Transcript Highlights:

• being the world institution for studying being the world institution for studying this<00:09:46.800
• And this is something that has been known for quite a while, that the studies going back to 1998 that
• the DNR in its own studies was saying that the aquifer and the lake are tied together, that when one
• Um, the DNR, when I quoted... a while that the I found uh uh studies a while that the I found uh uh studies
• We but it will be part of the study.

Bills: HF1531, HF4017, HF3399, HF4146, HF4019, HF3677

Keywords: crossbow, crossbow hunting, archery season, deer hunting, bear hunting, turkey hunting, fishing, common carp, rough fish, game and fish, wildlife management, hunting license, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, DNR, sunset clause, expiration removal, archery equipment, outdoor recreation, infectious waste, pathological waste

Transcript Highlights:

• Riggs. uh of a potential aviation impact study uh of a potential aviation impact study and<01:15:41.440
• Eight years ago we did an economic impact study on aerospace parts manufacturing and export.
• > cost<01:17:14.600> $500,000, study we did previously cost $500,000, study we did previously
• Uh, where it might come from for a new study, I don't know.
• The study that you've referenced?

Keywords: 00:00:39 Roll Call 00:02:57 Severe Weather Damage 00:39:00 Work Zone Safety 00:47:12 Local Assistance Road Program 01:10:18 Admin. Regs 01:15:37 Aviation Impact Study, 958, all

Summary: The committee’s first interim meeting opened with roll call, a quorum, and a briefing from Transportation Cabinet officials on the Cabinet’s response to severe weather and tornadoes in Kentucky, especially the May 16–17 storms that caused deaths and widespread damage in Pulaski and Laurel counties, with an additional tornado noted in Washington County. Secretary Jim Gray, State Highway Engineer James Ballinger, and District 11 engineer Chris Jones described how crews in all 120 counties were placed on alert, how roads were cleared of debris, and how KYTC coordinated with emergency management, law enforcement, local governments, and utilities to restore access and power. They reported major impacts on roads, signals, and other infrastructure, including the EF4 tornado path through Pulaski and Laurel counties, and said KYTC also helped with debris hauling, airport cleanup, and delivery of water and meals. The officials gave specific recovery figures for Laurel County, including 1,800 loads of construction and demolition debris hauled, about 11,000 tons and 22,000 cubic yards removed, with roughly 50% of vegetative debris cleared at that point. They said all state roadways in Laurel County were reopened, the London-Corbin Airport was returned to flight operations by Sunday, and a transition plan was underway for Laurel County Fiscal Court’s contractor to take over debris operations. Gray also noted that KYTC had helped issue replacement IDs, licenses, registrations, and titles at no cost in disaster areas, and said the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund had raised nearly $1.5 million from more than 6,000 donors. Members praised KYTC staff as first responders and thanked them for their quick response and coordination. Several legislators recounted local impacts in Washington, Pulaski, and Laurel counties, including blocked roads, rescue challenges, looting concerns, and the scale of property damage. One member asked how KYTC inspects bridges and infrastructure after disasters to check for hidden damage, and officials said the process depends on the event and can include bridge inspections and checks of tall infrastructure such as light poles. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• comes from more than all the textbooks they have read through college and the podcasts and other studies
• We need to look at the studies that are done because studies usually are done to determine what is the
• We need to allow local governments to look at these studies and really go with the data to determine
• This study is a timely and responsible step forward. Mr. Speaker, that is the bill.
• Let me say, several years ago right here in the Florida House, they did a study.

Bills: SB 5, SJR 3, HB 11, HJR 72, HB 48, HB 27, HB 144, HB 37, HB 1481, HB 581, HB 1696, HB 2216, HB 1035, HB 1633, HB 742, HB 754, HB 1689, HB 1690, HB 2669, HB 391, HB 517, HB 1775, HB 1024, HB 1607, HB 252, HB 1716, HB 1562, HB 4116, HB 1866, HB 1741, HB 2103, HB 2637, HB 2884, HB 3707, HB 503, HB 1089, HB 1757, HB 2986, HB 972, SB 365, SB 1786, SB 5, SJR 3, HB 14, HB 43, HB 36, HB 26, HB 149, HB 121, HB 206, HB 136, HB 3114, HB 2733, HB 1732, HB 3700, HB 467, HB 1130, HB 1846, HB 1442, HB 1147, HB 2176, HB 2701, HB 805, HB 2890, HB 1154, HB 1644, HB 2118, HB 1718, HB 2488, HB 2596, HB 2468, HB 484, HB 2578, HB 3204, HB 1041, HB 307, HB 685, HB 538, HB 2525, HB 3125, HB 2027, HB 2894, HB 3077, HB 106, HB 18, HB 11, HJR 72, HB 48, HB 27, HB 144, HB 37, HB 1481, HB 581, HB 1696, HB 2216, HB 1035, HB 1633, HB 742, HB 754, HB 1689, HB 1690, HB 2669, HB 391, HB 517, HB 1775, HB 1024, HB 1607, HB 252, HB 1716, HB 1562, HB 4116, HB 1866, HB 1741, HB 2103, HB 2637, HB 2884, HB 3707, HB 503, HB 1089, HB 1757, HB 2986, HB 972

Keywords: dementia, research institute, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, funding, grants, state health initiatives, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, licensing, reciprocity, regulation, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, interstate agreements, tax exemption, intellectual disability

Transcript Highlights:

• Was any study work done on the effect and how it played out in real life?
• We provide market studies and appraisals.
• There may be HFCs that say, for instance, we'll conduct a market study, and then we want rents to be
• What are you studying? I'm actually going to college for midwifery. Congratulations. Thank you.
• Some data points are from a study we did with the Urban Institute.

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:

• Ethnic studies, we are the product of ethnic studies. languages that are spoken in my district languages
• >> [sighs] >> Ethnic<00:06:34.280> studies, >> Ethnic studies, >>
• Ethnic studies, we<00:06:36.160> are<00:06:36.240> the<00:06:36.360> product<00
• :06:37.400> of<00:06:37.600> ethnic<00:06:37.960> studies.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Perez-Vega delivered a farewell-style floor speech reflecting on her service representing District 65B and thanking colleagues, staff, and community members. She spoke about her Puerto Rican heritage, her family’s activism and military service, and the importance of public service and teamwork in the House. Much of the speech was personal and celebratory, with repeated thanks to staff and fellow legislators for their support. She highlighted several policy accomplishments and priorities from her time in office, including passing driver’s licenses for all, advancing housing justice and tenants’ rights to organize, supporting workforce development, and backing the READ Act and dual-language education. She also mentioned efforts related to ethnic studies, healthcare for type 1 diabetics, and securing funding for a future Minnesota Latino Museum. She emphasized that these achievements were collective efforts and credited Speaker Melissa Hortman’s leadership and encouragement. No formal vote or committee action occurred in the excerpt. The speech concluded with praise for collaboration across the aisle, a call to continue serving Minnesota communities, and applause from the chamber.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mass Appleseed has been working with our partners to study and disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline
• I've spent the last three decades studying the effects of corporal punishment on children.
• I've spent the last three decades studying the effects of corporal punishment on children.
• I would logically think that might exist, but are there studies that demonstrate that?
• There are studies with corporal punishment by parents being linked to later violence like that.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on a large slate of bills, with much of the testimony focused on school discipline and student equity. Bills discussed included measures to address inequities in suspension and expulsion, clarify school exclusion rules, reduce discipline for dress and grooming violations, and expand protections related to fair educational practices. Committee members repeatedly reminded witnesses of the two-minute limit and asked for written testimony to supplement oral remarks. A substantial portion of the hearing centered on the RAISE Act and related school discipline bills, including H. 730/S. 376 and H. 731/S. 380. Testifiers from advocacy groups, legal services, and the legislature argued that exclusionary discipline disproportionately affects Black and Latino students, students with disabilities, low-income students, and DCF-involved youth. They said current law is overly broad or unclear in areas such as “assault on educational staff,” indefinite suspensions tied to felony complaints, and definitions of weapons, leading to unnecessary removals from school. Supporters said the bills would add due process, clearer definitions, and better accountability, while one legislator testified in support of the discipline reforms and opposed several other bills on the agenda. The committee also heard testimony on H. 576/S. 368, which would prohibit suspensions and expulsions for dress and grooming violations and require clearer, non-discriminatory dress code policies. Witnesses cited research and personal stories about disproportionate enforcement against Black girls, girls of color, non-binary students, and students wearing religious attire, and said the bill would prevent physical contact used to enforce dress codes. Another major topic was H. 641/S. 349, which would add “special medical status” protections in education; supporters said it would prevent exclusion based on medical decisions or conditions, though members questioned how it would interact with existing disability law and vaccination-related school requirements. The committee also heard testimony on H. 625, which would extend the ban on corporal punishment from public to private schools, with witnesses citing research on harm and disproportionate impact. Additional testimony covered bills on accelerated learning and gifted education, with parents, educators, and advocates saying Massachusetts under-identifies advanced learners and lacks adequate acceleration pathways. A senator also testified for S. 406 on recovery high schools, saying the funding formula should be updated to better support students in recovery. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair closed testimony on several bill groups and noted that written testimony would remain open for a week.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would love to sit down with you because sending you the studies is not... it would be great to
• I'm very interested in hearing more about those studies, but what might be helpful in the short term
• And many states are doing that, and I'm sure you're studying them.
• Just on hemp and the public health impact, are you familiar or are you aware of any studies that show
• I have not seen those studies, so I don't have them now.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held a hearing on a broad set of cannabis and hemp bills, with the chairs opening by emphasizing unfinished work on equity, public health, safety, and market stability. The committee heard testimony on House Bill 146, which would create more efficient cannabis testing standards by increasing batch sizes, reducing or eliminating some environmental testing, standardizing lab reporting, and requiring annual scientific review and public data reporting. Industry witnesses, including a representative of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, cultivators, and a testing lab owner, said current testing rules are overly burdensome, costly, and inconsistent, and argued the bill would lower compliance costs while preserving consumer safety. A testing lab witness also said some operators switch labs to obtain higher THC results or pass contaminated batches, and urged greater transparency and better sampling protocols. A major portion of the hearing focused on intoxicating hemp and related bills that would bring hemp-derived intoxicating products under a stronger regulatory framework. Legislators and industry witnesses described products sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores as often untested, not age-gated, and sometimes mislabeled or far above the federal hemp THC threshold. Testimony from attorneys and cannabis business leaders said states can regulate these products more strictly under the Farm Bill’s non-preemption language, and pointed to New Jersey and other states as possible models. Some witnesses and committee members stressed that any new rules should avoid harming non-intoxicating CBD businesses or lawful hemp farmers, while others argued that the products are effectively cannabis and should be regulated like cannabis for licensing, testing, age limits, and taxation. The committee also heard extensive public-health testimony in support of bills S. 95, S. 96, S. 97 and their House counterparts H. 191, H. 192, and H. 193. Parents, advocates, and public health professionals urged stronger warning labels, THC potency caps, and improved data collection on cannabis-related harms, citing cannabis-induced psychosis, addiction, anxiety, and youth exposure to high-potency products. Several witnesses said Massachusetts has not done enough to track health outcomes or warn consumers, and referenced other jurisdictions such as Connecticut, Vermont, Colorado, Canada, and Quebec as examples of stronger limits or warnings. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that Highway 23 case study was presented—five miles, two and a half miles in each direction—and for
• In response, the Legislature mandated a task force in 2017 to study the issue of aggregate resources
• both at the state and local level, on use of recycled materials must be given exhaustive and critical study
• I defer to the DNR as they would be the entity that would conduct that study.
• I defer to the DNR as they would be the entity that would conduct that study.

Bills: HF4807

Keywords: overweight vehicles, aggregate mining, local ordinance restrictions, legislative audit, transportation, resource inventory

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, House Bill 2746 establishes the study committee on trade offices consisting of outlined
• The bill requires the study committee to meet as the study committee deems necessary to review and oversee
• The study committee is repealed on September 30, 2029, and with that, I'm happy to answer any questions
• committee to look at other countries... ...and at the same time this is an opportunity for the study
• How efficient, more importantly, what are best practices to have such a study committee today.

Bills: HB2746, HB2750, HB2765, HB4036

Keywords: trade offices, committee, Arizona commerce authority, stakeholder input, efficiency, Arizona-Sonora, Sonora, Mexico, trade commission, cross-border trade, bilateral trade, international trade, economic development, foreign relations, border economy, investment, infrastructure, business exchange, academic exchange, legislative commission

Transcript Highlights:

• If so, the principal will refer the student to the school's child study team.
• If the initial meeting does not resolve the problem, the child study team must continue interventions
• Okay, I just saw the child study team.
• So a lot of those studies vary in their sample size, from case studies of a small number of students
• They’re not showing up for social studies, math, and English. We know that.

Summary: The committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met to discuss chronic absenteeism, district attendance interventions, and related truancy procedures. Chair Simon reviewed Florida’s attendance laws and escalation process, including school-based interventions, child study team meetings, referrals to the Department of Juvenile Justice, truancy petitions, and possible sanctions for parents and driving privileges. The committee heard first from University of Florida professor Dr. Chris Curran, who presented state and national absenteeism data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023-24. He emphasized that absenteeism has multiple causes, including transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family barriers, and said effective responses include early warning systems, multi-tiered supports, mentoring, and community partnerships rather than relying only on punitive measures. Members questioned Dr. Curran about whether absenteeism is a behavior or barrier issue, whether exclusionary discipline is counted, the need for a uniform definition across districts, and whether more punitive truancy enforcement is effective. He said the issue is usually a mix of barriers and choices, that excused and unexcused absences both matter for chronic absenteeism data, and that root-cause analysis and supportive interventions are generally more productive than punishment alone, though consequences can still play a role. The committee then heard from Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli and district staff, who described a highly structured attendance system built around attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, multilingual outreach, and frequent parent notifications. They said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023-24 and credited their success to early contact, community partnerships, and a strong district culture around attendance. Volusia County Schools Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a newer districtwide attendance initiative that uses automated letters, same-day notifications, data dashboards, MTSS tiers, incentives, and community supports such as bikes, washers and dryers, and faith-based partnerships. He reported Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023-24 to a projected 29% and said the district is now seeing about 20% in the first quarter of the current year. No formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• If so, the principal will refer the student to the school's child study team.
• And can be shown, and have been shown in some studies, to improve attendance rates.
• Okay, I just saw the child study team.
• So a lot of those studies vary in their sample size from case studies of a small number of students in
• They're not showing up for social studies, math, and English. We know that.

Summary: The committee met to discuss student attendance and chronic absenteeism in Florida K-12 schools, with Chair Simon outlining the state’s attendance requirements and intervention process, including school contact after unexcused absences, child study team review, district superintendent referral, DJJ family services referral, truancy petitions, and possible parental prosecution and driver’s license consequences. Dr. Chris Curran of the University of Florida presented statewide data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023–24, and noted that absenteeism varies by district, school level, demographics, and urbanicity. He emphasized that causes are multifaceted—ranging from transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family circumstances—and said effective responses include early warning systems, text or phone outreach, multi-tiered interventions, mentoring programs like Check & Connect, and community partnerships. He also cautioned that punitive responses alone are often less effective than addressing root causes and keeping students engaged academically even when they miss school. Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli described her district’s attendance efforts as a priority supported by attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, and extensive parent communication. She said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023–24 and attributed success to consistent monitoring, family outreach, and community support, while stressing that students must be physically present to learn. She also argued that many absences are tied to barriers such as clothing, transportation, childcare, or family mental health, and that districts need resources to address those issues. Dr. Rachel Dawes added that Collier uses multilingual brochures, attendance awareness campaigns, vacation-planning guidance, door tags, automated calls and letters, and a truancy flow chart, with truancy court used as a last resort. Volusia County Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a districtwide overhaul that included an attendance matters campaign, automated notices sent early and often, same-day and period-by-period notifications, a data dashboard, and tiered supports through MTSS. He said Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023–24 to a projected 29% and reported a first-quarter rate of about 20% in the current year. He highlighted community partnerships, including AdventHealth support for washers and dryers, bikes for students with transportation barriers, and monetary recognition for schools that reduce absenteeism. In response to questions, both district leaders emphasized that funding, staffing, and consistent follow-through are essential, and that attendance work is most effective when paired with family engagement, data monitoring, and practical supports rather than punishment alone.

Transcript Highlights:

• to study the impact of state-funded administrator preparation programs and what they have on student
• The bill also introduces several interim studies for the commission to complete, including additional
• They are further charged with conducting an interim study.
• ...to get a social studies teacher?
• , Common Core, no arts, music, crafts, no social studies, or civics.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• local government regulations on redevelopment after hurricanes, the amendment adds back the OPAGA study
• And I want to point out that with the Senate amendment, we do have an OPAGA study.
• The amendment also keeps the House language regarding the feasibility study for the landfill in Broward
• The amendment also keeps the House language regarding the feasibility study for the landfill in Broward
• But what we're doing is studying, based upon districts that would elect ...to participate in a total

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, then moved into a series of special-order bills and House messages. Early floor action included passage of a claim bill for Mandy Penny Lemon (HB 6503) and bills on sewer collection systems (HB 1123) and farm products (HB 211), all passing unanimously. The chamber also took up an ad valorem tax exemption resolution for agricultural tangible personal property (CS/HJR 1215), which passed 37-0. Several other measures were temporarily postponed before the Senate recessed and later returned to House messages and additional special orders. The Senate then addressed multiple House amendments and conference-style motions. It concurred in amended versions of SB 994 on driver safety, SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, and HB 1609 on waste incineration/auxiliary containers after extended debate over hurricane recovery rules, local government restrictions, and plastic container preemption. The chamber also concurred in CS/HB 1205 on citizen initiative petitions, increasing the number of petitions a volunteer may carry from 2 to 25, and in CS/HB 733 on Brownfields. Other House amendments were rejected or sent back, including SB 234 on offenses against law enforcement, SB 116 on veterans policy, SB 168 on mental health, and HB 1101 on out-of-network provider referrals. Later, the Senate approved CS/HB 1255 on education and CS/HB 875 on educator preparation, with discussion focused on school readiness, teacher training, and changes to certification and testing requirements. It also concurred in CS/HB 1427, a broad health care bill, after the House added a major nursing education amendment that tightened Board of Nursing oversight, required standardized evaluation and remediation, and imposed accountability measures tied to NCLEX pass rates and program performance. Several members raised concerns or praised negotiated compromises throughout the day, but the recorded actions were mainly concurrence motions, refusals to concur, and final passage votes on the bills considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so 3% in the last study, you know, I made it...
• According to a comprehensive study commissioned by the U.S.
• Studies have shown measles kills up to three children per 1,000.
• I've been reading the Cleveland Clinic study that just recently came out.
• We should follow the studies and do things that are based off of the studies.

Bills: SB227, SB269, SB407, SB463, SB527, SB547, SB1283, SB1380, SB1383, SB1511, SB1640, SB1784, SB2069

Keywords: school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, healthcare policy, vaccines, exemptions, religious beliefs, public health, workplace violence, healthcare facilities, definition expansion, safety regulations, health and safety code, health insurance, anesthesia, pediatric dental services, coverage, medical necessity

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires a third circuit and Big Island drug court to conduct an interim study to establish a blueprint
• When we first met, there was a question by a senator from Puna who indicated, do we want to have a study
• When we first met, there was a question by a senator from Puna who indicated, do we want to have a study
• When we first met, there was a question by a senator from Puna who indicated, do we want to have a study
• to establish a conduct an interim study to establish a blueprint<00:53:51.839> for<00:53:52.079

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 400, the Judiciary’s biennium budget, and HB 727, a proposal to create a women’s court pilot program. On HB 400, Judiciary officials said the request includes operating funds of about $6.17 million in FY 2026 and $6.25 million in FY 2027, 17 permanent positions and one temporary position, plus $11.9 million for capital improvements. Testifiers from the legal services community, including the Legal Clinic, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Bar Association, supported the budget and emphasized the need for civil legal services and immigration-related legal help. Judge Kim also highlighted Big Island needs, including courthouse design funding and an additional district court judge. HB 727 drew extensive testimony in support from Judiciary officials, treatment court staff, legal and behavioral health organizations, prosecutors, and individuals with lived experience in drug court. Supporters said women in the justice system often face trauma, abuse, addiction, and mental health challenges that are not adequately addressed in existing programs, and argued that a women’s court could improve rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. Judiciary witnesses explained that the proposed program would be a specialty court within the drug court framework, initially focused on the Kona division of the Third Circuit, with possible future expansion to Hilo. A probation officer and a former drug court participant described the benefits of treatment court and the need for women-specific services, including spiritual counseling options. After testimony, the committee recessed briefly for lack of quorum and later returned to vote. HB 400 was passed with amendments, including added amounts in the committee report for civil legal services and immigration-related legal services, and a revised defective date. HB 727 was also passed with amendments, including changes to the purpose section to make the First Circuit women’s court permanent, create a three-year Third Circuit Kona women’s court pilot, and remove the broader expansion language for the time being. The committee adopted both measures by vote, with Senator Chang excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they studied the longest running and most rigorous study of competitive effects in the school choice
• and And they studied the longest running and most<01:33:56.720> rigorous<01:33:57.160> study
• :58.680> study<01:33:58.920> of<01:33:59.000> competitive most rigorous study of
• > published<01:38:32.960> in another study just recently published in another study just
• <01:39:37.560> I in contrast, that same study I in contrast, that same study I referenced<

Bills: HF3493, HF4114

Keywords: safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, special education, funding, education finance, appropriations, budget, cross subsidy

Transcript Highlights:

• Studies reveal that the paraquat toxic.
• And then there's also another study that was done where that it's linked.
• And there's studies, if you statement.
• c> done study that was done study that was done where<00:41:05.480> that<00:41:05.800>
• Um it's also important to study changes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know we're pushing in the direction of interim study, but I do want us to do our due diligence
• And if we have to do interim study, we do.
• And if if we have to do interim study,<00:25:05.840> we<00:25:06.000> do.
• But um I just want to put study, we do.
• with with or without an interim study. with with or without an interim study.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The streamlining was taken under advisement and study in a large consultative process statewide among
• that relates to the healthcare study for educators and school districts.
• IP STUDY THAT RELATES TO THE HEALTHCARE STUDY FOR EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS THERE IS A STUDY THAT
• President, funding time to study and rehabilitating a hockey arena and other projects.
• Rest and members for getting the nuclear study in this bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next measure is HB 713 relating to a rate study for home health services.
• So it appropriates funding for the Department of Human Services to do a rate study.
• We're very supportive of the rate study to look at the true cost of care.
• we're very supportive of the rate study we're very supportive of the rate study to<00:11:05.720>
• Next is HB 713, relating to a rate study for Home Health Services.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several Human Services measures focused on Medicaid access, long-term care benefits, home health reimbursement, SNAP administration, trauma-informed child welfare, and child abuse reporting. HP 702 would increase funding for Medicaid in-home services if federal matching funds are secured, and testimony from disability advocates supported the measure as needed to help people with disabilities cover medical expenses. HB 1477, described as a correction to a prior session’s mistake, would clarify that the monthly needs allowance for certain long-term care residents does not replace state supplemental payments and would raise the ceiling by $25 to fix the prior issue and by an additional $20 as a new benefit; DHS supported it with amendments, and the committee indicated it would amend accordingly. HB 713 would fund a DHS rate study for home health services, with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii strongly supporting it and describing rising labor costs, losses on Medicaid patients, and access concerns if agencies cannot keep serving Medicaid clients. HB 1099 would appropriate emergency funds to DHS after a USDA penalty tied to SNAP response times, with supporters including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others arguing the money should be reinvested in staffing and systems to improve access and avoid further penalties. HB 1079 would direct the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS to create trauma-informed assessments and training for Child Welfare Services staff; testimony from state offices and advocacy groups supported it, citing the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, staff burnout, and the need for a sustainable train-the-trainer model. Finally, HB 239 would narrow when failure to provide a child’s needs constitutes abuse or neglect, but DHS raised concerns that the current wording could broaden abuse findings and leave families in poverty without a clear safety net, while the Honolulu prosecutor’s office opposed it, warning it could weaken mandatory reporting and hinder investigations of child abuse. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided, though the chair said HB 1477 would be amended and several measures were left open for further questions and testimony.