Transcript Highlights:

• We partner with the guarantee funds.
• Again, this is very important because the guarantee We secure the company.
• We partner with the guarantee funds.
• And it's critical to get the data to the guarantee funds so that they can perform that duty.
• We then manipulate that system into a format that's used by all the guarantee associations called UDS

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, then returned to its ongoing budget workshop with the Department of Management Services. DFS’s Division of Risk Management described its role as the state self-insurance fund, covering about 200,000 employees and 27,000 vehicles, paying roughly $150 million in claims last year, and managing a pilot ETS treatment program for veterans and first responders that had 49 patients and 804 treatments as of the latest report. The Division of State Fire Marshal outlined its fire prevention, training, emergency response, and grant programs, including hurricane deployments, the Florida State Fire College, and several capital and grant requests for roof, courtyard, memorial, and equipment needs. The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation explained how it handles insolvent insurers under Chapter 631, currently administering 14 estates with $1.2 billion in assets and $3.7 billion in liabilities, and said no new receiverships had been opened since February 2023. Members asked about grant backlogs, fire truck procurement delays, memorial repairs, and whether affiliate transfers were occurring in insurer liquidations. Secretary Griffin then updated the committee on DBPR’s implementation of House Bill 1021 on community associations. He said the department had used the new authority to expand education, complaint handling, and ombudsman services, including 10 free standardized courses, a new condo website, and a four-hour board certification course that had already drawn more than 12,000 attendees. He reported that outreach to condominium communities had increased by more than 60%, that complaint filings were up 39% while jurisdictional dismissals dropped to 11%, and that about 81% to 82% of the 65 new positions had been filled. Members pressed him on whether the department had enough authority and funding, how condominium counts are determined, how self-reported structural integrity reserve study data is verified, and whether more public-facing complaint tracking and better reporting from local governments or developers would improve the system. The committee then resumed questioning Secretary Allende of DMS about outstanding budget and operations issues. Members focused on the delayed People First contract extension required by statute, with the secretary saying the delay involved technical and contractual complexity in moving a legacy hard-coded system to the cloud. They also revisited the state data team and data catalog project, asking why a statutory 2022 deadline had not been met, how the four-person team and broader data staff were organized, how many applicants were considered for key positions, and what each role was doing. The secretary said the catalog work was being simplified into six metadata fields and supported by a broader community of practice, but no firm completion date was given during the exchange.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's just a partial list.
• And that's just a partial list.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• law enforcement investigation, canvassing license plates around any crime scene, and checking any partial
• legitimate law enforcement purposes such as criminal investigations, canvassing crime scenes, and checking partial

Bills: SB1072, SB1111, SB1114, SB1116, SB1122, SB1179, SB1250, SB1308, SB1455, SB1456, SB1457, SB1487, SB1547, SB1549, SB1551, SB1552

Keywords: reimbursement rates, intellectual disabilities, community services, economic security, funding appropriations, automated license plate readers, law enforcement, privacy, data access, public records, behavioral health, patient brokering, appropriation, state funds, Maricopa County, claims review, medical necessity, American Indian health program, healthcare regulations, healthcare

Summary: The committee first approved the February 3, 2026 minutes and reordered the agenda to accommodate sponsors and speakers. SB 1114, which would appropriate $1 million to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to investigate behavioral health patient brokering statewide, was presented as a response to Medicaid fraud and exploitation of vulnerable Native American patients. After brief questions about why Maricopa County would handle statewide oversight, the bill received a do pass recommendation on a 9-0 vote with one member not voting. The committee then took up SB 1111, as amended by a strike-everything amendment regulating automated license plate readers. The amendment limited use to specified law enforcement purposes, required verification of alerts when feasible, imposed data-retention and handling responsibilities on agencies, and created a misdemeanor penalty for unauthorized release of data. Supporters from Phoenix, Tempe, Prescott Valley, the Arizona Chiefs of Police, and the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association argued the bill provides needed statewide guardrails while preserving a valuable investigative tool for missing persons, stolen vehicles, and serious crimes. Opponents from the ACLU, Institute for Justice, and private citizens raised privacy and Fourth Amendment concerns, warning about dragnet surveillance, unclear terms like “legitimate” law enforcement purposes, lack of public access to records, and the risk of misuse for immigration or abortion-related tracking. The committee adopted the amendment and then gave SB 1111 as amended a do pass recommendation on a 7-2 vote, with one not voting. Next, SB 1116, as amended, was approved. The bill requires appeals or adverse determinations on behavioral health claims under AHCCCS fee-for-service to be reviewed by someone with relevant clinical experience, and the amendment broadened the requirement to include medical-necessity denials and specified at least two years of similar clinical experience. Senator Werner said the measure was intended to curb inappropriate denials and improve payment for behavioral health providers serving Native communities. Access was neutral but said the bill’s terms were too broad and could require additional staff; the committee nonetheless adopted the amendment and passed the bill 10-0. Finally, SB 1122, as amended, was approved 10-0. The bill bars AHCCCS from requiring prior authorization for behavioral health services under the American Indian Health Plan, while the amendment prohibited 100% prepayment review and adjusted the corrective-action language. Senator Werner and provider representatives said the measure was needed because providers were being delayed or denied payment, contributing to closures, workforce shortages, and patient brokering. The committee then began hearing SB 1072, a major appropriation to increase reimbursement rates for home- and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with testimony focused on severe caregiver shortages, overtime costs, and unassigned service authorizations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the lottery will pass partially because we omitted scratch tickets, because that was the real controversial
• thing traditionally, and I realize we're only two states that haven't done it, and I'm partially to

Bills: SF0052, SF0024

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you look at my voting record, I try to respect partial credit.
• Um, and I think if both parties could do better respecting partial credit and instead of all or nothing

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand the bill was partially initiated by a property owner not getting DES approval to do some
• Representative Davis: I understand the bill was partially initiated by a property owner not getting DES

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began with introductions and a description of the day’s process: a full committee work session on four bills, with no public testimony, followed by caucus and then executive action. The first bill discussed was HB 113, concerning OHRV operation on certain highways in Windsor. Representative Nab presented an amendment that would require a public hearing and Department of Transportation approval, modeled on procedures used in Coös and Grafton counties. Members discussed whether Windsor had already held a local vote or hearing, whether minutes from a town meeting existed, and whether the amendment truly preserved local control. A Windsor resident testified informally that the town had not taken a final vote and that the matter had been left to the state. Committee members also raised concerns about noise, dust, public safety, and the fact that the road in question would connect OHRVs on a state road rather than a trail system. The chair closed the work session on HB 113 and said the committee would return after caucus to vote on the bill and amendment. The committee then took up HB 595FN, relative to coastal resilience zones. Representative Nat said the bill addressed flooding concerns in both coastal and inland New Hampshire, but that the sponsor viewed it as too complex and had recommended breaking the issue into separate parts in future legislation. On that basis, Nat said it was appropriate to ITL the bill, and noted that the sponsor supported that course. No further discussion followed, and the work session was closed. Next was HB 629FN, funding the operation, maintenance, and repair of state dams. Representative Darby explained that the original bill had proposed both a waterfront frontage tax and a $5 charge tied to boat registration, but that the amendment would replace the bill by removing the frontage tax, moving the $5 dam-maintenance fee to the boat decal section of statute, and changing the effective date to January 1, 2027. Darby said the larger fee had raised concerns about impacts on current-use property and enforcement, while the revised $5 fee would raise roughly $500,000 to $600,000 annually. Representative Dunn thanked Darby and said the Marine Trades Association supported the revised approach. A question was raised about whether the original prime sponsors supported the amendment; the chair said they were on board, and Darby added that the proposal reflected recommendations from a prior study committee. The committee then closed HB 629FN and opened SB 27FN, relative to dwellings over water. On SB 27FN, Representative Derby said he opposed the bill because it would take away public access rights and amounted to a one-off legislative solution for a private concern. Representative Donnelly asked how many similar structures might be affected and whether the Department of Environmental Services knew of other cases; DES responded that there was one other related case under settlement compliance and no other active cases with the same issue. In follow-up discussion, DES clarified that the proposal was not a shoreland 50-foot setback issue, but rather involved structures extending over public water. The discussion remained focused on the scope of the bill and its potential precedent-setting effect, with no vote taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• He said that partially responds to her first question.
• Section 27 has to do with temporary partial disability payments, and those, when they're requested, would

Bills: AB52, AB76, AB163, AB388, AB483

Keywords: health insurance, claims process, insurance regulation, admin penalties, healthcare access, cannabis, cannabis establishment, medical cannabis, adult-use cannabis, advertising regulations, packaging requirements, unlicensed cannabis activities, state prosecution, confidentiality, Cannabis Compliance Board, disciplinary proceedings, mental health, counseling, interstate practice, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• Localized brick-and-mortar and home-based businesses also faced partial damage, temporary closure, and
• Localized brick and mortar and home-based businesses also faced partial damage, temporary closure, and

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly labor committees held a hearing on the Los Angeles wildfires and their impact on workers, employers, and recovery efforts. Chairs and members emphasized that rebuilding should prioritize worker safety, equity, local hiring, and strong labor standards rather than simply moving quickly or relying on the lowest bidder. They also stressed the need to learn from past disasters and to create a more coordinated state response for future emergencies. Worker advocates described how domestic workers, day laborers, firefighters, and other frontline workers were affected by the fires. Testimony focused on workers being trapped in evacuation zones, lacking timely information in Spanish, losing jobs and income, and facing exposure to toxic debris without adequate PPE. Speakers called for expanded outreach and education, stronger Cal/OSHA enforcement, broader occupational safety coverage for domestic workers and day laborers, recall and transfer rights, childcare and transportation support, and a centralized disaster relief system that can quickly deliver cash aid and equipment regardless of immigration status. Firefighter Derek Irwin said California firefighters face serious carcinogenic exposure and urged continued funding for the firefighter cancer prevention and research program, along with a long-term state health monitoring and research effort similar to the World Trade Center Health Program. Building trades and labor representatives argued that cleanup and rebuilding should be done through community workforce agreements, prevailing wage, apprenticeship requirements, and local hire provisions, and said the state already has trained workers available. They also said federal debris-removal work through the Army Corps has limited the state’s ability to impose some standards, but that state and local funding or subsidies should trigger labor requirements. Employer and business representatives described major losses to property, inventory, revenue, and jobs, especially in Altadena and nearby areas. The Altadena Chamber said it is coordinating recovery resources, while a construction business owner said small local firms are being shut out of disaster contracts and proposed a more accessible procurement process for local and minority businesses. LAEDC presented preliminary estimates of billions in property damage and business disruption, tens of thousands of potential job losses, and a recovery timeline of five to ten years, warning that low-income communities will be disproportionately affected and that workforce retraining and upskilling will be needed alongside the broader economic recovery.

Transcript Highlights:

• study currently being conducted in Europe, which we have shared with the department, that shows the partial
• study currently being conducted in Europe, which we have shared with the department, that shows the partial

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 737, which would amend Minnesota’s lead- and cadmium-related product restrictions and was re-referred to the Committee on Environment, Finance and Policy. Representative Bjorn Olson said the bill was prompted by a constituent who could no longer make cadmium-based art supplies in Minnesota, and he argued the law unintentionally swept in professional art materials that are used safely and are important to Western art culture. The committee first adopted the author’s A2 amendment, which broadened the bill to include additional exemptions beyond paint and pastels, including certain pens, mechanical pencils, and vehicle keys/key fobs. Testimony in support came from Darren Reenie of Wet Paint Artist Materials and Framing, who said artist paint and related supplies account for a significant share of sales and that the ban threatens independent art supply businesses and artists’ access to essential pigments. Josh Fiser of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation supported the key and key fob exemption, saying the current law is overly broad, exposure risk is minimal, and Minnesota should align with California and European Union standards. Bill Morgan of the Arts and Creative Materials Institute and Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association also supported the amendment, arguing there was little scientific basis for including pens, mechanical pencils, and professional artist materials, and citing prior reviews in the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the European Union. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, through Assistant Commissioner Kirk Kadelka, opposed broad exemptions and emphasized that no amount of lead is safe for children. He said the law was based on evidence from consumer products associated with elevated blood lead levels and argued that safer alternatives exist for many of the items in the amendment, including pens, mechanical pencils, and some key components. He also raised concerns about exposure during production and disposal. Committee members questioned the scope of the exemptions and whether the industry had workable alternatives. The A2 amendment was adopted, and the bill was then advanced for further consideration and re-referred as noted by the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an all funds reduction of 0.1 million in General Revenue funds which partially offer additional
• decrease primarily represents the removal of one. time costs for flood control dam funding which is partially

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not the guarantee association.
• > acts The guarantee fund essentially acts The guarantee fund essentially acts almost<00:02:53.120
• insurance policy the insured guaranteed insurance policy the insured guaranteed up<00:10:17.839>
• He said this hearkens back to what he said last Monday: why does the guarantee association and the guarantee
• Uh if the guarantee fund association.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would help to guarantee that Massachusetts is never deprived of its full voice in the Electoral
• easily to ensure that any post-election litigation related to the presidential election would be guaranteed
• The provisions in this bill are common-sense election protection measures to guarantee that the will
• of the voters... ...in this bill are common-sense election protection measures to guarantee that the

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Committee on Election Laws held a hearing with House and Senate chairs and several members participating in person and online. The main bill discussed was House Bill 5086, the Electoral Count Reform/Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act, which would require presidential electors in Massachusetts to sign a faithfulness pledge, automatically replace any elector who casts a vote contrary to the state’s popular vote, and update state procedures to meet federal Electoral Count Act deadlines and paperwork requirements. Testimony in support came from Public Citizen, the Uniform Law Commission, and Protect Democracy United. Witnesses argued the bill would protect against coercion, threats, and “faithless electors,” and said it would help ensure Massachusetts’ electoral votes reflect voters’ choices and cannot be rejected on technical grounds. One witness noted the bill is already enacted in many states and has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, and several organizations endorsed the model approach. Members asked about how the bill would interact with Massachusetts’ participation in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The witness said the bill is compatible with the compact and suggested a minor clarifying amendment to avoid any implication that the state is stepping away from it. After testimony and questions, the chair noted that testimony had also been received on the other two bills from Representative Breguire, the governor’s office, and Representative Hogan, and the committee then adjourned without taking a vote in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, there's no guarantee. That amendment.
• Right now there's no guaranteed funding.
• went to the Arkansas TV Commission, that that's For language is to guarantee that if the money went
• So when we deleted Section 2, we deleted that guarantee.
• And we'll need to communicate with the commission at that time to guarantee that if we send the money

Summary: The committee resumed consideration of several amendments to fiscal bills. It adopted Senator Johnson’s amendment to Senate Bill 15, which shifts responsibility for Keep Arkansas Beautiful-related functions and roadside litter cleanup coordination toward ARDOT, with the current commissioners becoming an advisory council. The committee also adopted Representative Perry’s amendment to Senate Bill 7, lowering from 50 to 25 the employee threshold for employers to request claims data from insurers for group health coverage, aimed at helping smaller businesses and municipalities obtain more competitive insurance quotes. Representative McKinsey’s amendment to Senate Bill 41, which would have blocked a University of Arkansas at Fayetteville athletic funding transfer and imposed a one-year rider, was rejected after questions about the university’s finances and whether such a transfer had ever occurred. Senator Hester’s amendment to House Bill 1051, intended to cap online sports betting free play at 5% of gross receipts, also failed after debate over whether the proposal was properly fiscal language and whether the free-play incentives constituted a subsidy. Representative Walker’s amendment to a Save the Children appropriation, which would have converted the funding into a matching grant to encourage private donations, failed for lack of a motion. Representative Vaught’s amendment related to an agricultural tax exemption for certain tractor parts and diesel exhaust fluid systems likewise failed, with concerns raised about drafting, enforcement, and whether it belonged in revenue tax committees. The committee then added two late items: Representative Johnson’s technical correction to a physician licensure pathway bill, which was adopted to broaden qualifying underserved-area definitions, and Senator Tucker’s amendment to Senate Bill 77, which deleted a fund-transfer section and created a matching appropriation mechanism to help Arkansas TV/PBS retain affiliation and pay dues. Senate Bill 77 passed as amended, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:01:04.440> that and having some kind of a guarantee that and having some kind of a guarantee
• Number three, parents would be thrilled, I guarantee that.
• And the third thing is guaranteed funding for school districts to run that program.
• this is the state should be guaranteeing this is the state should be guaranteeing the<05:04:55.920
• the word guarantee the word guarantee funding<05:10:04.520> am<05:10:04.638> I<05:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and first took up HB 193, which limits the maximum credits per course eligible for the Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Program. Representative Ladd said the bill clarifies that eligible courses may not exceed four credits and was requested by the community college system. Representative Earth offered an amendment to make the bill effective on passage, which the committee adopted 18-0. The committee then approved HB 193 as amended by an 18-0 OTPA vote and placed it on the consent calendar. The committee next retained HB 295, concerning School Building Aid program funds, after Representative Spillsbury said the building aid bills were complex and needed more work. The motion to retain passed 18-0, with the chair explaining that retained bills can be revisited later and that related language could be moved among building aid bills. HB 354 was not acted on because the chair said the Department of Education and others had suggested possible changes that should be worked out first. HB 366, another school building aid bill, was also retained 18-0 for the same reasons as HB 295. The committee then considered HB 494, which funds the math learning communities program. Representative Earth offered an amendment to flat-fund the program, reducing the proposed increase by a net $50,000 and keeping funding at current levels for the biennium. After discussion about budget pressures and the program’s role in supporting math instruction and professional development, the amendment passed 18-0, and the bill as amended was approved 18-0 and placed on consent. Finally, the committee took up HB 515, which would repeal charter public school eligibility for state school building aid. Representative Popovici-Muller moved inexpedient to legislate, arguing charter schools should not be treated differently from other public schools, while Representatives Luno and Damon opposed the motion, saying charter schools differ in governance and financial risk and should not receive limited state building aid. The motion failed 10-8, so HB 515 was sent to the regular calendar. The committee assigned Representative Damon to the minority report and Representative Popovici-Muller to the majority report, with a noon deadline the next day. The committee then began HB 716, an appropriation for the dual and concurrent enrollment program. Representative Ladd described the program as a successful affordability measure that saves families money and supports college access. Representative Earth offered an amendment to flat-fund the program at current levels, reducing the proposed increase by $500,000 in each year of the biennium. Shannon Reed of the Community College System said the change could limit enrollment or the number of funded courses, though students could still take additional courses at their own expense. Representative Ladd explained the program’s tuition structure and said the funding would help meet demand; the transcript cuts off before the final vote on HB 716.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to point out some areas where it could have been an exit—an exit in Las Lunas that's partially
• Speaker and gentlelady, accredited capacity is walking over to a light switch and guaranteeing every

Transcript Highlights:

• And I guarantee you, you have two choices.
• I guarantee most people don't understand how the electricity works in their building.
• I guarantee most people don't there.
• I think I uh I I pretty much guarantee I think I uh I I pretty much guarantee that<02:01:05.040>
• I don't know what the motivations behind MAD are, but I guarantee it's not data privacy.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, and approved the journal. Members then took up Senate Joint Resolution 4, which designates September 20-26, 2026, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week in Colorado. The resolution was read at length, with Representative Clifford speaking in support and describing FTD as a devastating, early-onset dementia that affects families during working and child-rearing years. The resolution passed on a 60-0 vote. The chamber also handled scheduling motions, including removing House Bill 1110 from special orders and placing several bills on special orders for March 4. The meeting then shifted into committee-style consideration of House Bill 1205, concerning changes to state law to reflect the federal expansion of good neighbor authority agreements. After a minor committee-report correction adding wildlife habitat language and removing the safety clause, the report was adopted and the bill passed. Sponsors said the measure aligns state law with federal statute and supports recreation projects and cross-ownership coordination in wildfire-prone landscapes. The bulk of the discussion focused on House Bill 1145, concerning water quality in mobile home parks. Sponsors Velasco and Phillips said the bill responds to longstanding water problems in mobile home communities, including discolored, foul-smelling water and contaminants such as arsenic and E. coli, and that it strengthens testing, complaint, and enforcement authority. Two amendments were offered by Representative Richardson and Representative DeGraaf to narrow or clarify the bill’s standards and hearing provisions; both were defeated. The committee report was then adopted and the bill advanced, with supporters emphasizing public health and financial burdens on residents and opponents warning about vague standards, penalties, and possible unintended effects on park owners.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to somehow get loan guarantees.
• We have to somehow get loan guarantees.
• We have to somehow get loan guarantees.
• We have to somehow get loan guarantees.
• We have to somehow get loan guarantees.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:10 Approval of Minutes 00:01:19 Helping Power Kentucky's Growth (LG&E/KU) 00:01:39 Update from Kentucky's Electric Cooperatives 00:47:35, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the previous meeting, and then heard a presentation from LG&E and KU representatives Caroline Clark and John Bevington on economic development, energy demand, and the utility’s role in supporting Kentucky’s growth. Bevington described the company’s service territory, generation fleet, and recent economic development activity, including 76 projects supported in 2024, more than $2.8 billion in private investment, and over 3,000 new jobs. He emphasized that data centers are now the dominant driver in the pipeline, with 22 data center projects representing about 8.7 of the 9.7 gigawatts of potential demand, alongside other manufacturing and commercial projects. A major focus was how data centers choose sites and how utilities respond. Bevington explained that hyperscale data centers typically approach utilities first because they need transmission-level access, and that utilities then conduct internal analyses, estimate infrastructure needs, and require financial security before proceeding. He said the company is working through formal transmission studies and long-lead infrastructure planning, and noted that Kentucky’s sales tax exemption for data centers helped attract interest. He also outlined the economic benefits of data centers, citing an announced Louisville project of 525 megawatts and about $11 billion in investment, with an estimated $500 million in new tax revenue over 10 years, plus broader job and GDP impacts. Members asked about whether data centers could generate their own power, the reliability of the pipeline numbers given confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and cybersecurity concerns. Bevington said the company does not assume all pipeline projects will materialize in Kentucky and instead assigns probabilities to avoid overbuilding. He also said he was not the right person to address cybersecurity in detail but offered to return to a committee focused on IT or security. In response to questions about future supply, he said LG&E and KU are adding generation through a 120-megawatt solar facility in Mercer County, a 120-megawatt solar purchase in Marion County, and a 645-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle plant in Louisville, with PSC approval recently granted for additional generation and related system upgrades.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 878, Workers' Compensation Heart Disease and Hypertension Presumption and Permanent Partial
• hypertension presumption<01:37:37.800> and<01:37:38.000> permanent<01:37:38.440> partial
• presumption and permanent partial presumption and permanent partial disability<01:37:39.400>
• c> House Bill 878, Workers' Compensation Heart Disease and Hypertension Presumption and Permanent Partial

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, March 19, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 122 members present, opened with prayer, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then took up two congratulatory resolutions: one honoring Layla Wishard of Hagerstown for winning gold with Team USA at the Junior Roller Derby Association World Cup in Australia, and another recognizing Delores Millhouse as the 2026 Maryland Mother of the Year. Both resolutions were read and adopted with applause. The House then considered a series of committee reports, primarily from the Committee on Economic Matters, and advanced multiple bills to third reading after adopting committee amendments and favorable reports. Measures included consumer contract protections in House Bill 103, workers’ compensation presumptions for hypertension in House Bill 347, broadband access and affordability in House Bill 382, housing and land-use changes in House Bills 548 and 894, data privacy in House Bill 711, franchise law changes in House Bill 730, a blockchain-based real property title pilot program in House Bill 810, bankruptcy exemptions in House Bill 1098, and telecommunications infrastructure protections in House Bill 1100. Several bills drew questions and were special ordered for further review. House Bill 711, the Data Privacy Act, prompted extended discussion about whether its geolocation provisions could affect stadium and venue security tracking; the sponsor said the bill was intended to close loopholes around cell phone and vehicle location data and would not change existing permission-based rules, but the bill was still special ordered until the next day. House Bill 894, the transit-oriented development bill, also drew questions about local government concerns and was special ordered, with the floor leader saying county and municipal groups were generally satisfied with the amendments. House Bill 1100 was also taken up after the amendments were adopted, and the title amendment process began as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• What comes into play is something called the guarantee fund.
• So, who makes up or what contributes into the guarantee fund?
• Well, every state in the country has a guarantee fund, and it's overseen by each state having a guarantee
• into the guarantee fund? into the guarantee fund?
• state having a guarantee by each state having a guarantee fund<00:24:02.200> association fund

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:36.680> Doesn't<00:16:36.960> guarantee<00:16:37.360> they'll have a
• Doesn't guarantee they'll have a need.
• Doesn't guarantee they'll have<00:16:37.680> the<00:16:37.760> way<00:16:37.920> to<
• Maybe you have a backstop of salary guarantee for 2 years while they build that practice.
• um salary guarantee for 2 years<00:51:09.760> while<00:51:09.880> they<00:51:10.000>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board received a presentation from Dr. Stack and Commissioner Langfeld on Kentucky’s application for a federal Medicaid-related funding opportunity tied to House Resolution 1. They described a compressed six-week stakeholder process that produced more than 50 responses and letters of support, and said the application was organized around five broad priorities: maternal health, behavioral health and substance use disorder, oral health, EMS/trauma response, and chronic disease. They emphasized that the proposal was designed to align with CMS goals, use allowable funding categories, and focus on sustainability rather than a short-term grant. Commissioner Langfeld outlined five core initiatives: rural community hubs for chronic care innovation, beginning with obesity and diabetes; a maternal and infant health effort called POWER; a behavioral health and substance use model called IMPATH; an oral health initiative called Rooted in Health; and an integrated crisis-to-care EMS and trauma response effort. He said the chronic disease work would include prevention, food-as-medicine concepts, and technology tools, while the maternal health effort would expand team-based care around mothers and infants using community health workers and doulas. The behavioral health proposal would build on existing crisis intervention models, oral health would address workforce and access gaps through training, mobile vans, and telehealth, and the EMS proposal would better connect emergency response with home-based and community care. Several senators questioned whether the proposal would meaningfully address rural hospital closures or the broader rural health care crisis. Senator Meredith said the plan was not transformational and would not save rural hospitals, while Senator Berg asked how success would be measured. In response, the presenters said they would use both lagging and leading indicators, with an emphasis on rapid-cycle feedback and data use that is more actionable in real time. They also said the work could help existing models that already show promise, such as behavioral health units and dental workforce expansion, even if it would not solve the larger funding gap created by HR1. Senator Douglas asked how the proposals would motivate patients to participate in their own health care. The presenters responded that the chronic disease prevention work would focus on obesity, diabetes prevention, nutrition, and consumer-facing technology tools to help people engage in their own care, and that EMS-community health worker partnerships could identify unmet needs in the home and reduce preventable problems. The board then moved on to its next agenda item, Medicaid managed care delivery models, with Tom Stevens, Katherine North, and Dr. Patel scheduled to present.