Transcript Highlights:

• These services allow me to live independently and also work a full-time job.
• These services allow me to live independently and also work a full-time job.
• This amendment is titled more broadly as substance abuse services.
• And with that, customer service, a culture of customer service, is something that I am working really
• But customer service starts with me.

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs heard and advanced several bills and confirmations. SB 1016, on medical assistance eligibility for working persons with disabilities, was amended to remove automatic enrollment and to improve information sharing between AHCA and DCF; supporters said the bill codifies an existing program that helps developmentally disabled adults work without losing Medicaid coverage, and the committee reported the bill favorably. SB 1002, on temporary custody of minor children, was amended to focus on substance abuse as a pathway for court intervention when parental drug abuse creates ongoing risk to a child, and it was also reported favorably. SB 1594, on veteran benefit payments for minor clients in foster care, would ensure military benefits accessed for foster youth are preserved for post-secondary education or aftercare rather than used as reimbursement to agencies; it passed favorably without amendment. The committee also considered SB 1630 on aging and disability services, a broad modernization bill covering long-term care screening, emergency continuity of care, area agency oversight, Alzheimer’s services, home care, and guardianship reforms. Two amendments were adopted, including one on competitive procurement and another allowing area agencies on aging to directly provide core services during emergencies with department approval. Supporters emphasized caregiver navigation, dementia training, and service continuity, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 1030 on substance abuse services/recovery residences was taken up with a substitute amendment that narrowed transfer definitions, required faster licensure action for existing providers adding levels of care, and limited credentialing entities’ access to resident medical records; stakeholders said further work was needed, but the committee still reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard the nomination of Robert Astellos to lead the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. He outlined priorities including reducing the pre-enrollment list, improving transparency and family involvement, strengthening customer service, and streamlining agency processes. Several disability and provider organizations appeared in support, and the committee voted to recommend his confirmation. The committee then recommended confirmation of the appointees on tabs 7 through 10 by a single favorable vote, and adjourned at the end of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every service is important.
• They want the services.
• , library services.
• Services have to be covered.
• Expect services to be top-quality.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that true MASH HQHVSN services... ...services.
• We all come together to provide these services.
• What this bill does is it creates a new definition of a multi-service health club, and if a multi-service
• There's no cap on the multi-service health clubs.
• these services.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . services. services.
• operations and support services. operations and support services.
• Services Cabinet. Services Cabinet.
• . services. services.
• psychiatric services. psychiatric services.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Free Conference Committee on the 2026 General Assembly budget met to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 500. Leaders opened by thanking the other chamber’s work, asking members to turn microphones on and off to avoid feedback, and stressing the need to clearly note decision points so both chambers record the same actions. Staff then walked through the bill page by page, explaining that the committee was comparing only House and Senate differences, not the governor’s proposed budget. The discussion covered a wide range of appropriations and language items, including next generation non-911 services, school safety reporting tools, restored funding for brain injury, epilepsy, veteran service, homeless veterans, and rocket docket programs, debt service changes, rural infrastructure, disaster aid caps, Attorney General and Medicaid fraud funding, agriculture and county fair grants, auditor and pension-related appropriations, school facilities and SEEK funding, and numerous education programs. Members also discussed charter-related funding such as Star Academy, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, school resource officers, school-based mental health providers, AP/IB exams, Governor’s Scholars and Entrepreneurs, and several pilot or initiative programs in economic development, energy, and labor. Several items were described as technical corrections or restorations of language and funding, while others reflected differences in amounts or how funds would be distributed. There were several questions and comments from members about wording such as “implement and carry out,” the absence of the governor’s budget from the comparison document, and whether SEEK funding should be tied to teacher raises. The chair and other members emphasized that the committee’s role was to reconcile the two chambers’ budgets, not to adopt the governor’s proposal. Members also raised concerns about opioid settlement funds and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library match rate, with one senator urging restoration of the House language. No final vote or formal action was taken in the portion provided; the meeting primarily consisted of explanation, questions, and discussion of proposed budget differences.

Transcript Highlights:

• services.
• From notary services, homebound delivery services, passport services, technology training, and augmentation
• services, libraries on wheels, specialized services, digital services.
• I get the services offered.
• I get the services offered.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Local Government held a public hearing on Senate Substitute No. 2 for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1023, sponsored by Senator Justin Brown. The bill would expand the existing authority for certain public library districts to ask voters to approve a local sales tax, with county-specific provisions: St. Charles County would have to reduce property tax levies to offset sales tax revenue, and Cass and Johnson counties would be limited to a 0.33% rate and would eliminate property tax levies if the sales tax is adopted. The bill also includes a provision allowing circuit courts to collect a civil case filing surcharge of up to $15 for law library maintenance, and a Kansas City Public Library fiscal-year flexibility provision was also described. Supporters from several library systems and the Missouri Library Association testified that the bill would give libraries more flexibility to diversify revenue, reduce reliance on property taxes, and protect voter-approved library sales taxes from legal uncertainty tied to county reclassification. Witnesses from St. Charles County said the measure would let local voters decide whether to fund library services through sales tax, property tax, or a mix, while a Marshall Public Library representative said the bill would help preserve a voter-approved sales tax affected by unrelated litigation. A Kansas City Public Library representative said the fiscal-year change would improve budget timing. One committee member questioned the fairness of shifting library funding to sales tax, especially for nonresidents, while other members spoke in support of libraries and their community services. No one testified in opposition. The chair closed the public hearing and announced the committee plans to executive the bill on Monday at noon, with notice to be sent by email. A representative also criticized the tone of the senator’s response during questioning, but said he still supported the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program to Health and Human Services.
• and Human Services.
• to Health and Human Services.
• to Health and Human Services.
• to Health and Human Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• They will refer back to CYFD for in-home services such as safe care that are more intensive services.
• provide in-home services.
• I'm not familiar with the family connection service model for Home services.
• form of post-response services, such as in-home services.
• Protective services were transferred from health and human services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Shared IT services are very popular, something we're happy to support.
• It's the license commissioner, inspectional services.
• Cooperative purchasing for services.
• officer and head of its Operational Services Division.
• Further, cooperatively procured contracts that include IT services, engineering services, and trade contracts

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on Governor Healey and Lt. Gov. Driscoll’s Municipal Empowerment Act, with administration officials and municipal leaders broadly supporting the bill as a package of tools to help cities and towns manage rising costs, staffing shortages, and service demands. The administration highlighted procurement reforms, including raising Chapter 30B advertising thresholds, clarifying cooperative purchasing, and removing the Commbuys notice requirement; permanent authority to amortize emergency-related deficits over three years; expanded authority and enforcement for removing double poles; continued flexibility for hybrid and remote public meetings; regionalization options such as regional boards of assessors and intermunicipal agreements; cybersecurity reporting to EOTSS; and several local revenue options and other municipal finance changes. They said the bill was shaped by listening sessions with municipal officials and was intended to increase flexibility, efficiency, and stability without imposing broad mandates. Committee members asked about regionalization, cybersecurity costs, Commbuys, hybrid meetings, and double poles. Administration witnesses said cybersecurity reporting would help the state target resources and that existing Community Compact and capital grant programs, including IT and municipal fiber funding, could support local needs; they said EOTSS would absorb reporting within existing resources. On procurement, they said the Commbuys notice change would be optional and that other public notice methods would remain available. On hybrid meetings, they emphasized flexibility for different types of boards and the burdens a one-size-fits-all mandate could create for small towns and volunteer boards. On double poles, they said the bill’s main change from last session was to give utilities more time and improve the removal process while keeping enforcement mechanisms aimed at speeding removal rather than raising revenue. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, MAPC, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and multiple mayors and town managers testified in support. They described the bill as a practical modernization measure that would help local governments operate more efficiently and respond to fiscal pressure. Witnesses from Northampton, Lynn, Gardner, Cambridge, Franklin, North Andover, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Ashland praised the hybrid meeting provisions, procurement changes, regional service-sharing, and emergency deficit amortization. Several also urged adoption of local revenue tools, including meals and lodging tax options and other local fees, as ways to preserve services and staffing. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Veteran service organizations.
• I think there's a ride service in Clayton, but I don't know if it has anything to do with Veteran Services
• That, but we're adding additional elements to the services like audit prep services.
• Services that furnish everything else in the building, including the janitorial services in the governor's
• Services request remains flat.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:08.440> through provide those in Home Services through provide those in Home Services
• of the unmet demand for a Services of the unmet demand for a Services Statewide<00:37:22.000>
• agency we provide immigration services agency we provide immigration services for<00:46:12.160><
• our community for our full service our community for our full service Community<01:09:21.080>
• why we applied for the full service why we applied for the full service Community<01:18:40.760><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our field services, which entails our veteran service officers.
• We don't, we have to contract vendors and service providers, so we do the vetting of service providers
• that you do, yeah, OK, for, for, for funeral services.
• And unhoused veterans, but for other services as well, even underemployed veterans to provide services
• Education Department and the Veteran Service Department.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, sir, for your service. Thank you very much.
• Family centers are our shelters in housing and services.
• service member lost to suicide.
• We expanded our services to rural Minnesota.
• Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can coordinate services. We're also ready to work on program integrity.
• and adult social services.
• , integrity and strength and service delivery for Minnesotans.
• Adult services are very similar to the services that are provided to children in the child welfare information
• Some have a lot of overlap, adult services very similar to the services that are provided to children

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the population that is receiving these types of services, private duty nursing services, the
• on private-duty nursing services.
• , and they can also provide services that aren't even state plan services and do additional services
• And they can also provide services that aren't even state plan services and do additional services at
• or they lose Medicaid services.

Summary: The subcommittee held its first meeting of the 2025-2026 term, took attendance, confirmed a quorum, and heard introductory remarks from members and staff. Chair Anderson outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction over access and affordability issues, including health facility regulation, insurance, Medicaid, CHIP, and state employee health coverage. The main agenda item was an update on implementation of HB 391, which created a family home health aide program for medically fragile children. Representative Tramont, the bill sponsor, explained that the law was intended to let trained family caregivers be paid through Medicaid to care for their children, reduce reliance on private duty nursing, and relieve families. He and several members expressed frustration that implementation had taken nearly two years and that families still faced barriers. Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer of AHCA and Bridget Royce of DCF said the program was implemented October 1, 2024, with billing available, but no home health agencies had yet launched the required 80-hour training program and no claims had been paid. They described the program’s requirements, including agency employment, background screening, training, a $25-per-hour Medicaid rate paid to the agency, and an annual assessment report. A major issue discussed was that income earned by family caregivers counts toward Medicaid eligibility and could cause families to lose coverage. AHCA and DCF outlined two possible fixes that would require CMS approval: disregarding the income for eligibility purposes or treating the child as a family of one. Members and public witnesses strongly urged changes to avoid forcing families to choose between income and coverage. Several providers said they had begun preparing training programs, but asked for clearer approval processes and more patient-specific training requirements. The committee then heard extensive public testimony from parents and caregivers of medically fragile children, who described the financial, emotional, and logistical strain of caring for children with severe disabilities and argued that the bill should be expanded to include Florida KidCare families and others in the coverage gap. They also raised concerns about the eight-hour-per-day limit, low pay, and the need for simpler rules and direct support. Home health providers and associations supported the concept but asked for modifications, including more targeted training and clearer implementation guidance. The meeting then shifted to a second agenda item on the Andrew John Anderson Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing Program, which was funded in the 2023 budget. Deputy Secretary Meyer said the program has been implemented since January 1, 2024, but utilization has been lower than expected, with only about 60 claims paid and many denials occurring through managed care. Public testimony from a lab, a hospital, and a pediatric rare disease expert said the program is clinically valuable and cost-saving, but managed care billing barriers, prior authorization issues, and DRG-related denials are limiting access; they urged direct billing to Medicaid and possible expansion to all newborns.

Transcript Highlights:

• They provide services to private and public sector.
• Because customer service has to start with me.
• This is a way to get services where you may not be able to get services.
• because of their situation or services they are receiving elsewhere, and they don't need iBudget services
• And so it's—we're not— They don't accept the services.

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee met to receive an update from the new director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities on implementation of House Bill 1103. The director said APD is working to update the funding algorithm through a contracted study due November 15, 2025, expand transparency on its website, launch an online crisis application by the end of 2025, improve client choice in qualified organizations and waiver support coordinators, and coordinate with AHCA on the managed care pilot and Florida HealthFinder listings for APD providers. He also said APD is working on family resource materials, a monthly newsletter, and stronger transition planning with DCF. Members asked about whether the new algorithm would include transportation and what services might change, but the director said the replacement model is still being developed and any new methodology would be implemented through rulemaking. Questions also focused on Family Care Councils, including the statewide council’s membership and appointment process; the director said the statute sets the process and APD is helping councils recruit and organize. On transparency, members praised the website improvements and asked for more interactive data tools. The director said APD would consider suggestions and continue expanding public reporting. The committee also discussed eligibility and waiver notices, including concerns about outdated language in APD letters and how autism cases are reviewed. The director said clinicians and behavioral analysts review cases and asked to see the specific letter. On the pre-enrollment list, the chair asked about the wait list, and the director said APD recently sent 5,612 service offers to people on the list and is working to better distinguish those who truly need services from those who do not. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Health and Human Services Finance Policy Committee is called to order.
• Programs and services and analyzing gaps.
• Examples would include funding for therapeutic services and juvenile.
• It would be detrimental for them to lose services.
• It increases the current emergency services program.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:59:25.920> services changing the covered service services changing the covered service
• or we provide services now, now services or we provide services now, now we<02:23:12.880> don't
• services.
• service, services, level of services. service, services, level of services.
• Functional support services are community-based services.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a service that we provide through Medicaid, but it's also a service that's paid for by the PASS
• This is a service that we provide through Medicaid, but it's also a service that's paid for by the passes
• We want to make sure that there's a quality service.
• Things that qualify you for personal care services.
• to evaluate whether someone qualifies for their service.

Summary: The committee approved the December 8 minutes and referred items C1 and C2 to the labor and environment subcommittees, adopting the chair’s recommendations. The main substantive item was a DHS rule package revising the State Plan Personal Care Manual and the Arkansas Independent Assessment (ARIA) Manual. DHS said the revisions would repeal and replace the current manuals with streamlined versions, remove overlapping language, implement Act 853 by shifting licensure/certification for personal care agencies to the Department of Health, lengthen personal care prior authorizations from six months to one year, and keep the 64-hour monthly cap. For ARIA, DHS said it would remove references to state plan personal care, clarify telehealth and in-person assessments, and add/update sections for PASS, AR Choices, Living Choices, and PACE. DHS argued the current independent assessment process is costly and not controlling utilization, citing a 95% approval rate, annual spending of more than $212 million on personal care for about 17,000 people, and an estimated $6.173 million in savings from eliminating the Optum assessment and reducing prior-authorization frequency. Agency witnesses said the new process would reinsert primary care practitioner involvement, use standardized evaluation and prescription forms, and rely on personal care provider nurses for the assessment step, with training already available through an AFMC contract. Several members questioned whether PCPs should be used as gatekeepers, whether the change would delay services, and whether the savings estimate accounted for training or provider burden. Some members also raised concerns about conflicts of interest, the workload on physicians, and whether the agency had adequately worked with the existing vendor to improve the current system. The discussion became contentious, with Senator Irvin and others strongly opposing the proposal as inconsistent with the earlier independent-assessment approach and urging DHS to slow down and work with legislators. Other members asked for clarification on how the new process would work for new applicants and whether it would affect waiver or PASS participants; DHS said the rule would not apply to PASS and should not delay services. At the end of the hearing, the chair offered DHS the option to pull the rule down and work off-record with legislators on a revised proposal, and DHS agreed. The meeting then adjourned without further business or a final vote on the rule.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have an app that's provided through our health service.
• I think we can all agree that it is a basic service.
• Legislative and judiciary entities have declined our services.
• So this is the portfolio of services: 534.
• Similarly, you can see vulnerability management as a service.

Transcript Highlights:

• provided by these services. provided by these services.
• local base services. local base services.
• Importantly, these services services.
• health<03:12:32.399> services Services and behavioral health services, and that are, say
• service is ridiculous. service is ridiculous.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all