Transcript Highlights:

• Chair for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, the Greater Los Angeles and Central Coast Chapter
• Chair for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, the Greater Los Angeles and Central Coast Chapter
• I'm the mom of an LGBTQ child and the president of the P-Flag Danville-San Ramon Valley Chapter.
• Reference the Gospel of Mark, chapter 9, verse 42.
• Auditors selected a sample of 32 accounts.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• statutory authority, specifically aligning provisions relating to procurement and public notice for chapters
• amending would be 2154.202G, and the section that states about the drought is in local government code chapter
• This is one of 32 statewide, uh, 32 LPPFs that have been created statewide.
• HB 3305 as is, would have blocked other eligible entities subject to Chapter 300 of the Health and Safety
• This addresses the needs of, uh, by amending specific provisions of Chapter 1049 of the Special District

Transcript Highlights:

• , and in the gallery we have students and mentors of the Sacramento Alumni Chapter.
• Ayes 32, noes 0. The amendments are concurred in.
• This does have an urgency clause, so on the urgency, ayes 32, noes 0; on the measure, ayes 32, noes 0
• We have governor's appointments for file items 30, 32, and 33, all by Senator Gomez Reyes.
• Senator, file item 32. Thank you, Madam President.

Summary: The Senate session opened with a roll call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long series of floor recognitions and votes. Members spent substantial time honoring the Los Angeles Dodgers, celebrating their back-to-back World Series championship and highlighting the team’s history, community role, and connections to Jackie Robinson, Fernando Valenzuela, Vin Scully, and Jaime Jarrín. Senators also recognized summer interns and welcomed members of Kappa Alpha Psi’s Kappa League and Guide Right program to the floor. The chamber then took up several measures, beginning with AB 182 on ballot order and proposition numbering for the 2026 statewide ballot, which passed 38-8 after debate over whether placing legislatively referred measures first was fair. SR 113, commemorating the International Day of Peace and honoring Dr. Yongshik Cho’s role in proposing it, passed unanimously after supportive remarks about peace, education, and California’s diversity. The Senate also adopted SJR 16 urging Congress to restore commercial driver’s licenses for affected California truck drivers, and SCR 185 designating Probation Services Week. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to budget trailer bills. The Senate concurred in Assembly amendments to AB 112, AB 150, AB 152, AB 181, and AB 179, covering Medi-Cal, child care, human services, education governance, and housing. It also passed or concurred in SB 168, SB 169, SB 170, SB 171, SB 172, SB 174, SB 177, and SB 180, addressing public resources and energy, transportation, executive branch reorganization, labor, state government, courts, Medi-Cal financing, and taxation. Several of these drew opposition centered on energy costs, transparency, business impacts, or the proposed “fair share” approach to Medi-Cal costs for large corporations, but most measures passed on party-line or near-party-line votes. The Senate also confirmed three California Horse Racing Board appointments and ended with adjournment motions, including a request to adjourn in memory of Francis Lydia Limos of American Canyon.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to move now to item number 32, AB 2613.
• We are going to move now to item number 32, AB 2613 by Sharp-Collins. Thank you so much.
• We are going to move now to item number 32, AB 2613 by Sharp-Collins.
• Moving on to item number 32, AB 2613 by Sharp Collins, for add-ons. Chen. Chen.
• Item number 32, AB 2613 by Sharp Collins is out. Entertaining vote changes.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• not only in<00:32:16.880><c> this</c><00:32:17.039><c> committee,</c><00:32:17.440><c> but</c><00:32:
• other committees<00:32:22.399><c> and</c><00:32:22.640><c> on</c><00:32:22.880><c> the</c><00:32:23.039
• </c><00:32:27.279><c> has</c><00:32:27.519><c> a</c><00:32:27.760><c> lot</c><00:32:28.000><c> of</c>
• c><00:32:32.720><c> last</c><00:32:33.039><c> week</c><00:32:33.279><c> I</c><00:32:33.519><c> was</c
• </c><00:32:39.679><c> to</c><00:32:40.320><c> reduce</c><00:32:40.799><c> the</c><00:32:41.120><c> number

Bills: HF2784, HF2785, HF2778, HF2281, HF2576, HF2280, HF2579

Keywords: beginning farmers, agriculture, loans, economic opportunity, farmers' equity, agriculture appropriations, farm to school, early care, child care food program, school lunch program, local food, Minnesota agriculture, food access, farm-to-institution, limited market access, county fairs, biofuels, E25, ethanol, meat processing

Transcript Highlights:

• :10.039><c> needs</c><00:32:10.360><c> a</c><00:32:10.519><c> loan</c><00:32:10.919><c> to</c><00:32:
• ><c> in</c><00:32:16.919><c> Texas</c><00:32:17.919><c> do</c><00:32:18.039><c> you</c><00:32:18.159>
• </c><00:32:23.919><c> so</c><00:32:24.320><c> if</c><00:32:24.480><c> he</c><00:32:24.760><c> took</c
• ><00:32:25.039><c> out</c><00:32:25.559><c> a</c><00:32:26.159><c> $2,000</c><00:32:27.159><c> loan</
• c> amend</c><06:32:09.398><c> chapter</c><06:32:09.680><c> 8</c><06:32:10.040><c> of</c><06:32:10.200

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:32:47.200><c> was</c><00:32:47.360><c> there</c><00:32:47.519><c> was</c><00:32:47.600><c> an</c>
• Yeah, there was there was an amendment<00:32:48.000><c> in</c><00:32:48.159><c> your</c><00:32:48.320
• </c><00:32:53.279><c> I</c><00:32:53.360><c> just</c><00:32:53.519><c> wanted</c><00:32:53.600><c> to
• > at</c><00:32:54.559><c> the</c><00:32:54.799><c> right</c><00:32:54.960><c> one.
• So, I'm<00:32:56.799><c> going</c><00:32:56.960><c> to</c><00:32:57.039><c> hand</c><00:32:57.200><c>

Bills: SB23, SB71, SB105, SB109, SB115, SB131, SB148, SB165, SB23, SB71, SB105, SB109, SB115, SB131, SB148, SB165

Keywords: law enforcement, taser, restrained individuals, police procedures, civil rights, income tax, tax exemption, Alabama tax code, Section 40-18-3, civilian employees, Department of Defense, DoD, Armed Forces, military pay, combat zone, deployment, National Guard, Reserve components, emergency response, federal employees

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:05:04.880><c> Enrolled</c><00:05:05.280><c> Act</c><00:05:05.520><c> number</c><00:05:05.759><c> 32
• </c> House Enrolled Act number 32 being original House Bill 102, an act relating to crimes and offenses
• I'm about to sign House Enrolled Act number 32 being original House Bill 102. I'm so sorry.
• My time here has been more than just a chapter in my second career.
• It has also chapter in my second career.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• While<00:32:29.200><c> asserting</c><00:32:29.720><c> that</c><00:32:29.880><c> her</c><00:32:30.000>
• that her training period was<00:32:31.000><c> quote</c><00:32:31.360><c> brief,</c><00:32:32.360><c>
• ><00:32:47.760><c> staff</c><00:32:48.200><c> member</c><00:32:48.720><c> made</c><00:32:49.080><c> that
• court<00:32:49.679><c> had</c><00:32:49.880><c> provided</c><00:32:50.400><c> quote</c><00:32:51.000
• :52.800><c> for</c><00:32:52.960><c> her</c><00:32:53.160><c> to</c><00:32:53.320><c> remedy</c><00:32

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> a</c><00:32:04.000><c> a</c><00:32:04.399><c> license</c><00:32:04.880><c> and</c><00:32:05.120>
• </c><00:32:07.360><c> And</c><00:32:07.679><c> as</c><00:32:07.919><c> far</c><00:32:08.080><c> as</c
• It<00:32:15.760><c> all</c><00:32:16.000><c> goes</c><00:32:16.320><c> back</c><00:32:16.480><c> to</
• </c><00:32:21.039><c> I</c><00:32:21.200><c> mean,</c><00:32:21.360><c> if</c><00:32:21.519><c> we're
• </c><00:32:46.399><c> This</c><00:32:46.559><c> would</c><00:32:46.720><c> be</c><00:32:46.799><c> a<

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard testimony on the use of artificial intelligence in therapy and mental health settings. Representative Lisa Willner and Brenda Rosen of NASW Kentucky argued for “guard rails” on AI chatbots so they cannot present themselves as licensed therapists or replace school counselors, psychologists, or social workers. They said AI can support licensed professionals, but warned that chatbots cannot reliably recognize nonverbal cues, escalate crises, or provide accountable care, and they cited examples of harmful chatbot interactions, including a suicide case and a chatbot telling a user to “Please die.” The witnesses also raised concerns about data privacy, commercialization of sensitive mental health conversations, and the use of personal clinical content to train AI models. They said minors should require parental consent and suggested transparency about how a chatbot is trained and who created it. They distinguished between unvetted consumer chatbots and AI tools that have been scientifically validated or approved as digital therapeutics, noting that some evidence-based tools may be useful for specific conditions such as depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. Committee members asked whether regulation should be handled by the legislature or by professional boards, and whether a multi-state model would be preferable to 50 different state approaches. The witnesses generally favored expert-led standards and said a board or panel of experts could review and approve mental health chatbots, but members cautioned that boards can become too restrictive and that legislation should preserve flexibility and avoid discouraging children from seeking help. The discussion ended with a request for the witnesses to restate their proposed policy ideas, including privacy protections, bans on commercialization, limits on training AI with clinical content, transparency requirements, and informed consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• And<01:32:19.360><c> then</c><01:32:20.000><c> uh</c><01:32:20.080><c> if</c><01:32:20.320><c> you</c
• ><01:32:20.480><c> look</c><01:32:20.560><c> at</c><01:32:20.719><c> the</c><01:32:20.880><c> the</c>
• starting<01:32:22.560><c> page</c><01:32:22.960><c> two</c><01:32:23.120><c> line</c><01:32:23.440><
• </c><01:32:45.199><c> in</c><01:32:45.360><c> the</c><01:32:45.520><c> event</c><01:32:45.679><c> of<
• /c><01:32:51.840><c> potentially</c><01:32:52.400><c> there</c><01:32:52.639><c> for</c><01:32:52.880

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :32:01.519><c> going</c><00:32:01.600><c> to</c><00:32:02.000><c> take</c><00:32:02.240><c> over</c><
• </c><00:32:03.600><c> So,</c><00:32:04.480><c> um,</c><00:32:05.360><c> I</c><00:32:05.519><c> I</c><
• > as</c><00:32:07.120><c> we</c><00:32:07.279><c> move</c><00:32:07.440><c> forward</c><00:32:08.159>
• ><c> programs,</c><00:32:09.200><c> like</c><00:32:10.000><c> this</c><00:32:10.240><c> is</c><00:32:
• c><00:32:11.600><c> think</c><00:32:11.679><c> we</c><00:32:11.840><c> should</c><00:32:11.919><c> be

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> all</c><00:32:06.480><c> use</c><00:32:06.760><c> the</c><00:32:06.919><c> same</c><00:32:07.200
• :20.480><c> not</c><00:32:20.679><c> in</c><00:32:20.799><c> the</c><00:32:21.279><c> dsm5</c><00:32:
• > makes</c><00:32:39.600><c> the</c><00:32:39.720><c> taser</c><00:32:40.159><c> device</c><00:32:40.559
• </c><00:32:44.039><c> very</c><00:32:44.240><c> much</c><00:32:44.559><c> thank</c><00:32:44.720><c>
• support</c><00:32:45.279><c> this</c><00:32:45.679><c> okay</c><00:32:46.080><c> next</c><00:32:46.320

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: On the deferred agenda, the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up SB 1364, which makes emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs, and SB 1452, which relates to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The chair recommended both measures pass with amendments, including technical corrections and a committee-report effective date of July 1, 2077. For SB 1364, the amendments included specified general fund and transfer fund amounts for DAGS, the Judiciary, and the Department of Law. For SB 1452, the chair said the bill was being corrected to fix a drug-name error that had been replicated from a federal mistake. Both recommendations were adopted by vote, with Senator Dort excused. The committee then discussed SB 1612, a joint measure on fitness to proceed that would require and appropriate funds for a five-year pilot program involving the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health, with interim and final reports to the Legislature. Testimony was mixed: the Judiciary and Department of Health were supportive, while the Office of the Public Defender and the Disability Rights Center opposed it, arguing it conflicted with best practices and the Clark consent order, and that people found not fit to proceed must be sent to the state hospital. DCR said its main concern was that the bill would still require patients to be housed in its facilities, which it said are not rehabilitative and are already strained by staffing shortages and limited access. The bill’s author argued the proposal was meant to create joint custody and reduce the high cost of state-hospital placement, but the committee did not take final action in the portion provided. In the joint hearing with Health and Human Services, the committees heard SB 1322, a broad rewrite of the state mental health code. The Attorney General supported the measure as a comprehensive cleanup and modernization effort, but many testifiers raised concerns. Queen’s Health System and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation supported the concept but warned about emergency-room impacts and asked for amendments; IHS supported the bill with a caveat about assisted community treatment procedures; and the Public Defender, Disability Rights Center, and others opposed parts of it, citing due process, privacy, HIPAA, counsel rights, liability immunity, and the reduction of an involuntary-treatment panel from three clinicians to one psychiatrist. The hearing also covered SB 951 on child protection, where the Department of Defense supported the bill and proposed technical amendments and MOUs with military components to clarify reporting and coordination procedures; DHS and the Attorney General said they were still working through possible changes. Finally, SB 228 on excited delirium was heard, with the Public Defender and Disability Rights Center supporting the bill and arguing the term has been misused and that better police de-escalation training is the real solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:02.159><c> would</c><00:32:02.480><c> still</c><00:32:02.720><c> have</c><00:32:02.880><c> to<
• </c><00:32:03.840><c> Because</c><00:32:04.000><c> the</c><00:32:04.159><c> parents</c><00:32:04.480>
• up the<00:32:06.000><c> device</c><00:32:06.240><c> with</c><00:32:06.399><c> the</c><00:32:06.559><
• and<00:32:10.559><c> just</c><00:32:10.799><c> giving</c><00:32:11.039><c> the</c><00:32:11.200><c>
• child</c><00:32:11.440><c> a</c><00:32:11.600><c> phone</c><00:32:11.760><c> to</c><00:32:11.919><c>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee work session focused on House Bill 293, which would prevent minors from accessing obscenity on certain internet-connected electronic devices. Chair Pardell opened by noting the bill had been discussed several times and that the goal was to find language acceptable to the committee. Representative Coutab argued the bill is important for child safety, said parents vary in technical ability, and pointed to Apple as evidence that filtering tools can be implemented. He asked whether the other members saw a path forward and what it might look like. Representatives McFarland and Tur both said they support the underlying concern but questioned the bill’s structure and practicality. McFarland emphasized parental responsibility and individual liberty, said any final language should avoid infringing on rights or creating indirect pressure on corporations, and suggested looking at other states’ approaches and Apple’s closed ecosystem as a limited example. Tur said the bill may solve one problem while creating others, especially by placing the burden on device manufacturers and browsers rather than on the content providers; he cited the recent Texas Paxton decision as an example of a more targeted age-verification approach aimed at websites. Both expressed concern that a broad device-level mandate may be difficult to implement consistently across different platforms. Chair Pardell responded that the bill is intended to add protective measures rather than impose a blanket ban, and compared it to existing restrictions on minors accessing alcohol, tobacco, or pornographic magazines. She said the proposal is meant to ask for the user’s age during device setup, not to require identification or database checks, and stressed that parents would still be responsible for entering accurate information. Members also discussed whether Apple’s tools are generalizable to Android and other ecosystems, whether the market is already developing solutions, and whether a parent-facing filter or device-level controls would be the best route. Pardell said the committee had received public feedback and that another work session would likely be held in October; no vote or final action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:07.799><c> and</c><00:32:07.919><c> say</c><00:32:08.159><c> I</c><00:32:08.279><c> think<
• ><c> um</c><00:32:20.559><c> as</c><00:32:20.720><c> far</c><00:32:20.960><c> as</c><00:32:21.240><c>
• </c><00:32:42.799><c> over</c><00:32:43.240><c> to</c><00:32:43.440><c> all</c><00:32:43.600><c> the<
• > taxpayers</c><00:32:44.639><c> in</c><00:32:44.760><c> the</c><00:32:45.279><c> community</c><00:32
• it's a shift<00:32:51.960><c> um</c><00:32:52.399><c> and</c><00:32:52.559><c> I'm</c><00:32:52.679>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're already subject to Chapter 140, Section 148C, which governs sick time in Massachusetts, so we're
• I rewrote the unemployment laws the last time Chapter 151A was rewritten completely.
• and have 17 ARC chapters across the state that provide meaningful services to our community.
• He's 32. He's 32, okay. Yeah, he's a good-sized kid.
• Seven years ago, a Chapter 149 reform boosted the minimum wage to $15.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid public hearing with testimony on a wide range of labor, workforce, unemployment insurance, apprenticeship, disability services, farm labor, hospital staffing, and workplace harassment bills. Chairs Jake Oliveira and Paul McMurtry outlined hearing procedures, limited testimony to two minutes, and noted written testimony would be accepted after the hearing. Committee members and staff were introduced throughout the session as witnesses arrived in person or remotely. A major portion of the hearing focused on unemployment insurance legislation. Greater Boston Legal Services, the AFL-CIO, and Rep. Joan Meschino supported bills to adjust UI eligibility for workers with fluctuating schedules and to streamline waivers and write-offs for non-fault overpayments, arguing the current system unfairly denies benefits or burdens workers who were not at fault. They also backed bills calling for more oversight and resources for the Division of Unemployment Assistance, citing persistent delays in benefit payments. NFIB opposed the UI changes, warning that the trust fund is headed toward insolvency and arguing the bills would worsen the system’s finances. Rep. Meschino and committee members emphasized that the proposals were meant to protect good-faith claimants and did not apply to fraud. Another large set of bills addressed wages, workforce development, and working conditions. Testimony supported raising and modernizing direct care wages to address severe staffing shortages in human services and disability services, with advocates from the Massachusetts Developmental Disability Council, The Arc of Massachusetts, parents of adults with disabilities, and a direct care worker describing how low pay and turnover harm people needing support. The committee also heard support for apprenticeship-related bills from the AFL-CIO and the Carpenters, while Associated Builders and Contractors opposed mandatory apprenticeship ratios and urged changes to align them with licensing laws. Farm worker advocates supported a bill to raise farm labor standards, including minimum wage, paid breaks, and paid time off, while the Farm Bureau opposed parts of it beyond the minimum wage increase. The hearing also featured testimony on workplace harassment training, overtime protections, hospital mandatory overtime, suicide prevention signage on construction sites, and a proposal to update the Massachusetts Medical Society’s mission language from “citizens” to “people.” Labor groups, educators, and compliance trainers strongly supported mandatory annual sexual harassment training, saying it would improve workplace culture and reduce harm. SEIU 1199 supported extending the hospital nurse mandatory overtime ban to the broader hospital workforce. Witnesses on the suicide prevention bill described personal losses in construction and recovery work and urged posting 988 information on job sites. The committee took no votes during the hearing; witnesses repeatedly asked for favorable reports, and members asked follow-up questions on UI calculations, apprenticeship ratios, small-business impacts, and emergency exceptions for hospital staffing.

Transcript Highlights:

• leave Law and kind<00:32:00.760><c> of</c><00:32:01.080><c> and</c><00:32:01.519><c> some</c><00:32:
• <00:32:04.760><c> um</c><00:32:05.080><c> and</c><00:32:05.360><c> then</c><00:32:05.559><c> very</c>
• ><c> uh</c><00:32:07.679><c> the</c><00:32:07.840><c> from</c><00:32:08.000><c> the</c><00:32:08.120>
• ><c> um</c><00:32:12.360><c> the</c><00:32:12.639><c> you</c><00:32:12.720><c> know</c><00:32:12.919>
• information<00:32:26.200><c> um</c><00:32:26.320><c> we</c><00:32:26.440><c> take</c><00:32:26.639><c

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Amending Chapter 9, Title 54, Idaho Code, by the addition of a new section 54-918, Idaho Code, to provide
• Repealing Chapter 33, Title 54, Idaho Code, relating to the Freedom of Choice of Ventures Act.
• The gentlelady from 32. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• it in Chapter 13 to clarify it so that people understood better. ...so that people understood better
• Leavitt votes nay. 68 ayes, 32 nays.

Summary: The House opened with roll call, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a moment of silence for Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam. Members then approved the journal and received a series of messages from the Senate and governor, including enrolled bills and new Senate measures. Standing committee reports moved several bills and resolutions forward, including House Bill 911 and Senate Bill 1258 from State Affairs, and House Concurrent Resolution 36 supporting the Idaho National Guard. The chamber introduced several new bills, including House Bills 933-935, and later took up a number of memorials and resolutions. House Joint Memorial 20, urging Congress to address the fiscal impact of Plyler v. Doe on Idaho schools, passed without objection. House Joint Memorial 19, supporting federal efforts to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, passed 61-8-1 after debate over whether eliminating the department would shift enforcement costs to the state. House Concurrent Resolution 34, directing feasibility studies on Bear River Basin water development, also passed, 67-2. The House then considered and passed several Senate bills, including SB 1301 on adding a retail location for small breweries, SB 1256 cleaning up outdated reporting requirements for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, SB 1345 allowing voluntary secure electronic tax commission communications, and a series of water-related bills clarifying ditch easements, water district fees, withdrawal procedures, canal/lateral responsibilities, and irrigation district board eligibility. SB 1286, restricting predatory veteran disability-claims services, also passed after supportive testimony from veterans’ advocates. Later, the House approved a House Business Committee report on administrative rules, then suspended rules to move a large set of appropriation and policy bills, including HB 919 through HB 925 and HB 889 and HB 931, all of which passed with varying vote margins. The day ended with announcements, committee meeting notices, and adjournment until March 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh He um, One day. 323 yeah 32 absent. The records reflect Ms. Perez is here.
• Chapters 73.51C of the Texas Administrative Code.
• In chapter 16, uh, we use manufacturer, package, label, and, uh, bottle.
• We have about 32 million people calling Texas home.
• We have 60 chapters across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:32:02.639><c> of</c><01:32:02.760><c> pushing</c><01:32:03.119><c> out</c><01:32:03.320><c> to</c>
• to 27 that<01:32:05.080><c> would</c><01:32:05.239><c> mean</c><01:32:05.480><c> we</c><01:32:05.639>
• </c><01:32:10.920><c> a</c><01:32:11.159><c> yes</c><01:32:11.639><c> I</c><01:32:11.719><c> think</c
• :32:19.199><c> we</c><01:32:19.360><c> didn't</c><01:32:19.600><c> end</c><01:32:19.760><c> up</c> it
• > any</c><01:32:20.520><c> money</c><01:32:21.080><c> into</c><01:32:21.320><c> it</c><01:32:21.560><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first recessed briefly, then took up HB 570, the prescription drug affordability board (PDAB). The chair and several members discussed the House amendment to repeal the board, which removed the fiscal note. The main concern raised was that the PDAB had not yet produced a clear business case showing value for the taxpayer investment, despite several years of work and four annual reports. Supporters of the repeal said the board’s recent report was largely redundant and that the board should either demonstrate a strong return on investment or be shut down; others cautioned against discarding the program too quickly and urged more time to refine the mission and legislative language. No vote was taken, and the committee appeared to agree to retain the bill for further work, with the possibility of revisiting it in a formal executive session on Tuesday. Members also shifted into discussion of HB 2, beginning with Section 85 on opioid abatement trust fund dollars for shelter programs. Department of Health and Human Services officials explained that the provision would provide $10 million from the opioid abatement trust fund, replacing general funds in the governor’s budget, while also noting an additional $2.5 million prioritized needs request for shelter care that was already fully funded. Committee members asked about shelter bed capacity, job placement efforts, and the remaining balance in the opioid fund; DHHS said there are 934 contracted beds and that case management includes help with housing and employment. Officials also said the current proposed budget includes another $1 million later in HB 2 from the opioid fund. The committee then began discussion of Sections 86 through 87, which would preserve the department’s ability to transfer funds between personnel lines. DHHS said the provision is operationally critical and that losing it would make it extremely difficult to manage the department, though it would not have a direct fiscal impact. The next item introduced was Section 88, extending a suspension related to eligibility for services until July 1, 2027; DHHS indicated that if the suspension were not continued, it would likely increase expenditures for Community Mental Health Centers and potentially others. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.