Transcript Highlights:

• To help staff in verifying these eligibility elements, we utilize electronic data sources.
• To help staff in verifying these eligibility elements, we utilize electronic data sources.
• We want to evaluate the utilization and ensure that services are being delivered correctly.
• We do post-utilization review to make the opposite side of prior authorization.
• Utilization management. This is what matters the most.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• wage jobs, not even enough to be able to afford a one-bedroom home in Minnesota let alone food and utility
• wage jobs, not even enough to be able to afford a one-bedroom home in Minnesota let alone food and utility
• wage jobs, not even enough to be able to afford a one-bedroom home in Minnesota let alone food and utility
• and<00:59:08.079> car<00:59:08.400> and<00:59:08.640> all alone food and utility
• and car and all alone food and utility and car and all that. that. that.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3524 and House File 3525 and laid both over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill, with no amendments adopted and no vote taken at this stage. HF 3524 would conform Minnesota law to the federal overtime tax deduction, and HF 3525 would conform to the federal tip-income deduction. The author argued both bills would help workers keep more of their earnings, simplify tax filing, support labor-force participation, and provide relief to workers in hospitality, trades, health care, and other industries. The committee heard testimony in support from a restaurant owner, Sandra Weiss of the Finnish Beastro in St. Paul, who said the bills would help tipped workers keep more of their income and would support hospitality businesses. She described her staff as roughly half men and half women, including students and long-term employees, and said front-of-house tipped workers and back-of-house workers face different pay levels. She also said Minnesota’s tip rules and lack of a tip credit create challenges for the industry. During questioning, members discussed wage disparities, the makeup of her workforce, and the practical effects of the proposals. Opposition testimony came from Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project and Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota, both of whom argued the bills are regressive, poorly targeted, and costly. They said the deductions would mainly benefit higher earners, violate horizontal equity by treating similar incomes differently, and could encourage compensation restructuring. They also warned the combined cost would exceed $500 million over the 2028-29 biennium and could pressure funding for health care, education, and other public services. Mark Havenman of the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence similarly criticized the bills on tax fairness and administrative grounds, noting the federal tip deduction framework is still under development and could create enforcement issues. Nonpartisan staff provided revenue estimates showing HF 3524 would reduce general fund revenue by about $365.9 million in fiscal 2027 and HF 3525 by about $126 million in fiscal 2027, with smaller ongoing impacts in later years. Members also raised questions about how the bills would be paid for and what income would qualify under the overtime deduction.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we fully utilize these shared systems, as an example, the conversations around our cloud center
• <00:15:16.480> When<00:15:16.720> we and then we fully utilize them.
• When we and then we fully utilize them.
• 15:18.800> systems,<00:15:19.680> as fully utilize these shared systems, as fully utilize
• And so, being able to utilize very long.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 24 February, 2026; 1:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: Legislative leaders opened the hearing by focusing on statewide technology issues affecting agencies, including rising IT costs, cloud migration, cybersecurity risks, procurement delays, and the need for better coordination across government systems. They said the meeting was intended to hear from agency directors about current challenges and possible legislative solutions. The ITS director described the state’s IT structure as decentralized but increasingly moving toward shared services. He highlighted recent legislative and executive actions on cloud computing, artificial intelligence, procurement modernization, and data sharing, including House Bill 1491, Senate Bill 2426, Senate Bill 2267, House Bill 958, and an executive order on AI. He said ITS has worked with large agencies on a cloud center of excellence, a procurement modernization advisory council, and a state data exchange, and noted plans for a master contract, potentially with OpenAI, that could be available to all public entities. He also emphasized cybersecurity, saying the state is seeking a secure operations center and a broader “cyber maturity” approach after recent incidents. On procurement, he said the goal is to speed up purchasing while keeping it safe, and on optimization he pointed to potential savings from consolidating duplicate agreements, such as multiple Microsoft enterprise contracts. In response to questions, he said exceptions to centralization would be based on business and technical architecture and regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, CISA, or FERPA, rather than ad hoc decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, the testifiers I believe are from the Public Utilities Commission.
• <00:04:45.199> Commission<00:04:46.320> is Public Utilities Commission is Public Utilities
• And also keep in mind that, as a utility, a large utility, you know, we have greater capacity to pay
• And also keep in mind that, as a utility, a large utility, you know, we have greater capacity to pay
• commissions like the public utilities commissions like the public utilities commission<00:52:09.520

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on several measures. SB 2723, which would designate April 27 as State Sheriff’s Day, was supported by the Department of Law Enforcement and a long-serving sheriff, who described the historical roots of Hawaii’s sheriffs in the Kingdom of Hawaii and said the bill would recognize that legacy. HGA submitted written comments, and there was no opposition or vote taken on the measure during the excerpt. The committees then heard SB 17 on wildfire mitigation. The Public Utilities Commission, DLNR, the State Fire Council, OPSD, the Attorney General’s office, and Kamehameha Schools all testified, mostly in support of the bill’s intent but with suggested amendments. Several witnesses said the bill should better define the working group’s structure, staffing, and funding, and the Attorney General noted constitutional concerns about placing the group outside a principal department and pointed out possible overlap with Acts 302 and 303 from the prior year. Committee members questioned whether SB 17 duplicated earlier wildfire legislation, and witnesses generally said it did not directly conflict but overlapped with existing efforts. On SB 2358, which would require reimbursement for search-and-rescue costs when people leave trails and enter closed areas, the State Fire Council and the Hawaii SAR Alliance testified in opposition or caution, arguing that reimbursement could deter people from calling for help and that Hawaii’s SAR system still has structural and administrative gaps. A committee member asked whether other jurisdictions had used similar measures without discouraging rescues; the Fire Council said Kauai has a similar law but it has not resulted in invoices being sent. No action was taken in the excerpt. The final measure discussed was SB 2475 on Red Hill remediation funding and reimbursement from the Department of Defense. The Board of Water Supply, DLNR, and other testifiers supported the bill, emphasizing the need for long-term research, monitoring, and cleanup, while also noting the unique groundwater conditions and the importance of keeping the funds focused on Red Hill contamination response. Committee members asked about existing federal and state funding, whether the state had received any direct federal money, and what would happen if reimbursement is not obtained. DLNR said it was still working through the reimbursement mechanism and that some federal funding had gone to the Red Hill registry, but not directly to the state for this purpose.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, but what we do see is of those 3,500, approximately 87% of them are returning to utilize the service
• <00:09:34.160> So returning uh to utilize the service.
• So returning uh to utilize the service.
• Um, there's been higher utilization, which is also driving cost.
• Um there's been high higher utilization Um there's been high higher utilization which<01:05:59.680

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:35 Attendance Roll Call: 00:00:55 Approval of Minutes: 00:02:56 Deferred Compensation Authority Update: 00:03:12 Retiree Health Update - TRS: 00:15:58 Retiree Health Update - KPPA: 00:56:13 Adjournment: 01:20:33, 958, all

Summary: The Public Pension Oversight Board received updates from the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority and the Teachers Retirement System. Chris Biddle reported that deferred compensation assets had grown to about $4.787 billion with roughly 88,000 participants, crediting auto-enrollment, targeted marketing around pay raises, and retiree-focused services. He said the board’s self-directed brokerage account, authorized by last year’s legislation, is being designed around a $40,000 account-balance threshold with up to 25% transferable into the brokerage window, tentatively for July 1 of the coming year. He also described the free financial planning program, which has been used by about 3,300 to 3,500 participants with an 87% return rate, and noted that the plan is currently in a fee holiday; members asked about the fee structure and whether the CFP service is provided through Nationwide, which Biddle confirmed. Board members praised the deferred compensation program’s growth and asked for the legislation referenced by Biddle. He said the plan’s annual fees are capped, with a $1 monthly fee plus other charges up to a $225 cap, for a maximum of $237 per year absent a managed account. He also said the program is seeking unified payroll access to expand participation, especially among teachers, and that prior lineup changes saved about $6 million annually in participant fees. Bo Barnes of TRS then addressed retired teachers’ health insurance, first clarifying a prior question about declining federal contributions to the retirement annuity trust. He explained that federally funded school positions generated contributions that rose from $72 million in 2019 to $109 million in 2022, then fell to $85 million this year, with a projection of $80 million over the next three years; if those dollars do not come from federal sources, they would have to be replaced through the SEEK formula. Barnes then reviewed TRS health coverage, explaining that the statutory contract guarantees access to group coverage but not fixed premium levels, and that TRS administers two retiree plans: KEHP for retirees under 65 or otherwise not Medicare-eligible, and MEHP for retirees 65 and older or Medicare-eligible. Barnes said TRS completed RFPs for the 2026 plan year, retaining Express Scripts for prescription drugs and switching the Medicare Advantage medical provider from UnitedHealthcare to Humana, while keeping plan design, provider access, out-of-pocket costs, and benefits materially unchanged. He noted a modest hearing-aid improvement of $500 per ear beginning in 2026. He also reported that the TRS Board approved the maximum state contribution for KEHP at $1,044.96, up from $930.76, an 18% increase that he said would require about $15 million to $16 million more annually, while the MEHP premium would drop from $210 to $200 per month because of the new contract. Using the 2024 valuation, he said the KEHP increase would slightly reduce the health trust funded ratio from 80.4% to 80.1% and raise unfunded liability from $4.036 billion to $4.051 billion. Barnes closed by reviewing the 2010 shared-responsibility reforms that shifted retiree health costs away from a pay-as-you-go model, including phased employee and district contributions and Commonwealth stabilization funding. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The facility must be designed to utilize natural gas as a primary fuel.
• facility must be designed to utilize facility must be designed to utilize natural<01:05:15.280><
• While the state of Minnesota ended collection of personal property taxes on non-utility businesses, utilities
• utilities, coupled<01:12:57.600> with<01:12:57.760> the<01:12:58.000> benefits<
• <01:13:44.159> businesses, taxes on non-utility businesses, taxes on non-utility businesses

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The property tax exemption that can be utilized by housing finance corporations can make that difference
• So municipal utility districts are one of the vehicles... ...that we use in Texas to put in affordable
• the $2,400 in aid reported that they spent the majority of the cash on basic needs such as food, utilities
• What was the way that you utilized the funds that were provided to you just so that us as a committee
• internally or just from conversations with the individuals that end up applying and being able to utilize

Bills: HB21, HB211, HB223, HB323, HB524, HB530, HB636, HB762, HB21, HB211, HB223

Keywords: housing finance, multifamily residential, low income, tax exemption, audit requirements, affordable housing, local government, development bonds, housing assistance, financial assistance, low income housing, community support, affordability, veterans housing, community involvement, air conditioning, tenant support, healthcare, elderly, taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also limitations in some of the utilities.
• For us, it makes sense for us to utilize an area that's more efficient and more suitable for us to do
• Um, quick question: have you guys utilized dirt for infrastructure?
• Um quick question have you guys utilized Um quick question have you guys utilized dirt<01:30:40.800
• work on a large scale for utilize work on a large scale for infrastructure?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Act 279 working group met for an informational briefing with DHHL on its use of the $600 million appropriation and progress on the department’s implementation plan. The chair reviewed the working group’s oversight role, noting that it was created to monitor expenditures, project development, and progress toward reducing the Hawaiian Homes waitlist, and that the group must submit a progress report before the 2026 session and a final report before the 2027 session. DHHL said it had provided an updated booklet reflecting the Hawaiian Homes Commission’s February 2024 recommendations and a detailed accounting of encumbrances and project progress across the islands. DHHL highlighted several implementation themes: innovative financing and construction methods, land acquisitions and exchanges, technology, beneficiary services, and partnerships with counties and private entities. The department described a “project lease” model that gives beneficiaries access to a project rather than a specific lot, with options such as turnkey homes, owner-builder, self-help, or rent-to-purchase arrangements depending on financial qualification. Officials said this approach is intended to serve lower-income beneficiaries, expand access for people on the waitlist, and allow beneficiaries to receive support services such as financial literacy and down payment assistance. The department reported that roughly $511 million had been encumbered for infrastructure, about $152.8 million for acquisitions, financing, and beneficiary services, and about $36 million in other covered costs, with about $588.9 million encumbered as of December 31 and about $120 million expected to be spent by that date. Officials said the original implementation plan covered about 2,722 units, while the updated plan projects roughly 6,000 to 7,000 leases and 2,472 lots to be occupied. They also described phase-two needs for additional funding, including projects on Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu, and said they would need continued legislative support, including possible bonding and private activity bond set-asides, to complete remaining projects. Members discussed the distinction between encumbered and spent funds, and DHHL explained that encumbrances reserve money for specific contracts while construction spending occurs over time through progress payments. The department also showcased examples of innovative projects, including a high-rise project in urban Honolulu financed through a mix of private activity bonds, tax credits, and state funds, and an acquisition-based project in Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi using multiple funding sources. DHHL emphasized partnerships with the City and County of Honolulu and Maui County, and said it is still assessing future projects to keep infrastructure costs manageable and ensure homes are safe and affordable for beneficiaries.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are currently utilizing Digikey's Minnesota housing tax credit contribution fund in Thief River Falls
• We are currently utilizing Digikey's Minnesota housing tax credit contribution fund in Thief River Falls
• It's exciting to see it blossom and be utilized and be fully utilized last year.
• and be fully it Blossom and be utilized and be fully utilized<01:16:34.639> last<01:16:34.920
• last year I do think it makes utilized last year I do think it makes sense<01:16:36.840> to<01

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Item one is some historical information on utility costs.
• Item one is some historical information on utility costs.
• And we're paying utilities, you know, wear and tear, maintenance, all this stuff. And for what?
• customers. of Winter Storm Uri on gas utility customers.
• And then, of course, we have all the special utility districts, which I would wonder if that is also.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee began with Article I budget items for the Secretary of State. LBB staff outlined recommendations that would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million, including changes to HAVA funding, removal of one-time business system replacement money, and a rider directing the agency to use Fund 5095 first. Secretary Jane Nelson and staff then defended several exceptional items, especially additional staffing for elections and business filings, a new website, digitization of records, cybersecurity tools, and renovation of the James Earl Rudder Building. Members focused heavily on election administration, cross-checking voter rolls, Harris County complaints, call-center response times, and whether online voter registration should be expanded. No votes were taken; the discussion was informational and budget-focused. The committee then heard the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB presented a recommended $2.4 million decrease for the governor’s office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs driven by one-time funding and unexpended balances, while still preserving major border security funding and victim assistance funding. Governor’s staff emphasized Texas’ economic growth, the importance of border security, and efforts to seek federal reimbursement for the roughly $11 billion Texas has spent on border operations. Members discussed whether shifting National Guard deployment to federal control could reduce state costs, and they also reviewed the music incubator program, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and the semiconductor innovation consortium. Staff highlighted a $5 million late-added request for grants to protect nonprofits from violence and terrorism. Again, the exchange was largely explanatory, with no formal action. Finally, the committee took up the Texas Facilities Commission and lease payments for revenue bonds. LBB recommended major reductions overall, including removal of border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, but added money for higher utility costs, renovation of the Rudder Building, and additional facilities staff. George Purcell also noted stable maintenance-and-renewal funding and new riders related to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building, tenant communications, and space utilization. For lease payments, LBB recommended a smaller appropriation tied to revenue-bond costs allocated across agencies. The discussion was informational, with members asking about the Rudder Building renovation, border wall progress, and capital complex construction timelines; no votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• In mental health and substance use disorder treatment, utilization management is driven by safety and
• And I also am pushing another bill that would also provide an independent analysis on utilities.
• Here, this bill would be hospitals, and my other bill would be utilities.
• And I also am pushing another bill that would also provide an independent analysis on utilities.
• And my other bill would be utilities. So I just wanted to clarify that.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, with most items presented for later vote once quorum was reached. Early in the hearing, the committee adopted a consent calendar of multiple bills with motions for due pass to Appropriations, and it noted that AB 2029 had been pulled from the agenda. The committee also took up AB 1973, a bill by Aguiar-Curry to expand who may provide procedural abortion care. Supporters, including physicians and certified nurse midwives, argued the bill would align law with current training and improve access, while opponents said later-term abortion procedures require physician-level surgical training and raised safety concerns. The author emphasized hands-on training, consultation, and transfer protocols, and the bill was held pending quorum with a motion and second recorded. The committee then heard AB 1558 by Arambula, which would adopt the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act to speed the use of out-of-state licensed volunteers during declared disasters. Supporters from the Uniform Law Commission and the Red Cross said the bill would reduce delays and clarify legal authority for volunteer health workers; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2282 by Alanis, a temporary rural emergency stabilization center for Patterson while a permanent hospital is built, drew support from local emergency responders and a late opposition from the California chapter of ACEP. The chair praised the bill as a creative local solution and agreed to coauthor it; a motion and second were recorded, with the vote to occur later. Several public health access bills followed. AB 1843 by El-Hawari would limit prior authorization and align hepatitis C treatment coverage with medical guidelines; supporters said it would remove barriers to a curable disease, while health plans opposed it as a mandate, citing premium impacts and the recent SB 306 prior-authorization process. AB 2247 by El-Hawari would create the THRIVE program for mental health services for youth affected by gun violence; Youth Alive and other supporters described trauma-informed, community-based care, and the chair and another member asked to be added as coauthors. AB 2138 by Krell would expand access to certified peer support specialists in enhanced care management and remove automatic disqualifications based solely on criminal history; supporters said peers are essential to engagement and recovery, and the bill was held with a motion and second. Later, AB 1682 by Hart would require coverage of scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients, with emotional testimony from cancer survivors and clinicians; insurers opposed it as another mandate, but the author stressed the modest per-member cost and the bill was moved with a motion and second. AB 1879 by Dixon would standardize data reporting for alcohol and drug treatment facilities, including private providers, to improve statewide information on outcomes and access; the bill drew broad support from recovery organizations and the prior opposition was withdrawn after amendments. AB 1906 by Aguiar-Curry would require coverage of at-home cervical cancer screening kits without cost sharing; supporters cited improved access for rural and working Californians, insurers opposed it on affordability grounds, and the bill passed on a recorded roll call after quorum was established. Finally, AB 1556 by Haney would clarify and support drug-free recovery housing and return-to-use policies; supporters said it would expand sober housing options, while opponents warned it could allow evictions after relapse and conflict with Housing First principles. The hearing ended with the bill still under discussion and opposition-unless-amended concerns noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Patient in avoidable cost and reduces overall expenditures when hospital and ER utilization are taken
• In mental health and substance use disorder treatment, utilization management is driven by safety and
• And I also am pushing another bill that would also provide an independent analysis on utilities.
• And I also am pushing another bill that would also provide an independent analysis on utilities.
• Here, this bill would be hospitals, and my other bill would be utilities.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Cost is one thing; also, another point is utilization.
• What does that do in terms of utilization of the services?
• Cost is one thing; also, another point is utilization.
• What does that do in terms of utilization of the services?
• It's getting better, but you know, is the utilization of that particular service being utilized at a

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:

• Increased threats to utility workers have led to a need for this bill in order to keep workers safer.
• Increased threats to utility workers have led to a need for this bill in order to keep workers safer.
• Our utility workers play a critical role in maintaining power, water, gas, and communication services
• It is widely used, utilized, and published all over the internet.
• News channels, it is widely used, utilized, and published all over Instagram and Facebook.

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions and introductions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and a moment of silence for Pope Francis. The chamber then took up a motion to reconsider the prior day’s failed vote on CS for SB 1080 (local government land regulation), which was adopted without objection, and moved into the special order calendar. A series of bills were debated and mostly passed, often after substituting House companions. Measures approved included funding for expedited DNA testing grants, additional aggravating factors in capital cases, fertility preservation coverage for cancer patients, commuter rail indemnification, migrant vessel disposition, specialty license plates, an Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness campaign, relocation of the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University, charter school changes, sexual offender registration updates, utility worker assault/battery penalties, juvenile justice revisions, student mental health outcome reporting, foster home licensure transfers, water access facilities, Florida Virtual School changes, school readiness resources for children with disabilities, sexual images/child exploitation penalties, tampering with electronic monitoring devices, certified recovery residences, the FSU Election Law Center, the Office of Faith and Community, and bonuses for county tax collector/property appraiser employees. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, benefits for certain officers injured in the line of duty, school social workers, and brownfields. Debate centered on public safety, health care access, education, recovery housing, and government administration. Some of the most substantive discussion came on the Office of Faith and Community bill, where an amendment to bar political activity by office staff was offered and defeated after extended debate over election-related communications and the proper scope of existing ethics laws. The certified recovery residences bill also drew extensive support and testimony about addiction recovery and housing stability. Most bills passed on strong bipartisan votes, with a few receiving notable opposition, including the charter schools bill, the aggravating factors bill, and the Office of Faith and Community bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a good thing, part of utilization management as well.
• Prior authorization is part of utilization management.
• In fact, real-world utilization, I'll tell you.
• But real-world utilization...
• The point I just recalled, because you asked about that question, utilization, right?

Summary: The committee first approved the previous meeting minutes and then heard a detailed annual report from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and policy issues. He explained the committee’s review process, confidentiality protections, and national and North Dakota data showing that most maternal deaths are preventable and that mental health conditions, substance use, cardiovascular issues, infection, hemorrhage, and embolism are the leading causes. Members asked about suicide, domestic violence, midwife training, home births, and whether pregnancy testing at death scenes should be expanded; Dr. Arnold said better coroner education, more investigation of unexplained deaths, and possible post-mortem pregnancy testing could improve case identification, especially in rural areas. He also noted that deaths often occur well after 42 days postpartum and that mental health-related deaths remain a major concern. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark on cigarette reduced-ignition-propensity standards and related fire prevention issues. He recommended updating the state’s cigarette propensity law to current national standards and also raised a separate recommendation to require fast-breakaway oxygen tubing for home oxygen users, citing fatal fires linked to smoking around oxygen. Members asked about implementation, cost, insurance coverage, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Dr. Clark said he would provide follow-up information and was willing to help with any legislation, but no agency bill had yet been planned. Next, Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services reported on the North Dakota Stroke System of Care. She described the statewide network of stroke-ready hospitals, registry-based quality improvement, and performance data showing continued improvement in stroke recognition, imaging, thrombolytic treatment, transfers, and EMS pre-notification. She highlighted new quality measures for inter-facility transfers and intracerebral hemorrhage care, and said the system remains strong but depends on continued legislative and hospital support. Committee members asked about participation by the VA hospital and were encouraged to consider outreach to include it more fully in the stroke system. Finally, the committee began a presentation on prior authorization and non-opioid pain treatment from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to non-opioid acute pain medications, especially in the 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window when pain is most severe, and said delays can push patients toward opioids. He emphasized that prior authorization has a role in utilization management but should not create barriers in acute pain care, and he noted that current use of the company’s non-opioid product remains very low. The discussion was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And some of the other information we gathered is what the providers are utilizing those funds for.
• now we start talking about utilizing all the space there again.
• Our waiver utilization, you can see we had 5,383 people using the waiver in 2018.
• So we've reduced the Life Skills and Transition Center utilization.
• We've increased waiver utilization, and we've increased provider participation.

Summary: The committee first approved the February 11, 2026 minutes and then received an update from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency on the interagency council on homelessness and continuum of care funding. Testimony described rising homelessness tied to tight housing markets, low incomes, aging homelessness, barriers to rental assistance and public benefits, and limited shelter and case-management capacity. Members discussed the need for more affordable housing, continued one-time funding for the North Dakota Homeless Grant and Housing Incentive Fund, better coordination with Health and Human Services on economic assistance and human service zones, landlord engagement, recovery housing, and reentry housing. The committee also heard that federal continuum of care funding remains uncertain, with possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing and housing-first models; members asked for a future update on the impact if federal rules reduce the share available for permanent housing. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described current screening and service delivery, including infant referrals, regional staff, short-term programs, and collaboration with vocational rehabilitation. He said the targeted screening system is working, recommended maintaining the current model, and noted ongoing challenges with staffing, public awareness, and accessible state websites and documents. Public testimony from a visually impaired resident and a deaf resident emphasized barriers such as CAPTCHAs, inaccessible PDFs, employment forms that screen out applicants based on driver’s license status, shortages of interpreters, and the need for video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training for users and agencies. Finally, the committee heard a final report on the study of child care provider licensing from HHS Early Childhood Director Kay Larson. The report summarized provider input and committee discussion on simplifying North Dakota’s child care licensing structure, reducing administrative burden, and balancing that with health and safety standards. Key topics included licensing categories, child care assistance eligibility, food program sponsorship, staff qualifications, training requirements, ratios and group size, age bands, and preschool exemptions. The committee’s recommendations included streamlining to three provider types plus a preschool designation, revising ratio and age-band rules, and carrying forward certain preschool outdoor-space exemptions. Larson noted that any changes would require statutory changes, rulemaking, and a transition period before new licensing rules could take effect.

Transcript Highlights:

• department and has total authorized appropriations of approximately $86.6 million, with 650 positions utilized
• We can provide you with a summary of how those funds are utilized. That would be awesome.
• I don’t have a number of who has sought utilization of any services.
• Most of those have kind of gone to OPM and they're held aside, so we're not utilizing those. Okay.
• We wanted to utilize that property for an auto shop.

Summary: The committee heard a series of Arkansas Department of Human Services budget presentations and questions, beginning with the Secretary’s Office and then the Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services. Staff described the divisions’ appropriations, funding sources, and major programs, including senior centers, Meals on Wheels, mental health grants, substance abuse treatment, community alcohol safety, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, and crisis stabilization units. Members raised concerns about flat or limited funding for senior services, the use and tracing of federal block grants, the lack of a funding source for the veterans’ mental health grant, and the mechanics of the community alcohol safety and treatment programs. The committee also discussed patient benefits funds at state facilities, transportation for senior center clients, and whether some special-language appropriations or fund balances should be revisited. Executive recommendations were adopted for the divisions considered. The committee then reviewed the Division of Children and Family Services and the Division of County Operations. Questions focused on foster care growth, adoption subsidies, professional fees tied to staff training and onboarding, vacancies, the Children’s Trust Fund, and TANF subgrants. Members asked about the reduction or elimination of TANF funding to child advocacy centers and other subgrantees, and DHS explained that prior reserves had been spent down and that the department was now trying to live within the annual TANF block grant and rebuild reserves. County operations questions also covered summer EBT, SNAP employment and training, the farmers’ market program, and the expected impact of a federal SNAP administrative match change, which DHS estimated would increase state costs by about $24 million annually, with roughly $18 million affecting the current year because the change begins October 1. Executive recommendations were again adopted. Finally, the committee heard from the Division of Developmental Disability Services and the Division of Medical Services. DDS testimony covered vacancies, staffing shortages, human development center construction and repairs, the reopening of the Boonville work training program, and funding for infant infirmary and child/family life programs. Medical Services testimony covered the Medicaid program, the current FMAP rate, the Our Kids B CHIP program, Medicaid payments to schools, nursing home distress funding, and large appropriation lines used to provide flexibility for claims and potential facility closures. Members asked for more detail on school Medicaid payments, reserve balances, and why some appropriations were much larger than actual spending. In each division, the committee moved and adopted Executive REC after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• department and has total authorized appropriations of approximately $86.6 million, with 650 positions utilized
• We can provide you with a summary of how those funds are utilized. That would be awesome.
• I don't have a number of who has sought utilization of any services."
• We just utilize what we need in the current budget year based on field positions and things like pay
• Most of those have kind of gone to OPM and they're held aside, so we're not utilizing those. Okay.

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and took executive recommendations on several Department of Human Services divisions, including Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services; Children and Family Services; County Operations; Developmental Disability Services; and Medical Services, with most divisions showing little or no significant change in total appropriations. Staff and agency witnesses repeatedly explained that many large appropriations are maintained for flexibility, federal matching requirements, or contingency needs, even when actual spending is much lower than the authorized amount. Members also raised concerns about staffing vacancies, long-vacant budgeted positions, and the use of excess appropriation authority across DHS. In Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health, members questioned federal funding levels for mental health and substance abuse grants, the status of senior centers and Meals on Wheels, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, community alcohol safety grants, and the veterans mental health grant. Agency officials said federal block grants are largely committed, that senior center funding had been delayed by shutdown timing but was now back on track, that the tobacco settlement program had been moved internally within DHS, and that the veterans mental health appropriation remains unfunded. Senators also criticized the adequacy of support for seniors and asked for more detail on how transportation, meal services, and local contributions are funded. In Children and Family Services, members asked about rising appropriation levels, foster care and adoption subsidies, professional fees, the number of children in foster care, and the Children’s Trust Fund. DHS said increases reflect added flexibility for residential treatment, adoption subsidies, and prevention services, while the foster care population has remained fairly steady at about 3,400 children. The Children’s Trust Fund was described as supporting primary prevention programs such as Baby and Me and community schools, and members asked whether it could be administratively combined with other efforts. Questions also covered TANF subgrants, with DHS explaining that it had reduced outside subgrants after discovering over-obligation and was rebuilding reserves. In County Operations, members focused on the summer EBT program, SNAP employment and training, the farmer’s market program, and the state’s TANF reserve position. DHS said summer EBT is still being funded through temporary appropriations because it is a newer program, SNAP employment and training is largely federally funded and may expand under a pending policy change, and TANF reserves were drawn down after prior over-obligation but are now being stabilized. In Developmental Disability Services, members asked about vacancies, human development center staffing, facility construction funds, and the Booneville work program, and DHS said the program has reopened and staffing recruitment continues. In Medical Services, members asked about FMAP, the Our Kids B CHIP program, school-based Medicaid reimbursements, nursing home distress funds, and several large appropriation lines that far exceed actual spending; DHS said these are maintained for claims payment, nursing home receivership contingencies, and other flexibility needs. Each division reviewed was adopted by executive recommendation after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• The need for rental, food, and utility assistance are astronomical and only continue to compound on one
• The tribes of Minnesota have been successfully utilizing FHPAP funding for over a decade and the local
• The tribes of Minnesota have been successfully utilizing FHPAP funding for over a decade and the local
• We have some of the highest utility rates in the nation.
• rates in the some of the highest utility rates in the nation.<00:54:17.440> That<00:54:17.680

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3403, authored by Vice Chair Rep. Kazowski, and first adopted an A1 amendment. The amendment made technical and implementation changes recommended by the Department of Revenue, allowed a small portion of funds for county and tribal administrative costs, and clarified timing and reporting for spent and unspent funds. After the amendment was adopted, the bill was moved to Ways and Means. Rep. Kazowski described HF 3403 as a $50 million emergency rental assistance measure to help stabilize households facing eviction, with $44 million directed to counties and $6 million reserved for tribal nations, administered through the Department of Revenue using the existing local homeless prevention aid formula. Supporters said the bill would provide immediate, targeted help to renters and landlords, prevent evictions, and reduce downstream costs to shelters, schools, employers, and health systems. Several testifiers, including representatives from Greater Twin Cities United Way, St. Louis County, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, social workers, a resident, and tribal housing leaders, said local resources were insufficient to meet rising need and emphasized the impact of federal immigration enforcement and related economic disruption on families, workers, and communities. Testimony highlighted sharp increases in rental assistance requests, rising eviction filings, depleted county funds, and the strain on nonprofit and mutual aid efforts. County and city officials said emergency rental assistance and related legal services had already prevented thousands of evictions, but current funding was not enough. Tribal testimony stressed disproportionate homelessness among Native Americans and supported the bill’s tribal allocation. During member discussion, Rep. Amani Hiltsley said the bill was an economic stabilization tool and requested a roll call vote, noting safeguards against fraud and the broader costs of inaction.

Transcript Highlights:

• ESR money came in and we were tasked with utilizing it because of the pandemic.
• it because of the with um utilizing it because of the pandemic.<00:13:49.519> I<00:13:49.839>
• We're able to not only<00:13:58.160> successfully<00:13:58.959> utilize<00:13:59.360>
• > the<00:13:59.600> $14 only successfully utilize the $14 only successfully utilize the $14
• on side because we utilized our budget. on side because we utilized our budget.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education heard several advice-and-consent nominations to the School Facilities Authority. For GM779, Shelley Pa was introduced as a nominee for a term ending June 30, 2029. The Department of Education supported her nomination, citing her large-scale operations and stakeholder-engagement experience. In her testimony, Pa said she retired from community policing, wanted to give back to teachers and students, and believed her strengths were collaboration, listening to community input, and helping balance differing priorities. Committee members questioned her about the construction and infrastructure focus of the board, her lack of direct construction experience, and how she would handle disagreements and budget limits; she responded that she would rely on collaboration, ask questions, and keep decisions centered on students, teachers, and the community while staying within budget. The committee then heard GM777 and GM778 for Robert Davis, with terms ending June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2029. Davis described more than 30 years with the Department of Education, including roles as teacher, coach, counselor, vice principal, principal, and complex area superintendent, and said he had worked on major facilities projects and managed pandemic-era funding. He emphasized communication, transparency, and trust, and explained that his experience on the Early Learning Board helped him understand how to set policy, identify schools for pre-K, and use data and community factors in decision-making. Members asked how he would handle SFA’s growing pains, the need to balance DOE wishes with practical and budgetary limits, and the board’s role when the legislature controls funding; Davis said the board must keep communication open, include the right people, and make sensible decisions that move projects forward without stalling. For GM780, nominee Michael Unbasami was introduced for a term ending June 30, 2029. The Department of Education supported him, highlighting over five decades of public service and experience in facilities management, finance, and legislative affairs. Unbasami said he had recently retired after 31 years as associate vice president for administrative affairs for the community colleges and had extensive experience with facilities planning, construction, renovation, repairs, and working within budgets. He stated that the DOE should be treated as the SFA’s client because it knows student, teacher, and facility needs best, while SFA’s role is to implement construction work and collaborate on priorities. Committee members pressed him on how to balance DOE requests with practical project delivery, especially for teacher housing and other non-classroom needs, and he said the legislature funds the work, SFA must keep projects moving, and the workflow should involve collaboration but also realistic decisions that fit the budget and avoid delays.