Transcript Highlights:

• Um, all of you got an economic impact assessment report.
• section 4502 expressly assesses 10 or 20 points.
• The proposed changes in this bill are intended to update the assessment of points for certain statute
• fees for newly department to assess fees for newly created<01:44:49.160><c> big</c><01:44:49.320><c>
• </c><02:06:40.600><c> of</c> Caucus will be hosting a screening of Caucus will be hosting a screening

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, on October 1, 2025, the State Department of Education shall develop a survey to assess the levels
• Furthermore, I feel like we're actually empowering parents in society in general because the amount of screen
• which is focused... name for this bill, which is focused on freeing our classrooms of unnecessary screen

Bills: SB92, HB9, HB9

Keywords: K-12 education, wireless communication devices, digital safety, social media education, classroom distraction, three-cueing system, reading instruction, structured literacy, scientific strategies, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:43.279><c> its</c> to launch this work and assess its to launch this work and assess its potential
• </c> program to get paid for that assessment program to get paid for that assessment uh<00:29:39.120>
• Those programs, when they screen someone with a mental health screen that is positive, they're required
• to do a diagnostic assessment within 10 days.
• Those programs, when they screen someone with a mental health screen that is positive, they're required

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Better screening, better diagnostics.
• Again, better screening tools. You mentioned that. Better diagnostics. Teachers are more aware.
• Page 838 is the transfer for after-school program, retreat, reading, and assessment grant.
• Page 838 is the transfer for after-school program, retreat, reading, and assessment grant.
• program, retreat reading and assessment grant.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those providers are also the ones doing these health assessments and screenings currently.
• Then whoever is doing that screening would also be doing the blood pressure? Absolutely.
• And then you can assess the situation and say, hey, you can go back to class.
• And then you can assess the situation and say, hey, you can go back to class.
• And that clerk is making an assessment.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 206, which would require cardiovascular pre-screening and blood pressure testing for student athletes beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. Chairman Miller said the bill was prompted by concerns about undiagnosed hypertension and sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes, and Coach Marcus Scott testified about his own kidney transplant after years of untreated high blood pressure. Members asked about who would perform the screenings and how follow-up would work; the American Heart Association said existing athletic physical processes and referral networks could handle it. An amendment was adopted, and the committee reported SB 206 favorably as amended. The committee then took up SB 305, which would require a publicly available statewide career-alignment dashboard showing how degree programs connect to workforce outcomes, including completion, employment, wages, and high-demand jobs. Chairman Edmonds and student task force member Cruz Cassard said the goal was to help students understand job opportunities in Louisiana and reduce the number leaving the state after graduation. Workforce and higher education stakeholders supported the measure as a transparency and workforce-planning tool. The committee reported SB 305 favorably. Next, the committee considered HB 624, a school safety cleanup bill updating references from crisis management plans to emergency operations plans and aligning school emergency language with national standards. Representative Johnson and the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools said the bill would not create new mandates or costs, but would clarify existing requirements. The committee reported HB 624 favorably. The committee then heard HB 1022, as substituted, concerning school-based health care services. Representative Jackson said the bill was intended to clarify that medical decisions in school-based health centers should be made by licensed health professionals, not school staff, while preserving parental consent. Testimony from school-based health center providers supported the bill, but several members raised concerns about consent, parental authority, and whether the language shifted too much responsibility away from schools; the Charter School Association suggested adding more collaborative language. After discussion, the committee adopted the substitute and reported HB 1022 favorably by a 10-4 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:03:26.239><c> the</c> with again is everyone is screened the with again is everyone is screened
• Is that a fair assessment? Correct.
• I believe that's a fair assessment.
• Is that a fair assessment? >> That's correct. >> We agree.
• Is that a fair assessment? center. Is that a fair assessment?

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, January 29, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate reconvened after a snow delay, heard an invocation from Reverend Scott Shelton, and conducted several floor introductions and recognitions, including birthday wishes for staff, a welcome for a temporary office staffer, recognition of the Center for Urban Families, and introduction of the week’s pages. The chamber then approved the prior journal and moved through bill and bond initiative readings, referring the listed measures to their standing committees or the capital budget subcommittee. The first substantive action was adoption of a favorable committee report on Senate Bill 17, an emergency bill authorizing the Baltimore City Board of Licensed Commissioners to issue a related event promoters permit for the CIAA tournament. The floor leader said the bill had no amendments, no fiscal impact, and no opposition in committee. The Senate adopted the report without objection and ordered the bill printed for third reading. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 1 from the Judicial Proceedings Committee, which would require the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to adopt a statewide policy on law enforcement face coverings, apply it to state, local, and federal officers in Maryland, and enforce violations through a civil citation and discipline. The committee report included two amendments: one technical and one making the policy statewide and preempting local policies. During extended debate, the bill’s sponsor argued that masks undermine transparency and trust and that the measure would create a uniform standard. A senator from Frederick County questioned whether the bill would effectively create a policy for federal agents without Maryland-specific training and raised concerns about enforcement, temporary detention, complaints, and possible conflicts with federal authority. The sponsor responded that officers would retain discretion, that the bill would be enforced through civil citations, and that similar civil enforcement mechanisms have been upheld in Maryland. No final vote on the amended report is shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was glad to hear you acknowledge that it's a positive report because I agree with that assessment.
• I was glad to hear you acknowledge that it's a positive report because I agree with that assessment.
• I mean that I was I with that assessment I mean that I was I guess<00:10:44.120><c> I</c><00:10:44.240
• And that was part of why we had the recommendation to add that screen, or, you know, why Secretary of
• way of screening those lists and<01:13:46.400><c> helping</c><01:13:46.639><c> to</c><01:13:46.800><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Not just the folks that we screen, but all the people who are being screened out there related to the
• </c> screening. I think you've heard from Dr. screening. I think you've heard from Dr.
• anything screening in Kentucky.
• So, stool-based screening, colonoscopy after a positive stool-based screening, or risk-based screening
• </c> screening programs, Kentucky improved. screening programs, Kentucky improved.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with roll call, approval of the September 17 minutes, and an introduction of Sarah Rome to the committee. The chair also noted that the committee would stay on schedule and then moved to presentations. Representative Amy Neighbors and Taylor Williams of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association presented a refiled “pharmacy parity” proposal, formerly House Bill 3, to require Medicaid reimbursement for pharmacist clinical services already authorized under current scope of practice. They said the bill would not expand Medicaid or pharmacist scope, but would align Medicaid with commercial insurance, improve access and outcomes, and likely save money; they cited a Cabinet report under Senate Joint Resolution 26, which found similar laws in other states were producing savings or trending toward savings and would require only modest administrative updates. No member questions were raised after that presentation. The committee then heard an update on the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program from Senator Stephen Meredith, Dr. Whitney Jones, Melissa Carrier, and Representative Neighbors. They described the program’s goals of increasing screening, reducing deaths through earlier detection, and preventing cancers by finding polyps, saying it has produced substantial savings and improved outcomes. Speakers emphasized Kentucky’s high colorectal cancer burden, especially in younger adults, and said the program helps uninsured and underinsured Kentuckians access stool-based screening and follow-up colonoscopies through a network of partners including the Department for Public Health, Kentucky Cancer Link, and university cancer programs. They requested an increase in funding from $500,000 to $1.25 million annually, or $2.5 million over the biennium, to expand services, fill geographic gaps, and support education and navigation. Members asked whether the colon cancer screening was already covered by Medicaid, and the presenters replied that Medicaid does cover it, but the program serves people who are not on Medicaid or who fall into a separate eligibility category based on income and insurance status. A member also clarified the requested funding increase. The committee then moved on to the next agenda item, an update from the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, where board member Sal Santoro and CHNK Behavioral Health leaders began a presentation describing the organization’s broader behavioral health work and its request, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concludes or any action is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• across the state, to the public on the Capitol grounds, and to the public in the form of threat assessment
• This funding includes continued but more limited screening during the interim and continued screening
• This funding includes continued but more limited screening during the interim and continued screening
• The BCA threat assessment looking proactively to determine if there are threats not just for elected
• It also part of their scope assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If you want to follow along, as you can see on your screen, this is in the EBB.
• This would include waterway and debris clearance, recovery support, county risk assessments, and direct
• In 2251, there's a chart that's now on the screen, as well as in your EBB, trying to illustrate what
• But the main is the revenue distributions that are up here on the screen.
• tool that is used for construction projects that includes site planning, regulatory analysis, risk assessment

Bills: SB6003, HB2353, HB2431, HB1983

Keywords: capital budget, funding, infrastructure, state projects, budget allocation, HB 2353, predesign thresholds, capital construction, major capital projects, Office of Financial Management, OFM, Washington state, state agencies, infrastructure planning, construction costs, inflation adjustment, capital facilities, project review, allotments, lease approval

Transcript Highlights:

• And seeing their face on screen, of course. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world.
• The alliance will also continue to assess changes in health policy by continually reviewing data, information
• , ...to assess changes in health policy by continually reviewing data, information, and reports from
• concerns that the federal government may take action that would limit our communities' access to those screening
• that the federal government may take action to that would limit our communities access to those screening

Summary: The committee first welcomed new DSHS Secretary Angela Ramirez, who introduced herself and described her background in public service, federal and state legislative work, and health and human services leadership. Members emphasized the importance of building strong relationships with her and noted her focus on protecting services, using strategic approaches in a tight budget environment, and improving partnerships with the Legislature. Ramirez said she wanted to keep communication open and that her priorities would be shaped by what she learns from lawmakers and agency partners. The next work session focused on the West Coast Health Alliance and the broader Governor’s Public Health Alliance. Department of Health and governor’s office staff said the West Coast alliance, involving Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii, was formed to coordinate science-based public health guidance, especially around vaccines, return-to-work guidance, and responses to federal changes. They said the alliance is intended to reduce confusion, counter misinformation, and preserve access to evidence-based recommendations, with early actions including vaccine guidance for COVID-19, flu, and RSV, a statement rejecting any vaccine-autism link, and preparation for possible ACIP changes. Members asked about workload and coordination with other regional alliances, and staff said there is informal coordination but no formal regular meetings. The committee then heard from the Washington State Health Benefit Exchange about open enrollment and the effects of federal policy changes. Exchange leaders said the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, HR1 provisions, and immigration-related eligibility changes are affecting affordability and enrollment, with some customers facing large premium increases and some counties becoming harder to serve. They reported early open-enrollment traffic increases, nearly 10,000 new sign-ups, and nearly 12,000 active coverage drops so far, while noting that many more people may disenroll later if subsidies are not extended. They also described mitigation efforts such as silver loading, Cascade Care Savings, outreach through navigators and community partners, and planning for future HR1 requirements like ending auto-renewal and adding verification steps. In the final work session, staff from the Health Care Authority and Insurance Commissioner’s office reviewed Washington’s health reform history and the state’s current affordability and access efforts. They highlighted past ACA-related coverage gains, continued work on prescription drug affordability, PBM oversight, primary care and behavioral health access, and a pending legislative proposal to preserve access to preventive services. They also discussed federal changes affecting Medicaid and the exchange, including work requirements, six-month redeterminations, and the need to coordinate across agencies to implement new rules. Members raised concerns about network adequacy, provider access, and the complexity of the health care system, while staff said they are trying to mitigate harm, simplify administration, and keep coverage and access as stable as possible.

Transcript Highlights:

• um but probably their computer screen um but probably would<01:33:20.800><c> I</c><01:33:20.880><c>
• These are mandated investigations and assessments, and I'm just curious as to why you would be striking
• These are mandated investigations and assessments, and I'm just curious as to why you would be striking
• These are mandated investigations and assessments, and I'm just curious as to why you would be striking
• That intake and screening process is a little bit complicated, but in some instances if the perpetrator

Bills: HF2436, HF470, HF2643, HF2456, HF102, HF1367

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, early education, scholarships, funding, children, families, Minnesota education, child care licensing, family child care, child care center, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, correction order, conditional license, fix-it ticket, documented technical assistance, license suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• To what extent, if any, do you sample eligibility to assess whether or not we're doing that correctly
• To what extent, if any, do you sample eligibility to assess whether or not we're doing that correctly
• We go directly into the system and have screen shares with the HHS individuals that are determining the
• We go directly into the system and<01:01:54.160><c> have</c><01:01:54.400><c> screen</c><01:01:54.720
• shares with the HHS and have screen shares with the HHS individuals<01:01:57.359><c> that</c><01:01:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the March 21 minutes and then took up a consent calendar, withdrawing several items before adopting the remainder. It also moved item FIS 25103 to the table by a 6-4 vote after Senator Gray argued the Executive Council had not yet acted on a prior $5 million approval and that the committee should avoid adding to the rainy day fund draw. The committee then approved item 25106 for the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources/State Library after hearing that the department expected about a $400,000 lapse to return to the state. A major discussion centered on New Hampshire Police Standards and Training (item 2577). Senator Gray questioned whether a proposed equipment purchase could be delayed to the next biennium in light of the state’s deficit and rainy day fund use. The agency said the equipment was needed now for scenario training, vendors had already been identified, and delaying would likely increase costs and force continued reliance on unpaid volunteer help. The committee ultimately approved the item. The committee also approved Department of Energy item 2587 after hearing that federal weatherization funds are drawn down on a reimbursement basis, and item 2588 after similar testimony that weatherization work must be completed and inspected before reimbursement, limiting how quickly funds can be expended. Item 250094 had been withdrawn. Later, the committee discussed Senator Carson’s request for an LBA review of the YDC claims settlement fund, with members expressing concern about administrative costs, attorney fees, settlement-loan payoffs, and the need for more detailed reporting. The committee voted to direct LBA to conduct the audit described in Senator Carson’s memo, with the additional request that the review include the term over which attorney fees are paid. The meeting then moved on to an HHS staff item, where members began questioning the timing of dashboard data and reporting delays.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unlicensed personnel cannot provide such an assessment.
• Massachusetts, along with 46 other states, does require a hand skills assessment for licensure.
• Massachusetts, and 46 other states, does require a hand skills assessment for licensure.
• unlimited financial assessments against the state of Massachusetts.
• where physical assessment or intervention is required.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing to take testimony on a wide range of bills involving professional licensure, clinical practice, and public health-related workforce issues. The chair explained that no votes would be taken at the hearing and that the purpose was to gather public input. Early testimony focused on Marnie’s Law, with supporters describing the bill as a no-cost, preventive measure to require nursing education on inflammatory breast cancer after a family tragedy and arguing it could reduce misdiagnosis and save lives. A major portion of the hearing centered on bills affecting clinical decision-making and licensure compacts. Supporters of the physician ownership/clinical autonomy bills argued they would protect independent practices from corporate interference after the Steward collapse, while supporters of EMS, dental, psychology, physical therapy, and physician assistant compacts said the measures would improve workforce mobility, reduce delays, and expand access to care, especially for rural patients, military families, and telehealth users. Several witnesses emphasized that the compacts would not reduce standards and would strengthen public protection through shared disciplinary databases and streamlined credentialing. There was also testimony on bills to ensure safe medication administration and to protect the independence of complementary and alternative health care practitioners. Nursing representatives urged that only licensed professionals administer medications in hospitals, hospices, and home care settings, warning that delegation to unlicensed staff could endanger patients and nurses’ licenses. A complementary and alternative care witness supported consumer access with mandatory disclosures and limits on reserved medical acts. On the dental compact, witnesses were split: some supported portability and workforce flexibility, while others warned the compact lacked a hands-on skills exam and could weaken Massachusetts’ regulatory authority and patient safety. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on the psychology compact, physical therapy compact, and physician assistant bills, with most speakers favoring expanded interstate practice and reduced administrative barriers.

Transcript Highlights:

• court, will be required Court, the sentencing court, will be required to perform a culpability assessment
• We want a culpability assessment in second-degree murder, not addressing retroactivity.
• It addresses those concerns because there are factors that are built in for culpability assessment.
• We must make big tech pay for the digital ads that clutter our screens and target our wallets, because
• That clutter our screens and target our wallets, because the wealthiest corporations are taking a ride

Summary: The Senate returned from recess and first handled routine calendar matters, laying several bills on the table or over in their order without objection. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 1400, which addresses sentencing for second-degree murder in response to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Commonwealth v. Lee decision. Senator Street offered an amendment to replace mandatory life without parole with parole eligibility after 25 years and individualized review, but the Senate tabled the amendment by a 26-24 roll call. The bill then advanced to final passage after extended debate over whether it adequately met the court’s constitutional ruling and how it would affect victims, culpability, and retroactivity. It initially passed 31-19, then after reconsideration and a correction to one member’s vote, passed 30-20 and was sent to the House. The Senate next considered Senate Bill 1212, which tightens the handling of sexual assault evidence kits by removing discretionary language that had contributed to inconsistent testing practices. Supporters said it would improve statewide consistency, preserve a survivor’s right to decline testing, and help reduce the rape kit backlog. The bill passed unanimously, 50-0, and was sent to the House. The chamber then moved through additional calendar items, including re-referrals of several House bills to Appropriations and multiple bills being passed over. Later, the Senate took up House Bill 1667 on a supplemental calendar after suspending the rules. The bill became the vehicle for several amendments tied to affordability and tax policy. Senators adopted a back-to-school sales tax holiday amendment, a data-center tax exemption repeal amendment, and a school-choice-related amendment transferring EITC provisions and increasing scholarships by $25 million. Other proposed amendments, including a digital advertising tax and a combined reporting corporate tax reform, were tabled. After further debate on the bill’s impact on electric bills, data centers, and the state budget, House Bill 1667 was agreed to as amended and the Senate recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And those are kind of the two only legislatively mandated fees that are assessed on the receipt.
• In addition to Uber's multi-step screening process, we also use our real-time ID check to ensure drivers
• are the same person who passed our screenings.
• It put together impacts that were assessed from behavioral change per passenger per year, as well as
• Taking those two data sets together, we were able to assess that TNCs had increased GHG emissions in

Summary: The hearing focused on transportation network companies in California, with the chair framing it as an informational hearing on the history, regulation, safety, climate, accessibility, and data issues surrounding Uber, Lyft, and smaller or autonomous TNC services. The CPUC described its decade-long regulatory role, including safety rules, background checks, insurance requirements, reporting obligations, and two major legislative programs from 2018: the Clean Miles Standard and the Access for All program. Members asked about complaint trends, data collection and disclosure, program implementation, and how the CPUC uses annual reports for policymaking, compliance, and program oversight. Uber and Lyft said the statewide framework has supported growth while providing safety and access benefits, but both companies emphasized that insurance is a major cost driver and argued that California’s UM/UIM requirement is unusually high compared with other vehicles. They said the Clean Miles Standard is pushing electrification but faces headwinds from EV affordability and charging infrastructure, while Access for All has expanded wheelchair-accessible service but still needs continued support. They also discussed transit partnerships, wildfire response, and the potential role of autonomous vehicles, with both companies saying human drivers will remain important and that future regulation should account for new technology. The final panel, including the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and UC Berkeley researchers, presented evidence that TNCs have increased congestion and reduced transit ridership, especially in dense urban areas. They described prior research showing TNCs contributed to congestion growth in San Francisco and noted that this work helped spur local taxes on ride-hailing trips to fund safety and transit improvements. The panel also discussed the CPUC’s evolving data-disclosure decisions, arguing that public access to TNC trip data is important for understanding transportation impacts and informing local policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can see here on the screen, threats are up, total incidents by 47%, threats to a person or property
• , threats are up, see here on the screen, threats are up, uh<00:04:06.000><c> total</c><00:04:06.319>
• Shorba, so you can see on the screen the cost of the safety and security measures.
• Fair and equitable assessments is the cornerstone of the Minnesota property tax system.
• Fair and equitable assessments is the cornerstone of the Minnesota property tax system.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I see myself creeping up onto the screen there.
• So what I want to talk about, and I'm going to share a screen, and hopefully that will come up, put it
• And so then I pose a question: so how many assessments were completed? None.
• I said, so that's literally 200 assessments. That's money going out the door.
• You know, it's like, oh, wait, I got to stop, I got to do an assessment, I got to do all this stuff.

Summary: The hearing focused on inclusive economic development in California’s Central Valley, with the chair describing prior state and federal investments in Fresno and the region, including Transformative Climate Communities funding, the Southwest Fresno Community College campus, affordable housing and infrastructure projects, medical education pathways, F3 Farm Food Future, and high-speed rail-related jobs. The chair emphasized that rural and historically disinvested communities often face complex application processes and limited technical capacity, and said the committee’s goal was to learn from successful local models and identify ways to better direct resources to communities that need them most. The first panel featured representatives from the Sierra Health Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and UC Merced. Chet Hewitt argued that health and economic opportunity are inseparable and described Sierra Health’s economic development portfolio, including the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, the Impact Investment Fund, and the Community Economic Mobilization Initiative (CEMI), which together support healthier workplaces, microbusiness financing, and nonprofit capacity. Jessica Kaksmarik said Irvine’s place-based grantmaking in inland regions aims to strengthen worker and community power, support community-led development, and expand equitable pathways to mobility, while stressing that philanthropy must partner with government because it cannot meet the scale of need alone. Dr. Manuel Pastor and Dr. Ed Flores both argued that inequality and extractive development weaken long-term growth, and that community organizations need both power-building and technical expertise to influence regional planning; Flores also described the Valley Seed project and high-road economic development models that link labor, climate, and community benefits. The second panel highlighted community-based programs and the effects of unstable funding. Yolanda Randalls described the Sweet Potato Project at West Fresno Family Resource Center, a youth agriculture and entrepreneurship program that combines hands-on farming, business training, and mental health support; she said participants improved from a 1.9 GPA to a 3.3 GPA and that the program is seeking long-term support as its funding nears expiration. Addie Carr of Neighborhood Industries described a second-chance employment model that provides job training, case management, literacy and life coaching, and small no-interest loans, and said CEMI helped the organization open a second store and create more jobs. Maria Redoubt Orozco of Community Alliance with Family Farmers said small farmers are central to the Valley’s economy but face land, water, climate, and market barriers, and warned that federal cuts to programs like Local Food Purchasing Assistance threaten local food systems. Daniela Rodriguez of Immigrants Rising described entrepreneurship and technical assistance for undocumented and mixed-status entrepreneurs, including the SEED initiative, and said policy uncertainty and access-to-capital barriers continue to constrain immigrant economic mobility. In closing discussion, panelists repeatedly called for longer-term, braided, and flexible funding rather than one-time grants, and the chair noted the need to continue supporting community-defined practices and public-private partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• includes services that primary care providers are licensed or legally authorized to provide, including screening
• , assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for purposes of promoting health, detection, management, and care
• live in a safe and healthy environment, freedom from abuse, access to timely medical and forensic assessments
• looking for another survey and documentation and audits that will go through all of our programs to assess
• We're trying to hear you, but they're muted on the screen if someone could assist. Mr.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee heard House Bill 754, which would add physical therapists to Idaho’s direct primary care law so they could enter direct payment agreements with patients without being treated as insurance contracts. The sponsor and supporters said it would improve access, especially in rural areas, and would not expand physical therapists’ scope of practice. Some members objected that the bill’s wording could blur the meaning of “primary care” and create scope confusion. The committee passed HB 754 to the floor with a do pass recommendation after debate and a recorded no vote from several members. The committee then took up House Bill 724, which would codify safety-related rights for children in foster care, including safe placement, freedom from abuse, timely medical or forensic evaluation after abuse disclosures, basic necessities, and consideration of safety in visitation and placement decisions. The sponsor and multiple foster parents, foster youth, and advocates testified in support, describing serious abuse, unsafe visitation, and placement concerns and arguing the bill would help judges and agencies better protect children already in state custody. Some members raised constitutional and drafting concerns about enumerating rights in statute and proposed amending the bill, but a substitute motion to send it to amending order failed 4-12. The committee then passed HB 724 to the floor with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 759, a Medicaid budget bill that would reduce funding for residential habilitation services, paired with a proposed audit and rate-study process for home- and community-based services. The sponsor said the bill would remove funding tied to prior enhancements that were not implemented and would help balance the budget, while providers and family members testified that the bill was vague, could create administrative burdens, and might cut services for vulnerable people with disabilities without clear assurance that rate studies would be followed. After debate, a motion to hold the bill in committee until March 11 failed, and a substitute motion to send it to the floor with a do pass recommendation also failed 9-7. The committee then voted to hold HB 759 in committee until March 11, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We removed the reference to CANS assessment as a means of quality for this level.
• So CAN was replaced with clinical. assessment.
• This is actually a higher level assessment completed by a licensed provider practitioner.
• You have one minute, and there should be a timer on your screen Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Just a reminder to watch your screen for your one minute. Go ahead. Great. Hi.

Keywords: 996, all