Transcript Highlights:

• in their judgment. represents the best value of medical education in the country by virtue of the quality
• It's still relatively small, over 7,000 applications. high quality of students are tremendous.
• As the Chancellor indicated, we look forward to our merger of our two institutions this September.
• This initiative allows us to increase the number of high-quality clinical academic programs.
• Texans with high quality cancer care for more than 80 years.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He has indicated he only needs three minutes. >> Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I was calling Mr. Speaker.
• > needs<01:16:47.199> three been indicated he only needs three been indicated he only needs
• You've indicated you want. in conquered. Um literally see none of in conquered.
• You indicated five minutes.
• <04:04:41.439> that pre previous speaker uh indicated that pre previous speaker uh indicated

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When we think about the needs of children and families, high-quality after-school and summer programs
• Minnesota children with quality Minnesota children with quality out-of-school<00:22:20.800> opportunities
• And without access to early, quality education, she's at risk of falling behind before she even starts
• As indicated by the name, the focus is really on a multi-generational approach.
• ,<01:14:42.800> the<01:14:42.960> focus<01:14:43.360> is As indicated by the

Bills: HF1660, HF1824, HF1926, HF1002, HF994, HF1915, HF1336

Keywords: children, youth programming, needs assessment, community engagement, state funding, education, funding, school districts, state budget, rural schools, food support, Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, food shelves, grant funding, Minnesota FoodShare, early childhood, Head Start, education funding, developmental programs, literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Do they not have the same quality as these workers?
• Have a better quality when it comes to the permitting process and the inspection process.
• Was the quality of work at Intel? Was the quality of work there with those workers, was that less?
• Say this, they do want to gallop that artesian well, and, and they don't meet the water quality.
• Uh, economic development for a concrete plant who doesn't have that high a level of quality.

Transcript Highlights:

• :56.960> annual<03:25:57.200> general indicated in the annual general indicated in the
• Water Quality Control Division. Water Quality Control Division, $33,838,998.
• Local grants and contracts, water quality improvement.
• local grants and contracts water quality local grants and contracts water quality improvement<06
• <06:07:25.040> fund Home Park water quality fund Home Park water quality fund 315,572,85345

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the prior journal, and heard several brief recognitions before moving to business. Members welcomed foster care advocates for Child Abuse Prevention Month, Girl Scouts visiting the Capitol, and participants in Black Maternal Health Week, with remarks emphasizing foster youth voice, leadership development, and the need for culturally competent maternal health care and doula/midwife support. The chamber then took up House Joint Resolution 1026, honoring former Governor Roy Romer and designating a portion of I-25 as the Governor Roy Romer Memorial Highway. Supporters highlighted Romer’s long public service, his work on education and infrastructure, and his role in major state projects. A proposed amendment to strike the word “memorial” was withdrawn, the House suspended the rules to allow Romer to speak from the well, and Romer offered remarks about legislative collegiality and the importance of democracy and listening to opposing views. House Joint Resolution 1026 was adopted on a 60-0 vote, with four excused and one absent. After a brief recess, the House returned to special orders and resumed reading House Bill 1410 at length, continuing through extensive appropriations language for the Department of Human Services, including child welfare, youth services, Medicaid-related transfers, SNAP and benefits administration, and other funding line items. No final action on House Bill 1410 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• My understanding is that Government Code Section 3519 indicates that unions should have been conferred
• Just two days later this budget revision was released with the indicated changes in the definition of
• Assembly Member Haney: Was there information provided to the governor that indicated that somehow the
• I work for the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. We come in on Thursday.
• I just wanted to indicate that when we have new employees, they get a six-week orientation, and it is

Summary: The subcommittee heard an informational update on the state’s generative AI implementation and related oversight. Administration officials said several proof-of-concept projects have moved into minimum viable product phases, including work at CDTFA and Caltrans, and that CDPH has a May Revision request for up to $8 million to scale up its healthcare facilities inspections project. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the administration to publish a report on lessons learned from each POC and recommended limiting the new generative AI approval process to a pilot through the first two rounds of projects, with continued monthly meetings and stronger legislative oversight. Members pressed for more transparency and questioned why the CDPH request was not included in January; the administration said the cost estimate was not available then and that only one project is seeking additional resources beyond existing departmental budgets. The committee then reviewed a proposed $400 million loan from the Labor and Workforce Development Fund to the General Fund. Finance and the Labor Agency said the fund has grown because civil penalty revenues have risen sharply, and the loan would be repaid in 2029-30 with provisional language allowing earlier repayment if needed. The LAO agreed the fund could support the loan but warned that recent PAGA reforms may reduce future revenues. Public commenters, including labor and community groups, argued the money should instead support labor-law enforcement and outreach programs such as CWOP, and urged rejection of the loan. Members also heard a Department of Industrial Relations request for $19.1 million for phase two of Public Works Information Technology System Enhancements, which officials said will support labor-law enforcement and apprenticeship registration. The department said the project was delayed because a prior procurement did not result in a contract award and that completion is now expected in October 2026. The committee then took up an EDD Next reappropriation technical adjustment to extend UI fund spending authority through June 30, 2026; the LAO said the request was fine but again raised concerns about oversight of the larger modernization effort, which EDD said now totals more than $660 million and is expected to continue through 2029. Finally, the committee discussed DGS’s request for new parking facilities near the May Lee Building and a trailer bill shifting statewide telework policy language from DGS to CalHR while also expanding NDI eligibility for certain CEA employees. The LAO said the telework trailer bill should likely go through the policy committee process instead of budget, and union and employee witnesses strongly opposed it, arguing it would undermine bargaining rights and could be used to narrow telework. In a separate item on the governor’s return-to-office order, administration officials said departments are being directed to move to a four-day in-office expectation starting July 1, 2025, but they had no statewide cost estimate yet because departments are still assessing vacancies, exemptions, and space needs. Members criticized the lack of analysis and said the state should have clearer numbers before moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports indicate the software used in these cranes can be exploited for espionage, potentially transmitting
• REPORTS INDICATE THE SOFTWARE USED IN THESE CRANES CAN BE EXPLOITED FOR ESPIONAGE, POTENTIALLY TRANSMITTING
• That's something that Jack has all of those qualities. I'd also—it also takes sacrifice.
• changing stations on accessible ADA restrooms in new passenger rail cars and have clear signage indicating
• PASSENGER RAIL CARS AND HAVE CLEAR SIGNAGE INDICATING THE AVAILABLE OF BABY CHANGING STATIONS.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, June 9, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And for instance, when I worked at the Department of Environmental Quality, we had tons of different
• For our own data, we strive to ensure data quality and accessibility.
• of a company's is not an indicator of a company's safety<02:17:52.800> practices.
• What an EMR is not, it is not a safety indicator for how safe a business is.
• So, it is generally considered a better indicator of company safety than an EMR.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My comment is that, of course, I'm for this, and I indicated that in my statement earlier.
• I'd like to move it forward, and I'd like to make whatever concerns that we might have indicated today
• I'd like to move it forward and I'd like to make whatever concerns that we might have indicated today
• Our schools have long provided high-quality early childhood education that integrates academic readiness
• Our schools have long provided high quality early childhood education that integrates academic readiness

Summary: The committee first heard SB 206, which would require cardiovascular pre-screening and blood pressure testing for student athletes beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. Chairman Miller said the bill was prompted by concerns about undiagnosed hypertension and sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes, and Coach Marcus Scott testified about his own kidney transplant after years of untreated high blood pressure. Members asked about who would perform the screenings and how follow-up would work; the American Heart Association said existing athletic physical processes and referral networks could handle it. An amendment was adopted, and the committee reported SB 206 favorably as amended. The committee then took up SB 305, which would require a publicly available statewide career-alignment dashboard showing how degree programs connect to workforce outcomes, including completion, employment, wages, and high-demand jobs. Chairman Edmonds and student task force member Cruz Cassard said the goal was to help students understand job opportunities in Louisiana and reduce the number leaving the state after graduation. Workforce and higher education stakeholders supported the measure as a transparency and workforce-planning tool. The committee reported SB 305 favorably. Next, the committee considered HB 624, a school safety cleanup bill updating references from crisis management plans to emergency operations plans and aligning school emergency language with national standards. Representative Johnson and the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools said the bill would not create new mandates or costs, but would clarify existing requirements. The committee reported HB 624 favorably. The committee then heard HB 1022, as substituted, concerning school-based health care services. Representative Jackson said the bill was intended to clarify that medical decisions in school-based health centers should be made by licensed health professionals, not school staff, while preserving parental consent. Testimony from school-based health center providers supported the bill, but several members raised concerns about consent, parental authority, and whether the language shifted too much responsibility away from schools; the Charter School Association suggested adding more collaborative language. After discussion, the committee adopted the substitute and reported HB 1022 favorably by a 10-4 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's drawn by its reputation for high quality and as the leading transfer institution to FSU and FAMU
• And so what your amendment actually does is it protects the quality of education.
• As Leader Driscoll indicated.
• As Leader Driscoll indicated, there have been multiple opportunities to amend the charter to increase
• We have funded over and over and over resiliency bills, water quality bills, all of which are playing

Summary: The House convened with prayer, moments of silence for former member Terry Fields and the Parkland victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests and visitors. The chamber then adopted the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report setting the day’s calendar and debate times. The main measure taken up was HB 1119, relating to materials harmful to minors in public schools and charter schools, which the sponsor described as a clarification of existing law to keep pornographic or sexually explicit material away from minors and to give districts clearer standards for review and objection processes. The bill drew extensive debate over constitutional concerns, local control, litigation risk, and the scope of the definition of “harmful to minors.” Members supporting the bill argued it was needed to close loopholes and protect children, while opponents warned it could lead to overbroad book removals, conflict with federal court rulings, and costly lawsuits. A series of amendments sought to narrow or redirect the bill: proposals by Gant, Aristide, Bartleman, Eskamani, Nixon, Rainer, Woodson, and Harris would have preserved literary value review, protected educational and abuse-prevention materials, exempted LGBTQ-inclusive books, limited objections, preserved funding for districts, or delayed enforcement during ongoing litigation. Supporters of the amendments framed them as protecting parental choice, academic value, student safety, and district finances; opponents said they would weaken the bill’s child-protection purpose. All of the amendments failed. After the amendment process, the House waived rules, read HB 1119 a third time by title, and entered structured debate on final passage. Debate continued along the same lines, with opponents emphasizing book removals, First Amendment concerns, and the impact on students and schools, and supporters reiterating that the bill was intended to prevent minors from accessing obscene material. The transcript provided ends during structured debate and does not include the final vote on HB 1119.

Transcript Highlights:

• The second bill is an act protecting drinking water quality in private wells.
• They diminish both water quantity and quality, increase the dangers of fire, stress...
• Water quality is a real issue.
• Mining must be conducted in a way that does not alter water quality.
• We discussed the PFAS, the water quality for our schools, and things like this.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered a broad set of environmental and water-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on blue economy and circular economy proposals, drought management, drinking water safety, flood resilience, and water infrastructure funding. Supporters of bills such as H. 987 and H. 988 described grant programs for blue economy workforce development, research, small businesses, and public education about a circular economy. Other speakers backed measures on coastal erosion research, recreational boating dredging, cranberry water-right transfers, sand mining oversight, and a voucher program for home water filtration in PFAS-impacted communities. Several elected officials and advocates also urged passage of bills to require private well testing, improve school drinking water safety, and address sand mining pollution and PFAS contamination. Water supply and drought issues drew extensive testimony. Senator Eldridge and others supported legislation to let the state, through DEP and the drought management task force, impose regional water-use restrictions during droughts and make the task force permanent in statute. Advocates from watershed groups, farms, and environmental organizations said the current town-by-town approach is inconsistent and ineffective, and they described drought impacts on rivers, farms, private wells, and wildfire risk. A related bill on private wells was supported as a way to help homeowners test and remediate contaminated wells, especially in rural areas without public water. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to allow the Lynnfield Water District to join the MWRA, with local officials saying the move would help address PFAS and other contamination and improve supply reliability. Another major panel supported a water infrastructure funding bill, arguing that aging drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems need major new investment, including support for PFAS treatment, sewer rate relief, biosolids research, and regional interconnections. Members asked about costs, funding sources, and the relationship to existing revolving loan funds; witnesses said the bill would need to be paired with future bond funding and new revenue ideas. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs repeatedly invited written testimony and noted the large number of speakers.

Transcript Highlights:

• it removes those, but there have been recent efforts to modernize these regulations, and studies indicate
• It will help us maintain our air quality programs and standards here within the state of Missouri.
• It will help us maintain our air quality programs and standards here within the state of Missouri.
• Well, we could do that. ...if you were going to be here tomorrow, but you tended to indicate earlier

Summary: The House first established a quorum after a brief call of the board and then moved through messages from the Senate and committee reports. The chamber received a Senate refusal to concur on House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 994 and later voted to send the bill to conference. Members also reconsidered earlier actions on Senate Bill 1019, then adopted a substitute amendment that narrowed the bill to a smaller set of provisions, including a health-related addition on Lyme disease and alpha-gal, before third reading and passage by a vote of 105-32. The House then took up House Bill 1740, known as Melanie’s Law, a drunk-driving prevention measure. Supporters described the bill as a long-negotiated effort to strengthen penalties and ignition interlock requirements while preserving affordability protections for low-income drivers. Family members of Melanie Wonkham were recognized, and several members spoke in favor of the bill as a response to impaired-driving fatalities. The Senate substitute was adopted 143-2, and the bill was finally passed 144-2. Members also passed Senate Bill 1033, which combined Department of Natural Resources funding language with agriculture-related changes, including exemptions for certain farm trucks and cotton gin permitting and air-dispersion modeling requirements. Supporters said it would help keep state environmental programs solvent and better align Missouri rules with neighboring states, while some members raised concerns about future budget pressure and environmental impacts. The Senate substitute passed 134-9. The House then passed Senate Bill 916, which limits when contractors can be required to indemnify the state before or after work on public projects, with supporters saying it protects contractors from premature lawsuits while preserving liability for negligence; it passed 133-1. Finally, the House adopted and finally passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 21, which promotes Missouri participation in America 250 celebrations in 2026, and then adopted a conference committee report and finally passed Senate Bill 975 after brief debate. The chamber also announced upcoming committee meetings and then recessed, with plans to return later for additional Senate bills and conference reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• other reforms on election integrity, but this one should be a common-sense bipartisan action that indicates
• align envelopes to the certification process, that would be expensive and I believe the SOS has indicated
• You have an obligation to ensure that all of your operations are managed at the best quality standard
• You have an obligation to ensure that all of your operations are managed at the best quality standard

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on March 25, 2026, with nine measures on the agenda and three bills taken on consent. The committee approved the consent calendar for AB 1736, AB 1853, and AB 2153. The committee also heard several election-related bills, including AB 1993 on ballot-envelope privacy, AB 1788 on nonprofit disclosure of travel payments for elected officials, AB 1560 on barring people convicted of public corruption from lobbying, AB 1539 on presidential and vice-presidential ballot eligibility certifications, AB 1919 on Santa Cruz Metro local tax initiative procedures, and AB 1562 on county selection of poll workers. The chair also noted membership changes and welcomed new and returning members and staff. AB 1993 drew the most debate. The author argued it was a common-sense safeguard to prevent voters’ choices from being visible through ballot-envelope holes, citing a Sacramento County incident and public concern about ballot privacy. County election officials, the Secretary of State’s office, and Disability Rights California opposed the bill, saying the holes also serve accessibility and processing functions, that existing voter instructions already address privacy, and that the measure would create implementation problems and an unfunded mandate. After extended discussion, the committee voted the bill out on a 2-6 roll call and it failed. AB 1788 was supported by the FPPC and the League of Women Voters and passed as amended to Appropriations, with members emphasizing transparency while seeking to avoid unintended coverage of organizations like NCSL and CSG. AB 1560 passed 6-0 despite the Secretary of State’s implementation concerns about how the office would learn of relevant convictions. AB 1539, which would require party representatives to certify presidential and vice-presidential nominees’ constitutional eligibility, passed 7-0 as amended. AB 1919, which would clarify procedures for a Santa Cruz Metro voter initiative to place a transit tax on the ballot, passed 6-2, and AB 1562, which would allow counties to randomly select poll workers, passed 7-1 after discussion about civic engagement, guardrails, and election administration. The committee then completed roll-call adjustments for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, so doom scrolling is a common phrase that's meant to indicate the way that we just stare at our
• It's a lot more rewarding than the digital screen might indicate.
• to use a Chromebook or other devices to submit work, images from laptop cameras are often of low quality
• access to support instruction while overall providing restrictions, also in support of instructional quality

Bills: HB322, HB126, HB3062, HB1481, HB2310, HB2674, HB121, HB2243, HB3627, HB1178, HB367, HB5515, HB126, HB121

Keywords: JET Grant Program, career education, technical education, community colleges, technology solutions, high demand jobs, student athletes, name image likeness, compensation, intercollegiate athletics, representation, fentanyl prevention, drug poisoning awareness, higher education, mental health resources, substance abuse education, student policy, communication devices, school regulations, disciplinary measures

Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, to give recommendations for improving the Supply, quality, and affordability of housing for
• And keep it the quality, safe, affordable housing that everyone needs.
• There is no testimony here indicating whether the cooperatives even approached those nine opportunities
• There's no indication as to whether there was even an effort to try to acquire communities.

Bills: HF1143, HF1548, HF1340, HF2549, HF2559, HF1673, HF2740, HF2507, HF2461, HF2381, HF2695

Keywords: education funding, unemployment aid, special education, Minnesota statutes, appropriations, housing, redevelopment, local government, trust funds, community development, HF1340, housing infrastructure bonds, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, MHFA, affordable housing, supportive housing, permanent housing, adaptive reuse, area median income, AMI

Transcript Highlights:

• It indicates that the department should identify two judicial circuits within which the pilot program
• percent would be reviewed each year until reviews are complete and to provide an annual report indicating
• It really will make a huge difference in terms of quality of life, overcoming challenges, and I thank
• This is about quality of life.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• observation that I made that we host so many groups that I generally rank everybody in terms of the quality
• We want to be able to use AI to augment the fabrication process and quality control pieces.
• Do we really have the quality already in place?
• I've seen a reduction in visibility and the quality of resources that I really enjoyed.
• A reduction in visibility and the quality of resources that I really enjoy.

Summary: The meeting opened with remarks about the value of public engagement and the quality of questions from the group, followed by a series of technical presentations from Idaho National Laboratory staff. Joe Renovitz described recent nuclear regulatory changes tied to presidential executive orders, including NRC Part 53 for advanced reactors, the forthcoming Part 57 for very small reactors, and DOE updates to reactor authorization standards. He emphasized efforts to align DOE and NRC processes, use risk-informed and performance-based licensing, support reactor deployment for AI/data centers and national security, and use AI to speed communications and crosswalks between DOE and NRC requirements. In response to questions, he said there was no plan to merge agencies, but rather to improve coordination and public outreach through groups like GAIN and NEI. David Tolman then discussed the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel storage, transportation, disposal, and reprocessing. He explained high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), why it is needed for advanced reactors, and DOE’s HALEU Availability Program and related investments in enrichment, transportation, deconversion, and supply chain development. He also covered spent fuel management, the possibility of centralized storage or a fuel-cycle campus, the Center for Used Fuel Research, and ongoing work on high-burnup cask testing and reprocessing technologies. Tolman described aqueous, pyrochemical, and fluoride-volatility reprocessing approaches, noting the advantages and waste characteristics of each, and said several companies are working with INL on these technologies. Ashley Shields presented INL’s AI and nuclear work, focusing on the Genesis initiative and the Prometheus effort to use AI to design, license, build, and operate reactors with far less human intervention. She described INL’s broad use of generative AI tools, the need to manage large volumes of legacy technical data, and applications in reactor design, materials discovery, autonomous laboratories, and digital twins. Shields said AI is being used to reduce the enormous documentation burden in nuclear licensing and to support autonomous or remotely operated reactor demonstrations, while stressing that humans remain in supervisory roles. In discussion, she addressed data security, model access, and the continued need for software engineers. The session then recessed briefly and resumed with Mitch Kerman beginning a presentation on critical minerals and materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• they had water quality issues. and the Corps requested the district be held in abeyance until those
• water quality issues could be resolved.
• they had water quality issues.
• After the 2016 Water Quality Report came out and after the Florida Attorney General opinion indicated
• high-quality public education workforce for Florida students, and that is the bill.

Bills: S0330, S0474, S0694, S1120, S1216, S1366, S1442, S7018

Keywords: firefighter disability, law enforcement disability, correctional officer disability, correctional probation officer, presumptive disability, workers' compensation, line of duty presumption, heart disease presumption, hypertension presumption, tuberculosis presumption, public safety employees, first responders, physical examination, preemployment exam, medical specialist, Medicare reimbursement, employing agency, Florida Statutes 112.18, Florida Statutes 943.13, occupational disease

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills, beginning with SB 694 on compensation for the descendants of the Groveland Four. Senator Bracey Davis described the wrongful accusations, convictions, deaths, and long-term harm to the families, and an amendment added a $4 million appropriation and updated the recipient for Ernest Thomas’s family. Multiple family members, advocates, clergy, and supporters testified in favor, emphasizing the decades-long delay in justice and the need for accountability and repair. Senators from both parties spoke in support, and the committee reported the bill favorably after a roll call vote. The committee then approved SB 330 on disability provisions for firefighters, law enforcement, and correctional officers; SB 474 on military affairs leave and related benefits; and SB 96 on the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program. SB 96 drew the most discussion, with Senator Sharief explaining that the bill raises eligibility to 400% of the federal poverty level and moves $500,000 in recurring funding to the General Appropriations Act. Senator Wright and Senator Harrell raised concerns about whether expanding eligibility could worsen the existing waitlist, while supporters argued the change would help more veterans access needed dental care. The bill was ultimately reported favorably. The committee also passed SB 7018 on child welfare, making the Step Into Success pilot program permanent and statewide, adjusting visitor/background-check rules for foster homes, and creating a best-practices program through the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. SB 480 on information technology was reported favorably after amendments creating a central IT governance structure under the Governor’s office, adding vendor performance metrics and a preferred vendor list, and restoring criminal justice information security provisions. SB 1066 on the Ocklawaha River and Rodman Dam also advanced after extensive testimony from supporters and historians about partial restoration, recreation, and economic benefits; the sponsor said he would continue working through permitting questions before floor consideration. Later, the committee approved SB 1216 on educator compensation, which gives districts more flexibility on cost-of-living adjustments, advanced degrees, and performance pay caps, and SB 1120 on water management district oversight and reporting. The committee also reported favorably SB 1366 on sovereign immunity and claims against government, which would raise damages caps, index them to CPI, shorten claim deadlines, and cap attorney fees at 25%. That bill drew testimony from hospitals, cities, counties, school districts, and others, with some supporting the Senate’s compromise approach and others raising concerns about impacts on self-insured law enforcement agencies and attorney incentives. The meeting concluded with the favorable report on the bill after debate continued over those issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• If House Bill 7 passes, and we know it is Necessary care will be denied, medically indicated procedures
• Why do we allow for something like this to decrease access to these medications that have indications
• And we're doing this when all Texans deserve access to high-quality healthcare providers.
• Sworn testimony indicates that women have been told that when they order these pills, setting aside the
• referring to again goes back to Article 3, Section 10, where it has been, even under some precedent, indicated

Bills: SB 8, SB 1, SB 2, SB 5, SB 10, HB27, HB7, HB17, HB1, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB20, HB18, HB7, HB17, HB1, HB20, HB18, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB1, SR85, SR87, SB8, SB5, SB2, SB10, HB27

Keywords: sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam

Transcript Highlights:

• What is your vision for the Department of Health Services, and what indicators would you use to determine
• know, in terms of trying to detect abuse, you know... ...the billing fraud is really Access, but quality
• Well, since Senator Bravo already asked you your visions, let me just piggyback and say: what indicators
• And then in terms of providing positive customer success, we have dashboards now that indicate, you know
• What indicators does the department have to make sure licensing exam times and things like that don't

Summary: The Committee on Director Nominations met with four members present and approved the prior minutes without objection. Chair Jay Kaufman outlined the committee’s role in reviewing executive nominations and explained the hearing process for three nominees: Mary Foote for the Office of Economic Opportunity, Debbie Johnston for the Department of Health Services, and Chuck Bassett. Foote did not appear for her hearing, and members discussed her absence and alleged omissions in her disclosure materials, including prior service with Planned Parenthood-related organizations. The committee then moved to reject her nomination, and the motion passed 3-2, recommending that the full Senate reject Mary Foote. Debbie Johnston, nominee to lead the Department of Health Services, appeared and gave an opening statement describing her Arizona background, prior Senate staff work, and more than 20 years with the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association. She said her priorities at ADHS include rebuilding trust in public health licensing, improving stakeholder engagement, standardizing rulemaking communication, addressing alleged religious discrimination and retaliation concerns in licensing, and using technology and AI to improve efficiency. In questioning, senators pressed her on her management style, conflict-of-interest safeguards given her prior industry role, enforcement priorities, budget pressures, behavioral health and assisted living oversight, and the department’s response to COVID-19. Johnston said she would follow statutes, recuse herself from enforcement matters involving former contacts, and resign if directed to carry out an unlawful policy. She also said the department does not regulate therapy itself, only facilities, and that it would rely on legal counsel regarding the governor’s conversion-therapy executive order and related federal civil-rights allegations. Several senators focused on public health trust and the department’s pandemic response, with Johnston acknowledging concerns about closures, data collection, and communication during COVID-19 while saying she would review past after-action materials and be better prepared in the future. Public testimony from stakeholders in aging services and health care strongly supported her confirmation, praising her accessibility, responsiveness, and collaborative approach. After testimony, the vice chair moved to recommend Johnston’s confirmation to the full Senate. The roll call was underway when the transcript ended, with several members voting aye and one member expressing reservations about her not reviewing the pandemic after-action report before another crisis occurs.