund, it had to come here, right? That's correct.
• We are not asking for additional funding for our office. Okay.
• At this point, do we have this bill, do we have funding, any funding set aside to proceed with this project

Bills: SB25, SB132, SB155, SB157, SB202, SB237, SB250, SB433

Keywords: registrar of voters, parish registrar, chief deputy registrar, confidential assistant, election administration, elections, salary schedule, compensation, merit evaluation, population-based pay, census-based pay, Department of State, Secretary of State, State Board of Election Supervisors, redistricting, senate districts, Senate District 33, Senate District 34, Senate District 35, precincts

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1396 does not seek to ban third-party litigation funding.
• The existence of and terms of the litigation funding agreements are discoverable in litigation.
• Sometimes the presence of litigation funding causes litigation to be dragged out and to be more difficult
• But this is also not about getting rid of litigation funding where it's needed.
• But again, we're not eliminating under this bill any litigation funding.

Bills: S0144, S0192, S0332, S0532, S0620, S0694, S0820, S0888, S1000, S1224, S1396, S1500

Keywords: public records, employee protection, Judicial Qualifications Commission, information exemption, confidentiality, chiropractic physician, chiropractor, patient trust funds, escrow, advance payments, prepaid treatment, trust account, fiduciary duty, patient property, Florida Statutes 460.413, Board of Chiropractic Medicine, disciplinary action, commingling of funds, client funds, medical billing

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum present and first postponed SB 532. It then heard and approved SB 620, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board office to disclose any citizenship other than U.S. citizenship. The bill drew one waiver in opposition from Common Cause and passed 8-0. The committee also heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters said it would add transparency, limit funder control over litigation, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in funding; opponents argued it would create strategic advantages for defendants and could burden plaintiffs. The bill passed 7-2. The committee later approved SB 192, repealing a $1,500 cap on patient funds held in trust by chiropractic physicians, and SB 888, extending limits on indemnity and insurance requirements for design professionals in private contracts; both passed unanimously among those voting. The committee also approved several Judiciary-related measures. CS/SB 332, as amended, creates a narrow temporary public meetings/public records exemption for certain pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions by local governments, and passed 7-0. SB 820, which strengthens quarterly reporting requirements for problem-solving courts, passed 10-0. SB 1500, implementing probate process recommendations to raise small-estate thresholds, clarify access to safe deposit boxes, and improve enforcement in uncontested probate, also passed 10-0. SB 144, creating a public records exemption for personal information of current and former Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families due to harassment concerns, passed 9-1. The committee then approved CS/SB 1224, as amended, making it a third-degree felony to fraudulently obtain possession of a rental unit through false written statements, counterfeit documents, or impersonation; the bill passed 10-0. SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate, passed 10-0 after testimony from banking and credit union representatives and support from Senate leadership. Finally, CS/SB 694, providing compensation to the descendants of the Groveland Four, was heard with emotional testimony from family members and advocates describing the wrongful convictions, killings, and decades-long effort for redress; an amendment specified equal shares for the four families, and the bill passed 10-0. Several members requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3622 creates the census revolving fund.
• My understanding is that there is an allotment of dollars that's set aside to fund policy that is Seeing
• My understanding is that there is an allotment of dollars that's set aside to fund policy that is Fricks

Bills: HB3622

Keywords: HB3622, 2030 Census, Decennial Census, U.S. Decennial Census Revolving Fund, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Commerce Department, census preparation, federal census, state treasury fund, revolving fund, continuing fund, deemed appropriated, technology upgrades, census outreach, redistricting, population count, Title 74, OMES, State Treasurer, budgeting

Transcript Highlights:

• This is just currently funding, so we're not decreasing their funding, we're not increasing the funding
• , we're leaving the funding exactly the same as it has been.

Bills: SB1390

Keywords: gross production tax, oil and gas, natural gas, casinghead gas, oil revenue, tax apportionment, revenue sharing, county highway fund, school funding, average daily attendance, general revenue fund, revenue stabilization fund, county bridge and road improvement, state transportation fund, preserving and advancing county transportation fund, education funding, higher education, student aid, tourism funding, conservation funding

Transcript Highlights:

• funding in the future. funding in the future.
• . fund. fund.
• school fund task force. school fund task force.
• <00:54:36.079> that<00:54:36.319> supports fund, which is a fund that supports fund, which
• The permanent school trust fund is the students' trust fund.

Bills: HF3900

Keywords: permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund

Transcript Highlights:

• course, you and I both know that the governor will veto any effort to try and take authority over these funds
• But, for example, under the federal funds, and I won't be long, sir, I promise, who's to say that we
• You think about Section 8 funding; they have their own formulas and they need to work it out for human
• 2999 House Bill 2993 appropriates $6.4 million from the Consumer Protection/Consumer Fraud Revolving Fund
• A part of that bill talks about additional emergency funding for the Department of Public Safety: $6.4

Bills: HB2148, HB2993

Keywords: federal funding, state budget, appropriation, block grants, noncustodial funds, legislative authority, Arizona attorney general, Department of Public Safety, DPS, consumer fraud revolving fund, consumer protection fund, gang and immigration intelligence team enforcement mission fund, public safety appropriation, supplemental appropriation, outside counsel, state agency legal representation, legal services, state settlement proceeds, general fund, A.R.S. 41-192

Summary: The Committee on Appropriations, Transportation and Technology heard a presentation on advanced air mobility, featuring video and remarks about new aircraft technologies, including drones and electric vertical takeoff and landing craft. The presentation emphasized potential uses such as medical delivery, rescue operations, passenger and cargo transport, quieter flight profiles, and the need for coordination among industry, government, NASA, the FAA, and other partners. Members also noted an upcoming display of a Pivotal aircraft on the Senate lawn. The committee then considered House Bill 2148, which would grant the legislature authority to appropriate non-constitutional federal monies and require the legislature to specify the purposes for which those funds are spent, with a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. Supporters described it as a transparency and separation-of-powers measure, while opponents argued it would interfere with existing federal funding structures and state programs. The bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 6-4 vote. House Bill 2993 was also heard. It would appropriate $6.4 million from the Consumer Protection/Consumer Fraud Revolving Fund to the Department of Public Safety for FY 2026 and exempt DPS from the statutory restriction on employing legal counsel without approval. Testimony from the Arizona State Troopers Association supported the funding as an emergency need to avoid cuts to recruit classes, overtime, and patrol car purchases, but several members objected to combining the appropriation with the outside-counsel policy change. The committee approved the bill on a 6-4 do-pass vote. The meeting concluded with announcements about upcoming committee events and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Works Construction Fund to the ASECIA and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund, ACDIF, for short.
• The recurring funding stream to this fund currently is $2.5 million.
• Yes, if there was more funding available, it would be great to fund up to the $74 million.
• but are we just transferring money from another fund that would be used in that fund?
• The Irrigation Trust Fund, it's recurring allocations from the permanent fund.

Bills: SB193

Keywords: SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects, 996, all

Bills: HB78, HB112, HB190, HB292, HB410, HB427, HB437

Keywords: jurisdiction, city court, Bogalusa, civil law, court limit, Louisiana, child relocation, custody, mileage measurement, co-parenting, Louisiana law, software, computer programs, standard of care, liability, design, development, manufacture, sale, security deposit

Transcript Highlights:

• In general, who keeps track of how these funds are spent?
• You know, if these funds are for the office of the sheriff for law enforcement purposes, that's anything
• My bill says for my sheriff to be able to expand the use of funds from simply jail expenditures to...

Bills: SB208, SB216, HB187

Keywords: Montgomery, retirement system, employees, constitutional amendment, city council, retired law enforcement, retirement benefits, employment, firemedics, salary cap, HB187, court fees, docket fee, sheriff's fund, sheriff's office, jail operations, law enforcement, county sheriff, court filing fees, Alabama Code 12-19-312

Transcript Highlights:

• We call this the grow fund, which has otherwise been deposited in the Rainy Day Fund.
• The State Broadband Fund was funded in part from severance taxes a couple of years ago.
• Fund.
• I appreciate this fund, as I did the previous fund for Speaker Craddick.
• funds within two years.

Bills: HB188, HB265, HJR35, HJR47, SB1901, HB188, HB265, HJR35

Keywords: Texas STRONG defense fund, severance tax revenue, oil and gas revenue, constitutional transfers, rainy day fund, economic stabilization fund, state highway fund, oil and gas production, qualifying county, county grants, water infrastructure, first responders, public safety, DPS staffing, commercial motor vehicle safety, gang violence prevention, human trafficking prevention, economic development, TxDOT grants, school districts

Transcript Highlights:

• , take the cap off the Early Childhood Education Fund, and put a cap on the sport fund.
• So there was an impact on the school fund. there were two streams of money going to the sport fund, so
• , it looks like you went after the sport fund.
• It was the only difference was that the early childhood fund had a cap and the sport fund doesn't have
• , gifts, and federal funds.

Bills: SB83, SB135, SB143, SB155, SB157, SB202, SB237, SB261, SB276, SB295, SB450, SB465, SB506, HB1070

Keywords: human trafficking, trafficking prevention, school safety, public schools, elementary and secondary education, charter schools, mandatory reporting, victim identification, victim services, child trafficking, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, commercial sexual activity, DCFS, Department of Children and Family Services, Louisiana State Police, governor's office of human trafficking prevention, counselor training, mental health professional, administrator training

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, Senator Campos, Senate Bill 193, acequia and ditch infrastructure fund transfer.
• is it proposes to amend language relating to the transfers from the irrigation works construction fund
• to the SECA and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund, and so to increase the amount of the transfer from
• Yet today, our planning and funding processes treat them as one.
• It also renames the equipment replacement revolving fund to the equipment software and replacement fund

Bills: SB193, SB132, SB35, SB145

Keywords: SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects, SB132, DOIT, Department of Information Technology, software replacement, equipment replacement