Transcript Highlights:

• It requires that an education preparation program participant who is certified in exceptional student
• program will be required to have that.
• in Special Olympic programs.
• The pilot program involves...
• 41% of teachers participate, 883 teachers participate.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a brief introduction of the doctor of the day before moving to the special order calendar. The chamber first took up several claims bills, including SB 6/HB 6507 for relief of L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, which was described as compensation for severe injuries after DCF returned the child to unsafe parents; the House bill was substituted and passed 34-0. SB 26 for the estate of Mark Legata, involving catastrophic injuries tied to FDOT negligence, was also substituted with the House version and passed 35-0. SB 42/HB 47 on specific medical diagnoses and child protective investigations passed 34-0 after supporters said it would require child protection teams to consider certain medical conditions that can mimic abuse. Later, SB 1002 on child welfare passed 37-0 after sponsors said it clarifies that parental drug abuse can constitute harm or neglect and allow earlier court intervention and services, while not changing parental rights law. The Senate then considered education and health-related measures. SB 206/HB 851 on students with autism spectrum disorder was amended to the House bill and passed 35-0; the sponsor said it expands teacher preparation, requires autism-related training, creates a loan forgiveness program, and adds salary supplements for teachers with autism endorsements. SB 556/HB 453 on high school diploma requirements passed 36-0 and would allow students with disabilities to use Special Olympics participation to satisfy PE requirements, while also fixing a marching band credit issue. SB 688 on naturopathic medicine passed 33-3, reestablishing licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors. SB 878/HB 1347 on clinical laboratory personnel passed 37-0 to address staffing shortages by aligning Florida more closely with federal CLIA standards. SB 914/HB 867 on dry needling by occupational therapists passed 37-0, clarifying authority for that treatment. SB 530 on state lotteries passed 36-0 with updates to operations, security, and retailer rules. SB 964/HB 6011 on financial disclosures and gifts/honoraria passed 36-0 after an amendment restored a percentage-based reporting option. The chamber also approved several government-administration and public-records measures. SB 326/HB 131 on curators of estates passed 36-0, updating probate rules for temporary court-appointed curators. SB 758/HB 625 on the Justice Administrative Commission passed 37-0 after an amendment broadened the judicial member to a judge or senior judge rather than only a circuit judge. SB 830 on public records passed 31-5, creating exemptions for the personal information of county and city managers and certain family members. The Senate also passed SB 21/HB 218 on land use regulations, which preserves hurricane-recovery restrictions in affected counties while lifting them later for unaffected counties, and the sponsor thanked colleagues for helping address unintended consequences from prior law. SB 354 on Blue Ribbon Projects was debated extensively over concerns about local control, conservation protections, and vague standards; after a late amendment excluding data centers from commercial areas, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than passed. Finally, SB 1632/HB 1471 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles and domestic terrorist designations drew significant debate over references to Sharia law, religious freedom, notice, and due process; one amendment striking Sharia references failed, and a second amendment with broader revisions was under discussion when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• . program. program.
• This program engages young trades.
• c> states<00:07:03.680> indicate Program data across all states indicate Program data across
• career and technical education programs. career and technical education programs.
• Uh a statewide program what we make.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development met without a quorum and heard presentations on several workforce and school-safety funding requests. The first item was a proposal for a school mapping data program, presented by Rep. Steve Bratcher with law enforcement and mapping partners. They said the plan would move money to the 911 system so school maps could be embedded there and kept current for all schools, public and private, to improve response times and officer, student, and teacher safety. The request was described as a $10 million one-time appropriation, with an estimate that the work could be completed in about a year. The committee then heard testimony on the Be Proud Initiative, a mobile workshop program aimed at exposing students age 13 and up to skilled trades and related education and career opportunities. Speakers from the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers, MI2, the Kentucky Treasury, and the Associated General Contractors said the program would improve perceptions of manufacturing, construction, and metals careers, connect students to training and employers, and help build the workforce pipeline. They said private industry would contribute $1 million in FY 2026-2027 before state funds are released, and requested $3 million in state funding in FY 2027-2028 contingent on that match. A Treasury official said handling the funds through the Treasury would have minimal impact on the office. Committee members responded favorably, including a comment from Rep. Bojanowski about the value of hands-on learning for students who struggle with test-focused instruction. Speakers also explained that the program includes classroom materials before and after the truck visit and ongoing outreach for students and parents. The final presentation was on an MI2 metals career pathway proposal, which cited economic impact data for Kentucky’s metals industry and asked for a $3 million one-time investment for FY 2027-2028 to pilot a middle- and high-school pathway in Carroll and Logan counties. The proposal would be matched by industry funds and used for curriculum, equipment, dual-credit and apprenticeship connections, student stipends, and parent outreach. The chair closed by noting it was the final scheduled meeting of the session and moved toward adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our concern with these bills is that, as they mandate participation in registered apprenticeship programs
• Our concern with these bills is that, as they mandate participation in registered apprenticeship programs
• and set ratios for that program.
• and set ratios for that program.
• It requires that contractors on public projects participate in a registered apprenticeship program with

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid hearing on a large group of bills carried over from the previous session, with Chair Jake Oliveira and House Co-Chair Paul McMurtry outlining the process and limiting testimony to three minutes. The committee heard testimony on several labor and workplace proposals, including bills to harmonize employee definitions to address misclassification (SB 1338/HB 2141), expand bereavement leave (including H. 2189/S. 1354 and related bills), protect collective bargaining rights for certain administrative employees (HB 268/SB 1306), expand commuter transit benefits (HB 2153/SB 1345), regulate employer use of credit reports (S. 1286), and require apprenticeship participation or OSHA-related workplace safety measures on public projects. At the end of the hearing, the chairs read into the record additional bills that did not receive testimony that day. Supporters of the misclassification bill, including Greater Boston Legal Services and the AFL-CIO, said aligning the employee-status tests across wage, unemployment, and PFML laws would reduce confusion, improve enforcement, and help workers wrongly treated as independent contractors or managers recover benefits and bargaining rights. NAGE and its representative argued that public-sector employees have been improperly reclassified into management titles to weaken unions, and that the bill would force the Division of Labor Relations to review those titles. On bereavement leave, advocates including the Louis E. Brown Peace Institute, a state representative, the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, and individual survivors described the impact of sudden loss and homicide on families, saying guaranteed leave would help workers grieve, make arrangements, and avoid losing jobs or custody-related stability. The committee also heard support for commuter benefits as a low-cost way to reduce emissions and increase transit use, and for restricting employer credit checks because of inaccuracies and discriminatory effects. There was opposition to some construction-related bills. The Associated Builders and Contractors and the Building Trades Employers Association supported apprenticeship training in principle but said current apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios are outdated or misunderstood, and that the bills should be amended or clarified before advancing. The Massachusetts landscape and snow-removal industry strongly supported a snow-liability limitation bill, arguing that hold-harmless clauses and broad indemnification requirements force contractors to assume liability for conditions they cannot control, drive up insurance costs, and threaten business viability. The committee did not take any votes during the hearing, and the session ended with the chairs thanking members, staff, and the public before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Modernizing transit funding restoring TNC participation in pair transit programs.
• in the program at a loss disincentivize participation in the program by savings institutions limits
• by setting sustainable interest rate parameters for savings institutions participating in the program
• It has not resulted in decreased populi participation by banks in the Iowa program.
• More banks than ever have determined participating in the program does make sense for business.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When I looked through these, from what I could read on these programs, it's based on them going and participating
• in their program..."
• "I'm curious, besides participating in their program and checking that box, is there anything that makes
• of program types completing the program over that time.
• programs.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee first received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions for fiscal year 2025. Auditors explained the report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants to school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, with most funding coming from the Public School Fund and federal sources. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, master principal bonuses, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance grants. Department of Education staff clarified that the audit report only shows distributions, not how recipients ultimately used the money, and noted that some funding declines reflected the end of one-time federal COVID relief dollars. Senators also asked about the special-language appropriation for Economics Arkansas and the use of public school fund revenues. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global, followed by a detailed adequacy-study update on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. The teacher report covered teacher counts, education levels, experience, shortages, preparation pathways, licensure exceptions, survey results, and salary trends. Key findings included about 32,800 teachers statewide in 2025, an average retention rate of 87%, and 30% of surveyed teachers saying they were considering leaving the profession. The report also noted shortages in special education, math, science, and other areas, growth in alternative preparation pathways, and the phaseout of several licensure exceptions under Act 304 of 2025. Members asked extensively about survey methodology, teacher satisfaction, preparation for classroom environment and special education, the cost and return on investment of alternative licensure routes, and whether exit-interview data exists statewide. The presenters said they could follow up on several questions, including details on alternative programs, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, and comparisons to other surveys. On salaries, the report said the statewide average teacher salary in 2025 was $60,254, with districts averaging slightly higher than charters. Arkansas ranked 45th nationally on average salary in 2025, though 36th when adjusted for cost of living, and average district salaries had declined 8% in inflation-adjusted terms since 2016. Members also discussed the LEARNS Act minimum salary floor of $50,000, salary disparities among districts, and whether the state should focus more on retaining experienced teachers as well as raising starting pay.

Transcript Highlights:

• They did this by having youth outreach programs for at-risk youth and mentorship programs, as well as
• and require participation.
• waiting on the list to get to a program. waiting on the list to get to a program.
• concern is the access to these programs. concern is the access to these programs.
• proper program funding and um planning. proper program funding and um planning.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 3040, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Supporters, including Moms Demand Action and a crime-victim advocate, argued the office would improve data collection, research, and coordination to help reduce gun violence. Opponents, including several gun-rights advocates, said the proposal was duplicative, lacked oversight, and would exclude the firearms community. The chair noted 41 testimonies in support and 77 in opposition, but no vote was taken on the bill in the portion provided. The committee then moved through a series of decision-making items and adopted the chair’s recommendations on several measures. SB 17 on wildfire mitigation passed with amendments from multiple agencies and a report date shifted to the 2028 session. SB 2730 on criminal justice reform passed with a defective effective date amendment, SB 2749 on sentencing passed with a defective effective date, SB 2688 on compassionate release passed with amendments narrowing eligibility and adding notification and funding language, and SB 2798 on law enforcement passed with a defective effective date to make the agricultural enforcement pilot program permanent. SB 2645, a short-form bill, was amended to insert substantive provisions and recommitted to the committee. SB 2383, which would have provided a $15,000 retention bonus for sworn law enforcement officers, was reconsidered and held in committee because it was identified as a duplicate. The committee also passed SB 2575, relating to firearms, with amendments adopting a proposed SD1 that would establish minimum mandatory prison terms for certain class A firearm felonies and add clarifying language. SB 2720, which would create a Hawaii firearm injury restitution fund funded by firearm manufacturer licenses, also passed with amendments clarifying the fund’s scope and eligible injuries. Later, the committee began hearing SB 3107 on parole eligibility. The Office of the Public Defender and the Hawaii Paroling Authority supported language allowing the parole board to waive certain program requirements, while the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission opposed the bill, warning it could keep people incarcerated longer if program access remains limited. The Department of Corrections said it is working on classification changes and a pilot project to move inmates through the system faster.

Transcript Highlights:

• , programming, programming, grants<00:14:38.200> that<00:14:38.280> we've<00:14:38.480>
• educational Supported 250 events, educational programs, community history programs, July 4th programming
• Uh these create this grant program.
• theater program. theater program.
• Kentuckians can participate. Kentuckians can participate.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call: 00:01:12 America 250KY: Impact and Legacy: 00:03:15 America 250 Events in Lexington: 01:02:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for an interim update from the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, with presentations from the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Arts Council. Secretary Lindy Casebier reported that Kentucky tourism has posted record growth for four straight years, with $14.6 billion in economic impact, 97,000 tourism-related jobs, and 81 million travelers spending more than $10.4 billion in 2025. He said the Historical Society and Arts Council help create visitor experiences that support those tourism gains. The Kentucky Historical Society focused on America 250, the state’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Staff described a community-driven approach built around themes such as “Revolutionary Experiment,” “We the People,” “Power of Place,” “Crossroads in Kentucky,” and “Doing History,” organized under heritage tourism, education, signature events, and legacy projects. They said the effort has included Liberty Tree plantings in nearly every county, partnerships with local organizations and KET, grants to cabinet agencies and historic sites, and preservation projects in 19 counties. They highlighted Harrodsburg 250 as an early kickoff, along with grant-supported events, exhibits, and educational programs across the state. The Historical Society also described public engagement events tied to the commemoration, including Two Lights for Tomorrow, a food drive in Franklin County, a July 8 historic reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Old State Capitol, and planned participation at the Kentucky State Fair. They said the General Assembly’s support enabled a grant program that has funded 250 events and programs in 43 counties, totaling more than $720,000, and that the work is intended to build a lasting legacy beyond 2026. The Kentucky Arts Council said it received America 250 grant funds to support artists, arts organizations, communities, and nonprofits for public art, artwork creation, and related programs. The council reported 55 funded projects and $466,000 awarded statewide, with examples including a Burkesville summer arts and history camp and a Fayette County community singing project. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are endeavoring to create a pilot program.
• And so he is working to put a program in place.
• This is not a release program.
• This is not a release program.
• The sheriff may require a defendant as a condition of participation in the program to participate in

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members who participate under the net metering program have variable loads and exports throughout the
• Members who participate under the net metering program have variable loads and exports throughout the
• in the program or, if they do participate, they’re not going to be able to receive an entire bill credit
• c> they<01:51:10.079> do<01:51:10.400> participate the program or if they do participate
• the program or if they do participate they're<01:51:11.480> not<01:51:11.679> going<01

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• generous about if your program is less generous about if your program is less generous because<00
• Once you're enrolled in that program, this is actually run through the state, similar to our UI program
• It's a state program, so when you're enrolled, every organization is going to be enrolled in a program
• Once you're enrolled in that program, this is actually run through the state, similar to our UI program
• that would be needed for the program that would be needed for the program this<00:13:42.079>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the prenatal screening programs.
• Newborn screening and prenatal screening program participation is projected to slightly decrease, by
• On the WIC estimate, we're projecting, again, no major changes in program expenditures or participation
• Finally, program participation is stable.
• Also, participants are adjunctively eligible for WIC if they participate in these programs, and if they're

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Subcommittee on Health heard an overview of the California Department of Public Health budget and several budget change proposals, including environmental health, healthcare quality, healthy communities, lab sciences, and family health programs. CDPH said its $5.1 billion budget is split between state operations and local assistance, with major estimates showing WIC participation essentially flat but food costs rising due to inflation, and the Genetic Disease Screening Program remaining relatively stable as birth-related caseloads decline slightly. Members and public commenters raised concerns and support around WIC continuity during federal shutdowns, the California Reducing Disparities Project, lead poisoning prevention, school nutrition implementation, prenatal vitamin testing, vector-borne disease work, and the hospital bed capacity registry. Dr. Erica Pond presented the 2026 State of Public Health report, highlighting improvements such as record-low all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality, an all-time high life expectancy, and the first decline in overdose deaths in 14 years. She also noted continuing problems, including rising behavioral health-related deaths among younger adults, persistent racial disparities in maternal and infant outcomes, and major geographic health gaps. She emphasized the importance of prevention, the Behavioral Health Services Act, and public health preparedness for emergencies, fires, and other environmental threats. Members discussed the need to invest upstream in prevention and to address social drivers of health, environmental hazards, and mental health. In a separate update on California’s response to federal public health actions, CDPH described efforts to preserve vaccine confidence and public health coordination through new partnerships such as the West Coast Health Alliance, the Governor’s Public Health Alliance, and the FACT Coalition. CDPH also explained how it is implementing AB 144 by posting and updating immunization and preventive service recommendations based on evidence and consultation with medical organizations, while declining some federal changes it found unsupported. Members asked about measles outbreaks, vaccine uptake, and how quickly the new initiatives might affect outcomes. The committee also reviewed the AIDS Drug Assistance Program estimate, which CDPH said would decrease because of lower caseloads and the expiration of one-time funds. Public commenters urged reinvestment of ADAP rebate funds into HIV prevention, PrEP, testing, disease intervention staff, and related services. The final and most contentious item was public health information technology systems: CDPH said Sapphire and CalReady are funded, but CalConnect, CARE, and the vaccine management system are not proposed for funding while the administration evaluates utilization and costs. Members and local health officials strongly opposed defunding the systems, arguing they are essential for disease investigation, vaccination tracking, outbreak response, and avoiding a return to manual spreadsheets and phone calls. The hearing ended without votes or formal action.

Transcript Highlights:

• determine that such participation would be harmful to the respondent's treatment or well-being.
• It allows family petitioners to participate. Thank you, ma'am.
• So right now, if I am an individual and I want my family to participate...
• There isn't to stay on their participation. These are details that I'm concerned with.
• And that means that they are, without this program, unlikely to survive in the community safely.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several bills, with testimony focused on end-of-life medical orders, CARE Court participation, HOA fee transparency, custody protections for sexual assault survivors, groundwater enforcement, pet policy disclosure in rentals, and restrictions on post-wildfire property solicitation. SB 1088 would modernize POLST and pre-hospital DNR rules by renaming POLST as Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, allowing electronic signatures, clarifying who may sign on a patient’s behalf, recognizing out-of-state forms, and reaffirming that completion is voluntary; it drew support from the Coalition for Compassionate Care and no opposition. SB 1242 would let original family petitioners participate in CARE Court care coordination and information-sharing even without the respondent’s consent, while preserving judicial discretion to limit participation; supporters said it would improve care coordination, and Disability Rights California opposed it as coercive and harmful to respondents who may not want family involvement. The committee discussed the balance between family support and privacy, and SB 1242 passed 7-0 on call. SB 1007 would require more HOA transparency, including clearer budget comparisons and evidence for violations, and would limit regular assessment increases without a homeowner vote, while leaving special and emergency assessments intact. Supporters argued homeowners need more information and protection from steep fee hikes; opponents said the cap could impair associations’ ability to cover rising insurance and maintenance costs. Members raised concerns about flexibility and planning, but the bill passed 6-1 on call. SB 1364, as amended, would lower the burden for survivors of sexual assault to block custody or visitation rights for a perpetrator when a child was conceived through the assault, using a clear-and-convincing standard and aligning the law with federal grant requirements; it passed 8-0 on call after opposition argued the bill could deny children a relationship with a parent. The committee also approved SB 997, which grants the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to enforce fees and sustainability rules, with supporters saying it would help avoid litigation and maintain local control; it passed 9-0 on call. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies up front on applications, websites, and ads, and allow application-fee refunds if disclosure was not provided before payment; supporters said it would reduce wasted fees and pet relinquishment, while landlord groups said the ad and disclosure requirements could be impractical for small owners. That bill passed 8-0 on call. Finally, SB 1090 was presented to bar large property owners from making unsolicited purchase offers for five years in wildfire disaster areas, aimed at preventing predatory post-disaster speculation; the author and a supporter described aggressive investor outreach to fire victims, especially in Altadena, as the committee moved on to that bill’s testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a program where the governor appoints a poet laureate who then participates in civic engagement
• This is a program where the governor appoints a poet laureate who then participates in civic engagement
• This is a program where the governor appoints a poet laureate who then participates in civic engagement
• This is a program where the governor appoints a poet laureate who then participates in civic engagement
• in the program can only engage the program through their cities.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of the numbers of the participating entities.
• Focused on the Board of Supervisors fiscal management reward program.
• Could you maybe provide a description of the types of programs that are funded through the FMR program
• Thank you all for participating in the public testimony today.
• Participate in the public testimony today.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met to hear a long agenda of local government, housing, labor, and transparency bills. The committee first adopted the consent calendar for SB 1187 and SB 1388, then heard SB 983, which would authorize the Port of San Diego to use job order contracting for repairs and repetitive maintenance work. Supporters said the bill would speed emergency and small repairs and reduce costs, while opponents raised concerns about construction definitions and project labor agreement language. The bill was ultimately moved forward on a 2-2 vote after discussion of amendments and labor negotiations, and later the committee’s final roll call showed it passing out on a 5-2 vote. The committee also heard SB 1256, aimed at limiting duplicative litigation over a San Diego County housing project, and SB 992, which would make permanent and expand a small special-district audit flexibility by raising the revenue threshold from $150,000 to $250,000. SB 1256 drew support from the author and project counsel, who argued the project had already been litigated and was delaying needed housing, while opponents said the bill would interfere with wildfire and subdivision-map review. SB 992 had support from county auditors and special districts, with no opposition, and was approved 5-0. SB 1115, addressing governance failures at the Tulare County Public Cemetery District by allowing county supervisors to remove an individual trustee for cause, also passed unanimously after testimony describing serious dysfunction and opposition from the California Special Districts Association. The committee then took up SB 1193, which would impose transparency and approval requirements on Alameda County discretionary funding to nonprofits and other entities. The author and supporters described the bill as a response to grand jury findings and alleged conflicts of interest, while Alameda County argued its current process is already transparent and that the bill would add burdens and could harm services. After amendments and discussion, the bill passed 5-0. SB 1383, a density bonus law bill clarifying that local labor standards cannot be waived through density bonus concessions, was supported by labor groups and moved forward despite no opposition, with the final roll call showing it passing out 5-1. SB 1361, intended to prevent local governments from undermining transit projects because of SB 79 density concerns, also passed after support from L.A. Metro and labor and no formal opposition, with the final vote recorded as 5-2. The committee later resumed to hear SB 1272, the CASH Act, which would limit certain sanctions on homeowners for prior unpermitted work by previous owners; the transcript cuts off before that bill’s full testimony and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• by providing an opportunity for students participating in those programs to receive a foreign language
• So it wouldn't require all study abroad programs or components to offer that instruction.
• And some colleges were participating, some institutions were not, only 9 institutions participated in
• this research program, only 26 institutions participated in the leadership program.
• Thank you for your participation and dedication. Thank you, ma'am.

Transcript Highlights:

• Having a reasonable co-payment and skin in the game for people who participate in programs is meant to
• Having a reasonable co-payment and skin in the game for people who participate in programs is meant to
• Having a reasonable co-payment and skin in the game for people who participate in programs is meant to
• Having a reasonable co-payment and skin in the game for people who participate in programs is meant to
• Having a reasonable co-payment and skin in the game for people who participate in programs is meant to

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• children were not only raised and had the opportunity to participate in these programs, but Cochiti is
• And had the opportunity to participate in all of those programs.
• Moving to slide nine, you will see all of the participating communities and programs, which vary all
• Also, on page 9, I'm wondering if Cochiti's program is listed among the participating communities and
• programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• to a one-year program.
• professional health program.
• employers who hire minors, and specifies that participation in the program is not to result in the displacement
• Affords immunity to participating employers who hire minors and specifies that participation in the program

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on March 11, 2026, with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, and numerous guest and page introductions, including school groups, prayer caucus visitors, and advocates for Home Family Education Day and Women in Blue Day. The chamber then took up committee reports and a large number of House bills, most of them on third reading, along with several resolutions and referrals. Senate Resolution 62, designating March 12, 2026, as West Virginia Athletic Trainers Day, was adopted after remarks emphasizing the value of athletic trainers in preventing injuries and tragedies in school sports. Several other resolutions and concurrent resolutions were referred to the Committee on Rules or laid over under the rules. The Senate passed a wide range of bills addressing economic development, public safety, health, licensing, and state administration. Measures approved included bills on the West Virginia Collaboratory at Marshall University, the Business Ready Sites program, volunteer fire company spending authority, the Load Forecast Accountability Act, funeral service licensure, work zone fines, biennial business reporting, correctional officer retirement law, the Right to Try Act, quick claim deed tax exemptions, an ibogaine drug-development grant program, aggravated vehicular homicide sentencing, 529 savings plan definitions, opportunity zones, barber apprenticeship, municipal and county hotel occupancy fund uses, criminal-record licensing standards, intimate image disclosure remedies, executor training materials, contempt penalties, PEIA treatment flexibility, PANS/PANDAS information, the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, capitation rate review expansions, convention and visitors bureau board membership, peer support services, cosmetology licensure compacts, natural resource police retirement, DNR fee indexing, ALS care services, the Neighborhood Investment Program, oil and gas well plugging and carbon capture-related provisions, DUI technical changes, abuse intervention program terminology, and a youth summer employment and career readiness program. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, with a few closer votes, including the Load Forecast Accountability Act and the DNR fee-indexing bill. Several bills were amended on the floor, including title amendments and strike-and-insert changes. The Senate also debated the work zone penalty bill, with supporters citing worker safety and fatalities and opponents arguing the bill increased fines too much without requiring removal of outdated work-zone signs. On the energy-related load forecast bill, senators discussed the inclusion of provisions from Senate Bill 420 and concerns about coal plant utilization and utility impacts. After debate, the Senate adopted amendments and passed the bill. In most cases, after passage the Senate ordered the bills communicated to the House, and for a few measures it also adopted title amendments or made bills effective from passage or on a specified date.

Transcript Highlights:

• LET'S GO TO TAB NUMBER 11, BILL 44 ON HOPE FLORIDA PROGRAM.
• THIS PROGRAM IS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
• OF PARTICIPANTS FOUND A LONG TERM SUPPORT AND 70 PERCENT OF PARTICIPANTS WERE ABLE TO HELP GET BASIC
• AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THE PROGRAM.
• >> I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A CONSOLIDATION OF THE PROGRAMS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• participating in retirement systems<00:01:59.720> prior<00:02:00.000> to<00:02:00.120>
• <00:02:18.240> in<00:02:18.320> the<00:02:18.440> hazardous only participate
• in the hazardous only participate in the hazardous system. system. system.
• But the program we information notice.
• So, we're doing that new program.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes, and then reviewed a series of administrative regulations from multiple agencies. Most of the regulations were presented as technical updates or policy clarifications, and in each case the committee approved staff-suggested amendments without objection. The Department of Revenue regulation would delete a section on tax credits for trusts and estates to align with statute. The Kentucky Public Pensions Authority package updated definitions, sick leave credit rules, hazardous/non-hazardous employment participation, refund procedures, contribution limits, mortality table references, and incorporated federal tax references. The Board of Medical Licensure regulations addressed renewal and activation of inactive physician-assistant licenses and renewal/reinstatement timelines for athletic trainer licenses. The Fish and Wildlife regulations revised rules for Otter Creek and Peabody areas by deleting definitions and creating shooting-range permit exemptions. The committee also heard emergency vocational rehabilitation regulations that would clarify definitions, due process rights, federal compliance, service fees, in-state service preferences, and service-specific requirements; a workforce insurance regulation updating contribution/reporting rules for professional employer organizations; and a horse racing regulation adding license categories for allied animal health professionals, animal chiropractors, and equine dental providers, while updating fees, application timing, and special events licensing. Members asked questions about the horse racing licensure changes, and the agency explained they were responding to prior session changes and adding guardrails, including veterinarian sign-off for equine therapist licensure on the back side of a racetrack. The Department for Public Health package made several personnel and salary-related changes for local health departments, including salary ranges for new hires, probation and evaluation rules, salary increases after probation, and limits on certain leave payouts for employees who separate without proper notice or are dismissed for cause. The Office of Inspector General regulation added electronic prescription references and removed authority to create a new prescription number for partial dispensing of Schedule II prescriptions. The Department for Medicaid Services regulations updated provider group definitions, removed some service limits, required prior authorization for all genetic testing for non-MCO recipients, changed physician fee schedule updates from quarterly to annually, and added reimbursement for department-approved vaccines. Members asked detailed questions about genetic testing prior authorization and sleep disorder coverage; the agency said prior authorization is intended to take two to five days and that sleep disorder services generally involve sleep apnea-related treatments such as CPAP machines and sleep studies. The committee then adjourned and announced its next meeting for Tuesday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m.