Transcript Highlights:

• In this pilot program, patients will visit one of the three licensed medical programs for multiple psychiatric
• The pilot program would be...
• This is what we need in a pilot program.
• Ayahuasca is one that will not be part of the program.
• We have the Blue Envelope program, but one program that works with public safety.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery opened its first public hearing of the 2025–26 session with remarks from the Senate and House chairs outlining the committee’s priorities. They noted recent work on addiction and recovery legislation, the ongoing youth behavioral health crisis, and that members might need to leave periodically for floor votes. The chairs explained hearing procedures, including three-minute testimony limits, written testimony deadlines, and reporting deadlines for Senate and House bills. The hearing then focused on several bills related to youth mental health, overdose prevention, and psychedelic treatment research. A major portion of the hearing centered on bills to improve youth crisis response and overdose prevention. Testimony strongly supported bills to print the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on student ID cards, with speakers from mental health organizations, crisis centers, and individuals sharing personal stories of depression, suicide attempts, and the importance of making 988 as familiar as 911. Another set of bills would require schools to stock naloxone and provide overdose prevention education. Physicians, harm reduction advocates, students, and grieving family members testified that school-based Narcan access and education could save lives, reduce stigma, and help students recognize overdoses and understand Good Samaritan protections. Senator O’Connor and Tamika Perry also testified for a bill to strengthen substance use prevention education and reduce overdose abandonment, emphasizing the need to teach students about overdose risks and the legal protections for calling 911. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to authorize a pilot program for psychedelic treatment in licensed facilities. Senator Friedman and several medical and behavioral health professionals argued the proposal was a narrow, research-based approach distinct from the broader ballot question rejected in 2024. They said the bill would allow only a small number of supervised clinics to use psychedelics for conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders, with data reporting and Department of Public Health oversight. Supporters described it as a cautious way to study promising treatments while avoiding unsupervised or commercialized use. Finally, the committee heard support for a bill to create a special commission and five-year strategic plan for children’s behavioral health services, with testimony that the current system is fragmented, difficult for families to navigate, and strained by workforce and funding challenges. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, projects that could be funded through this program include buildings.
• What kind of community outreach are these projects required to do, Mr. Speaker?
• Participating in partnership programs.
• Programs, and they do a really great job of doing a deep dive in the interim.
• Programs, Mr. Speaker, gentlelady. That bill, Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• , Monia Scholars Program, and internship program, and appropriates funds for office equipment, supplies
• , Monia Scholars Program, and internship program, and appropriates funds for office equipment, supplies
• which is why having out more Outreach which is why having out more Outreach with<00:43:51.960>
• have a small seed production program have a small seed production program there's<00:58:37.280><
• <01:19:52.440> like credits to the kinds of programs like credits to the kinds of programs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism and Higher Education heard HB 1494, relating to sports facilities. Testimony was largely in opposition to the bill as drafted from the Stadium Authority, the Department of Accounting and General Services, and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, with several other written comments also opposing; each asked that if the measure advances, Senate language from related stadium bills be incorporated instead. The University of Hawaiʻi testified in support of the Nāʻid project and said it wants the project delivered at Halawa so the university can have a football facility, though members pressed the university on whether it was effectively supporting both the project and the bill’s current approach. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on the stadium project’s financing, schedule, and oversight. DAGS and Public Works discussed a consultant contract that had grown to about $28 million and an audit that recovered $441,000 after improper travel and expense reimbursements, including first-class airfare and other personal expenses; officials said the audit exposed weak internal controls and led to revised reimbursement policies. Members questioned whether the problems would have been found without media reporting and whether stronger oversight should have been in place earlier. The committee also discussed the current Ching Field setup for UH football, with witnesses describing it as less than ideal and temporary until the new stadium is built. Stadium Authority representatives said the current preferred offeror is Aloha Halawa Development Partners, negotiations have recently accelerated, and the goal remains a contract this summer and a fall 2028 opening. They said the state is committed to $350 million in general obligation bonds, with the overall project expected to cost more, and that the developer is exploring other financing sources such as TIF or CFD while the state and city work to expedite permits and demolition. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• program administrator Janette Hayes. program administrator Janette Hayes.
• program.
• And then with this program program.
• is a nonrecurring program.
• The two programs are separate. >> correct. The two programs are separate.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services held an informational briefing on the federal shutdown’s impact on state benefits, with the main focus on SNAP. DHS Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division Administrator Scott Morish explained that SNAP serves about 86,229 households statewide, or 168,947 individuals, and averages roughly $58–60 million in monthly federal benefits. He said USDA directed states to suspend November SNAP benefits effective November 1 if the shutdown continues, while existing October balances on EBT cards remain usable and cash benefits such as TANF, General Assistance, and AABD are not affected. DHS said it has continued processing applications, recertifications, interviews, and required reporting, and has posted public guidance on its website. Morish also reviewed other SNAP-related changes taking effect November 1 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including expanded able-bodied adult work requirements and tighter non-citizen eligibility rules. He said the work requirements now extend from ages 18–54 to 18–64 and apply to additional groups previously exempt, while only lawful permanent residents, COFA residents, and Cuban or Haitian entrants will remain eligible among non-citizens. He also noted Hawaii’s ongoing SNAP benefit reduction tied to a federal calculation error in the thrifty food plan, which has lowered benefits by about $8 per person per month for the past three years. On the state response, DHS said it is working with the Hawaii Food Bank and seeking $2 million in state funding to support it, and is also developing a Hawaii Relief Program using TANF reserve funds. The program is intended as a short-term housing and utility assistance program for families with dependent children under 300% of the federal poverty level, with up to four months of assistance. Senators questioned why rainy day funds were not being used and whether the state could directly fund EBT cards; DHS responded that the TANF approach was the fastest available option, that EBT delivery involves significant technical and administrative mechanics, and that the department is still in discussions with the vendor and other stakeholders about additional options.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are the two largest programs for DMA.
• Both of those change items occur in the health care program for Veterans Affairs.
• Moving on to changes to the programs and services program, you'll see the first is reducing the homelessness
• prevention programs, which is a $10 million reduction for the biennium.
• This is approximately a $5 million cut in funding to those programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• , such as under the EPA's programs.
• I'm the program manager for the Mining Act Reclamation Program.
• Behalf of the program with the state because we don't have a program in place that's funded to do so.
• The program you had mentioned, the DOD program that was actually dealing with DOD sites that you said
• They enter the program.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Environment Department on PFAS contamination in private wells in La Cienega, Santa Fe County. Staff said the plume likely came from historic use of firefighting foam associated with airport and National Guard fire-training activities, with possible additional contribution from septic systems and consumer products. They described the contamination as affecting about 200 private wells, the short-term response of providing residential filters through a $2 million legislative appropriation, and ongoing work to define the plume’s full extent, identify responsible parties, and consider longer-term regional water solutions. Members asked about filter costs, replacement schedules, disposal of used cartridges, follow-up testing, health studies, and whether cleanup or containment had begun; the department said cleanup would follow once the plume is fully mapped and that DOH is soliciting interest in a blood study. The committee also discussed the need to track disposal of PFAS filters and the possibility of broader statewide capacity for similar work. The committee then took up abandoned uranium mine cleanup. NMED and EMNRD staff reviewed the new uranium mine reclamation program created by HB 164, the state dashboard tracking sites, and the FY26 appropriation of $20 million for neglected contaminated sites, of which $12 million is being used for neglected uranium mines and the remainder for other contaminated sites. They said six contractors were hired, three priority sites in Grant County are moving forward quickly, and additional sites are being prepared for possible FY27 work. Members pressed for details on how funds are spent, why the revolving fund remains unfunded, how federal, state, tribal, and landowner requirements are coordinated, where contaminated material will be moved, and whether cleanup could also address homes built with contaminated materials. Staff said the work is governed by multiple regulatory layers, that the state is seeking an additional $25 million for FY27-FY28 plus a time extension, and that partnerships with tribes would require longer-term agreements. The committee also discussed federal cleanup efforts and the new Good Samaritan law, with members urging stronger advocacy for New Mexico sites, including tribal lands, and asking whether the Attorney General should pursue legal action against federal parties responsible for legacy contamination. Staff explained that some sites are already covered by settlement funds tied to responsible parties, while neglected sites are those with no responsible party and no other cleanup program. The committee then heard from EMNRD on Class VI carbon sequestration primacy. Staff said New Mexico currently has no operating Class VI wells, about 27 Class II acid-gas injection wells are operating, and only a small number might be candidates for conversion. They explained that the state’s primacy application would require more public outreach than federal rules alone, and that cost estimates for post-injection site care are based on long planning horizons, with some costs borne by operators and some by the state after closure. No votes were taken on the substantive items discussed; the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and took a brief recess between presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• > could might that impact the program and could might that impact the program and could it<00:
• This is a program.
• This is a program.
• This is a program.
• This is a program.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It codifies HIP as a permanent, year-round statewide program.
• It codifies HIP as a permanent, year-round statewide program.
• That's a fact, and the refugee resettlement programs focus on that.
• in this program.
• Abrupt funding changes to the program in the past year Abrupt funding changes to the program in the past

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House Committee on Children and Families held a hybrid hearing on a broad set of anti-hunger, family support, and basic-needs bills. Early testimony focused on SNAP and DTA operations: Rep. DeRosa and others urged passage of H. 196/S. 167 to require DTA to identify staffing, technology, funding, and operational needs to improve timeliness and customer service, warning that unanswered calls, delayed recertifications, and federal changes could sharply raise state costs through higher SNAP administrative burdens and payment-error penalties. Speakers from Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and Project Bread said DTA is under-resourced, caseloads have grown, and families are being denied or delayed due to phone and paperwork barriers. Another major SNAP-related bill, H. 254/S. 147, would require the Commonwealth to replace stolen EBT/SNAP benefits; testimony described more than $13 million stolen from about 27,000 households since June 2022 and argued families should not bear losses from organized theft rings. The committee also heard strong support for H. 207/S. 117, which would restore state-funded nutrition assistance for legally present immigrants excluded from federal SNAP under recent federal changes. Advocates from Project Bread, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, local immigrant services, and public health groups said the federal cuts would leave thousands of residents, including refugees, asylum seekers, trafficking survivors, and children, without food support, and argued Massachusetts has a history of filling this gap. Testimony also supported H. 222/S. 104 to make the Healthy Incentives Program permanent and year-round; supporters said HIP improves nutrition, boosts local farms and regional economies, and had already served more than 212,000 households in FY25. A related child-support bill, H. 201/S. 110, would increase the amount of child support passed through to TAFDC families and expand good-cause exemptions; witnesses said the change would put more money directly in families’ hands, reduce poverty, and better protect survivors of domestic violence and families with complicated co-parenting situations. A large portion of the hearing was devoted to deep-poverty and diaper-related legislation. Supporters of H. 214/S. 118 said cash assistance grants have lost value over time and should be raised annually until they reach half of the federal poverty level; advocates from Children’s HealthWatch, Hopewell, the Lift Our Kids Coalition, and parents described the links between deep poverty, poor child health, family stress, and child welfare involvement. They argued that higher grants would help families meet basic needs, reduce hospitalizations and neglect reports, and provide stability amid federal cuts. Finally, multiple witnesses backed diaper legislation, including H. 220/S. 151 and related bills, to create a diaper benefits pilot and/or diaper allowance commission. Testimony from the National Diaper Bank Network, MassCAP, Children’s HealthWatch, local diaper banks, and parents said diaper need is widespread, affects parental employment and mental health, and can cause health problems for infants; a federally funded pilot in Massachusetts was cited as showing improved employment, financial stability, reduced stress, and fewer diaper rashes. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and asked questions throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Cal Grant Program is a financial aid program administered by the California Student Aid Commission
• have to actually go through the program.
• A licensed apprenticeship program.
• or union apprenticeship program.
• Targeted outreach came to a halt.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard AB 402, which would increase Cal Grant award amounts for students attending private nonprofit colleges and allow community college transfer entitlement awards to be used at those institutions. The author and supporters said the bill would restore award levels to their 2001 value and improve access for low- and middle-income, working, military, and transfer students. Several witnesses from private nonprofit universities, community college districts, and advocacy groups supported the measure. Senators raised concerns about the prior Cal Grant agreement tied to Associate Degree for Transfer participation and about the need to fund broader Cal Grant reforms, but the bill advanced on a unanimous due-pass vote to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. The committee then took up AB 2067, a sunset extension for lease-lease-back authority for TK-12 school construction through July 1, 2032. The author and supporters from school housing and contractor groups said the method provides flexibility, early collaboration, cost control, and legal certainty for school construction projects. Senators asked how often lease-lease-back and other alternative delivery methods are used, and whether the skilled-and-trained workforce provisions limit competition. Some members objected to the skilled-and-trained requirement, while others said the bill simply preserves an existing tool without changing labor rules. The bill passed on a 6-1 vote, with Senator Ochoa Bogh voting no, and was placed on call. AB 1204, which would revise the Local Control Funding Formula by increasing supplemental and concentration grants, lowering the concentration threshold, adding regional cost adjustments, and setting a minimum annual COLA floor, drew extensive testimony on both sides. Supporters said the bill better reflects regional costs, inflation, and student need, especially for low-income, multilingual, and unhoused students. Opponents, including several school district leaders, argued it would widen funding disparities and divert money from the LCFF base grant, which they said should be the priority. Committee members also questioned the fiscal impact, the proposed 4% COLA floor, and whether the bill had enough research and stakeholder consensus. Despite those concerns, the bill was advanced to Appropriations on a due-pass vote and placed on call. Finally, the committee heard AB 1235, which would require a skilled-and-trained workforce process for CSU design-build projects to align CSU with UC and community college construction rules. Supporters said it would improve training and project quality, while opponents from contractor groups argued it would reduce competition, increase costs, and impose mandates without evidence of better outcomes. Several senators objected to the skilled-and-trained requirement as limiting opportunities for contractors who comply with state law, while others noted the issue was already common in higher education construction. The discussion was still underway when the transcript ended, and no final vote on AB 1235 was captured.

Transcript Highlights:

• This program is really going to improve transparency of our programs, accountability, data production
• This is our oldest grant program.
• Again, this program was established in 1987. Again, this program was established in 1987.
• programs, to the special mission-based programs, to our core participation loan programs, provide a
• So it depends on the program.

Summary: The committee received a compliance and budget update on Industrial Commission agencies and programs, including the Industrial Commission administrative office, the Oil and Gas Research Program, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the State Energy Research Center, the Research Technology Park grant program, and related funds. Staff reviewed spending and balances for items such as electric grid resiliency grants, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the salt cavern business case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members also discussed timing, carryover balances, matching requirements, and how some programs are structured to reimburse projects over several years rather than spend funds immediately. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described the agency’s administrative budget, the grant management system nearing completion, and the transition to standalone audits and staffing after separating from other agencies. She also outlined the status of active grant rounds across lignite, oil and gas, renewable energy, outdoor heritage, and clean sustainable energy programs. Members asked about the length of active grants, demand for clean energy funding, and the possibility of future grant rounds. Tyler and members also discussed the salt cavern study, the need to better define its commercial value, and the research technology park grant’s cash-match requirement. Ron Ness then testified on enhanced oil recovery and broader oil and gas market conditions. He said North Dakota production remained steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, longer laterals, and better use of natural gas and carbon dioxide for EOR. He described the state’s EOR grant round, the use of federal DOE funding to replace part of a state-funded project, and the expectation of additional grant rounds. Members asked about CO2 supply, storage, and the economics of using legacy fields and pipelines to extend oil production and support agriculture and industrial uses. The committee also heard from Bank of North Dakota President Don Morgan, who reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, lending verticals, disaster programs, and new initiatives. He said the bank is seeing deposit growth flatten and is responding to fintech competition by focusing on liquidity, risk management, and a new payment infrastructure initiative called Rough Rider Coin, which he emphasized is not crypto and not a public coin, but a banking payment rail for North Dakota institutions. Members asked about student loan rates, disaster lending, and how the bank’s lines of credit and balance sheet capacity are affected by deposit trends. Morgan said the bank remains profitable and continues to support agriculture, commerce, and industry through participation loans, student lending, and state-directed programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The program is optional, not mandatory.
• The city of Long Beach adopted a green flag program.
• And what did the green flag program start off with?
• program, for the zero-emissions drayage trucks that are automated.
• The new opt-in program utilizes non-facial images to hold drivers accountable, shifts the program from

Summary: The committee first took up SB 712, which would expand California’s smog-check exemption for classic vehicles by adding model years 1976 through 1986 in phases, with a sunset in 2032. The author and supporters, including lowrider advocates and the Specialty Equipment Market Association, argued the bill would preserve car culture, support a small class of rarely driven collector vehicles, and reduce burdens on owners who struggle to find equipment for older smog tests. Opponents, including air district officials, the American Lung Association, and other environmental groups, warned the bill would weaken an important emissions-control program and increase pollution. After discussion, the committee adopted the motion to do pass as amended to Appropriations on a roll call vote of 10-0, with the roll held open for additional votes. The committee then heard SB 800, which requires Caltrans, working with local governments, to assess mitigation measures for suicide prevention on locally owned overpasses crossing state highways. The bill was presented as a response to recent tragedies in Rancho Cucamonga and was supported by local officials, health organizations, and suicide-prevention advocates, who said the measure would help identify high-risk locations and lead to life-saving interventions. There was no registered opposition. The committee members expressed support, and SB 800 was passed to Appropriations on a unanimous roll call vote, with the roll held open. Next, the committee considered SB 30, which would prohibit California public entities from selling, donating, or transferring decommissioned diesel locomotives and railroad equipment with Tier 1 or older engines unless the engine is removed, while allowing Tier 2 and newer transfers under certain conditions. The author and supporters framed the bill as a climate and public-health measure to prevent older, dirtier locomotives from continuing to pollute elsewhere, while transit agencies opposed it, arguing it could limit useful transfers of equipment that still supports passenger service and could be better handled through case-by-case air-quality review. After debate, the committee voted 6-4 to pass SB 30 as amended to Appropriations, with the roll held open for later additions. The committee also heard SB 791, which replaces the flat dealer document processing charge cap with a 1% fee capped at $350, along with new disclosure requirements. Dealers and industry groups supported the bill as a way to recover costs and improve transparency, while consumer advocates opposed it as an unjustified increase that would burden buyers. The committee approved SB 791 on a 8-? roll call vote and held the roll open. The meeting then moved on to SB 34, a port-air-quality bill presented by Senator Richardson, but the transcript ends during testimony and debate on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• This program is really going to improve transparency of our programs, accountability, data production
• So no new funding was appropriated for this program, for the CC program, in the 2025 legislative session
• Again, this program was established in 1987. Again, this program was established in 1987.
• programs, to the special mission-based programs, to our core participation loan programs.
• So it depends on the program.

Summary: The committee took roll, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a compliance-report update on the Industrial Commission and related funds and programs. Staff reviewed the status of one-time appropriations and grant programs, including electric grid resiliency, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the salt cavern business-case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members asked about funding balances, reimbursement timing, matching requirements, and how some commitments would affect the State Investment Fund and future biennia. Industrial Commission staff then gave a broader update on the agency’s administrative office, grant management system, leadership transitions at several commission agencies, and active grant rounds. They reported that the grant management system is nearing completion, that several agency leadership searches have concluded, and that the commission’s grant programs currently have 108 active grants totaling more than $165 million. They also described the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority round, the oil and gas research program’s enhanced oil recovery awards, the grid resiliency grants, the salt cavern study, and the research technology park program, noting that some projects are awaiting federal funds or additional matching cash. Ron Ness, speaking for the Oil and Gas Research Council, focused on the state of the oil industry and the enhanced oil recovery “Bakken 2.0” effort. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on better infrastructure, longer laterals, and new EOR methods such as CO2, natural gas, and surfactants. He emphasized the importance of the Bakkeneast pipeline and related gas-utilization projects, the recent DOE funding that will return some money to the research council, and the need to modernize tax and incentive rules for CO2-based recovery. Members discussed the potential economic benefits for oil, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and a broader strategic update. Bank leadership reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, participation lending, student lending, disaster programs, and legislatively directed programs, and said the bank is managing for a flatter deposit base and stronger liquidity because of fintech competition and changing market conditions. They reported improved earnings, with net income rising to about $231 million, and described Rough Rider Coin as a new internal payment rail for North Dakota banks and credit unions, not a public cryptocurrency. Members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster lending, and the bank’s capacity to support state programs while maintaining its balance-sheet and liquidity requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Enlace program down at Gadsden High School for Gadsden District High School, and she is shadowing
• listening to the story, listening to all of the other background and happenings that took place, made Me outreach
• I became a victim of the sterilization program. and when I was 22. I became a victim.
• I became a victim of the sterilization program.
• I work with Juliana Koob on behalf of the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs.

Bills: SM14

Keywords: forced sterilization, coerced sterilization, Indigenous women, Native American women, women of color, reproductive justice, reproductive sovereignty, truth and reconciliation commission, memorial, trauma-informed care, reparative justice, human rights, bodily autonomy, Indian Health Service, Indian affairs, Commission on the Status of Women, survivor testimony, reproductive health access, genocide, transitional justice

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a different program. This is not a CDFI.
• The first program was our COVID-19 lending program, which was for businesses impacted by the pandemic
• What is the NCRN, the NORES program?
• One of the best social programs is the job.
• and outreach under the direction of.

Transcript Highlights:

• The LFC recommended the Community Solar Program.
• Oh, and the River Stewardship Program on Line 164.
• The previous Iteration of the program didn't do that, so we threw it out and we wrote a program that
• We've also seen a 50% enrollment increase in those programs.
• Programs with nearly 800 individuals enrolled in FY25.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What kind of outreach are you seeing with them?
• So, we've done outreach. We've utilized your guys' outreach.
• Because that's a problem for outreach?
• <02:23:26.319> guys' outreach.
• We've utilized your guys' outreach.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But now a lot of these programs are, you know, on some type of a module application.
• example, that aren't, are, are given to the community as a, a comp ticket just for community, um, outreach
• There's an internal process, and then there's outreach, especially with these special districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Parent Child Assistance Program is a phenomenal program, zero to three.
• Those programs have been crucial to seeing our families.
• show us how the court or the program is operating.
• the programs.
• publicly available, and the program is funded for 50 youth.

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee held a work session on child welfare dependency, focusing on implementation of HB 1227 (Keeping Families Together) and SB 6109 (the fentanyl response bill), along with related data and system updates. DCYF first reviewed the dependency process, explaining intake, shelter care, fact-finding, disposition, and review hearings, and emphasized that removal standards are separate from service provision and that children may be in-home or out-of-home at different stages. DCYF said 1227 raised the removal threshold to imminent physical harm and strengthened kin placement, with nearly 60% of children now placed with relatives or suitable others. The department also said 6109 directs courts to give great weight to fentanyl’s lethality and added legal liaisons to support staff in court preparation. DCYF presented data showing that entries into out-of-home care declined after 1227 but rose again after 6109, returning close to pre-1227 levels. The agency also reported a sharp increase in reviewable critical incidents in 2022-2025, especially near-fatalities, which it linked to the opioid and fentanyl crisis, parental stress, and system complexity. DCYF said it has responded with statewide Safe Child Councils, staff consultations, hotspot monitoring, and additional training, and noted that some contracted services authorized under 6109 were not implemented because of fiscal constraints. Senators asked about where children are in the process, who participates in court, the timing of data releases, age breakdowns, and geographic hotspots. Advocates and lived-experience witnesses from LCYC and a family intervention clinic argued that 1227 has not prevented courts from removing children when necessary and said the law appropriately requires the state to show a causal link between home conditions and risk. They said 6109 appropriately highlights fentanyl’s danger, but stressed that the larger issue is lack of prevention and treatment resources, inconsistent county-by-county practice, and insufficient supports such as inpatient beds, family treatment, housing, transportation, and third-party safety plan participants. A parent ally described how early support, peer guidance, and kin placement helped her achieve recovery and stability after losing parental rights in an earlier case. The committee also heard an update on SB 6068 from the Administrative Office of the Courts and K Implementation and Evaluation. The report identified 15 dimensions of relational permanency and child well-being, found that some data already exist while other measures need development, and recommended a phased data collection plan, a restored data-sharing agreement between AOC and DCYF, and a standing cross-agency work group. AOC said its dependency data system lapsed when the prior agreement expired in June 2025 and needs to be rebuilt. The meeting also included a brief update on bridge housing for youth exiting inpatient treatment, with presenters saying two programs are now open, one in King County and one in Spokane, and a short introduction to juvenile rehabilitation capacity updates before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Louisiana Fortified Homes Program, created in this committee, is a proven mitigation program that
• of the citizens that get the fortified roof through the program.
• the citizens that get the fortified roof through the program.
• Right, or would be allocated to the program. And that's great.
• Does it only go to fund the Fortified Roof Program?

Summary: The House Insurance Committee met on April 23 with a quorum present and first deferred HB 1142. The committee then heard HB 1187, which would direct any excess Louisiana Citizens emergency assessment funds, after related debt is paid, toward the Louisiana Fortified Homes Program or future Citizens debt. Representative Sawyer and Commissioner Tim Temple said the bill would likely redirect about $50 million in one-time surplus funds and would help expand a popular roof-mitigation program that has already awarded more than 4,600 fortified roofs. The bill drew support from several witnesses and was reported as amended without objection. Next, HB 1210, dealing with insurance claim disputes and a pre-suit review process for Louisiana Citizens claims, was discussed. Representative Dana Henry said he was voluntarily deferring the bill and instead pursuing a study resolution after hearing concerns from members and stakeholders. Department and Citizens officials said the proposal was modeled on Florida’s process and could help resolve disputes faster and cheaper, but the bill was ultimately voluntarily deferred after testimony and some opposition cards were noted. The committee then took up HB 1199, which requires coverage for genetic testing and treatment related to SCN2A-associated disorders. Representative Jordan and the Diedon family gave emotional testimony about their daughter Emily’s diagnosis and the importance of timely genetic testing. The bill was amended to require that testing be ordered by a provider and deemed medically necessary by the health plan, with discussion about whether a neurologist should be involved; members said that issue could be refined later. HB 1199 was reported as amended. Finally, the committee considered HB 880, the Louisiana Artificial Intelligence Insurance Fairness Act, which would regulate AI use in underwriting, rating, and claims. After a lengthy discussion about state insurance regulation, McCarran-Ferguson, and concerns that the bill could jeopardize federal broadband funding, Representative Jordan voluntarily deferred HB 880, and HB 920 was also deferred. The committee then heard HB 1221, which would limit the policy data collected for the Louisiana Fortified Program Fund. Former Representative Bowler argued the bill was needed to protect policyholder privacy, while the Department of Insurance and Commissioner Temple said the data is needed for surplus-lines premium tax audits, fraud detection, and consumer assistance after disasters. The discussion continued with questions about what data would be visible and how it would be used, but the transcript ends before a final action on HB 1221 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• As with the bill we just heard about, there are times when tweaks to programs or making programs more
• Senate Bill 1006, An Act Creating the Homeworks Program.
• Why aren't they in after-school programs?
• does not qualify for these programs.
• We operate high-impact savings and financial coaching programs.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing heard testimony on several housing bills, with much of the discussion focused on seasonal communities and funding for year-round housing in places like Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod, and the Berkshires. Speakers supported bills including H. 4410/S. 966 and related seasonal communities legislation, which would allow local option real estate transfer fees and expand tools for towns to preserve and create affordable housing. Testimony emphasized severe housing shortages, high home prices, workforce displacement, and impacts on public safety, schools, health care, and local businesses. Many witnesses said the transfer fee would provide a sustainable local revenue stream, citing prior land bank models on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard as proof the approach can work. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3989 regarding seasonal community designation, with supporters arguing that towns should be included automatically or through a simpler opt-in process, and on H. 4568 to expand the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which would broaden access to a federal voucher-based savings and self-sufficiency model. Senator Edwards testified in support of a bill to create training for municipal board members, describing it as a toolkit to improve informed local decision-making. Senator O’Connor testified for a bed bug bill, saying it would create clearer landlord and tenant notification and treatment requirements and provide needed legal guidance after his family’s experience with an infestation. Senator Lovely also testified for the Homeworks program, which provides transportation so homeless children in motels and shelters can attend after-school activities. The committee further heard testimony on a bill to fund housing in seasonal communities through a transfer fee and on a companion measure to expand the seasonal communities toolkit, with repeated calls for favorable reports. Witnesses from public safety, health care, housing nonprofits, schools, and local government described staffing shortages and housing insecurity as urgent problems. Later, the committee took testimony on H. 1559/S. 102 to maintain stable housing for families with pets, with animal welfare groups supporting protections against eviction, breed discrimination, and excessive pet rent. They said housing-related pet surrenders are a major driver of shelter intake. The hearing also included testimony on H. 1498 to limit criminalization of homelessness, which would restrict citations, fines, and related consequences for outdoor camping tied solely to homelessness.