Transcript Highlights:

• In order to get the people in the beds, we need to have the staffing.
• And in order to we have the beds.
• In order to get the people in the beds.
• <00:04:04.080> But temporary and they're short-lived.
• But temporary and they're short-lived.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The House will come to order. Members, please. Please register. Have all members registered?
• Objection, the chair hears none, it is so ordered. 520 521 522 The chair recognizes Mr.
• Chair is none, so ordered. Members, we do have some announcements.
• There is none, so ordered. 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672
• So ordered. Stay here, stay here, stay here, stay here. The chair recognizes Ms.

Bills: HB9, HB22, HB908, HB1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• The House will come to order.
• Refer the Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence HB 1753 by Manuel relating to a court order of exclusive
• to certain duties of the court regarding the restrictions that may be included for the protective order
• HB 1863 by Moody relating to the duration of a protective order against family violence.
• HB 1915 by Cook relating to the orders of the possession of the access to a child in a suit affecting

Transcript Highlights:

• we do allow colleagues to... ...move forward, and we do allow colleagues to come and speak out of order
• , Chair Driscoll, members of the committee, thank you so much for the courtesy to be called out of order
• Providers who wish to invest in CHWs rely on short-term grant funding or temporary programs, which pose
• Providers who wish to invest in CHWs rely on short-term grant funding or temporary programs, which pose
• Thank you, Madam Chair, for allowing me to speak out of order, and members of the committee.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing covered a wide range of public health bills, with much of the testimony focused on two major themes: expanding access to care and stabilizing health-related workforces and services. On House 2364, an act relative to medical health and fitness facilities, representatives from Dedham Health and Athletic Club argued for a pilot program recognizing supervised exercise as medicine, saying it could improve outcomes for chronic disease, fall prevention, and mental health while reducing costs. On House/Senate bills concerning community health workers (H. 359/S. 251), multiple witnesses from MACHW, Health Care for All, MHA, Cambridge Health Alliance, Mass General Brigham, Boston Children’s Hospital, Asian Women for Health, and the City of Somerville described CHWs as essential for navigation, trust-building, language access, and addressing social needs, and urged reimbursement by MassHealth, the GIC, and private insurers, along with workforce development measures. One pediatric neurologist also told the committee that losing grant-funded CHW support led to more avoidable ER visits and threatened clinic operations. The committee also heard extensive testimony on hospital closures and essential services. Witnesses including Dr. Alan Sager, MNA President Katie Murphy, nurses from Brockton Hospital and Providence Behavioral Health, and local officials and legislators from Norwood described the loss of hospitals and service lines, especially maternity, pediatric, and behavioral health care, and argued current closure processes are too weak to protect communities. They supported bills such as H. 2460/S. 1503 and H. 2534/S. 1574, which would require earlier notice, community input, stronger state oversight, possible receivership, and limits on reopening or expanding after closures. Testimony emphasized the impact of Steward’s bankruptcy, the closures of Carney and Neshoba Valley, and the need to preserve access to essential services in underserved areas. Several end-of-life and professional regulation bills were also discussed. On H. 2436, Representative Omar Gomez and funeral industry witnesses supported eliminating Office of the Chief Medical Examiner fees for the removal of a child’s body in cases involving children five and under, describing the bill as a small but important relief for grieving families. On H. 2444 and related Senate bills, cemetery and consumer advocates supported legalizing alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction as environmentally friendly after-death options, while cemetery representatives opposed H. 2360, which would allow funeral establishments to operate crematories, arguing cemeteries should retain that role. The committee also heard support for H. 2382, which would exempt dentists and oral surgeons from a new office-based surgical center framework, and for H. 2461, which would create hospital efficiency standards; employers and retailers backed that bill as a way to address rising health care costs. Finally, the committee heard testimony on autism services and hospital governance. On S. 1414, behavior analysts and school representatives said Massachusetts already licenses assistant-level ABA providers but MassHealth does not reimburse them, causing long waitlists and limiting school and family access; an actuary testified that a three-tier ABA reimbursement model could reduce MassHealth costs by up to 6% per child served. Senator Lovely also testified in support of S. 1572, which would require at least one registered nurse on each acute care hospital governing board, arguing nurses’ frontline perspective would improve quality and retention. No votes were taken in the hearing excerpt, but many witnesses urged favorable reports on their respective bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I don't know which method they used in order to take in this money.
• We can have them come in for a particular event, but not as a temporary worker.
• We can have them come in for a particular event, but not as a temporary worker.
• We can have them come in for a particular event, but not as a temporary worker.
• as a unless we hired them as a temporary as a unless we hired them as a temporary worker<01:48:57.480

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will come to order and I'm sorry about the delay. We had some major technical issues.
• So if just a few people have questions, I will go in the order that I see them.
• If it turns out that 50+% have questions, we just go in order to keep it easier for the chair, so no
• You mentioned the temporary 10% salary increase.
• Sounds like these are really short term plans, like a 10% increase, a temporary 10% increase is short

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, we have seen a hopefully temporary spike in that because of, uh, you know, uh, international
• We have a very temporary amount of dollars that make it not quite as bad as we thought it was going to
• In order for them to even get calendared, they have to make it through rules.
• We know that that has been talked about for years in order to afford that.
• <00:20:46.480> to money to go to counties um in order to money to go to counties um in order

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Speaker Lisa Damoth and Leader Harry Niska held a press availability focused on “affordability” in Minnesota, arguing that families are being squeezed by rising costs for groceries, child care, housing, insurance, energy, and property taxes. They blamed recent DFL control for spending down an $18 billion surplus, raising taxes, and adding mandates and fees, and said House Republicans are prioritizing lower taxes and reduced mandates to help families keep more of what they earn. They outlined a package of Republican proposals, including making the state’s reinsurance program permanent, expanding direct primary care, requiring the state to pay for new health care mandates, allowing schools and local governments to opt out of some unfunded mandates, creating a property tax commission, eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, repealing the retail delivery fee, ending the Social Security tax, lowering car tab and boat fees, and returning future surpluses to taxpayers. They also criticized DFL proposals such as additional health care mandates, a climate super fund, and higher car tab fees, and said they oppose any new tax increases. In response to questions, the leaders said some affordability measures could be affected by federal policy, but emphasized that many cost drivers are within state control. They said they are open to broader property tax relief, including caps, and to investments in DHS and county systems modernization to reduce fraud and improve efficiency. They also said they do not expect a large omnibus bill at the end of session, arguing that bills should move individually through committee and onto the House floor, and they accused House Democrats of delaying bills for bargaining leverage. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee will now come to order. Kimberly, please call the roll. Chair Buchanan? Here.
• So if we're comparing a sovereign wealth fund to, say, a pension fund as an example, in order to be a
• So you run into situations where, in order to get anything fixed, usually it has to break first.
• Because the actual replacement parts are on back order and will arrive somewhere between any day now
• Because the actual replacement parts are on back order and will arrive somewhere between any day now

Summary: The committee took up eight bills and memorials and reported each favorably. It first passed HM 4063, a memorial urging Congress to lay the groundwork for a federal sovereign wealth fund. Sponsor Rep. Anderson described it as a long-term economic security measure, while several members questioned how such a fund would be structured, governed, and balanced against paying down debt. Ranking member Hunschofsky and Rep. Spencer raised concerns about transparency, market disruption, and the lack of specific parameters. The memorial passed on a recorded vote. The committee then approved CS/HB 139, allowing pawnbrokers to use digital transaction forms, with SMG testifying in support as a modernization and pro-business change. It also adopted an amendment and passed HB 1157, which tightens reemployment assistance requirements by adding work-search, interview, identity, immigration, and availability checks; the amendment added protection for missed interviews due to emergencies and removed an email reporting requirement. The Florida AFL-CIO and Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy opposed the bill, arguing Florida’s unemployment system is already overly restrictive and that the proposal would further limit access to benefits, while supporters said it would ensure claimants are actively seeking work and verify eligibility. Members also passed CS/HB 497 to create nonprofit agricultural organization medical benefit plans for farmers and ranchers, with support from Americans for Prosperity, the Florida Hospital Association, and the Farm Bureau; CS/HB 729 to authorize veterinary professional associates to perform limited duties under veterinarian supervision, with testimony from veterinarians and advocates citing access and workforce shortages; and HB 311, a right-to-repair bill for motorized wheelchairs, which drew strong support from disability advocates who described long repair delays, high costs, and the impact on independence and health. Rep. Tramont praised the wheelchair repair bill during debate, and the committee voted it favorably. Finally, the committee passed CS/HB 1549, an Office of Financial Regulation agency bill intended to help regulate financial institutions more efficiently, and CS/HB 715, which allows licensed roofing contractors to perform roof-to-wall connections during reroof or repair projects and extends the emergency cancellation window to 180 days after a declared emergency. HB 715 was amended to require a contract notice advising property owners to verify insurance coverage before signing when the work is tied to an insurance claim. Roofing industry groups and home inspection representatives supported the measure as a way to reduce costs and improve wind mitigation. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced the agenda was complete and the committee rose.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Health Care Budget Subcommittee will come to order. Conner, please call the roll.
• With that, handing the gavel over to the vice chair, and feel free to call them in whatever order you
• Okay, we're going to call them up in alphabetical order.
• Okay, we're going to call them up in alphabetical order. So we'll start with ACA.
• And also, one thing: when we, let's just say, if they're getting temporary workers, that costs us even

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee met to review agency budgets, vacant positions, and possible efficiencies across several health and human services agencies. Members were asked to identify savings and potential areas for increased funding, and the discussion repeatedly focused on whether long-vacant FTEs, reversion of funds, and staffing shortages reflect true operational needs or broader budgeting and recruitment problems. The chair and members emphasized that the exercise was intended to help the committee make more informed budget decisions and to identify structural issues that may require legislative action. For the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, members highlighted a large waiting list, including individuals in crisis and children, and discussed whether vacant positions and unspent funds could be redirected to services. Several members raised concerns about delays in crisis applications, the use of paper applications, and whether the issue is staffing, process, or both. For the Department of Children and Families, the presenters discussed vacant positions, the use of staff augmentation in state hospitals, support for expanding behavioral qualified residential treatment program beds, and concerns raised by audits of the managing entities, which showed procurement and financial management problems. They recommended continued oversight, reporting requirements on Medicaid enrollees receiving mental health services through managing entities, and support for the governor’s proposed funding items. Other agencies reviewed included Elder Affairs, where members questioned the need for multiple divisions, CARES assessments, and supervisory overhead; the Department of Health, where vacancies, turnover, pay gaps, and units of rate were discussed as barriers to recruitment and retention; and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, where the presenters said vacancies were tied to new nursing homes and recommended shifting a major priority into general revenue rather than trust funds. Throughout the meeting, members generally agreed that the vacancy review was eye-opening and suggested deeper, possibly separate, reviews of agency staffing, pay parity, and fund reversion practices. No formal votes were taken during the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in order to determine what level of security a particular prisoner needs to be housed in, in order
• author of the successful objective classification manual, yet we're still using these old lenses in order
• And I do think we need proximate facilities in order for families to have visitation and in order for
• are supportive of the overdose prevention centers, which are centers where people can use drugs in order
• They are able to keep the paperwork in order, and they're doing all this and functioning as facilitators

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission on correctional consolidation and collaboration heard testimony focused on how Massachusetts uses custody levels, staffing, programming, and medical release tools, with Prisoners’ Legal Services arguing that the system is overusing expensive high-security settings and underusing step-down options. Dave Rainey said the incarcerated population has dropped substantially over the last several years, but spending and staffing have not fallen in proportion. He argued that DOC overclassifies people into medium and maximum security, relies too heavily on behavioral assessment units that function like segregation, and keeps people in restrictive settings such as Souza-Baranowski and Shattuck Hospital longer than necessary. He also said medical parole is underused and that many people with serious chronic illness or advanced age pose little public-safety risk and should be released through existing legal pathways. Sheriffs and other commission members pushed back on some of those points, emphasizing that staffing needs are driven by the acuity of the current population, that corrections is not overstaffed, and that classification decisions involve serious public-safety judgments. They also stressed that some high-cost medical placements are necessary because people remain under sentence and require care, and that furloughs and other release tools can create security risks if contraband or substance use is involved. The discussion also covered the role of county sheriffs versus DOC in reentry, with several members saying county systems tend to do more day-to-day step-down and release planning, while DOC has more difficulty moving people through lower-security settings before release. Ben Foreman of MassINC offered a more systemwide, data-focused perspective, praising the state’s transparency and arguing that Massachusetts has made major progress in reducing incarceration and increasing public safety. He said the state still has an opportunity to improve by right-sizing facilities, investing in community-based mental health treatment, and using the commission to better understand the capital and operating costs of the current system. In response to questions, he said he was aware of DOC studies on programs like furlough but had not reviewed recent ones, and he noted that total-control facilities like Souza-Baranowski have long been criticized in the research literature for poor outcomes. Nora Wassel of the Women and Incarceration Project then testified that the commission should issue an interim report and scrutinize the planned new women’s prison, which she said is not justified by current population trends or available data. She argued that women are overclassified under DOC’s own tools, that reentry beds and minimum-security placements are underused, and that the system may be failing to account for women’s distinct medical and reentry needs. The meeting ended with continued discussion of reentry, furloughs, day reporting, and whether consolidation should mean fewer facilities, better step-down pathways, or both.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to take this out of order and put it to the end of the agenda.
• we're going to move this out of order we're going to move this out of order and<00:24:29.200>
• It's a seawall, a sheet pile, the temporary emergency sandbags that were mentioned earlier.
• uh the temporary uh the temporary emergency<01:53:33.960> sign<01:53:34.400> bags<
• So we have these transient, temporary rises, meaning they last for months at a time.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on March 13, 2025, and first announced that SB 1456 would be deferred to the end of the agenda and ultimately worked on later, with the chair indicating the bill would be deferred and revisited in a future measure. The committee then heard SB 841 on marine life conservation districts. DLNR supported the bill, saying it would fund carrying capacity studies to inform rules and policies. Testimony noted a pilot study already underway at the Puka Marine Life Conservation District and another nearing completion at the old Kona Airport MLCD. Members discussed costs, with DLNR estimating about $300,000 per year for one user-experience study, potentially more for ecological analysis, and also discussed possible funding from the Mālama Kai special fund. DLNR said it had no objection to consulting current operators and other users, and explained the program would be a new, ongoing adaptive-management tool. The committee next heard SB 411 on capital improvement projects at small boat harbors. DLNR supported the intent, saying the bill would help expedite use of special funds for CIP work, while the Department of Budget and Finance opposed it, arguing the draft could conflict with constitutional limits on appropriations. Public testimony from an industry representative supported the bill and urged more collaboration with commercial operators, while committee discussion focused on whether DLNR could already use special funds for repairs, how much engineering and bidding work is required before projects go out to bid, and whether the current process creates bottlenecks when bids exceed initial estimates. DLNR said it can do some repairs and maintenance within existing authority and funding ceilings, but that the bill as drafted could be too broad. The committee also heard SB 5 on historic preservation, where DLNR supported the measure and NAOP Hawaii opposed it, saying the bill’s broader definition could expand the scope beyond the stated goal of narrowing reviews and reducing backlog. The committee then took up SB 1462 on the state historic preservation income tax credit. The Department of Taxation said the revenue estimate assumes the cap would be reached each year the credit is available, and DLNR supported the bill. SHPD said the prior credit had sunset, outreach had previously been done in targeted communities such as Chinatown, and owners of eligible historic properties are notified during review. Finally, the committee heard SB 268 on island burial councils. DLNR supported the bill, and OHA strongly supported it, saying the councils have struggled with quorum and expertise and that the measure would restore the original intent of having lineal descendants and cultural practitioners as decision makers, while still allowing landowners and developers to testify and participate. OHA also said it would help provide technical support and urged continued involvement from SHPD and the Attorney General’s office.

Transcript Highlights:

• Community Affairs will now come to order. Elizabeth, please call the roll. Chair McLean, here.
• We'll take up tab three, Senate Bill 936, temporary door locking devices, by Chair McLean.
• SB 936 allows for temporary door locking devices to be installed at any height above the finished floor
• The bill defines temporary door locking devices and the criteria they must meet when installed, and it
• To buy a one-acre piece of property in the city of Tallahassee in order to construct a church, would

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and considered a series of bills, many focused on local government authority, land use, housing, and public notice requirements. Several measures were reported favorably, including SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention, SB 1612 requiring local governments to accept electronic payments, SB 936 on temporary door locking devices, SB 962 on affordable housing protections for farms, SB 218 on land use regulations in hurricane-affected counties, SB 1020 on regulation of chickee huts, and SB 1434 on infill redevelopment of environmentally challenged properties. SB 1180 on community development district recall elections was amended to narrow and clarify the recall process and to add provisions on synthetic turf and compact urban mixed-use districts before being reported favorably. SB 380 on legal notices was also amended and reported favorably despite significant opposition from the Florida Press Association, Common Cause, and others who argued it would further fragment public notice access; supporters said it would modernize publication options and save money. Testimony on the bills was mixed. Supporters of the housing and redevelopment measures argued they would increase attainable housing, streamline approvals, and make better use of underutilized or contaminated land, while local government groups and advocacy organizations warned about overdevelopment, reduced public input, infrastructure strain, and conflicts with comprehensive planning. On SB 1444, which combined preemptions related to religious gatherings, private clubs, and certain permitting requirements, supporters framed it as protecting religious freedom and limiting local micromanagement, while the League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties opposed it as overly broad and unclear; the bill nevertheless passed favorably after debate. SB 218 was presented as restoring normal land-use authority in counties unaffected by hurricanes while preserving protections in damaged areas, and SB 984 was described as clarifying firefighter cancer benefits and health coverage rules; both passed without controversy. The committee also heard extensive testimony on SB 948, a strike-all on local government land development regulations and orders that would create a statewide framework for starter homes and lot-split rules within urban growth areas. Supporters said it would expand housing supply and reduce regulatory delays, while opponents said it would override local zoning, weaken infrastructure and environmental protections, and apply too broadly. The bill drew support from housing advocates and some local officials, but opposition from the Florida League of Cities, Florida Association of Counties, and others. The transcript ends with SB 948 still under consideration, with testimony continuing and no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• [Music] I'd like to call the meeting of the HHS working group to order.
• Section 33 establishes qualifications that central service technicians must meet in order to provide
• <00:31:12.320> to technicians must meet in order to technicians must meet in order to provide
• It also modifies the timelines for when the commissioner may publicly post a correction order issued
• Section 8 makes permanent the temporary Section 8 makes permanent the temporary staffing<00:36:47.200

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, the administrative orders required the chief judge, such as myself, to issue an order by April
• cases were assigned to this temporary division.
• Second, there's a pre-filing order remedy.
• Ignoring a pre-filing order is punishable by contempt.
• The first relates to court-ordered non-binding arbitration.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair calls the Education Policy Committee to order for Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026.
• My intent is to hear and discuss the bills in the following order.
• And in order for our those students.
• Um so in order work of program approval.
• there's temporary eligibility for there's temporary eligibility for renewal<01:35:14.000> for<

Bills: HF3635, HF3638

Keywords: teacher mobility, interstate compact, licensure, military spouses, education, teacher regulation, teacher qualifications, state sovereignty, educator licensing, paraprofessional credentials, mental health, professional development, data sharing, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• He explained that right-of-way is the land that a transportation facility occupies, and that in order
• for us to build, And you know, in order for us to build, operate,<01:11:29.520> maintain,<01:
• Then, in order to acquire those rights, the Transportation Cabinet has to offer just compensation.
• Most of all, in order for us to do all of these things, we've got to act in good faith.
• And in order interest in this property.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its sixth and final interim meeting after a brief technical delay, approved the October 14 minutes, and heard a presentation on a proposed Kentucky hands-free driving bill. The main discussion centered on distracted driving and a draft measure modeled on South Carolina law that would prohibit holding or supporting a mobile electronic device while driving on public roads, while allowing limited exceptions for parked/stopped vehicles, navigation, emergency reporting, dispatch systems, first responders, and certain hands-free call functions. The bill would make a violation a $100 fine plus court costs, with the draft allocating fine revenue to the traumatic brain injury trust fund, Kentucky trauma care system, and veteran program trust fund. The sponsor also said the bill would address prior concerns about enforcement and clarify that officers need a clear, unobstructed visual observation before stopping a driver, and that they may not search or seize devices or make custodial arrests solely for the violation. Alyssa Burns gave emotional testimony in support of the bill, describing the death of her young daughter Kimberly in a crash she attributed to a distracted driver and urging lawmakers to pass the measure to improve roadway safety. The sponsor cited Kentucky traffic fatality statistics, including 814 deaths in 2023 and an estimated 20% involving distracted driving, and argued that the bill could reduce preventable deaths. Several members voiced support and sympathy, including remarks comparing the effort to past seat belt legislation and suggesting possible future additions such as community service. One member raised concerns about enforcement and whether officers could reliably observe phone use inside vehicles, while another asked about the bill’s interaction with existing texting-while-driving penalties and whether points would still apply. The sponsor said the draft was still being refined, acknowledged gray areas, and invited further changes as the bill moves forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Licensing and administrative Procedure will come to order.
• There, there is a resource, they help them figure out how to do temporary events.
• They then provide those tickets to their customers who are ordering them most often over a mobile app
• Those retailers had ordered a substantial number, some of those retailers had ordered a substantial number
• To, uh, oh, how are they, which is kind of the process from the when the order is received.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those include a temporary or permanent disability or medical condition that prevents attendance; a member
• The Rural Transformation Fund is a temporary investment for us to test new and promising...
• Thank you. ...is a temporary investment for us to test new and promising care models and workforce strategies
• We will get them signed in short order. That would have been the risk two weeks ago.

Keywords: House Select Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Health Care, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to call the first FN to order: House Bill 1190, enabling a division of motor vehicles to
• create a temporary driver's license for youth operators about to turn 21.
• And this bill would allow the DMV to issue a temporary license that would be good for up to 60 days,
• allow the DMV to And this bill would allow the DMV to issue<00:04:33.759> a<00:04:34.080> temporary
• issue a temporary issue a temporary uh uh uh uh<00:04:37.600> license<00:04:38.240> that

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• forward the, uh, the vehicle so that we can make the appropriate emergency appropriations for, uh, temporary
• that we can make sure that we can accommodate all of the bargaining units that will be afforded temporary
• 00:07:28.639> will<00:07:28.800> be<00:07:28.960> afforded<00:07:29.800> temporary
• <00:07:30.240> Hazard that will be afforded temporary Hazard that will be afforded temporary
• The committee on LAB is called to order.

Keywords: 910, house, all