Transcript Highlights:

• area where the legislature has provided a special category of funding is for now trucks, one and Medicaid
• We did go through a recent very extensive contract reform to rewrite the contract and make it more consistent
• That would not be eligible for Medicaid and that are very likely underinsured, if not uninsured.

Transcript Highlights:

• did point out some of your prior experience and background with patients, you know, dealing with Medicaid
• </c><00:05:36.400><c> with</c> patients, you know, dealing with patients, you know, dealing with Medicaid
• and um various um challenges in Medicaid and um various um challenges in that<00:05:41.120><c> arena
• It was entitled, "Hawaii Condos Under Attack, Is Reform Necessary?"
• </c> Condos Under Attack, Is Reform Condos Under Attack, Is Reform Necessary?

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered a long list of Governor’s messages for appointments to state boards and commissions, including the Board of Dentistry, Barbering and Cosmetology, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board, Real Estate Commission, Board of Naturopathic Medicine, State Boxing Commission, Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Physical Therapy, Board of Pharmacy, and the Public Utilities Commission. Most nominees and supporting agencies testified in support, and many nominees simply stood on their written testimony. Several nominees also answered questions about their experience and the issues facing their boards, including dental insurance and Medicaid concerns, condo and real estate disputes, pharmacy regulation and telepharmacy, boxing and MMA rule updates, and medical board service in rural areas. The committee discussed some contested or notable nominations in more detail. Richard Emery’s nomination to the Real Estate Commission drew opposition testimony tied to a condo management dispute, and he responded by emphasizing the need for factual evidence, mediation and complaint data, and better consumer education. Trinette Kahui and Andrea Ushijima were also nominated to the Real Estate Commission, with broad support. For the Boxing Commission, Robin Jumawan described ongoing statutory updates, MMA-related work, and delegation of amateur boxing rules. For the Hawaii Medical Board, Elizabeth Ignacio was strongly endorsed by state and industry witnesses as highly qualified and familiar with rural health issues, while Rebecca Sawai also received support from the board and Kaiser Permanente. In the decision-making portion, the committee moved to advise and consent to nearly all nominees on the agenda. Senator McKelvey stated reservations about Richard Emery due to opposition and possible conflicts, and also about nominees who were not present at the hearing, specifically Corrine Muldrow Soto and Stacie Kealoha Inouye; Senator Lamasao also noted reservations on those absent nominees. The chair disclosed personal acquaintance with Dr. Sawai and Andrea Ushijima. The committee then voted to adopt the recommendations, with the noted reservations and one no vote on GM 697 reflected in the record, and later reconvened to take up Governor’s Message 514/515 for John Etemura as chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, where additional support testimony was heard from the Governor’s office, DCCA, and former consumer advocacy staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• That has to change, and that's going to change when Republicans are able to pass the reforms that we're
• That has to change, and that's going to change when Republicans are able to pass the reforms that we're
• That has to change, and that's going to change when Republicans are able to pass the reforms that we're
• That has to change, and that's going to change when Republicans are able to pass the reforms that we're
• need to have That has to change, and that's going to change when Republicans are able to pass the reforms

Summary: House Republican leaders, led by Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth and Majority Leader Harry Niska, outlined their priorities for the upcoming Minnesota House session and said they intend to use an organizational majority to advance their agenda. They said their focus will be on stopping fraud, making government more accountable, reducing taxes and fees, and addressing affordability, energy costs, public safety, education, and permitting reform. Specific proposals mentioned included repealing the tax on Social Security benefits, rolling back automatic gas tax increases, repealing the nuclear moratorium, and changing state programs they said should be limited to people in the country legally. A central theme was the creation of a new House committee on fraud and agency oversight, which Republicans said will have subpoena power and be chaired by Rep. Kristin Robbins. They said the committee will investigate known fraud, review agency internal controls, and press agencies for information on staffing, office space, and cost savings. Rep. Jim Nash also described a proposed “fraud note” scoring system to rate agencies on whether they have implemented Office of the Auditor’s recommendations, with the goal of informing appropriations decisions. On education and public safety, Niska said Republicans want fewer mandates and higher standards in schools, citing low reading and math proficiency, and leaders said they want stronger accountability for repeat and juvenile offenders. They also said they expect committee chairs to be Republican, may reduce Democratic committee seats if Democrats do not show up, and are not planning a power-sharing agreement unless the chamber returns to a true tie. They discussed the pending court case involving Rep. Brad Tabke, a possible recall process for absent legislators, remote voting rules, and a special election timeline, while insisting they expect Democrats to appear on the first day of session and that they will proceed with organizing the House and electing a speaker on January 14.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there is no type, from what I saw, I don't see any type of real reform around second chances.
• supported this issue began over a year ago when there was a lot of conversations about sentencing reform
• supported this issue began over a year ago when there was a lot of conversations about sentencing reform
• going The issue began over a year ago, when there were a lot of conversations about sentencing reform
• and have the Missouri model, which was talked about earlier, and they are actually able to bill Medicaid

Summary: The Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions heard Senate Substitute No. 3 to Senate Bill 888, a broad criminal justice measure sponsored by Sen. Nick Schroer. The bill would change juvenile procedures, including fingerprinting certain offenders under 18, sealing those records for law enforcement and prosecutors, closing juvenile proceedings to the public in some cases, allowing shackling in limited circumstances, and revising the juvenile detention assessment form. It also revises sentencing rules for certain felonies by increasing minimum time-served thresholds, limiting or eliminating conditional release for some offenses, changing how jail-time credit is calculated and challenged, and adding or reclassifying several offenses as dangerous felonies, including some sex offenses, trafficking-related crimes, and endangering the welfare of a child. The sponsor said the bill was intended to improve consistency, public safety, and transparency for victims and offenders, while clarifying that it did not change the elements of endangering the welfare of a child or create a vaccination-based offense. Testimony was mixed. The Missouri Prosecutors Association and Missouri Sheriffs’ United supported the bill, emphasizing clearer sentencing information for victims and stronger consequences for violent and repeat offenders. The Missouri Department of Corrections also supported the sentencing portion, saying the bill’s parole-percentage changes were conviction-based and that the department’s main goal was transparency at sentencing. Opponents, including the Missouri Justice Coalition, the Public Defender System, and several juvenile justice advocates, argued that the juvenile provisions would push more children into adult court, undermine Missouri’s nationally recognized juvenile model, and increase racial disparities and recidivism. They also criticized the mandatory minimums and longer sentences as costly and punitive, warning of higher prison populations and possible new prison construction. Several witnesses raised concerns about the bill’s treatment of vaccination status in the child endangerment section. Committee members questioned the sponsor and witnesses extensively about whether the bill changed commitments versus convictions, the fiscal note, prison capacity, juvenile detention bed space, and whether the measure would apply retroactively. The sponsor and DOC said the sentencing changes were forward-looking and that the bill was meant to provide more certainty at sentencing, though some details were left to experts and later cleanup. The committee recessed during testimony to return after session, then reconvened in executive session. Representative Davis offered an amendment clarifying that vaccination status alone cannot prove endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree, and the committee discussed the amendment before continuing consideration of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Latest hearing on the Special Commission on Criminal Justice Reform 3.0, but focused on consolidation
• We’re working on delays for mental health and Medicaid, as you know; that’s a big issue getting people
• overall topic that the Commission is exploring, have your numbers seen, relative to criminal justice reform
• Have your numbers seen relative to criminal justice reform and, you know, obviously the sheriffs are
• Criminal justice reform has affected us in a few ways, basically in terms of how we practice and what

Summary: The Special Commission on Criminal Justice Reform 3.0 heard a presentation from the Massachusetts Parole Board focused on how parole works with the Department of Correction, county houses of correction, sheriffs, probation, and community providers to support reentry and public safety. Chair Angela Gomez described the board’s mission, organizational structure, and 2024 activity, including institutional release hearings, life-sentence hearings, victim-notification events, pardons, commutations, and the supervision of nearly 3,000 committed parolees. She emphasized that the board is increasingly using evidence-based practices, risk assessment tools, and individualized conditions, including more structured GPS use and graduated sanctions, rather than relying on a purely punitive model. Commission members and sheriffs asked for more detailed breakdowns of parole and supervision data, including the difference between releases from Massachusetts custody and all releases under supervision, the average length of supervision, the share of lifers, revocations, and how many people are on dual supervision with probation. The board said it would provide follow-up data on length of stay, housing, employment, treatment participation, and outcomes. Members also discussed why some people refuse parole, noting that refusals can be driven by pending cases, a desire to avoid supervision, or a preference for a shorter custodial sentence over a longer supervised release or treatment placement. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on collaboration and shared resources across agencies, including MASH housing, community justice support centers, CRJ beds, sheriff-run programs such as HOPE and Rocky Hill, and UMass partnerships on risk assessment and community pathways. Speakers said the main gaps are not duplication but limited housing, treatment, and mental health capacity, especially for older people, people with substance use needs, and difficult-to-place populations such as sex offenders and arson offenders. The commission also received an update on the Matus decision: 210 individuals were identified as affected, 144 were immediately parole-eligible, 100 hearings had been completed, 10 were scheduled, and the rest were being processed as eligibility dates were confirmed. The meeting ended with plans for a March 9 public hearing and a request that members who have not toured facilities do so before future votes on correctional policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• The result of that was a package of reforms to the program that were then implemented as changes to the
• These reforms...
• These reform packages included reestablishing the TFW Policy Committee as a consensus body, with an emphasis
• These reforms also established that formal dispute resolution process that I talked about as an example
• actually working on tying that back to data sets on the percent of children that are currently on Medicaid

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• And speaking to Representative Abeler, Jim may believe, was on Health Care Finance and Policy Reform,
• Representative Abeler, Jim may believe, was on Health Care Finance and Policy Reform, and he said, “No
• Um, taxpayer funding from the form of government grants, contracts, and Medicaid reimbursement hit $699
• Um, taxpayer funding from the form of government grants, contracts, and Medicaid reimbursement hit $699
• <01:22:30.280><c> reimbursement</c><01:22:31.040><c> hit</c> Medicaid reimbursement hit Medicaid reimbursement

Transcript Highlights:

• And this started as part of the roadmap for reform for behavioral health.
• You mentioned part of it in your comments about the need to reform the referral system.
• And this was also a newer resource added with the reforms of behavioral health.
• This was also a newer resource added with the reforms of behavioral health.
• But it is part of police reform.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony from Department of Mental Health Commissioner Brooke Doyle, who said DMH serves about 29,000 people and is facing rising demand, higher operating costs, and uncertainty about federal funding. She explained that the FY26 budget prioritizes fully funding the state-operated inpatient system, which is at 100% occupancy and often serves people transferred from Bridgewater State Hospital, while making reductions in other areas to balance the budget. Those reductions include a 50% cut to case managers, a pause on closing the Pocasset unit pending a working group on Cape access, and changes to youth and contracted services such as right-sizing IRTP and CIRT, reducing Youth PACT from seven teams to three, scaling back flex and jail diversion grants as ARPA funds wind down, and preserving the behavioral health helpline and community-based crisis services. Members from Western Massachusetts and the Cape raised concerns about access, staffing, and the impact of cuts, and Doyle said the department would continue operating IRTP services, improve the referral process, and work with stakeholders on the Pocasset review and other access issues. The committee also discussed school-based mental health, 988, loan forgiveness for workforce recruitment, and the role of co-response programs for law enforcement. Secretary Robin Lipson then testified for the Executive Office of Aging and Independence, describing a proposed FY26 budget increase of about 21% to support councils on aging, home care, elder abuse investigations, caregiver support, care transitions, and nutrition programs. She said the agency is managing rising demand, especially from the growing 80-plus population, and noted uncertainty around federal Older Americans Act funding after the federal disbursement agency was disbanded. To control costs, the office will manage intake and caseload growth in a fully state-funded home care program, but current clients will not lose services. Lipson also highlighted a new $1 million line item for local mini-grants to support age-friendly initiatives. In questions, members focused on elder scams, and Lipson said scams are increasing and the agency is working with banks, district attorneys, and public awareness campaigns. The Health Policy Commission’s Executive Director David Seltz presented the agency’s FY26 request and said the biggest challenge is health care affordability, with family premiums near $29,000 annually and many residents delaying care because of cost. He emphasized that recent legislation significantly expands HPC’s role through a new Office of Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis, which will examine the drug supply chain and pricing, and a new Office of Health Resource Planning, which will support statewide planning around closures and access gaps. The new law also creates task forces on maternal health access and primary care, and adds transparency and oversight for private equity in health care. Members asked about pharmaceutical costs, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, 340B, and maternal health closures; Seltz said the data show rapid growth in GLP-1 spending and that the new offices will help the state better understand cost drivers and access problems. The Center for Health Information and Analysis then began its testimony, describing its role as the state’s data hub for health care spending, utilization, quality, and affordability analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I guess they do because they don't take Medicare and Medicaid.
• But the question is, are and Medicaid.
• </c> average year-over-year being Medicaid average year-over-year being Medicaid beds.<04:36:23.920><
• beds and people who are of Medicaid beds and people who are receiving<04:44:24.160><c> Medicaid</c><
• Uh it's a common sense reform.

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Medicaid fraud investigations. Medicaid fraud investigations.
• </c><00:03:51.920><c> Fraud</c> unit director of the Medicaid Fraud unit director of the Medicaid Fraud
• investigate and prosecute Medicaid investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider<00:04:59.800><c> fraud
• </c> agency that administers the Medicaid agency that administers the Medicaid program,<00:06:16.080>
• </c> Medicaid program or escape culpability. Medicaid program or escape culpability.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is a little bit of apportionment reform along with the teacher COLA.
• What do we know about how this kind of lump-sum payment could affect their eligibility for Medicaid,
• better use of the $12.5 million, particularly as it relates to— we had some daycare programs, we have Medicaid
• House Bill 4050 is some OPERS reform. The employer contribution currently is at 16.5 percent.
• House Bill 4050 is some OPERS reform. The employer contribution currently is at 16.5 percent.

Summary: The committee took up a long agenda of appropriations and budget bills, with most of the early action focused on retirement cost-of-living adjustments. Senate Bills 1144, 1145, 1146, 1148, and 1149 all advanced, covering COLAs for retired teachers, public employees, police, judges, and a special “tweener” group of police and fire retirees. Members questioned the actuarial impacts, funded ratios, and timing of the apportionment changes, and the author explained that the retirement bills were based on TRS or system actuarial estimates and that the 2036 apportionment cutoff could be revisited by future legislatures. SB 1149 was described as a one-time $25,000 payment for a limited group of older retirees, with estimated costs of $3.5 million for police and $5.8 million for fire. Most of these retirement measures passed on votes of 23-24 ayes with one nay. The committee also considered House Bill 4071, creating the Oklahoma Dream Accounts Investment Program to match the federal “Trump accounts” with up to $250 per eligible child, capped at $12.5 million. Democrats criticized it as a poor use of funds and objected to the federal program’s uncertainty and the emergency clause; the bill passed 17-8. House Bill 4072 created a taxpayer endowment trust fund by moving $200 million from the Revenue Stabilization Fund and redirecting a portion of future gross production tax overages into the new fund until it reaches $1 billion, after which it would generate future revenue streams. Members raised concerns about investment risk, oversight, and whether the fund was a “shell game,” but it passed 18-6. Several agency budget and limit bills were also approved, including HB 4057 for $25 million to expand the Bureau of Narcotics headquarters, SB 1158 for $252,000 to fund medication for minors in custody, SB 1164 for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse with $1.2 million in new appropriations plus $5.97 million for the 988 revolving fund, and HB 4040 for the Department of Health rural health transformation cash-flow needs tied to federal reimbursement. The committee also passed HB 4051 on FMAP preservation, SB 1161 for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, SB 1162 for the State Department of Health, and SB 1163 for DHS, where the largest discussion centered on avoiding an Advantage waiver waitlist, SNAP administrative costs, and child abuse multidisciplinary care centers. Most of these bills passed with little or no debate, though some drew questions about federal matching dollars and reporting requirements. Education-related items were also approved, including HB 4030, the State Department of Education budget limits bill, which maintained prior-year funding for textbooks, early intervention, literacy coaching, school security, and other line items; HB 4044 for OEQA’s growth-based teacher compensation and NBCT stipends; HB 4065 for school security funding at the School of Science and Math; HB 4067 for the School for the Blind and School for the Deaf; and HB 4038 directing $5 million of ODOT FY27 appropriations to the eight-year work plan. The committee also advanced HB 4046, which directs funding to the Military Readiness, Innovation, Education, Aviation Revolving Fund for projects including McAlester, Fort Sill, Altus, and Enid, with members questioning why additional money was needed so soon after prior appropriations. Throughout the meeting, most measures were reported as passed by wide margins, with a few dissenting votes on bills viewed as controversial or as reallocating funds away from other priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• kind of acknowledge that we greatly appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the Behavioral Health Reform
• looking at a combination of 1.5 million of that funding To directly support the Behavioral Health Reform
• revenue as billable patient services become available or maybe even through the Behavioral Health Reform
• because the state of New Mexico has supported us through creating a reimbursement model through Medicaid
• But you saw that we've been able to grow our programs by 24 percent because New Mexico created a Medicaid

Transcript Highlights:

• Using a Medicaid-based measure ensures that taxpayer dollars are targeted efficiently.
• Using a Medicaid-based measure ensures that taxpayer dollars are targeted efficiently.
• I want to ask you about a similar program, the state's biggest program, which is the Medicaid program
• Program it has an income Medicaid Program it has an income threshold<00:27:16.120><c> for</c><00:27:
• so granted State educational reform so granted State taxpayers<00:59:01.680><c> recommends</c><00:59

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• If the natural disaster reform bill passes and is enacted, that negative would go away and it would boost
• Then we came back and took money from HASC on Medicaid that wasn't being used and backfilled the special

Bills: SB190 , HB247 , HB2 , HB8

Committee: Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The committee reviewed drafting instructions and spending sheets for House Bill 2, focusing on both recurring and nonrecurring appropriations, reserve levels, and several late changes. Staff explained that the package would leave reserves around 28% under the current scenario, with the possibility of rising to about 30% if a separate natural disaster reform bill is enacted. Members discussed how disaster funding would be handled through a replacement Section 8 and the appropriation contingency fund, and whether the operating reserve could be tapped with explicit authorization. There was also clarification on fund types, including other state funds and interagency transfers, and on how line items were reflected in the spreadsheets. A major point of debate was how to offset additions by reducing funding elsewhere. Members discussed shifting money from the state fair/multipurpose arena request, the Office of Natural Resources Trustee, and other capital items to accommodate changes. Several senators raised concerns about cutting the Office of Natural Resources Trustee too deeply and about the purpose of those funds, including possible land purchases and floodplain mitigation in Ruidoso. The committee also discussed whether the state fair money should be reduced, with some members supporting a $25 million restoration and others preferring to leave the executive’s request intact. Staff noted that some reductions were not true cuts but swaps or offsets, such as moving local road money and using excess capital outlay reserves. Other corrections and policy items were addressed, including an increase for UNM and NMSU stadium funding, a correction to a project distribution on line 105, and funding for the Health Council. Members also noted that the public employee 1% raise was no longer funded because recurring capacity was used elsewhere, and that no COLA was included. After discussion, Senator Woods moved to adopt the drafting instructions, Senator Gonzalez seconded, and the motion passed without objection. The committee then directed staff to prepare a catch-up cleanup version of House Bill 2 for later review and said House Bill 8 would be taken up the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• You said that after 30 days of being at the center, Medicaid stops funding.
• was passed not too long ago and signed this year by the governor, which is the Behavioral Health Reform

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So what we ended up with was this series of reforms, and this was one of those reforms that took place
• So what we ended up with was this series of reforms, and this was one of those reforms that took place
• So what we ended up with was this series of reforms, and this was one of those reforms that took place
• So what we ended up with was this series of reforms, and this was one of those reforms that took place
• So what we ended up with was this series of reforms, and this was one of those reforms that took place

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislature passed sweeping reform on Minnesota Statute 609.66, which authorizes deadly force for
• What worries me is that this is going back on those reforms.
• um it's either doing nothing in reforms um it's either doing nothing in which<00:38:16.560><c> case<
• Minnesota started a Medicaid 1115 waiver program in three prisons and five jails.
• Incarcerated people are provided with Medicaid-covered services within 90 days of release, including

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The majority of people on SNAP are also on Medicaid.
• The majority of people on SNAP are also on Medicaid.
• money doesn't necessarily have to come from the budget hopefully it can come from our savings in Medicaid
• I'm a senior fellow with the Cicero Institute, and I focus on homelessness policy reform nationwide.
• . ...feel the impact in long-term care, crisis services, and Medicaid expenditures if we don't take the

Bills: HB2056 , HB2202 , HB2207 , HB2224 , HB2303 , HB2344 , HB2532 , HB2759 , HB2798

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, dementia care, telementoring, healthcare education, rural communities, grant funding, braille, disability access, education funding, state corrections, inclusion, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding

Transcript Highlights:

• But this bill does not track student reform. It's just that snapshot.
• They don't take Medicaid, most of them. They don't take Medicare.
• The counties are stuck with most of the Medicaid nursing home recipients.
• They don't take Medicaid, most of them. They don't take Medicare.
• Counties are stuck with most of the Medicaid nursing home recipients.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes modernizing Medicaid payment methodologies, evaluating global budgets and other value-based
• I think some of the things that come to mind are the state public option or a Medicaid buy-in option.
• So the publicly sponsored coverage strategy is similar to a Medicaid coverage strategy. Sure. Okay.
• I think, you know, some of the things that come to mind are the state public option or a Medicaid buy-in
• So the publicly sponsored coverage strategy is similar to like a Medicaid coverage strategy. Sure.