Transcript Highlights:

• It's just a waste of money, and I ask you all to vote no on this bill for these reasons that I've said
• usually<00:29:55.960> by<00:29:56.840> I<00:29:56.960> don't given a bail study
• I want to highlight from our testimony that there was a national study that found that immigrants who
• that found that was a national study that found that immigrants<01:06:07.559> who<01:06:07.640
• of taxpayer dollars right now a waste of taxpayer dollars right now and<01:14:17.920> um<01:14

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 114, which would create a presidential preference primary for the 2028 election. The Office of Elections said the bill would cost about $4.1 million. Supporters, including the Hawaii Democratic Party and the League of Women Voters, favored moving the process to a state-run primary, while several opponents, including the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women and multiple individual testifiers, argued it would be too expensive, would shift control away from the parties, and would replace volunteer-run caucuses with a mail-in system. Committee members questioned the chief election officer about election timing, certification, and how a primary might be scheduled with other elections. Testimony was recorded as 11 in support, 41 opposed, and 3 comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up SB 725, which would require judges to make findings about a defendant’s ability to afford bail. Judiciary and Attorney General witnesses asked that the bill be deferred or amended, saying the Judicial Council is already reviewing pretrial bail reform and that the bill’s language could create practical problems for police, sheriffs, and courts. Supporters, including the Correctional System Oversight Commission, the public defender, the Community Alliance on Prisons, the ACLU of Hawaii, and disability rights advocates, said cash bail disproportionately harms low-income defendants, increases pretrial detention costs, and should require clearer findings and records. Opponents included the Hawaii County prosecuting attorney. Members questioned how bail is initially set, what records exist, and whether the bill would change current practice; Judiciary witnesses said initial bail decisions are often made by police or judges and later reviewed on the record, while supporters argued the bill would strengthen front-end due process. The ACLU said it supported the bill with amendments, including clearer standards for ability to pay and written findings. The committee also began hearing SB 733, a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a continuous legislative session. Early testimony was strongly supportive, with advocates arguing that the current 60-day session limits public participation, makes it hard for working people to testify, and prevents lawmakers from collaborating effectively. Supporters said a year-round model could improve transparency, reduce duplicate bills, and better accommodate neighbor island legislators. The excerpt ends during the opening testimony on SB 733, before any committee action or vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh last summer in Fall there was a study uh last summer in Fall there was a study committee<00:43
• committee before I entered that study committee before I entered this<00:43:06.559> role<00:43
• These are people that have been characterized as foreign actors, so I don't think it's right that might
• These are folks that have already been characterized as foreign actors, so I don't think it's right.
• Have we done a study?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 733-FN, a bill on third-party litigation financing (TPLF). Representative Cole, the prime sponsor, described TPLF as outside investors financing lawsuits in which they have no personal stake, arguing that the practice is largely unregulated, can involve foreign entities, and contributes to litigation abuse, higher insurance costs, and what he called a “tort tax.” He said the bill is modeled on an NCOIL proposal and would require disclosure of TPLF agreements, with specific references to foreign-entity restrictions, consumer-protection guardrails, and reporting requirements. He also noted a few technical fixes to the draft, including adding the word “knowingly” and restoring a section that had been omitted. Committee members questioned how the bill’s foreign-entity language would work, including whether a governor or the Department of Safety would designate countries of concern, and whether the bill would bar foreign parties from using litigation funding. Cole and others clarified that the bill was intended as a reporting measure, not a ban on litigation funding itself, and that the goal was to disclose who is funding lawsuits and to what extent. Representative Sal asked whether the bill would prevent a litigant from getting outside financing; Cole answered no, emphasizing disclosure rather than prohibition. Brandon Grat of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau testified that the bill’s enforcement provisions were too limited. He said the draft appears to give the Attorney General only a civil-penalty remedy, likely too small to deter violations, and not the broader Consumer Protection Act tools such as injunctions, restitution, or investigation authority. He also raised concerns about whether the Attorney General or Insurance Department would have proper jurisdiction, given that the product may be financial or insurance-related. Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the department sees possible benefits from transparency because disclosure of litigation funding could help insurers assess risk, improve underwriting, and potentially ease hard-market pressures, especially for nonprofits and child care providers. He also said the bill’s language likely needs further work to clarify agency authority and suggested involving the Attorney General, Insurance Department, and banking regulators. Opposition testimony came from the New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association. Marissa Chase and Samantha Hering argued the bill is one-sided because it requires disclosure only on the plaintiff side and not from defendants or insurers. They said New Hampshire already has court rules and discovery procedures that cover relevant disclosures, making the bill unnecessary, and questioned whether the existence of a funding contract is even relevant in litigation. The hearing ended with the committee continuing to discuss possible revisions and enforcement options, but no vote or final action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, our members agree that, uh, it would be nice to study the property value study to take a look at
• He sort of went over some of the basics of the property value study. I'll skip that.
• Lastly, I'll look into the correlation of the four studies the PBS, the ratio study, the Methods and
• That if one study is signaling issue with appraisals, they all should be signaling issues.
• So we need, so do we need 4 studies or just one solid study that encompasses the whole appraisal process

Bills: HB249

Keywords: real property, ad valorem tax, tax appraisal, property value limitation, real estate taxation, property ownership

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:13:37.920> of<00:13:38.000> Health<00:13:38.320> with<00:13:38.480> studying
• the Department of Health with studying the Department of Health with studying and<00:13:39.080><
• Katherine Pannel, who's been with us before, and I guess she wasted no time this year getting down from
• 00:23:53.760> she been with us before, and I guess she been with us before, and I guess she wasted
• no time this year getting down wasted no time this year getting down from<00:23:56.160> Oxford.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 6 January, 2026; 12:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened to open the 2026 legislative session with a color guard presentation by the Madison County JROTC program from Germantown High School, followed by prayer. The Speaker praised the program’s achievements and urged support for stronger JROTC resources in state education policy. The chamber then swore in new Representative Justin Crosby of House District 22, and the House was declared organized and ready to proceed with business. The House received several gubernatorial veto messages. Governor Reeves vetoed House Bills 50, 569, 1126, and 924, citing constitutional concerns, separation-of-powers issues, and the need for further study or reconsideration. Members responded by moving to return HB 19, HB 50, and HB 1126 to the Appropriations A Committee, HB 569 to the Public Health Committee, and HB 924 to the appropriate committee; those motions were adopted. The House also announced committee assignments to notify the Governor and Senate that the chamber was organized, introduced the session’s head pages, and recognized numerous guests and visitors. Members made several adjournment-in-memory requests for deceased relatives and community figures, and the body observed a moment of remembrance for the wife of Representative Casey Year. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 2:00 p.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Information and misinterpretation of certain studies.
• To study and cherry-pick the data to show the result they desire.
• Who is Funding the studies?
• Both are waste products from the fertilizer industry and are classified as hazardous waste.
• When you really dig into those studies, you'll find that a...

Bills: SB623, SB1266, SB1310, SB1373, SB1580, SB1952, SB2032, SB2269, SB2544, SB2653, SB2796

Keywords: pharmacist, vaccine administration, COVID-19, exclusive authority, healthcare, Medicaid, provider enrollment, credentialing, administrative burden, Texas Health and Human Services, senior retirement communities, emergency response, residential safety, contract provisions, health and safety regulations, medical staff privileges, hospital administration, healthcare regulation, Texas Health and Safety Code, consistency in privileges

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this for day programs, for waiver, or just for studying those programs?
• And this is to allow for a comprehensive strategic study to see if Arkansas can engage in the lithium
• Number 22, Department of Military, with Waste Management.
• This is for waste disposal service at the Department of Military.
• Number 25, University of Arkansas, Medical Waste Services.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With projects, septic sewer projects, advanced alternative, advanced waste treatment, wastewater facility
• that we've done is increasing the requirements to have wastewater treatment facilities go to advanced waste
• And if they're still coming back and putting septic back again, we're wasting our money.
• , and some municipalities—those are the blue dots on the graphic—are included in their county study.
• yellow dots are the municipalities that want to be a little more independent and conduct their own study

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee heard two informational presentations. First, the Department of Environmental Protection gave an overview of Florida’s water quality framework, explaining how numeric nutrient criteria, monitoring, TMDLs, and Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) are used to address impaired waters. DEP described recent changes intended to increase accountability, including five-year milestones in BMAPs, requirements for advanced wastewater treatment by 2033 in certain cases, limits on new conventional septic systems where sewer is available, enhanced nutrient-reducing septic requirements where sewer is not available, and a new agricultural regional water quality improvement element. The department also highlighted the Water Quality Improvement Grant Program, which has received nearly $1.4 billion over four years and funded more than 300 projects, as well as a public dashboard showing funded projects and a forthcoming trend-analysis dashboard for monitoring data. Members asked about enforcement of BMAP milestones, septic-to-sewer coordination with local governments, PFAS and microplastics monitoring, septic system performance standards, wastewater facility compliance, and how many facilities remain below advanced wastewater treatment standards. DEP said it can enforce BMAP obligations through administrative orders, consent orders, court action, fines, and permit conditions, and that it inspects and verifies wastewater facilities while relying on reporting and site inspections for sewer infrastructure. The department also said nutrient-reducing septic systems must achieve a 65 percent reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus, with verification required when projects seek BMAP credit. The committee then heard from the chief resilience officer on the Resilient Florida program, created in 2021 to address sea-level rise and coastal flooding. The presentation reviewed planning grants, vulnerability assessments, and the statewide critical-asset assessment, noting that all counties and most municipalities are expected to complete assessments by the end of 2026 and that vulnerability is now an eligibility requirement for future project funding. The program reported major statewide outcomes, including stormwater storage, miles of infrastructure and roadway protection, acres restored, and coastal protection projects, and highlighted examples such as breakwater improvements and lift-station elevation. Members asked about project delays, funding totals, overlap with other funding sources, and project prioritization; the program said delays often stem from design and permitting after award, that its reported totals reflect only grants it administers, and that projects are scored under the same criteria rather than being prioritized by asset type. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I've studied NAPE scores. I've studied KSA scores. They're not pretty.
• I've And uh I've studied NAPE scores. I've studied<00:36:23.520> KSA<00:36:24.320> scores.
• studied KSA scores. They're not pretty. studied KSA scores. They're not pretty.
• Institute does have some older studies Institute does have some older studies on<00:46:55.359>
• according to this study is like 62%. according to this study is like 62%.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met without a quorum, so the minutes were not approved. The main presentation was from retired economics professors John Garren and Dr. Kums, who discussed their Bluegrass Institute research on teacher compensation in Kentucky since the Kentucky Education Reform Act era. They said teacher base salaries, adjusted for inflation, have declined over the last decade, while state-paid “on-behalf” benefits such as pension and health insurance contributions have risen sharply; they argued total teacher compensation has increased modestly overall, but less than per-pupil funding. They also presented broader context on staffing growth, declining average daily attendance, Kentucky’s low share of teachers among total school staff, and flat or weak NAEP and ACT performance trends, including widening white-Black score gaps on NAEP. Members questioned the methodology and interpretation of the compensation figures. Representative Bojanowski argued the on-behalf calculations may overstate teacher compensation because they include insurance and pension costs that also benefit classified employees and retirees, and he asked for clarification on the denominator used to derive the per-teacher amount. Representative Truit said the presentation could be misleading if it implies teachers earn $94,000 in salary, and he objected to framing pension stabilization payments as teacher pay. The presenters responded that they were using total compensation, not salary alone, said they had divided total personnel-related on-behalf payments by the relevant staff count, and promised to review and send a technical explanation. Representative Truit and Chairman Typton both emphasized that compensation should be viewed as salary plus benefits, not salary alone, and noted that pension contributions are part of the cost of employing teachers. The presenters said their intent was to show the full compensation package and its relevance to labor supply and teacher shortages, not to claim that individual teachers earn the total compensation figure as salary. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the decision to revisit the minutes at a later meeting due to the lack of quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Leader Pizzo: Wouldn't a study take 50 days and 20 grand to arrive at the same conclusion?
• He said, as a state and nation, we invested in the education of the students as they pursue studies in
• The young people sitting in The classroom in are probably studying while we are sitting here.
• The honest answer may be in debate is a characterization we can't tell the federal government when they
• I think there are studies out there that show children of undocumented immigrants have contributed to

Bills: SJR36, SR8, SR14, SR15, SR17, HCR54

Keywords: accountants, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, advocacy, legislation, business issues, memorial, law enforcement, sacrifice, tribute, community support, service, community, Holocaust, remembrance, antisemitism, human rights, education, Holocaust Remembrance Day, memorialization, sexual assault

Transcript Highlights:

• problem of disparity of plans and waste. problem of disparity of plans and waste.
• for waste.
• <00:25:50.400> Potential<00:25:50.880> of<00:25:51.120> waste. waste.
• Potential of waste. waste. Yeah. Okay. Potential of waste.
• terms of there can be waste in terms of inefficient<00:26:23.240> execution.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met after recess to hear a Department of Health and Human Services overview of its contract structure, with CFO Nathan White explaining that DHS currently has 969 active agreements spanning service contracts, grants, data-sharing agreements, use-of-premises agreements, and MOUs. He said contracts are budgeted across multiple class lines and accounting units, often braided with federal funds, which makes the system complex; he also noted that the department’s top spending list was limited to 18 items rather than 20 and included both individual contracts and grouped regional/provider contracts. White emphasized that many contracts support direct services to residents, while others support departmental operations such as software support and staffing. Commissioner Hardy said the listed contracts are essential to serving vulnerable populations and supporting required administrative infrastructure, and she stressed that the department tries to work with providers and families rather than impose changes on them. In response to questions about area agencies and developmental disability services, DHS officials said the agencies’ duties are spelled out in contract and statute, including family support services, billing-related functions, and services tied to the state’s community-based system; they said some billing duties have already been moved outside the contract. They also explained that the department rejected a previously discussed two-tier waiver concept after stakeholder feedback in October 2023 and instead shifted to rate-based work, including CIS assessments, to better align payment with individual need. Members also raised concerns about possible waste, sole-source contracting, and subcontracting. Hardy said she had not seen specific evidence of waste beyond a whistleblower call mentioned by a member, but acknowledged that inefficient execution can occur in government and said the department is trying to improve management. On procurement, she said sole-source contracts require her approval and that competitive procurement is the default when possible. White added that subcontracting is allowed only with written state permission under the standard P-37 terms, and subcontractors must meet the same obligations as the prime contractor. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• A political science major with a minor in legal studies, Baulina exemplifies the very best of UTRGV:
• And when we had waste and fraud in our food stamp program, you solved it with technology with a Lone
• First is a teacher time study looking closely at schedules, non-instructional duties, and professional
• Knowledge and skills of the public school social studies curricula, to Education K-16.
• S.J.R. 74 by Menendez. gas waste that is not produced in this state to natural resources.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, and adopted the previous day’s journal. Members then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with remarks highlighting UTRGV’s growth, degree production, research expansion, medical school, and role in serving the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas. The chamber also recognized the doctor of the day and adopted additional resolutions, including one for Denton County Days at the Capitol and another recognizing Texas HBCU Day. The Senate gave extensive recognition to outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp through Senate Resolution 368. Senators from both parties praised his long public career, leadership of the A&M System, support for regional universities, and bipartisan approach. The resolution was adopted after multiple members added their names. The chamber also heard from advocates with the Texas Streets Coalition, and received gubernatorial nominations for the State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. On legislation, the Senate passed several major bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to address teacher vacancies, bilingual certification testing, paid leave options, classroom removals, and appeal rights, then passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment on parents’ right to direct a child’s education, advanced on a 22-9 vote. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, aimed at preventing foreign influence and intellectual property theft at public institutions of higher education, passed unanimously. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the business entities bill, also passed after debate over corporate governance and shareholder protections. Senate Bill 857, authorizing law enforcement to tow certain vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed despite some concern about towing abuses during disasters. The Senate also took up Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536 on dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, but the transcript ends as that bill is being laid out.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:41.200> have have on gas prices, but studies have have on gas prices, but studies have
• When the money for Pentagon waste.
• Study after study has shown that air pollution is linked to higher rates of hospitalizations and death
• <02:51:53.680> Study<02:51:54.000> after<02:51:54.399> study<02:51:55.279>
• Study after study has Pollution kills.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As far as the SNAP program overall, if you want to talk about fraud, waste, and abuse, the big reason
• as trying to give every tool possible to incentivize this current administration to fix the fraud, waste
• So is there data that suggests how much of it is truly fraud, waste, and abuse, and how much is really
• It also, the language also requires that the department do a study and make a report of what prisons
• Why did the House reject the Senate offer to require a study of return on investment of privatization

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Don Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. The chamber announced it would take up 11 budget conference committee reports, with no third-reading bills or special-order calendar items. Members were reminded that conference reports were subject to debate but not amendment, and that the required review periods had been satisfied. The first major action was on HB 7031E, the tax package. Representative Duggan explained that the conference report included a mix of retained, modified, and new tax provisions, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related changes, reductions in certain gaming and carbon-related taxes, changes to child care and documentary stamp tax credits, a new refund process for public works construction tax paid by universities and colleges, and other tax administration changes. Debate focused on the bill’s consumer impact, the reduction of the child tax credit from three years to one, the inclusion of firearm accessories in a sales tax holiday, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the homestead exemption provision for certain deployed diplomatic and foreign service personnel. Critics argued the package favored niche or corporate interests over broad affordability relief, while supporters said it provided targeted tax relief and reflected conference negotiations. The House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11. The House then began presenting the conference report for HB 501E, the state budget, which totaled $114.5 billion for fiscal year 2026-27 and was described as below the prior year’s spending level while maintaining reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major budget areas: pre-K-12 funding included an increase in FEFP, salary increases for veteran teachers, stabilization funding, and support for declining enrollment; higher education included full Bright Futures funding, workforce programs, college operating support, university initiatives, and school guardian expansion; IT funding focused on Palm, ACCESS, APD’s I-Connect replacement, corrections systems, emergency management systems, and cybersecurity grants; health care funding covered Medicaid, nursing home rates, waiver provider increases, ADAP funding and restructuring, child welfare, and behavioral health; transportation and economic development included housing, cultural grants, jobs and rural infrastructure, Visit Florida, Space Florida, highway patrol equipment, and local transportation projects; justice funding included correctional construction, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement grants, and clerk and due process reimbursements; state administration included fire stations, constrained counties, building maintenance, and Safe Florida Home; and agriculture/natural resources funding emphasized Everglades restoration, water quality, land acquisition, Florida Forever, state parks, and citrus research. Members then began questioning the budget details, including school voucher accountability, school funding formulas, public defender parity, prison technology, wastewater monitoring in prisons, ADAP policy, SNAP fraud controls and AI-assisted verification, Florida Forever funding, school lunch funding, and coral reef restoration. No final vote on HB 501E appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since 1997, as you've heard, there's been literally hundreds and hundreds of studies—actually 188 studies
• As you've heard, there's been literally hundreds and hundreds of studies—actually 188 studies all in.
• Twenty-nine empirical studies have looked at this.
• I reject that characterization.
• This self-study... This self-study process at a school, if done well, is collaborative.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Members from both parties emphasized education as a major issue, while several Republicans framed the committee’s work around school choice and parent empowerment. Senator West and other Democrats stressed protecting public schools, listening to Texans, and considering the effects of vouchers or education savings accounts on school districts and communities. Chairman Creighton laid out Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, describing it as a universal education savings account program modeled on similar programs in other states. He said the bill would provide about $200 million for a universal eligibility pool and additional funding for students with disabilities and lower-income families, with priority weighting for former public school students. He also highlighted anti-fraud measures, vendor pre-approval, criminal background checks, cybersecurity protections, annual testing requirements for participating students, and the use of the Comptroller rather than TEA to administer the program. Creighton repeatedly said the bill is not a voucher and argued it would not take money from public schools, which he said would receive separate historic funding increases. Members questioned Creighton about the 500% of federal poverty line definition, the adequacy of the $10,000 ESA amount, whether the program would favor students already in private school, how microschools and homeschool pods would fit, and whether the bill protects religious liberty and private-school autonomy. Democrats raised concerns about disability protections, 504 students, foster children, public-school funding, open records, and the historical context of vouchers. Republicans generally supported the bill as a way to expand options for parents and students, while also asking about administration, fraud prevention, and data security. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, with EdChoice President Robert Inlow presenting in support of SB 2 and citing the growth and reported success of school choice programs nationwide.

Transcript Highlights:

• yesterday of infectious waste. yesterday of infectious waste.
• those that generate waste to Newport? those that generate waste to Newport?
• <01:21:16.000> So money for that study in the bill. So money for that study in the bill.
• And the reason is because, as the study has been done, they are number 34 out of these studied 35 agencies
• ><01:48:31.119> these<01:48:31.679> studied<01:48:32.239> 35 out of these studied

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He's currently a junior at New Mexico State and is studying.
• Coca-Cola has a global goal called World Without Waste.
• reactors do produce high-level nuclear waste, as I'm aware of.
• It's the storage of the waste that is the problem. Thank you for that.
• Possibly hazardous waste landfill, but e-waste. So I honestly don't know the answer to that.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<00:33:00.159> fraud, built and a little bit of waste, fraud, built and a little bit of waste
• I would not say waste, fraud, and abuse at all.
• Uh, but I don't consider that to be fraudulent or wasteful in terms of how those words are used.
• But if you look at what are called meta studies, or essentially taking all the studies in a field that
• But if you look at what are called meta studies, or essentially taking all the studies in a field that

Keywords: 00:00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 00:01:25 - Discussion of 26RS HB 689 00:15:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 689 00:17:02 - Discussion of 26RS HB 407 00:45:40 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 407 00:49:25 - Discussion of 26RS HB 713 00:55:50 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 713 00:56:54 - Discussion of 26RS HB 676 01:06:42 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 676 01:08:43 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 689, which would authorize Kentucky to seek federal approval for a Medicaid state-directed payment program for physician and non-physician professional services delivered through qualifying hospital-affiliated groups, beginning in 2026. Rep. Amy Neighbors and witnesses from Owensboro Health and St. Elizabeth Healthcare said the bill would bring in about $29 million in new federal Medicaid dollars without using general fund money, help retain physicians, support rural and underserved access, and tie payments to quality metrics. Witnesses described staffing shortages, rising costs, and the need to sustain services such as OB care, primary care, and preventive outpatient services. After questions about how the funding would work and whether private practices were included, the committee voted on the bill and passed it with favorable expression. The committee then moved to House Bill 407, as substituted, which would streamline Kentucky’s certificate-of-need process. Rep. Marianne Proctor and supporters from the Pacific Legal Foundation and the Institute for Justice said the bill would not repeal CON but would modernize a system they described as outdated and overly restrictive, citing national trends toward reform and arguing that Kentucky’s process has changed little since the 1970s. They said the substitute added language requiring the cabinet to contact a dominant provider when needed for data to make CON determinations. Mark Gilfoil, speaking in opposition for St. Elizabeth Healthcare, argued that CON is not a barrier to care in Northern Kentucky and said the bill would weaken the process by limiting who can request hearings, present evidence, and appeal decisions, effectively giving applicants control and making approvals nearly automatic. He said St. Elizabeth serves as a safety-net hospital for low-income and publicly insured patients and warned the bill could harm that role. Members questioned both sides about the appeal process, the definition of safety-net hospitals, and whether the bill could increase facilities and create waste or abuse. The discussion was still ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• As far as the SNAP program overall, if you want to talk about fraud, waste, and abuse, the big reason
• as trying to give every tool possible to incentivize this current administration to fix the fraud, waste
• as trying to give every tool possible to incentivize this current administration to fix the fraud, waste
• incentivize this administration that won't be paying the bill next year to actually fix the fraud, waste
• So is there data that suggests how much of it is truly fraud, waste, and abuse, and how much is really

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are currently in an RFP process to procure that study.
• You would have the results of that, or you would then start doing the study? Yes, ma'am.
• I feel like we have identified where there has been waste. I feel like we have shifted... grant.
• I feel like we have identified where there has been waste.
• I feel like we have identified where there has been waste.

Summary: The Early Childhood Committee met to receive an update from the Office of Early Childhood on Arkansas child care and early learning programs. Committee members discussed the state’s child care crisis, including reported economic losses from lack of access, the need to track access, affordability, workforce shortages, rural and infant/toddler care gaps, and the role of local leads in identifying needs across the state. The committee also approved the February 17 minutes. Office of Early Childhood staff explained their responsibilities under the LEARNS Act, including kindergarten readiness, provider quality, and access to affordable seats. They reviewed licensing, quality efforts, and the two main funding streams: School Readiness Assistance (SRA), a federally funded voucher program serving about 14,600 children with a wait list of more than 3,000, and Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), a state-funded program serving about 23,000 children, with approval to increase to 24,000 slots. Members asked about the difference between market rate surveys and cost analyses, and staff said the office is procuring both, with results expected by the end of the year. Several members raised concerns about funding levels, especially that ABC reimbursement has not kept pace with K-12 funding increases and that child care reimbursement remains below the true cost of care. Staff said ABC requires certified teachers and lower ratios than SRA, but pays less, and that some federal pre-K slots were moved into ABC to preserve continuity of care. They also explained that SRA eligibility changes, including a higher work requirement and ending a child care worker eligibility category, were made to reduce spending and serve families on the wait list. The committee discussed communication with providers and parents, technical assistance for centers, and possible future legislative action to stabilize providers and expand access, but no votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• commission that's been tasked to study commission that's been tasked to study carbon,<00:25:16.480
• :02.480> that<00:30:02.640> is there's a study committee that is there's a study committee
• Um one is few areas to to to study.
• Studies revealed that here.
• terms of waste disposal and human. terms of waste disposal and human.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 163FN, dealing with requiring current, verifiable evidence of a species’ presence before land-use restrictions are imposed for habitat protection. Members discussed an amendment that had been worked on with agencies and stakeholder groups. Fish and Game testified that, while the amendment improved the bill, the agency still opposed it because of concerns about citizen science, how the proposal would apply to public versus private property, and how the transition to DES would work. Representative Darby argued the amendment was ambiguous, lacked a full hearing, and did not clearly address record verification or private-property access issues. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, with a minority report noted. The committee then moved to HB 1752FN, which would create a chain of custody for timber and carbon credits. Representative Davis presented an amendment saying it would help law enforcement investigate timber theft and add transparency to New Hampshire’s carbon registry by identifying buyers of carbon credits. Supporters said the change would impose little burden and align with practices in other states. Opponents, including Representative Darby, Representative Vale, and the state forester from DNCR, said the carbon market is complex, the amendment was not fully vetted, and a hearing with all stakeholders was needed; they also raised fiscal-note concerns. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, again with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on HB 1019, which would add an active water treatment professional to the state water well board. Representative Peter Petrino and Representative Wendy Thomas said the board should include expertise on contamination risks and treatment technologies, citing concerns about arsenic, radon, and PFAS in private wells. The chairman of the Water Well Board testified in opposition to the bill as drafted, saying the board supports the general idea of licensing water filtration work but does not currently have authority or rules to oversee that field and believes the proposal would put “the cart before the horse.” Members questioned whether the board’s current mandate even covers filtration systems, and the discussion ended with those concerns unresolved.