Transcript Highlights:

• but will be with us.
• He's not a stranger to any of us who are in the health committee, and he's been working with us from
• So allowing for us to rethink how we can partner with folks to help us deploy these funds.
• If there's an opportunity for us to come visit, meet in your district, if there are folks you want us
• This isn't something that would sneak up on us or sneak up on CMS that there is an issue with us being

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

Transcript Highlights:

• So they weren't anticipating using us, and as a result, we were able to save them what we think will
• So that's kind of the process that we use.
• What have we been using?
• to come to the state to work with us.
• They came to us to talk to us about, you know, what researchers and entrepreneurs needed to do to apply

Transcript Highlights:

• Looking back, let's use the last decade: how frequently has this policy been used, and do we have any
• Squa, was it used?
• Squa, was it used?
• Squa, was it used?
• Squa, was it used?

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration met with a quorum and took up a series of annual housekeeping resolutions governing House operations and member/staff policies. The committee heard brief explanations from House Controller Pete Squa and HR Director Kelly Knight on each item, including the 2025 P1 service award policy, donated time policy, compensatory time and time card policy, interim/per diem classification, legal fees policy, staff photo/digital image fees, chaplain compensation, leadership compensation, member expense reimbursement, member stationery allocation, postage and digital constituent communications, member communication reimbursement, alcohol consumption policy, remote work policy, drug use policy, and the high school page/internship program reimbursement policy. Most resolutions were adopted without controversy, often with only minor clarifications or no changes from prior years. Notable changes included clarifying donated time limits, refining compensatory time language, updating leadership compensation positions to reflect the new organization, adding a Greater Minnesota mileage option in the member expense reimbursement policy, removing obsolete long-distance reimbursement language from member communication reimbursements, updating the alcohol policy location reference to the Centennial Office Building, and increasing high school page reimbursement from $10 to $15 per day. The committee also noted the House roster staff roster is on file with the controller as required by House Rule 8.20. Two items were set aside for further review: the P5 legal fees resolution was tabled after members raised questions about prior use of the policy and whether the language should be revised in light of past circumstances, and the R5 postage/digital constituent communications resolution was also tabled after Representative Schultz proposed allowing members to choose either 100% digital communications or a 70% digital/30% postage split. The R9 drug use policy was likewise tabled after Representative Engen asked whether changes in state marijuana law affected the policy. All other resolutions brought to a vote were approved and adopted, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• on use.
• What's an acceptable use that they could use? ...in the three minutes they have this information.
• Can you comment on the use of that?
• But you are able to use this; nothing is stopping you from using it now.
• I have used it.

Bills: SB1072, SB1111, SB1114, SB1116, SB1122, SB1179, SB1250, SB1308, SB1455, SB1456, SB1457, SB1487, SB1547, SB1549, SB1551, SB1552

Keywords: reimbursement rates, intellectual disabilities, community services, economic security, funding appropriations, automated license plate readers, law enforcement, privacy, data access, public records, behavioral health, patient brokering, appropriation, state funds, Maricopa County, claims review, medical necessity, American Indian health program, healthcare regulations, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• What I'm using in quotation.
• God is sending us a message.
• It's called off-label use.
• It's all tablet, OK, for human use, for animal use is not tablet. Sorry, it's OK.
• that use.

Bills: HB 265, HB25

Keywords: youth camp, safety regulations, advisory committee, child welfare, health standards, summer camp, camp safety, child abuse reporting, child neglect, mandatory reporting, background check, criminal history check, sex offender registry, CPR training, first aid, public health, child protection, camp operator, camp counselor, Health and Safety Code

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a mouthful; MFCU, I think, is the acronym that they use.
• and the US Virgin Islands each one of us and the US Virgin Islands each one of us is<00:03:34.560
• <00:04:48.360> to limitations have allowed us to limitations have allowed us to specialize
• Having providers being efficient will also save us money.
• Having providers being efficient will also save us money.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• various certified uses.
• We undertook, we hired a professional to help us with the requirements gathering, to help us draft the
• For us.
• Steven Scott is with us here today.
• Paying attention to us today, I want to let you know that this is just part of the start of us putting

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a point of success for us.
• Beyond the data that we have, we do use some private vendors to help us, essentially.
• Family is extremely important to us.
• Norman. >> And for us, a six day work week is tough, and it's also tough for us, too, just because it's
• Use this as an opportunity, of course, I want you to stay here, but use Tallahassee as a bridge to Florida

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of us don't have Legislators because most of us do not live in a tribal nation.
• to us by the...
• We use valuation guides. We use valuation guides, comparable sales, and the like.
• And we do have a bill before us. And we do have a bill before us.
• I think it would be very helpful for us to us to I think it would be very helpful for us to bring a bill

Summary: The committee met at Spirit Lake Tribe and heard an extended discussion with Spirit Lake tribal leaders and program directors about government-to-government relations with the state. Chairwoman Street and others outlined a number of concerns and requests, including taxation of tribal and trust lands, state school support for non-beneficiary students, homelessness services, Indian-managed health care, gaming/e-tabs, the Feather Alert system, industrial farming near waterways, tourism and cultural issues, and the need for more consistent tribal consultation. Committee members responded that many of these issues had previously been passed along without direct action, and several members emphasized the committee’s role in education, communication, and preparing possible legislation or resolutions for the next session. Tribal representatives also offered to provide training on treaties, IHS 638, and compact services to help legislators better understand tribal jurisdiction and billing issues. A major portion of the meeting focused on Spirit Lake Fish and Wildlife concerns, especially jurisdictional “gray areas” around hunting and fishing on the reservation, recognition of tribal licenses, and the boundary of the reservation around Spirit Lake/Devils Lake. Tribal officials said they wanted a co-stewardship agreement or MOU with the state to clarify jurisdiction, improve cooperation, and address invasive species and aquatic nuisance species. Committee members discussed whether to draft legislation or a resolution directing the executive branch and state agencies to negotiate such an agreement, and they asked for further input from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at a future meeting. The committee also discussed county involvement in land status changes and trust land issues, with Spirit Lake leaders describing a past Benson County resolution that tried to block fee-to-trust transfers and saying it was later rescinded. The committee then heard from Benson County tax equalization director Randy Thompson, who explained how the county values land and handles tax-exempt, inundated, and fee-to-trust parcels. Members asked about the impact of tax-exempt lands on county services and discussed prior legislation that helped counties with large tax-exempt bases. The committee also received a presentation from Dr. Steven Smith of Sisseton Wahpeton College, who described the college’s programs, economic impact, and funding needs, including support for non-beneficiary students and workforce training. Members asked about expanding tribal college education into correctional settings, and Smith said the idea was worth exploring through the tribal college system. Finally, HHS interim medical services director Christoph Framing presented remotely on 1115 Medicaid waivers and the IMD exclusion, explaining current state funding mechanisms for inpatient and residential behavioral health services and the bill draft directing HHS to pursue a waiver for IMD payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the same for us as well.
• The governor did request and direct us to pause any action and then to establish... ...and direct us
• It has been a useful tool for us with regard to recruitment and retention.”
• “It has been a useful tool for us with regard to recruitment and retention.
• And also to Allie's cookies for keeping us, keeping us awake all day.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony from Department of Mental Health Commissioner Brooke Doyle, who said DMH serves about 29,000 people and is facing rising demand, higher operating costs, and uncertainty about federal funding. She explained that the FY26 budget prioritizes fully funding the state-operated inpatient system, which is at 100% occupancy and often serves people transferred from Bridgewater State Hospital, while making reductions in other areas to balance the budget. Those reductions include a 50% cut to case managers, a pause on closing the Pocasset unit pending a working group on Cape access, and changes to youth and contracted services such as right-sizing IRTP and CIRT, reducing Youth PACT from seven teams to three, scaling back flex and jail diversion grants as ARPA funds wind down, and preserving the behavioral health helpline and community-based crisis services. Members from Western Massachusetts and the Cape raised concerns about access, staffing, and the impact of cuts, and Doyle said the department would continue operating IRTP services, improve the referral process, and work with stakeholders on the Pocasset review and other access issues. The committee also discussed school-based mental health, 988, loan forgiveness for workforce recruitment, and the role of co-response programs for law enforcement. Secretary Robin Lipson then testified for the Executive Office of Aging and Independence, describing a proposed FY26 budget increase of about 21% to support councils on aging, home care, elder abuse investigations, caregiver support, care transitions, and nutrition programs. She said the agency is managing rising demand, especially from the growing 80-plus population, and noted uncertainty around federal Older Americans Act funding after the federal disbursement agency was disbanded. To control costs, the office will manage intake and caseload growth in a fully state-funded home care program, but current clients will not lose services. Lipson also highlighted a new $1 million line item for local mini-grants to support age-friendly initiatives. In questions, members focused on elder scams, and Lipson said scams are increasing and the agency is working with banks, district attorneys, and public awareness campaigns. The Health Policy Commission’s Executive Director David Seltz presented the agency’s FY26 request and said the biggest challenge is health care affordability, with family premiums near $29,000 annually and many residents delaying care because of cost. He emphasized that recent legislation significantly expands HPC’s role through a new Office of Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis, which will examine the drug supply chain and pricing, and a new Office of Health Resource Planning, which will support statewide planning around closures and access gaps. The new law also creates task forces on maternal health access and primary care, and adds transparency and oversight for private equity in health care. Members asked about pharmaceutical costs, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, 340B, and maternal health closures; Seltz said the data show rapid growth in GLP-1 spending and that the new offices will help the state better understand cost drivers and access problems. The Center for Health Information and Analysis then began its testimony, describing its role as the state’s data hub for health care spending, utilization, quality, and affordability analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• Roswell gave us very little G.
• But yes, we always use the resources around us.
• It used to be kind of combined, right? We used the same budget. Now they split them off.
• us in New Mexico.
• on some clarity for us on what monies can be used, what can't be used, so that we have a better sense

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we do use that, and the cattlemen take turns using it.
• They start using it, and they get really good at using it.
• Use your cell phone.
• Using that was great.
• So, they use secure file sharing services that, they use.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead of using the old-style cards, you could use a key fob that was delayed by a vendor.
• You know, how we can serve our communities with using, you know, being able to use the laws.
• Provides underage youth to us.
• So we feel like this will help us in man hours and overtime and save us about $50,000.
• For having us here today.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll start by welcoming a new member of our health care team join us today, back right behind us.
• Frank, we're delighted you're with us. Thank you. Join us. All right, welcome, Frank.
• You'd like to tell us, share with us? I was listening to you say, I didn't do anything exciting.
• Can you give us an update?
• The federal government is not holding us hostage. Our own government is holding us hostage.

Summary: The committee opened with roll call, welcomed members back for the first committee weeks, and heard brief personal updates from several senators before moving into agency implementation updates on recently enacted health care laws. The Agency for Health Care Administration reported on Senate Bill 64 creating rural emergency hospitals, explaining that AHCA adopted the required rules effective June 1, 2025, but that no hospitals have yet been designated. Members asked about possible hospital conversions, accreditation and survey responsibilities, and whether Florida would apply for federal rural health transformation funding; AHCA said it intends to apply and has already been working on the issue with federal officials. AHCA also reviewed the non-emergent care access plan requirement under Senate Bill 7016. The agency said hospitals with emergency departments must submit plans that help redirect non-emergent patients to appropriate care settings while complying with EMTALA, and that 83 plans had been received and 63 approved as of September 30. Members asked about data collection, managed care coordination, and the state’s health information exchange; AHCA said it has moved to a new HIE vendor and will continue monitoring implementation and possible care gaps. AHCA then updated the committee on the TEACH program, saying $6.8 million was spent in 2024-25 across 59 parent organizations and 229 facilities, with more than 1,800 students and nearly 380,000 clinical hours reimbursed. The agency said rulemaking is nearly complete, a new nursing student category and expanded facility eligibility were added, and a federal 1115 workforce waiver remains stalled after CMS signaled it will not approve new workforce demonstrations. AHCA also reviewed House Bill 121 on KidCare eligibility, explaining that implementation of the 300% poverty-level expansion remains blocked by federal litigation and waiver issues tied to premium nonpayment rules; members and public speakers urged action to close the coverage gap. Public testimony on AHCA’s presentation came from representatives of health centers and advocacy groups, who said the non-emergent care access plan has improved hospital-health center coordination and reduced repeat emergency use, and who urged implementation of KidCare expansion for children in the coverage gap. The Department of Health then presented updates on FRAM, the Sanadi screening grant program, the Health Care Innovation Revolving Loan Program, telehealth maternity care, swimming lesson vouchers, and House Bill 159 on pharmacist dispensing of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis. DOH reported strong participation in FRAM and the telehealth maternity program, 24 Sanadi grant awards in 42 counties, 4,945 swimming lesson vouchers issued last year and 2,371 so far this year, and three approved certification courses with five pharmacist certifications issued under HB 159. Committee members asked about recruitment of dentists and other providers, telehealth maternity outcomes, and why participation in the maternity program remains below expected levels; DOH said outreach and regional referral networks are expanding and more detailed outcome data will be included in the upcoming legislative report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seth Colby that's here with us today. Seth Colby that's here with us today.
• for the overall US. for the overall US.
• let us know. let us know. >> Thank<00:53:37.280> you.
• which we're using the money you gave us which we're using the money you gave us to<05:01:57.440>
• . us. us.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here and sharing with us and for providing the information to us.
• If you would join us at the head of the table and introduce yourself and give us your title, give us
• Take us on a tour of your facility. Tell us how you do what you do.
• us a lot more Latitude.
• Thank you for sharing with us. Thank you for the information you provided to us.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the only use that they claim that they use it? Representative Thompson: Well...
• It's adults being smarter and using different types of levers, using incentives, using local resources
• use that in any circumstance.
• We had two total confirmed inappropriate uses last fiscal year of all use of OC spray.
• A brief note about our use of OC spray and our use of force continuum.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's much easier for us to follow you when we're looking at the pages in front of us.
• But again, it provides us great flexibilities in our ways and also allows us to expend funds more towards
• Being able to block grant that into one fund would allow us to use our funds more efficiently at a local
• It would allow us not to have to track as much from a cost allocation perspective and would allow us
• So can you talk to us about how this opportunity could help us bring new investment and new business

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's provided us with resources.
• because it'll give us data that we can use to get that instruction even a lot more solid.
• What incentives may you be using for that age group? I use a card punch.
• I've used that all year long. Okay.
• So they make us aware as teachers, but I don’t know that they can tell us everything.

Summary: The committee first approved the March 9 and 10 minutes, then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program featuring three third-grade teachers from Poyen, Drew Central, and Cabot, along with Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long collaboration among 23 merit-pay recipients from across the state, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about teacher experience, how the fellowship information is shared locally, the role of merit pay, and how teachers are addressing third-grade reading and retention concerns under the ATLAS assessment system. The teachers emphasized early intervention, relationships with students, small-group instruction, progress monitoring, and communication with families; they also described community supports such as churches, food backpacks, and local donations. Several members raised broader questions about poverty, trauma, social services, DHS involvement, and whether similar professional learning should be expanded to more teachers. Secretary Oliva said the fellowship is a small subset of a larger merit-pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is working to improve literacy supports, clarity, and alignment across grades. He also said ATLAS results are now available to schools and families much faster than in the past, often within 24 to 72 hours, and that the state is using the data to identify at-risk students earlier and support intervention before retention decisions are made. The committee then moved to the adequacy/resource allocation presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research. Staff explained that the report is part of the statutory adequacy review and focuses on state funding sources beyond foundation aid, including categorical and supplemental funds. They noted that districts and charters spent more than $7 billion in the 2025 school year, with roughly 49% from foundation funding and 51% from other sources over the last three years. The presentation outlined the four categorical funds—Alternative Learning Environment, English Learners, Enhanced Student Achievement, and Professional Development—describing their restricted uses, student-based funding formulas, and the ability of districts to transfer some money among categoricals while keeping it within allowable purposes. Staff said categorical funds account for about 4% of total spending, or less than $300 million, and reviewed superintendent feedback on whether those funds met district needs, with responses varying by category and district.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're supposed to tell us what your plan is.
• If the money really needed to be spent, she could have brought us in for a special session and had us
• These are positions that would help us actually share water in the field, help us actually develop the
• These are these are positions that would help us actually share water in the field, help us actually
• And we've got to figure out rather quickly because it's not going to be give us money, give us money.

Keywords: 996, all