Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, survivors of deceased hospice patients are currently experiencing delays in securing death certificates
• This amendment narrows the scope of the bill to focus only on who may filing complete a certificate of
• If there's no alternative qualified provider giving that flexibility that is so necessary.
• granted a license has a PA in Puerto Rico without going through any formal PA program passed in any certification

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the union to get a birth certificate is like 20 bucks or something like that.
• So that's a $65 fee just to get your birth certificate.
• A birth certificate cannot be issued on the spot.
• get your birth certificate. get your birth certificate.
• A birth certificate immediate problem.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of us earn certifications, spending quality time with kūpuna and getting hired by local tech teen
• There are no alternative sources prepared to cover this immediate financial burden.
• food safety training and certification food safety training and certification support<02:00:37.119
• <02:24:59.040> on could close, leaving no alternative on could close, leaving no alternative
• We are requesting just under $161,000 to sustain our Aloha certificate program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing on Act 310 grants and aid focused on organizations describing how federal funding cuts, Medicaid/SNAP changes, and related policy shifts are affecting their services and budgets. Committee members explained there would be no Q&A, testimony would be limited to one minute, and in-person participants would be heard before Zoom callers. Members repeatedly asked testifiers to identify the amount of federal funding lost or at risk. Testimony came from a wide range of nonprofits and community providers, including Aloha Care, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Literacy, Hawaii Youth Symphony, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, the Tsunami Museum, The Kohala Center, West Hawaii Community Health Center, West Hawaii Region Hospital Foundation, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii, Dynamic Community Solutions, Feeding Hawaii Together, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Homana, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Kids Hurt Too Hawaii, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Most described reduced or threatened federal support and requested state funding to maintain services such as health care access, food security, disaster preparedness, literacy and digital inclusion, youth mentoring, arts education, housing, and climate or agricultural resilience. Several speakers emphasized direct impacts on vulnerable populations, including kūpuna, low-income families, immigrants, homeless youth, and people with disabilities. Requests ranged from relatively small planning or program grants to multi-million-dollar stabilization asks, with some organizations citing specific losses such as reduced Medicaid or USDA funding, canceled EPA or FEMA support, or expiring federal grants. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll begin with a report on the draft final report on alternative sidewalk funding study, and Rachel
• I am nonpartisan staff for the Joint Transportation Committee, the project manager for the Alternative
• The legislature directed this study to evaluate and recommend alternative methods for local governments
• mechanism that we evaluated in this study. ...which we did include as an alternative mechanism that
• Auburn has had projects delayed due to the lengthy timeline to obtain right-of-way certification.

Summary: The committee began with member introductions, then heard a presentation on a draft final report studying alternative funding mechanisms for sidewalks and related pedestrian infrastructure. Consultants said current local funding sources are insufficient, with most jurisdictions unable to complete planned sidewalk networks within 50 years. They evaluated four options: a sidewalk utility fee, a modified transportation benefit district sales tax, a new real estate excise tax option, and expanded stormwater fee use for ADA sidewalk ramps. The consultants recommended authorizing the modified TBD sales tax and new REET option, considering a sidewalk utility despite legal uncertainty, broadening any authorization to all pedestrian improvements, and not pursuing the stormwater fee option. Members asked about legal authority, fairness, revenue adequacy, and whether jurisdictions had been consulted; the presenters said state enabling legislation would likely be needed for a sidewalk utility and that fairness could be defined either by direct benefit or by need. The committee then received an update on the 2025 assessment of city transportation funding needs. The consultants reported that city transportation revenues have grown in some local and federal categories since 2019, but state revenues have remained relatively flat and smaller cities are especially affected by declining fuel tax revenues and limited tax bases. They estimated annual city transportation needs at $4.25 billion, average annual spending at $1.89 billion, and a funding gap of $2.37 billion, larger than in the prior study because of updated data, inclusion of system improvements, and higher preservation costs. Draft recommendations focused on reducing costs and improving efficiency, preserving and increasing state support, and expanding local funding options, including preservation-first spending, a permanent federal fund exchange program, streamlined review processes, better coordination with WSDOT, possible property tax flexibility, and exploration of new local tools. Members raised questions about design standards, the role of density and transit, federal compliance, and whether the report would identify specific consolidation or process changes. The committee also heard a project update on evaluating zero-emission vehicle and electrification programs funded by the Climate Commitment Act. Consultants said they had reviewed roughly 23 programs and projects across seven agencies and were now evaluating options to improve delivery, including process improvements, reorganizing programs, or consolidating governance and administrative functions. Early findings highlighted staffing shortages, duplication and variation across agencies, differing levels of risk, and the challenge of coordinating climate priorities across agencies with other core missions. Members asked about program outcomes, administrative costs, whether some programs should have exit strategies, and how to strengthen the EV Coordinating Council. Finally, WSDOT provided an implementation update on its new public-private partnership authority under SB 5801, saying work is underway to prepare governance, legal, policy, and organizational structures ahead of the January 1, 2027 effective date.

Transcript Highlights:

• That said, we think the committee could explore alternatives to some of the budget solutions and find
• It does cover the first 90 days of long-term care, but trying to think about other alternatives.
• So, have you explored alternate approaches on the asset test?
• And have you looked at other alternatives?
• Therapy, and if that doesn't work, we will have a second alternative.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is relative to alternative certification pathways for career technical education instructors
• c><00:19:52.799> in<00:19:53.039> place<00:19:53.440> for<00:19:53.760> alternative
• Now, how does this strengthen the licensure process for a person's coming in and seeking alternative
• That means that person's gone through all the certification requirements and are a... done without pay
• level of skill or specific certification level of skill or specific certification achievement<00

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Relative to alternate certification pathways for career and technical education instruction.
• when it talks about alternative when it talks about alternative educational<01:18:20.640> environment
• through alternative 4, it doesn't say that they are certified.
• through alternative 4, it doesn't say that they are certified.
• They are given ideas of alternatives of how to get high.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sent to alternative schools within the sent to alternative schools within the district.<00:33:24.080>
• discipline or maybe to an alternative discipline or maybe to an alternative school school school
• Sometimes it's money, sometimes it's distance, sometimes it's teacher certification requirements.
• Sometimes it's money, sometimes it's distance, sometimes it's teacher certification requirements.
• Sometimes it's money, sometimes it's distance, sometimes it's teacher certification requirements.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on Kentucky school choice and innovation, with discussion of the state constitution’s “common schools” requirement and how that has been interpreted alongside newer education models. Chairman Tipton described model laboratory schools, Gatton and Craft Academies, magnet and virtual programs, and said these options show that Kentucky has long expanded opportunity through innovation. He then turned the discussion to Senate Bill 207, which he said was designed to support schools of innovation. Senator Steve West reviewed the history of Kentucky charter schools and explained that SB 207 was modeled on a South Carolina approach. He said the bill allows a local school board to contract with a third-party entity to manage an existing school, seek waivers from certain state rules, and receive SEEK funding while also allowing outside private investment. He emphasized that the district initiates the process, that the school remains public, and that the bill includes accountability through a time-limited contract that can be ended if the school is not performing. Members asked about the difference between SB 207 and the earlier charter school law, whether schools could cherry-pick students, and whether teachers would remain district employees. West and Tipton said the new model is tied to an existing school rather than a new charter, cannot cherry-pick students, and keeps teachers as district employees. Representative Brown raised concerns that charters and exceptions could leave some children out, especially lower-income students, while West responded that the proposal is intended to expand choice for families who may not otherwise have it and cited examples from other states where similar models improved low-performing schools. No vote or formal action was taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are more community-based facilities, and they go through a certification process under DHHS to
• I am the manager of the Bureau of Licensing and Certification.
• I’m the attorney for the Bureau of Licensing and Certification, and so under the Legal and Regulatory
• I think I've Licensing and certification I think I've met<02:14:41.079> many<02:14:41.320>
• that license a multitude certification that license a multitude of<02:20:13.880> boards<02:20

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill offers a humane, evidence-based alternative.
• This bill offers a humane, evidence-based alternative.
• Recovery is possible through alternative means.
• This is actually a less restrictive alternative to that.
• A judicial bypass is not a reasonable alternative.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy hearing on several juvenile justice and parole-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on H. 2051/S. 1087 to end lifetime parole for juveniles and emerging adults, and H. 1923 to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds. Chairs Brandy Fluker-Reid and Lydia Edwards opened the hearing by noting the large number of bills and witnesses, the need to keep testimony moving, and special procedures for incarcerated witnesses and sensitive testimony. They also acknowledged the historic nature of the hearing being chaired by two Black women attorneys. No votes were taken during the hearing itself. Many incarcerated speakers and advocates supported ending lifetime parole, arguing that young people can change, that lifetime supervision creates constant fear of technical violations, and that it undermines rehabilitation, family stability, employment, and reintegration. Several testified about their own trauma, youth, and growth in prison programs, while others emphasized the costs of decades of supervision and the racial disparities in the system. Support also came from elected officials, UTEC, the Transformational Prison Project, United Way, CPCS’s Youth Advocacy Division, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, and others, who said juvenile systems are better suited to developmentally appropriate treatment and that the bills would improve public safety and reduce recidivism. There was also opposition, including testimony from family members of a murder victim who argued that lifetime parole should remain for serious violent crimes and that some offenders are not sufficiently rehabilitated. One virtual witness described a family tragedy involving the kidnapping and murder of her infant nephew and warned that ending lifetime parole could remove needed long-term supervision for dangerous offenders. In addition to the juvenile justice bills, the committee heard testimony on H. 1867, a bill related to continuing care for severe mental illness, and H. 2063, which would increase penalties for assaults on correction officers and other prison staff; the correction officers’ union supported H. 2063 and related safety bills. The hearing continued with many more witnesses and bill topics, but no final committee action was announced in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• As far as the additional certification for CPAs auditing government entities, there is no requirement
• Um, I don't know why that is an appropriate enforcement mechanism, and maybe there are alternatives.
• There are alternatives.
• That's perhaps a question we could ask the Department of Audit: what alternatives we could use to enforce
• certified trainers and teachers of livestock law and investigation, firearms instructors, and certification

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's Representative Joanne Ferrary's (member_12999) bill, "Death Certificate by Physician Assistant."
• Assistance to sign a death certificate.
• and my fear is that if hospitals already do not have enough staff, rural hospitals have to find alternative
• It is considered a gentler alternative. conventional treatment and is based on the idea of treating psychosis
• Recovery houses such as Soteria House, peer unrest and other crisis alternatives have really grown nationally

Transcript Highlights:

• receive the results of the certification receive the results of the certification exam.<00:35:10.480
• We currently have three pathways to getting a diploma as an alternative to the traditional way in our
• We currently have three pathways to getting a diploma as an alternative to the traditional way in our
• We currently have three pathways to getting a diploma as an alternative to the traditional way in our
• getting a diploma as an alternative to getting a diploma as an alternative to the<00:45:08.800> traditional

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, confirmed a quorum, and welcomed several guests and groups, including Maryland Library Association members, Stephen Decatur High School’s boys soccer team, Clarksburg High School’s girls flag football team, NAMI representatives, Baltimore Promise, local soil conservation district representatives, and a 911 center leader. The chamber also journalized the invocation and prepared for the Governor’s upcoming State of the State address by exchanging messages with the House and appointing Senate members to escort the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The body then took up a series of Finance Committee bills, most of them receiving favorable reports and being ordered to third reading without objection. Measures discussed included SB 14 on small business health insurance SHOP enrollment effective dates; SB 22 on Department of Disabilities housing programs and affiliated foundations; SB 134 on Medicare supplement policy enrollment periods; SB 139 on third-party administrator enforcement; SB 199 on the Individuals with Disabilities and Service-Disabled Veterans Voting Fund; SB 205 codifying federal mental health parity requirements; SB 216 on unemployment insurance confidentiality; SB 43 on the Maryland Community Investment Venture Fund; SB 46 on state veterans cemeteries interment provisions; and SB 226 on the Maryland Heritage Area Authority. Several bills had brief amendments or procedural issues. SB 22 received a technical amendment changing “Attorney General” to “Office of the Attorney General.” SB 199 received an amendment adding a co-sponsor, and SB 46 was briefly set to lie over under the rule after a senator requested time to review a technical clarification. The chamber also received House Bill 1, which was referred to committee, and SB 624 was reassigned to the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. Most committee reports were adopted unanimously or without objection, and the Senate repeatedly congratulated the honored school teams and library advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, the certification program has just started.
• And the way you would do that is to create essentially a certification that universities could come and
• Child protective investigations, which provides both investigation and alternative response pathways
• We'll update systems in order to implement the new provider type and certification requirements.
• Then, of course, post-certification, our oversight doesn't stop there.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, SB 2512E is the judicial certification conforming bill we passed out during session.
• Members, SB 2512E is the judicial certification conforming bill we passed out during session.
• It also allows retirees in the special risk class to receive an alternative cost-of-living adjustment

Summary: The Florida Senate convened in special session for budget conference work, opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and moments of silence honoring Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Mateer and former Senator Bill Posey. The Secretary read the joint proclamation calling the special session, which was limited to budget and related conforming legislation, including appropriations, implementing bills, collective bargaining/state employees, retirement, law enforcement radio system, health, higher education, K-12 education, government administration, correctional facilities, judges, documentary stamp tax distributions, petroleum cleanup, fuel taxes, and taxation. Senators also heard Chair Hooper outline the process for moving identical Senate bills and House companion bills into conference posture. The Senate then took up and passed several Senate bills and House companion bills, generally by 32-0 votes, after adopting delete-all/insert-nothing amendments to place the Senate language onto the House vehicles. Bills addressed fuel taxes and Inland Protection Trust Fund distributions, the state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge, judicial certification, K-12 education conforming changes, retirement, higher education, health care, collective bargaining/state employees, government administration, correctional facilities financing and capital improvements, documentary stamp tax distributions, petroleum cleanup programs, and taxation. In debate on the tax bill, Leader Berman urged consideration of suspending the motor fuel tax to provide relief at the pump, but the House-passed tax bill did not pass as received, and the Senate requested conference instead. The chamber also processed the main budget measures: Senate Bill 2500E and House Bill 5001E for the General Appropriations Act, and Senate Bill 2502E and House Bill 5003E for the implementing bill. After substituting the House bills and adopting conforming amendments, the Senate passed them and requested conference. For the remaining House bills, the Senate either passed them as amended and then acceded to or requested conference on the House request. The session concluded with a motion to waive rules for publishing the Special Order Calendar for the remainder of the special session, an announcement that the Special Order Calendar Group would not meet on May 12 or 13, and adjournment upon the call of the President for committee meetings and other Senate business.

Transcript Highlights:

• specifically beginning in 2014, when we saw this mass replacement of teachers with emergency certified alternatively
• It does allow a path so when we do have a good adjunct and they're wanting to get on a path of certification
• are seeking higher level degrees like their master's degree or their elementary principal cer certifications

Bills: HB4420, HB3974, HB3016, HB3062, HB3021, HB3145, HB4128, HB3131, HB3015, HB3472, HB3453, HB1638, HB4126, HB2696, HB2710, HB3552, HB3031, HB3544, HB3521, HB4490, HB4488, HB1746, HJR1069, HB4428, HB4429, HB1170, HB3538, HB4124, HB3904, HB4106, HB2999, HB3982, HJR1077, HB3464, HB2588, HB3462, HB4440, HB3674, HB3345, HJR1067, HB4326, HB4331, HB4337, HB4338, HB4359, HB4392, HB3557, HJR1076, HB4003, HB3495, HB3497, HB3501, HB3505, HB3749, HB3011, HB4336, HB4346, HJR1087, HB3240, HB3647, HB3796, HB3969, HB3972, HB3983, HB3984, HB3989, HB3383, HB3130, HB4358, HB3327, HJR1055, HB3386, HJR1089, HB3087, HB2970, HB3314, HB4129, HB4199

Keywords: reading, intervention, literacy, education, third grade retention, teacher training, funding, Strong Readers Act, tort claims, inmate housing, government immunity, public trust, private prison, emergency legislation, vision screening, binocular vision, kindergarten, elementary education, health, firearm rights

Transcript Highlights:

• candidate electronic; HB 2375, housing zoning historic; HB 2388, appropriation commerce; HB 2393, alternative
• DCS independent; HB 2863, local tenantinal; HB 2865, prohibited possessor; HB 2869, electrician certification
• legal citizens who are asking, should I be carrying my documents, should I be carrying my birth certificate

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a board-certified juvenile lawyer in a field that didn't even exist as a board certification field
• The first group to receive that board certification was in 2017, and I was part of that first group.
• It's getting close to the end of its life, whether through cloud-based redesign or alternative solutions

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to reforming and addressing issues related to the Medicaid program, including the creation of an alternative
• HB 906 by Sahane relating to the temporary teaching certification of certain military service members
• on Higher Education HB 980 by relating to the required institutions of a person, sex on a birth certificate

Transcript Highlights:

• to reforming and addressing issues related to the Medicaid program, including the creation of an alternative
• subcommittee on transportation funding HB 907 966 by Sahin relating to the temporary teaching certification
• Committee on Higher Education. relating to the required institutions of a person's sex on a birth certificate

Bills: HCR21, HCR22, HCR23, HCR24, HCR25, HCR26, HCR27, HCR31, HCR41, HCR42, HCR43, HCR44, HCR45, HCR52, HCR53, HCR66, HCR67, HCR73, HR8, HR10, HR13, HR20, HR21, HR50, HR59, HR61, HR71, HR74, HR79, HR84, HR86, HR90, HR91, HR102, HR103, HR107, HR113, HR125, HR126, HR132, HR142, HR145, HR149, HR150, HR152, HR167, HR179, HR181, HR183, HR186, HR192, HR196, HR199, HR207, HR211, HR212, HR213, HR216, HR249, HR256, HR259, HR261, HR263, HR272, HR281, HR285, HR294, HR295, HR300, HR305, HR311, HR313, HR315, HR316, HR323, HR331, HR339, HR340, HR346, HR349, HR352, HR357, HR358, HR360, HR363, HR374, HR377, HCR20, HCR28, HCR30, HCR32, HCR49, HR14, HR15, HR19, HR23, HR24, HR25, HR26, HR27, HR29, HR47, HR48, HR55, HR56, HR66, HR85, HR92, HR93, HR95, HR96, HR140, HR155, HR164, HR204, HR241, HR242, HR250, HR253, HR260, HR262, HR265, HR279, HR310, HR312, HR328, HR332, HR359, HR362, HR367

Keywords: recognition, award, petroleum industry, leadership, community service, HCR 22, House Concurrent Resolution, Texas Legislature, commendation, honorary resolution, Dr. James Olson, James Olson, University of Texas Permian Basin, UT Permian Basin, psychology professor, 50 years of service, faculty recognition, academic award, Piper Professor Award, Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award